How Meal Prep Changed My Life

1996-2016:

Look in fridge and overwhelm self with options and temptations.  Try to eat clean.  Eat random things when hungry. Eat some things straight from the fridge or standing over the sink.

Watch willpower fade as the day goes on, and eat anything and everything when I get home hungry from work or fitness.

Buy healthy groceries.  Eat some of them and throw some out later when they go bad.

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2017: The Year of Meal Prep

This revolutionized the way I eat.  Yet it is so simple.  I’m embarrassed that as a full grown adult I had never done this until now: MEAL PREP!

Many of my crossfit and trainer friends spend a few hours 2x/week to chop, cook, and portion their food for 3-4 days at a time.  I used to think this was crazy.  “I like to eat what I’m in the mood for each day!”  “I don’t have time to prep food for that long!”  “That won’t work for my lifestyle.”  But you know what’s even crazier? Wandering around the kitchen, trying to figure out what to eat before every meal.  Coming home starving from work and eating popcorn and string cheese for dinner.  Letting vegetables rot in the corner of the fridge because I don’t feel like cooking them or they take to long. There is a better way!

Here’s my quick and dirty version of meal prep that anyone can try!

I aim for a small serving of protein, a large serving of green vegetables, a little healthy fat, and a healthy carb like brown rice or sweet potatoes for every meal to stay full and energized.  Quantities vary depending on your lifestyle, fitness, your goals, how you feel, etc.

1. Buy a big bag of brown rice.  Cook a huge batch of it and put it in a container in the fridge.
2. Buy a big bag of sweet potatoes.  Chop them, mix them with a little olive oil and salt, and cook them in the oven on a big metal pan.  Put in a container in the fridge.
3. Buy a huge head of cauliflower, unless you hate it.  Send it through a food processor to “rice” it.  It will look like rice.  Put it in a big container.
4. Buy some kind of protein and confirm that it is easy enough to cook, or is pre-prepared.  I buy tofu and cube it up and I buy fish in individual freezer packs. My husband buys chicken strips in a big bag from Trader Joe’s.
5. Buy a green vegetable or two that you like, and put in the work right away to chop it up, or buy it pre-chopped.
6. Have seasonings or sauces on hand that you like.  In my kitchen, I use Tabasco a lot, and curry powder with coconut milk a lot.

So this is it.  This is meal prep, and it changed my life!

When I look in the fridge now, my brain says “protein, veg, carb, fat,” and my eyes see awesomely convenient containers of all the things I could eat.

I put a protein source in a pan and cook it, I add green vegetable or cauliflower rice, I add sweet potato or brown rice, and I eat this meal with some avocado or coconut milk to get a little more fat.

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I went from cooking on occasion in 2016 to cooking every single meal I’ve eaten in 2017 (well, 13 days into the year, anyway).  I haven’t been tempted to eat anything that won’t make me feel good, and I haven’t wandered my kitchen cluelessly once yet this year.  AND I have a real ass meal 😉 on a plate easily in under 10 minutes every time that fuels me for yoga and life.

Happy new year in the kitchen, yogis!

—Jen McD.

4 examples that I made and ate last week below:

Tuna with black sesame seeds, broccoli, and sweet potato.

Cauliflower rice and fake chicken tacos.

Tofu, kale, and brown rice mixed with a Trader Joe’s miso soup packet.

Mixed veg and brown rice with tofu and fake chicken in coconut milk and curry powder with cilantro garnish.

It’s that season where there are what seems like endless amounts of parties to attend sometimes more than one a day!

Here are some options for different mocktails, so you can be festive and social, even when you don’t want to be tipping back too many actual cocktails (like when you have an early morning yoga class the next day).

Mock Champagne

Ingredients:

• White grape juice
• Grape flavored sparkling water
• Frozen grapes and blueberries

Fill half your glass with white grape juice and the other half with grape flavored sparkling water, then toss in a few frozen grapes and blueberries to keep the bubbly chilled.

Mulled Hot Cider

SO delicious and just so simple! Add mulling spices to your cider, heat to a boil, and strain out the spices. Do a cinnamon and sugar rim on your glass and if you’re feeling fancy add a cinnamon stick!

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin pie mix (canned)
• Vanilla ice cream
• Milk

Homemade Whip Cream (for topping)

• Heavy whipping cream – 1 cup
• Sugar – 2 Tablespoons
• Vanilla Extract (just a splash!)
• Yields 1 1/2 to 2 cups whipped cream

For the mousse: Add your pumpkin pie mix to your blender along with your favorite vanilla ice cream and a splash of milk, blend until smooth. Top with ~homemade~ whip cream and pumpkin pie spices! If you have never made whipped cream—no worries! It’s SO easy and SO good, you’ll never want store bought again. (Pro tip: Place your metal mixing bowl and metal whisk (or metal beaters) into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes for best results!) Place the sugar in your mixing bowl and add the whipping cream and a splash of vanilla extract. Whisk away or whip on high until you see stiff peaks. Licking the beaters after is highly recommended! 😉

Mock Sangria

Ingredients:

• Apple cider
• Cranberry juice
• A splash of Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix in whatever fruit you like best, and chill for about 20 minutes to let the fruits soak in the goodness.

Choc-O-Coffee

Ingredients:

• Coffee!
• Hot cocoa mix
• Homemade whipped cream (see Pumpkin Mousse)
• Chocolate (chips,bark,syrup)

Add two scoops of your favorite hot cocoa mix to your coffee and mix well as the chocolate will want to sink to the bottom! Top with some homemade whipped cream and chocolate.

Cheers to Mocktails and Happy Holidays to all!!!

—Christina

Packing a great lunch is one of the best ways to ensure you are making nutritional choices that support your LIFE, even when you are busy during the day. Christina’s got you covered with fun portable lunch ideas! Say NO to being #hangry at work! Here’s a couple ideas to get you started on your back 2 yoga lunches:

Creamy Tomato Soup (Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater
• 1 small onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes packed in juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Minced chives, basil, or parsley as garnish
• Toasted bread or grilled cheese for serving

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, onions, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently until onions are softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add bread and tomatoes. Roughly mash tomatoes with a whisk or a potato masher. Add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer half of soup to the jar of a blender. Blend soup, starting at low speed and gradually increasing to high (be careful starting up, it can shoot out the top of the blender—open the vent and hold a kitchen towel over the lid to prevent blowout). With blender running on high, gradually trickle in half of remaining olive oil. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining half of soup and olive oil. Ladle into individual serving bowls, top with minced herbs, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve with toast or grilled cheese.

Easy Homemade Burrito Bowl

What’s the best part of burrito bowls? There. are. no. rules. Here’s an easy recipe to pack up when you’re on the go!  Burrito bowls are a GREAT way to use up leftover chicken. Use brown rice instead of white, or try using quinoa or barley as the base of your meal.  Lighten it up by nixing the cheese and swapping sour cream for a dollop of Greek yogurt. 😉

Ingredients:

• Cooked brown rice
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups shredded chicken (about 2 medium chicken breasts, approx. 1 pound)
• 2 avocados, lightly mashed
• 3/4 cup of  your favorite salsa
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt