Meal Prep Success: 5 Easy Recipes for Fast Paced Lifestyles

We are all busy. It can be very challenging to balance work, life, healthy and active living, families, a social life, the list goes on and on!

Some mornings I leave my house before 6 a.m. not to return until 8 or 9 p.m. It can definitely be exhausting! Often, I feel as though at the end of the day I am just getting myself ready to do it all over again the next day.

The key to staying on track on my health and wellness journey is to take some time once a week and so some serious meal prep! Taking an hour or two out of my day during the weekend is a life saver. I ensure that I have healthy recipes prepared ahead of time, so when my week get's crazy, I can simply grab something already prepared and go.

I like to have a soup, stew or chili prepared, along with cooked meat or a store-bought rotisserie chicken, cooked veggies, and some sweet treats like protein muffins or protein/energy balls. I find that always gives me a nice variety.

Here are my top 5 easy and delicious meal prep recipes. These recipes cover anything from breakfast, to snacks, lunch and dinner.

1. Egg white ‘muffins’

Non- stick muffin tin (non-stick makes these a lot easier to remove once baked)

Spinach

Cherry tomatoes (or other veggies – options are endless!)

Fresh dill

Egg whites (I tend to use Kirkland brand from Costco or PC Blue Menu brand in cartons)

Salt & Pepper

Lightly oil muffin tin. Add a small handful of spinach to the bottom of the tins. Remember that the spinach will ‘shrink’ when cooked. Add some diced cherry tomatoes to each tin and some fresh dill. Fill each pocket with your egg whites. Add a bit of salt & pepper to each. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes or until egg is cooked through.

2. Turkey meat balls

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup dried parsley

½ white onion, in food processor

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

½ cup panko crumbs, or GF rolled oats, in food processor for GF version

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll into 1 – 1 ½ balls. Place on parchment paper lined cooking sheet. Bake at 400F for 25 mins, turning meatballs after first 15 minutes.

3. Crock pot turkey chili

1 pound of lean ground turkey

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans of kidney beans, rinsed

1 medium red bell pepper

1 can corn

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion

1 ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

4 tbsp. chili powder

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

Sliced Avocado and cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in crock pot, add onions, peppers and garlic & sauté for about 5 mins. Meanwhile, cook the ground turkey in a separate pan. Add cooked turkey to crock pot. Add in chili powder, oregano and cumin and stir for about 20 seconds. Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Serve and top with avocado and cilantro.

4. Gluten-free protein muffins

3 ripe bananas

6 scoops vegan vanilla protein (I use Arbonne’s)

2 cups GF rolled oats

1 cup nut milk (I use either unsweetened coconut or almond milk)

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup chopped nuts (I like to use walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds) – optional

1 cup berries or cocoa nibs – optional

Coconut oil

Mash bananas in bowl, add milk and continue to mash. Mix in dry ingredients and then fold in nuts or berries if you are adding them. Add to muffin tin, slightly oiled (I used coconut oil – lightly). Add to muffin tin and bake at 350F for 20 mins.

5. Protein balls

2/3 cup natural, organic peanut butter

1 cup GF rolled oats

1 ½ cup medjool dates, pitted

½ cup cocoa nibs

½ cup ground flax seeds

2 tbsp honey or maple syrup – optional for added sweetness

Add dates, peanut butter and sweetener (optional) to food processor. Once combined, mix in bowl with remaining ingredients. Roll into small bite-sized balls (about an inch in diameter). Store in fridge and enjoy!