Happy Sunday, meal preppers! This weekly meal plan is perfect for fall, and yes – it’s got pumpkin. It’s been a chilly, rainy fall weekend in northern Virginia as the remnants of Hurricane Ian passed us by, but my heart goes out to all those who took the brunt of the storm in Florida and South Carolina. If you want to help those affected, I’d encourage you to donate to the Red Cross – you can earmark your donation specifically for Hurricane Ian relief efforts. All it takes is a few clicks!
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!
Here’s a quick peek at this week’s recipes. Just click one of the buttons below to jump straight to the recipe 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: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Turkey Taco Salad
- Dinner: Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken
Day 2
- Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Tuscan White Bean & Spaghetti Squash Skillet
- Dinner: Turkey Taco Salad
Day 3
- Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken
- Dinner: Tuscan White Bean & Spaghetti Squash Skillet
Day 4
- Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Turkey Taco Salad
- Dinner: Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken
Day 5
- Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Tuscan White Bean & Spaghetti Squash Skillet
- Dinner: Turkey Taco Salad
Day 6
- Breakfast: Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
- Lunch: Instant Pot Thai Peanut Chicken
- Dinner: Tuscan White Bean & Spaghetti Squash Skillet
The Snack Ideas
- Trail mix
- Grapes
- Apples with peanut butter
- Blueberries 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
Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Muffins
Servings: jumbo muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, (160 grams)
- 2 scoops PE Science Select Vanilla Plant Based Protein Powder, (56 grams)
- 1/3 cup Guittard 64% Cacao Semi-Sweet Baking Bar, chopped, (50 grams)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, (180 grams)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, (183 grams)
- 1 egg
- 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, (4 fl oz)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, (1 1/2 fl oz)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°. Arrange 6 jumbo non-stick, parchment muffin liners in a jumbo muffin baking tin. Set aside.
- Combine all dry ingredients except chocolate chunks. Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined, then fold in chocolate chunks. Scoop batter into baking cups.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until tops just begin to brown.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food in My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 130g, Calories: 247kcal (12%), Carbohydrates: 36g (12%), Protein: 13g (26%), Fat: 6g (9%), Cholesterol: 31mg (10%), Sodium: 262mg (11%), Potassium: 139mg (4%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 13g (14%)
Tuscan White Bean & Spaghetti Squash Skillet
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb raw chicken breast
- 1 medium spaghetti squash, (500 grams flesh)
- 1 15.5 oz can cannelini beans, drained
- 4 cups kale, trimmed and roughly chopped, (270 grams)
- 2 oz sun dried tomatoes, sliced
- 1 1/4 cup light coconut milk
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I like Sauvignon Blanc)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped, (55 grams)
- 2 tbsp white whole wheat flour, (6 grams)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, (1 1/2 oz)
- 2 tsp olive oil, (0.33 oz)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, (16 grams)
- 2 tsp Oh My Spice! Lemon Pepper Dill Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp ground mustard
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Optional (but recommended): Brine chicken breasts for 5-12 hours. Get recipe/instructions here.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out seeds. Rub cut sides with 1 tsp olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning. Bake for 35-40 minutes until flesh flakes away easily with a fork.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pound chicken breasts to even thickness (about 1/2-3/4" thick), then season on both sides with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning. Add chicken breasts to skillet and brown on each side for 1-2 minutes, then set aside.
- Add butter to skillet until melted and hot, then add onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Stir in flour until it is absorbed, then gradually whisk in wine, chicken broth, and coconut milk.
- Add sun dried tomatoes and remaining spices to skillet. Stir well, then add cannelini beans to the skillet and stir to combine. Return chicken to skillet and spoon sauce over chicken. Lower heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Stir the kale in during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, then remove from heat.
- Remove chicken from skillet and allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing. While the chicken rests, add spaghetti squash to skillet and stir until well combined and heated through.
- Divide into 5 servings and add sliced chicken on top. Top with parmesan cheese before serving, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this meal into My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 386kcal (19%), Carbohydrates: 27g (9%), Protein: 35g (70%), Fat: 15g (23%), Cholesterol: 85mg (28%), Sodium: 323mg (14%), Potassium: 1189mg (34%), Fiber: 8g (33%), Sugar: 5g (6%)
Instant-Pot Thai Peanut Chicken
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb raw chicken breast
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced, (130 grams)
- 4 cups HEB broccoli slaw, (340 grams)
- 1 cup Lundberg Organic Brown Jasmine Rice, cooked according to package directions, (180 grams dry measure)
- 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- Optional: 1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Sauce
- 1 cup light coconut milk, (8 fl oz)
- 1/3 cup PB2 powdered peanut butter, (32 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, (12 grams)
- 2 tbsp Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, (32 grams)
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (1 fl oz)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar, (1/2 fl oz)
- 1 tbsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste, (15 grams)
- 1 tbsp ginger paste, (9 grams)
- 1 lime, juiced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients except PB2 and peanut butter (they will burn if you put them in before cooking). Pour 1/2 of the sauce into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add chicken, then add remaining sauce.
- Set Instant Pot to high pressure for 12-14 minutes (do 14 mins for thicker pieces of chicken), followed by manual release. Remove chicken, shred, and set aside. Pour the sauce into a bowl and whisk in PB2 and peanut butter.
- Set Instant Pot to sauté and add bell pepper and broccoli slaw. Sauté for 5 minutes or until pepper begins to soften slightly. Return sauce to the Instant Pot and mix.
- Return chicken to mixture and stir to coat. Add a little chicken stock if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve chicken mixture over a bed of rice and top with fresh cilantro, green onions, and peanuts (if desired).
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
Calories: 390kcal (20%), Carbohydrates: 41g (14%), Protein: 36g (72%), Fat: 9g (14%), Cholesterol: 66mg (22%), Sodium: 473mg (21%), Potassium: 451mg (13%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 6g (7%)
WITH RICE
WITHOUT RICE
Ground Turkey Taco Salad
Servings: servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb 99% extra lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup Frontera New Mexico Taco Skillet Sauce, (120 grams)
- 8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped, (260 grams)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, (120 grams)
- 1 cup low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed, (260 grams)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, (120 grams)
- 1 tsp olive oil
Recommended Toppings (Not Included in Nutrition Info)
- salsa (I like avocado salsa)
- guacamole
- tortilla strips (find them in the salad toppings aisle)
- plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Layer lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black beans, and corn in 4 serving dishes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add about 1 tsp of olive oil. Add ground turkey and break apart with a wooden spatula until nearly cooked through, then add skillet sauce and finish cooking.
- Serve over veggies, then add desired toppings before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Click here or scan the barcode below to log this food into My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 256kcal (13%), Carbohydrates: 23g (8%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 3g (5%), Cholesterol: 55mg (18%), Sodium: 342mg (15%), Potassium: 487mg (14%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 6g (7%)
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