Meal Prep = Plan to Succeed!

Obstacle: Eating what I should be eating, not what is convenient.

Solution: MEAL PREP!

I have been meal prepping for 4 weeks now. What I mean by meal prepping is every Sunday, I make a grocery list, I stick to it, then I come home and make a big batch of something yummy and healthy and then I portion it out into about 9 or 10 containers. I don't get sick of what I eat because I choose things that have yummy flavors and believe that I can have everything in moderation. However, if you need some more variety in your life, I sometimes prep a variety of proteins/veggies to mix and match. Let me walk you through what I have been meal prepping these past few weeks. I eat 5-6 small meals a day every 3-4 hours.

Quinoa/Turkey/Pepper Stirfry: PROTEIN PACKED!
(Follow @lucky_gemma on instagram, this is her recipe that I LOVE!)

• 1 small onion chopped fine (Food processors are amazing)
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups quinoa
• (I used red quinoa one week and white the next, it's up to you)
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• (I used venison 1 week, it's very lean and my daddy's a hunter! #sorryi'mnotsorry)
• 1 bag frozen bell peppers
• (I used 3 fresh peppers one week, just use what you have)
• 1 bag frozen edamame
• (I found this at Trader Joe's, it's sometimes hard to find at regular supermarkets)

1. Throw it all in one big skillet and cook until the peppers aren't frozen and the turkey is cooked through. Be sure to stir it all as you cook. My skillet was a bit too small so I usually cook my meat in a seperate pan until it's finished then throw it all together.
2. Quinoa is a seed, but is prepared as whole grains such as rice or barley. It will sort of sprout out when it's finished cooking.
3. I used Mrs. Dash no salt added Extra Spicy seasoning and some fresh ground black pepper and BOOM! I portioned this into 9 containers. I bought 10 tupperware style containers at walmart for like $5 or $6. It's easier when they're all the same size and don't have to go digging for lids!
4. Let them sit in the fridge before putting them in the freezer, because you don't ever want to freeze hot food before letting it cool down properly first.

^ Turkey/Quinoa in one pan



Veggies In another - cook until desired consistency, combine --> BOOM!


• Another big component of "clean eating" is to limit your sodium intake. Sodium increases blood pressure and increases risk of heart disease, so should be limited. It also tends to make you hold in more water, which we don't want. I have switched over to using "salt free" spices. Mrs. Dash is my favorite brand.

Baked Tilapia/Roasted Brussel Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes

• Frozen Tilapia filets
• Brussel sprouts
• Sweet potatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt/Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Lemon Juice
• Mrs. Dash No Salt Added Garlic&Herbs Spice (or your seasoning of choice)
• Aluminum Foil

Tilapia:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Thaw filets by letting them sit for about 10 minutes in cool water.
3. Place filets on aluminum foil squeeze lemon juice and add seasoning of choice - wrap all filets up, place on cookie sheet, and place in oven for 25 minutes.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (I cook tilapia and brussels at same time)
2. Wash brussel sprouts and chop any brown or yellow off of them. Put a little extra virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Ground Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper and minced garlic (optional) in bowl- toss brussels so they're all coated.
3. Line Cookie sheet with aluminum foil - spread brussels evenly on pan and cook in oven with fish for 25-30 minutes. Shake the cookie sheet a few times throughout cooking process so they are roasted evenly. BOOM. Done & Delicious!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
(I do a big batch of these and freeze them so I don't have to always prep them due to limited oven space and different oven temperature. Once they're finished, I pop them into the container with the fish and brussels and BOOM a well balanced meal).

1. Wash the sweet potato
2. Wrap it up in foil
3. Bake at 400 degrees until you can poke a knife through
4. I let it cool, cut in 1/2 and sprinkle cinnamon on them
5. Put them in the container with the tilapia and brussels and freeze the rest for your next meal prep!

YUMMYYYYY! This is my lunch today!!

WAS THIS HELPFUL!? Will you start doing it? I hope so!
Sure, I spend 2 hours on Sunday grocery shopping and meal prepping but 2 hours one day versus 30 min for 2 meals a day 5-7 days a week? You do the math! I pop the frozen meals in my lunch and off to work I go! Pop them in the microwave for a minute or so, and delicious, nutritious meals are at your fingertips! GIVE IT A TRY! You may become addicted like me! SUNDAY FUNDAY!

So you know what I'm having for lunch... What's for Breakfast?

1 egg + 1 egg white scrambled, spinach, pico de gallo, 1/4 avocado, hot sauce, wrapped into a gluten free wrap. So simple, I literally made this in 2 minutes as my coffee was being made in the keurig before work.

Happy Tuesday!!

You have to go through hard times to find out who you are, appreciate the good times, and test your strength. Instead of complaining today, be thankful that you know what happiness feels like. If there were no trials or tribulations in life, you wouldn't be able to be grateful for the things and people you have in life!

XoXo,

April!