Healthy Meal Prep for Beginners E-Book

Juanita Brooks

• Herausgeber: Daniel
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Beschreibung

Learn How to meal prep like a pro with easy recipes and time-saving weekly plan even if it’s your first time
When you’re short on time, like on your lunch break, you’re more likely to make poor choices based on your mood or what’s available. Having a balanced, nutritious meal ready to go is always preferable to grabbing an unhealthy alternative
Healthy Meal Prep does the work for you, and will help you achieve your health goals, maximize your time, and save you money. Fresh and flavorful recipes that are tried, tested and seriously tasty.
This meal prep cookbook goes beyond general meal prep guidance, and provides a 21-week plan to make a habit of meal prep and keep your fridge full
This cookbook includes:

• 21-Weekly meal prep plans
• The Secret Shortcut method to meal prepping like a pro even if it’s your first time
• Easy Meal prep ideas strategies to make healthy eating easier.
• Storage and useful tips about how to meal prep
• 120 recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, salads, appetizers and smoothies.
• Nutritional information for every recipe to help manage macros and achieve diet goals

Healthy Meal Prep for Beginners is the ultimate plan to meal prep like a pro.

Leseprobe

HEALTHY MEAL PREP FOR BEGINNERS

120 easy recipes and time-saving weekly plans

for healthy, ready-to-go meals

JUANITA BROOKS

Copyright © 2020 by Juanita Brooks

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Limit of liability/Disclaimer of Warranty

The publisher and the author make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. NO warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the author is not engaged in rendering medical, legal or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the individual, organization or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Meal prepping 101

What are the benefits

How to Meal Prep

What are the shortcuts

Day 1

Day 2

How do Lazy People do it

What Containers should I use

Easy Meal Prep Ideas Strategies

Storage

Meal Prep Menu

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

DAY 17

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

DAY 21

BREAKFAST RECIPES

Omelette Pesto

Camembert and Pancetta Omelette with Salad

Zucchini Pancakes

Mascarpone Wheat Berry Bowl with Pecans

Mediterranean Oats

Kale Grilled Cheese Baguette

Creamy Breakfast Quinoa

Chia Yogurt Pudding

Fluffy  Pancakes

Fluffy Kefir Pancake

Scrumptious Milky Waffles

Lemon Pumpkin Pancakes

Yummy  Crepes

Parmesan Broccoli Quiche

Spinach Quiche

Pumpkin Bread

Cheesy Avocado Salad Toast

Mediterranean Pork & Brown Rice

Pecan Monkey Bread

Herbed Zucchini Pancakes

Yummy Avocado Toast

Sausage Casserole

LUNCH RECIPES

Arugula Bacon Pizza

Summer Turkey Bake

Scrumptious Fish with Peppers and Tomatoes

Chicken Sliders

Pecorino Rapini with Cherry Peppers

Pecan Eggplants with Yogurt

Peppered Salmon Kebabs

Grilled Halibut with Peaches

Pan Chicken and Olives

Tomato Parmesan Bake with Fennel

Kale Parmesan Quinoa Cakes

Sesame Bulgur Bowl

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Greek Cod Tacos

Grain Filled Eggplant with Lime Sauce

Stuffed Nutmeg Aubergines

Lime Fried Zucchini with Cilantro

Mediterranean Turkey Pita

Feta Pesto Chicken Burgers

Turkey Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Charred Tomato Bowl

Pan-Fried Eggs and Veggie Bowls

Turkey Salad Cups

Yummy Broccoli Pasta

Turkey Penne Pasta

DINNER RECIPES

Italian Sausage Marsala

Sheet Pan Turkey

Lima Beans with Limey Trout

Delicious Caesar Tuna

Kale and Beans with Turkey

Flavorful Italian Beans and Turkey

Grilled Veggies with Salmon

Greek Lime Turkey Rice

Delicious Spaghetti Sardines

Roasted Tomatoes with Spaghetti and Grana Padano Cheese

Golden Yogurt Sauce with Pasta

Tasty Fried Rice

Baked Greek Potatoes and Zucchini

Baked Mediterranean Shrimp with Tomato Sauce

Cheese Olive Pizza

Greek Turkey Kebabs

Sheet Pan Turkey

Potatoes with Bacon Wrapped Cod

Delicious Chicken Couscous

SIDE DISH & APPETIXER

Mediterranean Spaghetti Sauce

Cauli-Couscous with Raisins

Crispy Broccolini

Mediterranean Garlic Pasta

Creamy Salad Nachos

Simple Spanish Shrimp

Stacked Cheesy Beets with Pecans

Greek Layer Dip

Greek Cheese Guacamole

Watermelon Pizza

Tuna Avocado Tapas

Tzatziki Sauce Yogurt Dip

Roasted Cheese Tomatoes

Pecorino-Roasted Tomatoes

Yogurt Potato Dip

Crispy Celery Root Fries

Quick Herbed Vegetables

Creamy Yogurt

Middle Eastern Spinach with Tahini

Middle Eastern Spinach with Tahini

Pecan Olive Tapenade

Olive Oil Lime Dipping Sauce

Creamy Tarragon Cucumber Dip

Spicy Cheesy Hummus

White Bean Hummus

Skillet Fried Fennel

SNACK RECIPES

Greek Nachos

Tuna Bites

Sweetened Walnuts

Spicy Fried Chickpeas

Crisped Potato Wedges

SALADS

Carrot Apple Salad with Lentil

Pressure Cooked Couscous Salad

Turkey Souvlaki Salad

Mount Athos Eggplant Salad

Olive Cannellini Salad

Barley Salad

Italian Chickpea Pasta Salad

Toasted Bulgur Salad

Gaeta Tomato Salad with Herring

Tarragon Salmon Pita

Provolone Fig Salad

SMOOTHIES

Maple Apple Smoothie

Energy Boost Smoothie

Healthy Grapefruit Smoothie

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Green Breakfast Smoothie

Banana Coffee Smoothie

Mulberry Colada Smoothie

Banana Mulberry Smoothie

Introduction

Back in 2011, I was 18 stone and 3 lbs. With a diet mainly consisting of alcohol and takeaways I hit a point in my life where clothing was becoming an issue, where I became embarrassed and realized my weight was something I had to change. The first solution I turned to was my Doctor with the only advice being a box of antidepressants and a confirmation that I was obese. I walked out of his office with a single piece of paper listing good and bad foods with tears in my eyes wondering where else I could turn to. After trying multiple different diets, mostly unsuited to me, I decided to join the gym and begin meal prepping. In around 10 months I had lost 8 stone.

In 2015 I met Linda who at the time was around a size 16 weighing over 13 stone. Linda was in a place which I was very familiar with and had tried the same diets that I had previously tried and hadn’t worked. It was at this point I decided to take my passion for cooking and meal prepping further. Every Sunday I would create tasty yet absolutely healthy meals for them both to consume throughout the week, prepped in a way that was completely tailored to their individual needs. The calorie counting, and following of macros turned out to be the key tool to both of our weight loss journey.

I reached that stage in my life where I was happy, more comfortable and enjoyed eating healthy meals despite my very busy schedule. Aside from the fact that meal prepping is healthy, it’s also much cheaper and gives you more free time throughout the week

In this cookbook, you will find my shortcut method of how you can meal prep like a pro despite your busy schedule. You probably know that prepping involves storing food before you eat it, so I also provide the proper guidelines on freezing, thawing and reheating recipes to keep the food tasty and safe to eat.

The recipes in this book were carefully selected so they are easy to prepare, contain easy-to-find ingredients, keep nutrition in mind and are delicious. Each recipe provides exact measurements for a serving size to help keep calories in check.

Cheers to healthy cooking

Meal prepping 101

Who hasn’t left work late with a growling stomach but little energy to shop and cook? A busy schedule is one of the top reasons why people choose quick takeout meals, which are often calorie-laden and a contributor to expanding waistlines.

Now, imagine a different scenario where within a few minutes of walking through the door you have a delicious home-cooked dinner, and perhaps even lunch packed-up for the next day. Amidst hectic weekday schedules, meal prep or meal planning is a great tool to help keep us on a healthy eating track.

Meal prepping is the concept of preparing whole meals or dishes ahead of schedule. It’s particularly popular amongst busy people because it can save a lot of time.

Having pre-prepared meals on hand can also reduce portion size and help you reach your nutrition goals. This way, you’ll avoid unhealthy options like TV dinners or takeout, especially when you’re overwhelmed or exhausted.

And since it requires you to determine what to eat ahead of time, meal prepping can lead to more nutritious meal choices over the long term.

Despite what people may think, there are various ways to meal prep — not all of which involve spending a whole Sunday afternoon cooking dishes for the week to come. You can choose methods that work best for you.

What are the benefits

Dieticians everywhere rave about the benefits of meal prep for multiple reasons. Yes, you're aware that meal prepping will save you money, and that’s a bonus. But the main reason experts love it is apparently because it takes the emotion out of eating. Here are some of the benefits of meal prepping.

It saves money

It ultimately saves time

It helps with weight control, as you decide the ingredients and portions served

It contributes to an overall more nutritionally balanced diet

It helps you stay on track for dietary needs, avoiding issues with missing or insufficient ingredients

It reduces stress as you avoid last minute decisions about what to eat, or rushed preparation

How to Meal Prep

If you are new to how to eat healthy look no further. Most individuals prefer to create a system that can be repeated every week. Having a system in place helps the process to become a habit. Once you get used to the process, it will become easier as you go.

There are a lot of shortcuts you will also learn along the way. Just stick with it, try it and apply all your ideas, and you will learn how to prep your meals like a pro.

What are the shortcuts

One of the preferred methods involves selecting one or two days of the week and designate those days for prepping your meals in advance.

Here are some short cuts to ease the process.

Day 1

Preppers make a list of the meals that they want to eat for the week.

This day is also used to purchase all the ingredients needed for the meals and in the right portions.

It is difficult to prep without a shopping list and meal plan.

Part of the reason is that, without a clear idea of what will be eaten, it is hard to decide the portions that will be needed for prepping.

This shopping trip will also include containers, reusable cutlery, containers for seasoning, or travel-sized seasonings for healthy lunch boxes.

It is important to also plan ahead for beverages, especially if you are a prepper who follows a specific diet.

Not having the right drink readily available will result in having to depend on a vending machine, or resorting to whatever is available.

Along with containers, cutlery, and beverages, preppers should also consider other items that keep the food warm or cold.

Insulated bags, ice packs, and thermal bags are also a part of the preparation process.

Day 2

Now that all ingredients and tools are ready to go, the next step is to revise the portions and seasonings that go with your dietary needs that follow specific guidelines.

Aside from that, this is where the fun comes in. The day is all about baking, stewing, roasting, and just cooking away.

The last part is the “plating” of the food, or putting it in their containers, for optimal preservation.

Preppers should separate foods that may dissolve in separate containers.

For example, separate bread items from sauce items, or leafy greens from salad dressings that may soften them overnight.

Foods that are crunchy after cooking will lose their crunch overnight, so opt for meals that do not require “toasted” items, unless you have a way to toast the food at your destination.

Refrigerating the meals is the last step, which also requires that you consider the nature of the food being refrigerated.

Freezing is usually not needed, unless you use the meals for over a week.

Therefore, refrigerating the meals and getting them ready to go is also an essential part of prepping meals.

How do Lazy People do it

Here are some shortcuts that could help even the least enthusiastic person go for it.

Think ahead. Do not think of this as “dieting.” Instead, be creative and think of all the meals you could eat.

Motivation is the key to everything.

Let creativity motivate you to go get the ingredients and tools you need for prepping. The rest will follow naturally.

Another way for lazy people to prep is by sticking to what they know. For example: A taco casserole with the ingredients that meet your dietary lifestyle is super easy to make and eat.

Dishes made with low-carb noodles, soups, and casseroles can last more than 4 days if they are refrigerated properly.

They are also super easy to make, and easy to store, as well.

The best part of prepping is that, if you use recyclable containers, you do not need to worry about washing dishes.

You can just toss them away and recycle them.

What Containers should I use

The most sought-after containers are sturdy enough to take changes in temperature, come with an equally sturdy lid, seal properly, and are recyclable.

You can totally use whatever containers you have or find. The Fit Packer ones seem to be the best non glass ones I've come across.