Weekly Meal Prep - Greek Chicken Bowls

One thing that I've learned along the way in this journey is the importance of planning.  We've all heard the saying "Fail to plan, plan to fail" and I find this to be so true - especially when it comes to not only planning but actually preparing my lunches in advance.  Since I work from home I don't need to actually pack my lunches, but just having everything ready to grab, put together and eat makes a huge difference in my success each week!!  

This was an idea I originally got from eazypeazymealz.com and I just made a few slight adjustments for my own preferences here!! 

INGREDIENTS

Greek Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp dried oregano
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
sea salt and pepper to taste


Cucumber Salad
2 English cucumbers, sliced
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano


Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber, shredded
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp dill weed
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste


The Rest
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion slices


INSTRUCTIONS
1) In a large freezer ziplock bag, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, greek yogurt and salt and pepper. Massage to mix.
2) Add chicken into the bag.
3) Massage to make sure chicken is fully covered and marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to 12 hours.
4) Drain the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade.
5) In a skillet, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat.
6) Add chicken when it is hot, and cook, flipping part way through. Cook approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Cooking time depends on thickness and size of the chicken. Cook until internal temp is 165 degrees.
5) Remove from pan, and let cool.
6) Once cool, cut into bite sized pieces.
7) Meanwhile, make cucumber salad by chunking the cucumbers, and tossing in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and oregano. Set aside
8) Make tzatziki sauce by combining the Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill weed, lemon juice, lemon zest in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
9) Refrigerate while assembling your bowls.
10) Cook brown rice according to package directions. When finished cooking, divide between meal prep containers, 1/2 cup in each container, halve cherry tomatoes, and mix with red onion slices. Divide amongst the bowls.
11) Top with chicken, cucumber salad, and some tzatziki sauce.
12) Keep for 3- 5 days in airtight container, serve cold!

Homemade Energy Bars

Homemade Energy Bars

 

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

Want to try your hand at making your own fruit and nut-based snack bar? In just a few minutes, you can create a healthy, customizable snack to help you eat right when you're on the go.

Author: Beachbody

Recipe type: Snack

Serves: 12 servings, 1 bar each

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole pitted dates (or prunes)
• 1 cup dried fruit (like apricots, prunes, figs, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, or cherries)
• 1 cup chopped nuts (or seeds) (like almonds, walnuts, cashews, sesame seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, or sunflower seeds)
• 2 scoops Shakeology, any flavor

Instructions

1. Place dates, fruit, and nuts in a food processor. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes; scrape sides of bowl.
2. Add Shakeology; process for 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture becomes tiny crumbs that can come together to form a loose ball.
3. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with cellophane. Press mixture into pan until flat. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Cut into 12 bars. Store in refrigerator.
5. Tip: For additional flair add one or more of the following: ½ tsp. rum extract, ½ tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. raw honey, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, 1–2 oz dark chocolate chips, or 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger. Adding any of these items may change the nutritional information.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

So, I saw someone on my Facebook share something about doing a spaghetti squash lasagna and I was definitely intrigued!  I googled it and came across a few different recipes and so I adapted it to my preferences and WOW it was SO good!!  My 5.5 year old daughter even gobbled it all up!  I've always loved spaghetti squash but I had never tried it other than like, well, spaghetti... You know.. with a meat sauce?  Yeah... the thought of using it in a lasagna type dish completely blew my mind!!  

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 pepper chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 24 oz cottage cheese
• 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, seperated
• 3 eggs
• 3 gloves of garlic, diced
• 2 cups of spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle olive oil on both halves and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.  Place face down on a baking sheet and place in oven for 30 mins.
3. While the squash is cooking brown the meat in a pan with the pepper and onion.
4. Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, 1 cup of mozzarella and garlic and then add the meat and mix in.
5. Once the squash is cooked, remove from oven and scrape all the insides out with a fork.
6. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and put 1/3 of the meat mixture on the bottom. Top that with 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce and 1/2 of the spaghetti squash
7. Repeat that 1 more time topping off with the last third of the meat mixture and then the last third of the spaghetti sauce
8. Top with the rest of the mozzarella cheese
9. Place in oven, uncovered for 30 minutes.
10. Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings

21 day fix containers

1 green

1.5 red

1 blue

Pita Pizza

Pita Pizza

Pitas make an ideal pizza crust! This is topped with basil, peppers and onion, or you can substitute your favorite vegetables.

Total Time: 18 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 8 min.
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 (6½-inch) whole wheat pitas
¾ cup all-natural spaghetti sauce, no salt added
2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese (½ cup)
¼ medium onion, sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, sliced into rings

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Top pitas evenly with spaghetti sauce, basil, cheese, onion, and bell pepper.
3. Place pitas on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories: 248

Fat: 5 g

Saturated Fat: 2 g

Cholesterol: 8 mg

Sodium: 569 mg

Carbs: 43 g

Fiber: 6 g

Sugars: 2 g

Protein: 11 g

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

For an easy, romantic dessert, try strawberries dipped in dark chocolate.

Total Time: 41 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 1 min.
Yield: 10 servings, 2 strawberries each

Ingredients:
20 medium strawberries (about 1 lb.)
9 oz. dark chocolate morsels (or chopped semi-sweet chocolate)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Preparation:
1. Wash strawberries; dry completely. Set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or waxed) paper. Set aside.
3. Place morsels and oil in microwave-safe container. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds; stir; microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until just melted. Do not overcook. Set aside.
4. Hold a strawberry by leaf, dip into melted chocolate; lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberry on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
5. Set strawberries aside for 30 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 147

Fat: 9 g

Saturated Fat: 6 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 0 mg

Carbohydrate: 18 g

Fiber: 1 g

Sugar: 16 g

Protein: 1 g

Brussel Sprouts with Roasted Grapes

Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Grapes

Enjoy these Brussels sprouts hot or cold. They develop a mellow nutty flavor that goes perfectly with sweet grapes.

Total Time: 35 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half (about 6 oz.)
1 cup red grapes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper (to taste; optional)
1 Tbsp. sliced raw almonds (for garnish; optional)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Combine Brussles sprouts, grapes and oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired; mix well.
3. Arrange Brussels sprouts mixture with Brussels sprouts cut side down, on metal baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until Brussels sprouts are golden brown on the cut side. Stir; continue baking for 10 to 15 additional minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
5. Top with sliced almonds (if desired). 

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 148

Fat: 6 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 166 mg

Carbohydrate: 23 g

Fiber: 4 g

Sugar: 14 g

Protein: 4 g