i'm starting a weekly post of mealprep for folks who want to learn how to have a system and a plan.

eating well begins in your kitchen - having control over your intake requires that you know how to prepare food for yourself. cooking food is basic life skill that - sadly - many modern people are lacking.

you don't have to be a chef to make nutritious meals for yourself. and i want to invite you to consider that your food doesn't always need to be delicious. sometimes it's just fuel. if food is a total bliss-out for you every time you eat, and you find that the majority of your brain space is revolving around what to eat, when to eat, or when your next meal is, you might be dealing with food addiction. meal prep is a nice way to start to reset your taste buds.

my meal prep each week involves breakfast and lunch. we usually cook dinner nightly, and it's uncomplicated: a protein, a nonstarchy vegetable, and some form of complex carbohydrate that is not refined. since we belong to a CSA (community supported agriculture), my weekly meal prep revolves around whatever is delivered that week.

i'm about to enter the hospital for a month, so while i may choose to eat the refined foods in the cafeteria or order a meal for delivery once or twice a week, mostly i will cook my own food. i do this because my nutrition is the most important thing in my wheelhouse right now. my days are packed: 4:20 am to 8 pm are full of movement and activity. i thrive despite this through high protein, whole foods, and supplementing with adaptogens.

BREAKFAST - savory mason jar parfaits: 40 g protein / 372 calories

You need:

  • 12 eggs
  • 2 bags of frozen green peas
  • 2 tubs of 2% cottage cheese
  • nutritional yeast

savory mason jar "parfaits": 2 whole eggs / 140 g frozen organic green peas / 110 g organic 2% cottage cheese / 1 TB nutritional yeast.

microwave eggs in the bottom of the jar with a splash of avo oil spray and ~2 tsp water on half power for 5:00. let cool. season generously with real salt. top with half the peas, then layer cottage cheese, the rest of the peas, and 1 TB of nutritional yeast.

LUNCH - smorgasbord snacks: 67 g protein / 640 calories

You need:

  • 3-4 summer squash, any variety
  • 2-3 containers of cherry tomatoes
  • 1 large bag of mixed salted nuts (check for no seed oils)
  • 2 large tubs Fage 2% greek yogurt or other nonsweet, plain, high protein yogurt like Siggi's
  • Flat Out Wraps or other complex carb of choice
  • 6 bags Righteous Felon Biltong
  • 6 pieces of fruit

smorgasbord snacks: 1 c sliced summer squash (raw), 1 c cherry tomatoes, 28 g mixed salted nuts, 175 g Fage 2% greek yogurt, 1 flat-out wrap, 1 bag Righteous Felon Biltong, 1 peach

slice veg. add nuts to the glass container. put a wrap in there. i'm bringing the whole giant container of yogurt to the hospital fridge and i'll measure it out with my portable scale each day.

DINNER - taco bowls: 54 g protein / 466 calories

You need:

  • 3 bags of riced cauliflower (frozen)
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 2 lbs extra lean ground beef or turkey or other meat
  • taco seasoning (look for organic, or make your own, it's easy)
  • 2 cans beans
  • a pickle of choice - sauerkraut, kimchi, or home pickle

taco bowls: 100 g riced cauliflower (frozen section!), chopped fresh red peppers, diced green onion, 110 g mixed black/pinto beans (canned - two cans total), 150 g extra lean ground beef seasoned with organic taco seasoning, home-pickled banana peppers

brown the meat in a cast iron with taco seasoning and water if needed (you don't need oil!). drain in a mesh wire basket over a bowl to get rid of excess fat. let cool.

fill containers with veg, beans, and meat. eat hot or cold.