Easy, Nutritious Meal Ideas

Meal prep is something I’ve been experimenting with a lot this year. For lunch and dinner, I tend to circulate between, like, three recipes I make often – I usually have at least 2 different meals prepared in multiple batches in my fridge. I’ll have one or the other for lunch and dinner for a few days. Then, when I’m getting bored of one, it’ll run out and then I make a new one. It’s not the most exciting process, but it works for me because it takes minimal effort. So here are 2 recipes that I tend to make often. I try to make sure they’ll well-rounded and nutritious and that they contain the same nutrients I covered in my last blog post. Both recipes work well with some rice on the side! Baked Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots 2 chicken thighs or 1 chicken breast, thawed 2 carrots (sliced and chopped) Mini potatoes (sliced and chopped) This recipe is so easy I could put it together in my sleep. Toss your chopped vegetables in some olive oil with salt, pepper, and spices of your choosing, and then put them in the bottom of a pan, lined with parchment paper. Lay your chicken on top (also tossed in spices – I love Montreal chicken spice) and put that baby in the oven for 30 minutes at 425F. When it’s done, the vegetables will be so soft and delicious. You could easily play around with the veggies in this one – try broccoli or cauliflower. Bean Soup I like to make this recipe a little bit differently each time I do it, using the same base ingredients each time. 1 can chickpeas (drained) 1 can diced tomatoes (not drained – you want to add the liquid to the slow cooker) Black beans Kidney beans Half a container of chicken broth (or more, depending on how much liquid you want) Some vegetables (see below) Put this all together in a slow cooker and put it on low for 6-7 hours. If you let it cook overnight like I do, it’ll probably burn a little bit on the edges, but it really is no less delicious. I like to buy dehydrated beans and add a few handfuls straight to the slow cooker. When they’ve been sitting in the broth for hours, they hydrate and cook. So lazy… so excellent. I always add vegetables for an extra nutrition boost. Carrots and potatoes make it extra hearty; broccoli, celery, and corn would also be great additions! I like to add different spices into each serving just to mix it up a little. Comment below with your go-to recipes – I’d love to try some new ones!