Excellent amazing news! You can eat healthy every day of the week without even really thinking about it, or trying that hard. It’s true?
Healthy eating is possible even for the time-crunched and cash-strapped. It just takes a little creativity! That’s what Sean david discovered when he first started to experiment with batch cooking, a way of cooking food in bulk and storing some for later. david had been working out for years, but knew that he had to change his diet if he really wanted to see results.
About a year and a half ago, he switched his eating habits and began posting photos of a week’s worth of lunches and dinners (two recipes cooked in 5 portions each). His tasty, affordable recipes began receiving attention from others trying to eat healthy. We tapped david for his top tips on getting started with meal prepping and batch cooking, plus the recipes you'll need to create a week of (delicious!) dinners.
Start Small:
Getting into a new routine of prepping all your meals ahead can take time to take some getting used to. david suggests starting with a few days' worth of meals at a time, then slowly building up to making a whole week of meals in one session. “If you try to do a week all at once in the beginning, you will get discouraged and it will be messy,” he warns. Planning ahead also helps to make meal prep a sustainable healthy habit.
Break It Up:
To stave off boredom, freeze one or two meals each time you make a new recipe so you can swap in something different throughout the week. If you’re freezing, cook foods that have a low water content. You can also add different sauces to a meal to change the flavor, or plan to eat out one night that week to give your taste buds a refresh.
Enlist a Buddy:
Grab a friend or spouse to cook with you. Not only will the process go faster, but you’ll be more likely to go outside your comfort zone with recipes, since you’ll have two palettes to please. You might even think of a new meal idea together and can brainstorm ways to create a healthier version of a favorite dish.
david shared the recipes to create one of his most popular (and freezer-friendly!) meals, a Southwestern-style feast. True to his food philosophy, this healthy meal contains protein, a complex carb, and a vegetable and it’s packed with flavor. “I try to use as few processed foods as possible, but my food is never bland. A lot of people think meal prepping has to be basic there is no color or flavor. But I want my rice to have stuff in it, without having to rely on salt.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 cup frozen corn
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil, and then add rice. When water begins to boil again, reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
2. Cook covered for 40-50 minutes until rice is tender; stir once after about 20 minutes.
3. While rice is cooking, prepare vegetables; heat oil in skillet over low heat.
4. Sauteed garlic for about 4 minutes until flagrant; be careful not to burn the garlic.
5. Increase heat to medium-high, add remaining vegetables and corn and cook for about 2 minutes.
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon oil or coconut oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup chopped yellow or red onion
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1-2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno
2 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/4 cup cilantro
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Directions:
1. Heat skillet over low heat; add oil and sauté garlic until flagrant, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add onions, tomatoes, jalapeno, thyme and pepper flakes; increase heat to medium-high and sauté vegetables, about 4 minutes.
3. Add ground turkey and cook until turkey is fully cooked and brown, about 10 minutes; stir frequently and continuously break large chunks of turkey into smaller pieces.
4. Stir in cilantro; add salt and pepper to taste.
3)SIMPLY TASTY BLACK BEANS
Ingredients:
2 cups dried black beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 cups diced tomatoes
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Soak beans overnight (or for at least 6 hours) in 6-8 cups of water.
2. After soaking, drain water and rinse beans; heat large pot on medium heat.
3. Add oil and sauté chopped onion, celery and garlic for 2 minutes; add tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
4. Add rinsed black beans, thyme, cayenne pepper, cumin and cinnamon to sautéed vegetables.
5. Add water and honey, increase heat and let simmer covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours; stirring occasionally.
6. Add more hot water if necessary; add salt and pepper to taste.
4)DATE NUT BREAD RECIPE:
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cup dates
Pour boiling water over dates and let sit for 10 minutes. Then add:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
In separate bowl:
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 TBL melted butter
Combine date/flour mixture with sugar mixture and stir just till everything is moistened. If there is one thing I’ve learned in baking is not to over mix! Pour batter into 1 well greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until center is cooked.
5)ICED GREEN TEA:
What's better than an iced treat on a hot summer day? I'm a huge fan of making a pitcher of iced green tea with lemon and mint and sticking it in a beautiful pitcher in the fridge. Sometimes, when you think you're hungry and look into the refrigerator for something to eat, you'll see this tall pitcher and realize that's all you really need. No more mistaking hunger for thirst. Bonus: The catechins in the tea help protect your skin from the sun and slim your waistline.
6)NO-LETTUCE CHOPPED SALAD:
Plain old green salads can get boring, so mix things up with a lettuce-free salad base. Chopped celery, jicama, carrots, and green peppers make a solid foundation for toppings like feta and chickpeas or shrimp and corn. Keep this base on-hand, and you’ve got yourself 75 percent of the way to a variety of lunches.
7)BURNT VEGGIES:
I know, I know: You're probably thinking burnt veggies?! Yes, burnt! Or roasted, whichever name floats your boat. Take Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and any other veggies, sprinkle with olive oil and fresh herbs, and roast at 400° F until slightly burnt. You can toss them into an omelet in the morning, place them in an airtight container and bring them to work to pair with nuts for an afternoon snack, or have them ready for a side for dinner.
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