Weekly Food Prep – As Easy As It Gets!

If you’re like me, you want to eat healthy, tasty food, but don’t want to spend a ton of time thinking about, planning and then preparing a bunch of stuff. Well, here are a few quick and easy recipes that you can use as a base for several meals throughout the week. I even gave you a shopping list to make it easy for you!

Roasted Chicken Breasts

I like to buy the big bag of frozen chicken breasts because it’s so easy and convenient to just grab a few out and use them for whenever I’m in need of chicken. After all, it’s all about where I can save a few minutes here or there. Face it, none of us are looking for ways to complicate our lives, right? Okay, so for the easiest roasted chicken, reach in your freezer and grab a few breasts. I usually do about 6 at a time, depending on how big they are. Put them on a foil-covered cookie sheet and season them well. I usually use some combination of garlic salt, Montreal Chicken seasoning, or Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning. Throw the whole thing into a 375 degree oven and go back to doing whatever it was that you’d rather be doing. Come back in 45 minutes and pull them out. Voila! You now have a bunch of roasted chicken ready for whatever you may be creating.

Spanish Cauliflower “Rice”

I just discovered the “riced” cauliflower in the produce section at Trader Joe’s. This is a HUGE life changer for me and my food processer. No more chopping and pulsing with cauliflower crumbs everywhere for me! Nope! Grab that bag of goodness and pat yourself on the back. This Spanish rice is stupid easy. Next, grab a can of Ro-tel. If you haven’t had this stuff, you’re not doing it right. It’s chopped tomatoes with green chilies and a nice little kick! So, start your rice by adding a little olive oil to a skillet and then adding the cauliflower. Saute for a few minutes and then add the Ro-tel. Fill the can ½ way with water and add that. Meanwhile, chop up some cilantro to finish with later. Let the cauliflower cook til the water is absorbed and season with garlic salt and a dash of cumin. If the cauliflower isn’t soft enough, add a little more water and let it absorb. Finish with the cilantro and you’re good to go. Use this “rice” in burritos, as a base for some chicken, or just as a zingy side dish.

Kitchen Sink Salad

I often end up with random vegetable odds and ends in the fridge. Whether it’s leftover carrot sticks or a few trees of broccoli, there’s always something floating around. What I love to do is buy one of those bags of salad mix and then chop up anything and everything that sounds good and make a huge salad. Think green onions, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, tomatoes, etc. Now I have a base and can have a quick salad when the mood strikes! Don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to eat it. Throw some sunflower seeds or chopped almonds in if you’re feeling crazy.

Meal Ideas

Burrito Bowl: Black Beans, Cauliflower Rice, Roasted Chicken layered in a bowl. Top with chopped cilantro and some sliced avocado. Feel free to wrap all this in a tortilla if you want!

Apple Almond Chicken Salad: Salad mix, Roasted Chicken, Sliced Apples and Almonds. Drizzle some good olive or walnut oil and a squeeze of lime and you’re in business.

Veggie Wrap: Salad mix, sliced avocado, crumbled blue cheese (or any kind of cheese), your favorite dressing, all wrapped up in a tortilla.

Shopping List

Frozen Chicken Breasts
Riced Cauliflower
Ro-tel
Cilantro
Can of Black Beans
Bag of salad mix
Assorted Veggies
Avocado
Apples
Almonds
Crumbled Blue Cheese
Tortillas