Hi friends! I have been wanting to write a post like this for a while but kept forgetting. I took this idea to an Instagram poll and a lot of you were into the idea… so I put my ass into gear and got to work. I am trying to figure out what you guys like to see the most.
This blog continues to evolve… starting as mostly recipes and plant-based tips and moving into more lifestyle… with a dash of motherhood sprinkled in. But my main focus is and always will be a plant-based lifestyle.
Of course, if you ever have any topic you’d like to see covered on here, do not hesitate to let me know. I am always taking requests and am pretty much open to anything that makes sense for my realm.
So today, I wanted to share my current vegan meal prep, along with some tips. I did a similar post a while back but things have changed. They always do. I hope that you find some inspiration in this routine.
Food I Prep
Slow-cooked beans. This is #1 lately because Willow houses rice and beans like it’s her job. We all do, actually. I love making a huge batch of slow-cooked beans to have for the week. From burritos to quesadillas to bowls and tacos. So versatile and very easy.
I use dried beans because they are SO MUCH BETTER. I can’t even describe how much better they taste than canned. Canned are great for on the fly and I always have them in my house, but there is nothing like preparing your own dried beans. I soak the night before and they are ready for the crockpot the next day. Here’s my favorite recipe for slow-cooked beans.
Grain (usually rice or quinoa). I always have 3-4 cups of a grain prepared. It is just good to have for bowls, sides, etc. I usually opt for rice lately, but I also love quinoa, couscous, and barley. This takes no time to make.
Soup. My go-to lately is chickpea noodle soup, but I also love having lentil stew or green soup. Having a soup ensures lunch for me throughout the week (and Willow) and is an easy way for me to serve her veggies that she may not typically eat.
Pancakes. These are for Willow, mostly. I will quickly whip up a batch of these and freeze them for her breakfast throughout the week. So much easier having this ready to go in a pinch. Plus, they are made with oats so I feel good serving her these 4-5 times a week.
Sweet potato fries. Another go-to for my daughter, sweet potato fries are very easy and take no time to make. The most time-consuming part is peeling and slicing. I usually prepare about 3 or 4 medium-sized potatoes. I toss with a bit of olive oil, smoked paprika, and onion powder. I bake at 400 F for about 30-40 minutes and then stash away for the entire week. She usually has sweet potato fries with her lunch.
Apple sauce. Willow gets a lot of fruit in her diet, mostly in whole form or in a smoothie, but she loves apple sauce for a sweeter treat. I quickly steam 2-3 apples and toss with some cinnamon and maple syrup.
Greens. I like to prepare at least one green for the week, which is usually either kale, escarole, or swiss chard. I simply steam with some garlic or will make something like escarole and beans. So delicious.
Freeze bananas. I do this probably bi-weekly, but I will buy a ton of bananas, let them ripen and get spotted, and then cut up and freeze for smoothies and nice cream.
Protein. For a protein, I have a few things that I will prepare ahead of time. It is usually tempeh (it’s my favorite) but I will also make baked tofu or crispy chickpeas every once in a while. Having a protein on hand and ready to go makes it easy to add to salads, sandwiches, etc.
A few of my favorite recipes: tempeh salad, roasted tempeh + veggies, tofu scramble, protein mix.
Willow loves tofu scramble (and so do I) but I don’t make it too often. But when I do, we both really enjoy it. I love mine in a burrito.
Whatever you decide to make, it is good to have protein ready to roll.
Loaf or muffins. Something sweet! Gotta have something sweet. For me, this usually means some muffins or a sweet loaf. I love this pumpkin loaf (and often times sub the pumpkin for butternut squash puree… the best. I should probably update this recipe soon, to be honest. I use coconut sugar and made a couple other “healthier” modifications for Willow’s sake (and really, mine). Maybe I’ll put that post together soon.
Overnight oats. Put together a couple mason jars of overnight oats and have breakfast ready instantly when you wake up. It’s so easy! Here’s my favorite recipe.
Some Tips
Listen to music. I find that listening to music always makes me happier and the whole experience much more enjoyable, especially since I am usually listening to Sesame Street all day.
Bulk cook on a weekend. I always do my meal prep on a weekend when Joe is home to watch Willow. It keeps me on task without many distractions. And it feels like MY time… and I really appreciate that these days.
Make a shopping list. Before meal prep day, make sure you have everything you need so you don’t get stalled in the kitchen. I go shopping usually early the morning of or the day before I meal prep. I’ll write out what I want the week to look like for our meals and put my list together from there.
That’s what my bulk cooking/meal prep looks like lately. It almost feels like a formula… soup, grain, protein, fruit, veggies… and while the recipes might change here and there, the above has been pretty consistent for me lately. I think it helps having this system in place when you have little ones, especially. This prep ensures that I have starting points for meals during the week. A crock pot full of beans means we can have burritos, tacos, or quesadillas. Frozen bananas means we can have smoothies for a snack. Having soup in the fridge means there is always a meal in case I run out of time.
What are some of your go-to meal prep tips or dishes? I’d love some inspiration for myself, too.
At any rate, I hope you found this helpful and inspirational. Let me know if you’d like to see more meal prep posts in the future. xx bianca
