Hey there,
It’s no surprise that planning ahead and being prepared is SO HELPFUL to make better choices.
Today I’d like to invite you into my kitchen and share 5 simple things I make ahead on the regular to make eating healthy easier. Grab your apron and let’s go to work!
1. Sauteed cabbage: If you follow me on Instagram (www.instagram.com/tanja_shaw) you’ll already know about this one. I often share my meals in my stories, and sauteed cabbage is the star of a lot of my lunches.
How I Make It: I sometimes use a food processor but mostly just chop the cabbage by hand. I use a large cutting board, cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the stem, and chop each quarter into long, thin(ish) strips. Some cabbages are tightly packed and are best chopped quite thin. I prefer, if I can find it, the more ‘fluffy’ cabbages. I also find that they taste better.
I heat up my wok or large frying pan on medium high with about 2 tbsp coconut oil. then add the chopped cabbage, season with salt and garlic, and saute until it’s soft. I use tongs to toss the cabbage. Careful not to let it burn; I’ve burned many batches by getting distracted in the kitchen or having it on too high.
What I Do With It: I use it as a low carb base for pasta dishes or curries. I also warm it up and mix it with mashed avocado and a hard boiled egg for a quick and easy meal.
2. Roasted Cauliflower: I used to make cauliflower rice a lot, but realized that roasting it is just as good and takes fewer steps.
How I Make It: I wash the cauliflower, cut it in half, take out the stem, and then roughly chop it one way, and then the other (I don’t bother making it into florets). Again, I use a large cutting board so I don’t have cauliflower confetti everywhere.
Put on a large baking sheet with a bit of olive or avocado oil (about 1-2 tbsp) , sprinkle with salt and garlic powder, and bake at 375 until it’s cooked to your liking, stirring every 20 minutes or so. I usually bake for about 30 minutes, and then turn off the oven and leave the cauliflower in the oven. It gets nice and soft that way, which I like.
What I Do With It: I love warmed up roasted cauliflower mixed into my salads (with avocado dressing, and nutritional yeast). It’s also great as a base for other dishes like chili or stews. Or as a side for anything else you’re making!
3. Roast Beef: My son eats ham and cheese sandwiches most days at school. For a slight edge improvement (less processed food) and for a lower cost alternative, we started roasting meat and slicing it up for lunch.
How I Make It: Sprinkle the roast with salt and garlic, then sear it in high-heat oil (I use coconut oil). Put the roast on a pan with some water (I used an 8 x 8 brownie pan) and bake at 350 until it’s done to your liking. I use a meat thermometer to tell when it’s done and I roast it until it’s rare. Once it’s cool and sliced, the roast is a nice pinkish colour, and not really that rare as it cooks more as it cools.
What I Do With It: Sandwiches, quesadillas, or chopped up into salads.
4. Hummus: Hummus has been a staple food for my husband, and instead of buying it, I now make it. I still haven’t perfected the recipe (it might help if I actually measured the ingredients instead of eyeballing them!), but follow something like this: https://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/easy-and-smooth-hummus-recipe/
I used to make hummus a lot in my early 20s and often used peanut butter instead of tahini. It makes the hummus a bit nutty. I like it.
What to Do WIth It: Use as a dip for veggies or spread for sandwiches. I also mix it with mashed avocado to make a creamy salad dressing.
5. Hard Boiled Eggs: They take no introduction; hard boiled eggs are a staple in my diet.
How I Make It: Put eggs in a pot with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Once the water boils, turn off the stove and let the eggs and water cool.
What I Do With It: I mostly add hard boiled eggs to salads or to sauteed cabbage. They are also great standalone food, or you can put it in a wrap.
There you have it; a little insider’s look at my regular meal prep. I hope this has inspired you to keep up your meal prep or to start doing a few things to make eating healthy EASIER.
I’d also love to know, what’s one thing you regularly make?
-Tanja x
