Happy Monday and welcome to the first full work week of 2019! And yes, I cringed while writing that. It’s always tough getting back to a busy routine after having some much needed time off. But here we are…and if you’re like me, you probably have committed yourself to some healthier habits in January than you had in December. Of course, that only packs more on top of your already busy and tiring routine.
That’s why I meal prep! By the time I get home from work at night and squeeze in a gym session and shower, it’s too late to cook up a healthy dinner and accomplish anything meaningful…like laundry đ So instead, I spend a few hours on the weekend getting everything ready to eat for the week ahead. Yes, it’s a sacrifice of precious weekend time, but to me it’s worth it. Anywho, best of luck to all of you in getting through this week. I know I’ll need it!
The Meal Plan:
Day 1
- Breakfast: Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch: Italian Kale and Radicchio Salad
- Dinner: Chicken Fajita Bowl
Day 2
- Breakfast: Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch: Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake
- Dinner:Â Italian Kale and Radicchio Salad
Day 3
- Breakfast:Â Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch: Chicken Fajita Bowl
- Dinner: Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake
Day 4
- Breakfast:Â Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch:Â Italian Kale and Radicchio Salad
- Dinner: Chicken Fajita Bowl
Day 5
- Breakfast:Â Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch:Â Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake
- Dinner:Â Italian Kale and Radicchio Saladďťż
Day 6
- Breakfast:Â Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Muffins with egg white slices
- Lunch: Chicken Fajita Bowl
- Dinner: Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake
The Snack Ideas:
- Flavored tuna packets with plantain chips
- Carrots with hummus
- Deli turkey (nitrate and nitrite free)
- Blueberries and blackberries
- Protein shakes
- Hard boiled egg whites
The Containers:
The Recipes:
Blueberry Almond Baked Protein Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 scoops Cellucor Whipped Vanilla whey protein
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp almond butter
- 3 tbsp almond slivers
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Add rolled oats, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon to a large bowl and mix until combined.
Add applesauce and melted almond butter. Mix the almond butter into the applesauce to ensure it doesn't harden and clump.
Add remaining wet ingredients and stir until just combined, then fold in blueberries.
Scoop oatmeal mixture into jumbo muffin molds on top of baking sheet. Â Top with almond slivers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until the tops begin to get golden brown and do not collapse when touched (they will get firmer as they cool).
Recipe Notes
Try scooping with a 4-oz disher and baking with these jumbo silicone baking cups for best results.
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food into My Fitness Pal.
Egg White Slices
Ingredients
- 3 cups egg whites
Instructions
Pour egg whites into a cold, medium-sized, shallow pan and cover with a lid.
Turn heat to just higher than medium and cook eggs until they no longer jiggle when you touch the pan and are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Vent the lid if the top of the egg whites begin to bubble.
Remove from pan and slice into 6 pieces.
Recipe Notes
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Italian Kale and Radicchio Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb raw chicken breast
- 8 cups kale, chopped (140 grams)
- 4 cups radicchio, sliced (140 grams)
- 1/2 cup dry green lentils, cooked according to package directions (88 grams)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (85 grams)
- Optional toppings: feta cheese
Marinade/Dressing
- 5 tbsp olive oil (2.5 oz)
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar (2 oz)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (1 oz)
- 2 tbsp honey (1 oz)
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Optional: 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Whisk together all marinade/dressing ingredients except Parmesan cheese (if using). Pour half of the dressing over the chicken breast in a resealable bag or container. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
If desired, whisk Parmesan cheese into remaining salad dressing (not included in nutrition info).
Assemble salad by tossing kale, radicchio, and cooked lentils with most of the remaining dressing, conserving some for on top of the chicken once cooked. (Keep dressing separate if meal prepping the salad.)
Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and placing on top of salads.
Top chicken with remaining dressing and pomegranate arils. Add feta cheese, if desired (not included in nutrition info).
Italian Spaghetti Squash Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground turkey
- 2 links Jennie-O Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage casings removed
- 4 lb spaghetti squash
- 1 24 oz jar Monte Bene Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (found at HEB)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (60 grams)
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped (60 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 eggs whisked
- 2 tsp olive oil divided
- 2 tsp Flavor God Garlic Lover’s Seasoning divided
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Optional: 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9×13″ baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
Cut spaghetti squash in half and remove seeds. Rub cut side of flesh with 1 tsp olive oil, then season with 1 tsp Flavor God seasoning. Place cut side up on lined baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until squash can be easily flaked apart with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Heat remaining olive oil in a large sautĂŠ pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic and sautĂŠ until fragrant. Add ground turkey and sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Season with remaining Flavor God seasoning and continue cooking and breaking apart with a spoon.
When meat is mostly cooked through, add pasta sauce, stir, and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
Using a fork, scrape spaghetti squash “noodles” from shell and place in a large bowl. Add red pepper flakes, meat and sauce mixture and mix until combined.
If the squash mixture is hot to the touch, you will need to temper your eggs with some of the liquid before stirring in the eggs. If it is just warm to the touch, you can stir the eggs in directly.
Grease a deep, 9×9″ casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil. Add squash mixture and flatten out on top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it becomes firm to the touch. If desired, add parmesan cheese on top for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
Recipe Notes
You can also make this dish with 93/7 ground chicken, but it will add about 7 grams of fat per serving.
Chicken Fajita Bowls
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken breast sliced thinly into strips
- 1 cup Lundberg Basmati Brown Rice cooked according to package directions
- 1 8-oz bag Frontera Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
- 1 cup HEB Mild Guacamole
- 1 cup Cocina Fresca Mild Jalapeno Salsa
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced (120 grams)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced (120 grams)
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced (50 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Oh My Spice! Sriracha Lime Seasoning
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Add chicken, enchilada sauce, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and seasoning to a large oven safe dish. Mix together with your hands and bake for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Serve chicken fajitas over rice with guacamole and salsa.
