I’m lazy…Ok maybe not lazy…I just like efficiency. And ease.
And if there isn’t something healthy easily available when I’m on the go – training, consulting, writing articles, filming videos…heck working out (because I make this a priority for my sanity and health) – I’m going to reach for the easiest and fastest thing.
Which, let’s face it, usually also isn’t the healthiest.
We know we all do it.
And it makes sense that we do. We are all stressed and busy already. The last thing we want to do is have to exert self control in another area of our life and cook at the end of a busy day when all we want to really do is sit on the couch and veg out or spend some quality time with family….or both!
That is why meal prep is so key.
But when we think “meal prep” we think of those pictures on Instagram that may “look” delicious but are really just containers of chicken and broccoli.
BLEH!
But meal prep doesn’t have to be chicken and broccoli. It doesn’t have to mean bland, boring food.
It can actually mean casserole dishes the whole family will love. It simply means making dishes that allow you to have leftovers. Leftovers that you can even freeze.
And meal prep doesn’t have to even mean spending your whole Sunday in a kitchen prepping everything! Pick casserole dishes that use similar ingredients and can all be put in the oven at the same time.
Keep things simple and prep delicious tasting food so when you need to reach for the quickest, easiest thing, you have something healthy and even DELICIOUS on hand!
And if you are looking for a delicious recipe to try, try this Mexican Quinoa Casserole! High in protein, healthy carbs and 10 servings!
Mexican Quinoa Casserole
Servings 10
Ingredients:
1 cups Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1 cups Salsa (trader Joe’s Chunky)
1 teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoons Cumin, Ground
3 tablespoons Organic Circle Tomato Paste
1 3/4 cups Simply Organic Canned Black Beans
10 oz Spinach, Raw/fresh
1 cups Corn, Sweet, Frozen
1 Bell Pepper, Red, Whole
1 tablespoons Garlic Clove, 1 Fresh
1 cups Diced Onion
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 cups Organic Chicken Broth, Pacific
1 1/2 cups Water
1 cups Quinoa – Uncooked
1 tablespoons Artisana Raw Organic Coconut Oil
2 1/2 pounds Chicken Breast (boneless, Skinless)
To prepare the chicken: Heat coconut oil in a medium-sized skillet. Cut the chicken breasts into smaller pieces to cook faster (doesn’t matter how big because you will shred them later) and add to skillet. Cook, turning often, until cooked through. Allow to cool and when cool enough to handle, shred the chicken.
Cook quinoa: Pour quinoa into a saucepan and add 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Bring liquid to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil and sauté onion until softened, about five minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Chop the bell pepper then add the bell pepper, corn and spinach (can use frozen spinach as well) and combine well. Add tomato paste, cumin and salt and pepper (to taste) and mix.
Then add the shredded chicken, quinoa and black beans. Mix well. (If this gets too big for your skillet, you can transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add everything in that).
In a medium saucepan, add the other 1/2 cup chicken broth and salsa. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into the chicken mixture and combine well.
Then pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Divide up for meal prep and you can top with a bit of avocado and salsa if desired!
Macronutrient Breakdown:
Calories: 390
Protein: 45 grams
Carbs: 27 grams
Fat: 11 grams
If you want more veggies, you can always add a side salad or roasted garlic cauliflower on the side…Yum!
If you have casserole dishes that you love already, you can even make small tweaks to those to change the macros to fit your macro cycling program!
Learn more about Macro Cycling and how a healthy diet can fit your busy lifestyle. Go to the next page…
