Happy Sunday, meal preppers! I hope you’re all enjoying spooky season. Are you meal prepping this weekend or are you opting to enjoy the Hallo-weekend instead? This weekend I’ve got plenty of butternut squash in the mix to make the most of the autumn harvest bounty. You should also be sure to check out my latest post on how to build the ultimate trail mix and get the recipes for the 3 mixes you see here!
If you’ve never been here before, welcome! My meal prep posts go a little something like this: 1) meal plan (use any or all of it!), 2) snack ideas, 3) links to the containers you see here, and 4) recipes and nutrition info. You can jump straight to the recipes by clicking the “Jump to Recipes” link above, or click the direct link to the individual recipe you want below. Otherwise, just keep scrolling down!
If you’re new to meal prepping or want to learn more about how I meal prep, go check out my Meal Prep 101 page for more my meal planning tips and strategies.
Here’s a quick peek at this week’s recipes. Just click the button below to jump straight to the one you want! Note: the links in the meal plan below will take you to individual recipe pages (separate from this post), but the big teal buttons will take you to the recipe embedded in this post.
The Meal Plan
Day 1
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Dinner: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Day 2
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Juicy Air Fryer Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sautéed Kale
- Dinner: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Day 3
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Dinner: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Day 4
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Juicy Air Fryer Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sautéed Kale
- Dinner: Lemon Garlic Shrimp Bowls with Tahini Dressing
Day 5
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Dinner: Juicy Air Fryer Chicken with Roasted Butternut Squash and Sautéed Kale
Day 6
- Breakfast: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Juicy Air Fryer Chicken
- Dinner:
The Snack Ideas
- S’mores, PB&J, and Classic Trail Mix
- Cottage cheese with jam
- Apples with peanut butter
- Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries
- Protein shakes
- Hard boiled eggs
The Containers
Here are the direct links to the containers you see pictured in this post. Note: these are Amazon Affiliate links.
The Recipes
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
Servings: jumbo muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, (160 grams)
- 2 scoops Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Plant-Based Chocolate Protein Powder, (64 grams)
- 1/2 cup Scharffen Berger Dark Chocolate (62% Cocao), cut into chunks, (70 grams)
- 3 tbsp dutch cocoa powder, (17 grams)
- 1 tsp instant espresso
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup strawberries, chopped, (220 grams)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, (244 grams)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, (5.33 fl oz)
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tbsp maple syrup, (1 fl oz)
- 2 tbsp Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, melted, (32 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange jumbo parchment muffin liners inside jumbo muffin tin. Set aside.
- Mix all dry ingredients except chocolate chunks, then add wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks. Scoop batter evenly into baking cups.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out mostly clean.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 180grams, Calories: 272kcal (14%), Carbohydrates: 37g (12%), Protein: 15g (30%), Fat: 9g (14%), Sodium: 283mg (12%), Potassium: 154mg (4%), Fiber: 6g (25%), Sugar: 13g (14%)
Lemon Garlic Shrimp Bowl with Tahini Dressing
Servings: servings
Ingredients
Lemon Garlic Shrimp
- 1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on
- 5 cloves garlic, minced, (20 grams)
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, (21 grams)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tsp Flavor God Garlic Lover's Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
Tangy Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 2 tbsp Roland Roasted Garlic Tahini, (28 grams)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, (15 grams)
- 1/2 tbsp honey, (11 grams)
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, (7 grams)
- 1/2 tbsp water, (7 grams)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard, (5 grams)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Other
- 2 1/2 cups butternut squash, cubed, (330 grams)
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, (400 grams)
- 2/3 cup farro, cooked according to package directions, (120 grams)
- 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Flavor God Garlic Lover's Seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth. Adjust salt to taste, then set aside in the refrigerator.
- Roast the butternut squash. Pre-heat oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with foil. Add cubed butternut squash to the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, then season with 1/2 tsp Flavor God Garlic Lover's Seasoning.
- Toss squash to coat evenly with oil and seasoning, then arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until it begins to get golden brown and is fork tender. Set aside.
- Steam the asparagus. Add asparagus to a large, microwave safe bowl. Cover bowl with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 2-3 minutes or until asparagus is bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer asparagus to an ice bath to stop cooking, then pat dry and cut into 2″ pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the shrimp. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Season with Flavor God Garlic Lover's Seasoning and chili powder.
- Melt butter over medium-high heat (7 or 8 out of 10) in a large skillet. Add shrimp in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the skillet (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Cook for 1-2 minutes or until browned on the cooked side.
- Flip the shrimp, add garlic and lemon juice, and continue cooking for about 2 minutes or until shrimp just reach opaque and are cooked through.
- Remove shrimp to a plate or bowl and toss with lemon zest.
- Assemble the bowls. Add cooked farro, butternut squash, asparagus, and shrimp to a large bowl. Drizzle with lemon tahini dressing. Top with fresh chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 395kcal (20%), Carbohydrates: 40g (13%), Protein: 35g (70%), Fat: 11g (17%), Cholesterol: 244mg (81%), Sodium: 676mg (29%), Potassium: 471mg (13%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 6g (7%)
Juicy Air Fryer (or Grilled) Chicken
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, raw
- 3 tbsp homemade brine mix
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Oh My Spice! Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- water
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add brine mix and stir until dissolved. Pour over ice in a flat bottomed resealable container. Add chicken, then add additional water until chicken is submerged. Brine for at least 5 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Remove chicken from brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry on a paper towel, then pound down the thicker end of the chicken breast until they are even thickness across.
- Rub the chicken with 1 tsp olive oil until evenly coated. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, and Oh My Spice! seasoning.
- Air fry the chicken at 380 degrees for 11 minutes, flipping halfway through (sometimes I up the temp to 390 degrees after flipping the chicken for crispier edges). Set aside to cool for about 5 mintes before slicing.
Tips & Tricks
Grill instructions: Follow the same instructions above through Step 3. Pre-heat grill to 400°. Grill chicken 6 minutes on first side, then flip and grill 4-5 minutes on other side until chicken barely reaches 165° in the thickest part of the chicken. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 120kcal (6%), Protein: 25g (50%), Fat: 2g (3%), Cholesterol: 80mg (27%), Sodium: 153mg (7%)
Roasted Butternut Squash
Servings: servings (3/4 cup per serving)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash, (330 grams)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Oh My Spice! Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425° and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Add cubed butternut squash to the lined baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and season with lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat evenly, then arrange butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 425° for 20-25 minutes.
Tips & Tricks
- I used a 1.3 lb butternut squash to yield 330 grams of cubed squash.
- Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 205grams, Calories: 114kcal (6%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 2g (3%), Sodium: 40mg (2%), Fiber: 7g (29%), Sugar: 4g (4%)
Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad (No Chicken)
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 8 cups kale, stems trimmed and chopped, (537 grams)
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed, (325 grams)
- 1/2 cup 50% less sugar dried cranberries, (80 grams)
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese, (37 grams)
- 1/3 cup Fresh Gourmet Honey Roasted Pecan Pieces, (37 grams)
- 1/2 tsp Flavor God Garlic Lover’s Seasoning
- 2 tsp olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper to taste
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Add butternut squash to a foil-lined baking sheet, then drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp Flavor God Seasoning. Toss until evenly coated, then bake for 20 minutes.
- Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
- Gently massage kale with 1 tsp olive oil. Set aside.
- Divide all ingredients except pecans evenly into 4 serving bowls and toss until evenly coated with dressing. Top with honey roasted pecans before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 335kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 43g (14%), Protein: 7g (14%), Fat: 18g (28%), Cholesterol: 7mg (2%), Sodium: 318mg (14%), Potassium: 678mg (19%), Fiber: 10g (42%), Sugar: 21g (23%)
