On the weekends it’s easy to indulge or feel like you have gone off track with healthy meals and eating. I always like to use my Sunday’s to reset and plan and prep healthy dinners for the upcoming week. I wanted to share a few of my go-to recipes that you can meal prep and have ready to go before your week even starts!
The one essential item you need for a sheet pan dinner is: a sheet pan. Any ol’ baking sheet will do, but I have alarge onethat I like using for sheet pan meals because it gives the ingredients plenty of space to roast instead of steam! From there, I like to use a mix of protein and veggies to make up the meal. This recipe uses chicken breasts, asparagus and potatoes.
One thing you have to be mindful of when you’re making sheet pan meals is how long it will take each ingredient to cook. For instance, with this sheet pan meal, I knew the potatoes would take longer to cook than the asparagus and the chicken so I roasted those alone for 20 minutes while the chicken marinated and then added everything else to the pan.
Ingredients //
1lb small potatoes, chopped into bite-size chunks
1lb asparagus, trimmed and chopped in half
1 1/2lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped into chunks
1 Tablespoonolive oil (for potatoes)
Lemon Garlic Sauce //
juice of1lemon
4cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoonmaple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoonsea salt
1 1/2 teaspoonground pepper
1 teaspoondried basil
1 teaspoondried oregano
Preheat oven to 400*F. Coat potatoes with 3 Tablespoons of the lemon garlic sauce + an additional Tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile let chicken chunks marinate in remaining sauce. Once potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes, toss and add chicken with sauce along with asparagus to the pan. Place pan back in the oven and roast for 15-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy warm.
Nutrition //
Serving Size:1/4 of recipe, Calories:456, Sugar:7g, Fat:18g, Carbohydrates:40g, Fiber:5g, Protein:39g
Ingredients //
For the Quinoa
1 cupwhite quinoa
2 cups water
For the Tofu
14 oz. firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 tablespoonchili powder
2 teaspoongarlic powder
1 teaspoonground cumin
1/8 teaspoonsalt
1/8 teaspoonpepper
For the Peppers
2large peppers, sliced (any color)
1medium purple onion, sliced
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoongarlic powder
1/2 teaspoonground cumin
1/8 teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/8 teaspoonsalt
1/8 teaspoonpepper
For the Black Beans
115-oz. can black beans
juice of1lime
1 teaspooncumin
1/8 teaspoonsalt
Toppings
avocado
fresh cilantro
lime wedge
Instructions //
For the Quinoa
In a large pot, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to low and let simmer for around 15-20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated.
For the Tofu and Peppers
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Remove tofu from packaging and place between two pieces of paper towel or wrap in a tea towel. Place the wrapped tofu on a plate and put a cast-iron pan on top of the tofu (or anything heavy). Let sit for 10 minutes in order to remove as much moisture as possible.
Slice peppers and onion and then place ina medium-sized bowl. Add olive oil and spices and toss until combined. Place on one half ofthe baking sheet.
Remove tofu from the towel and chop into bite-sized cubes. In a medium-sizedbowl, toss tofu with spices.
Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat and add olive oil. When olive oil is fragrant, add tofu and saute for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to baking sheet.
Bake tofu and peppers at 400ºF for around 15 minutes, tossing halfway.
For the Black Beans
Heat a small pot over medium/high heat.
Place all ingredients for the beans into pot and bring to a boil. Once simmering, remove from heat.
Assemble bowls by equally separating quinoa, tofu, peppers, and black beans into four equal bowls and enjoy! Serve with avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
This will last up to 5 days in the fridge!
Nutrition //
Serving Size:1/4, Calories:411, Sugar:9, Fat:13, Carbohydrates:58, Fiber:13, Protein:21
Ingredients //
1 (6 ounce) packagekalettes, rinsed and dried with towel
1 small red onion, cut in half from root to stem
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 chicken sausage links (fully-cooked, weighing about 9 ounces total), sliced into 1/2 inch pieces on the diagonal
Instructions //
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place onion (papery skin removed), cut side down, on chopping board. Cut off bulb end and discard. Using the tip of the knife, cut onion lengthways at a slight angle, into even wedges, about 1/4 inch thick.
Place kalettes and red onion onto a large rimmed sheet pan. Stir together olive oil and vinegar, then drizzle over the vegetables. Stir to coat and rub mixture into the vegetables with your hands. Sprinkle with salt and stir once more. Tuck sprigs of rosemary underneath the vegetables (this will keep them from burning).
Roast for 10 minutes, then remove pan from oven. Add chicken sausages to pan, stirring to distribute evenly and flip vegetables over. Continue baking for 15 minutes, or until everything on pan is lightly browned. Remove pan from oven and discard rosemary sprigs, then serve hot or at room temperature.
Ingredients //
2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 lemons, both juiced and 1 zested
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons arrowroot flour or cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 red pepper, sliced and steamed
Thinly-sliced green onions
Instructions //
Add soy sauce, vinegar and sriracha to a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.
Add olive oil to a medium pan. Add drained chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer. Cook until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, arrowroot powder, and ginger to the pan and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until it thickens.
Add back in the chicken and stir to coat.
Divide chicken, rice and red pepper between four meal prep bowls. Top with green onions.
Refrigerate until ready to eat, then microwave 2 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information // Serving Size: 1,CALORIES:382 TOTAL FAT:5g SODIUM:645mg CARBOHYDRATES:78g FIBER:4gSUGAR:17g PROTEIN:7g
Mediterranean Chicken Bowls vis Smile Sandwich
Ingredients //
For The Chicken //
1 pound Open Nature® Air Chilled Chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
For The Bowls //
Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cucumber, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup hummus of your choice
1/4 cup tzatziki sauce (store bought or homemade)
Introductions //
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine all spices, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Place the chicken in the bowl with the marinade, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Add onion and peppers to the marinade bowl and mix everything to combine.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange chicken, onions and peppers on the baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and slice the chicken.
To arrange bowls, fill four bowls with romaine lettuce. Divide amongst each bowl the chicken, onions and peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, feta, and hummus. Top with tzatziki sauce and serve!
Note: If you’d like to make this recipe for meal prep, pack the chicken and peppers in a separate container to easily reheat independent of the remaining bowl ingredients.
Nutrition Information //
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 5 Amount Per Serving:CALORIES:513 TOTAL FAT:31g SODIUM:760mg CARBOHYDRATES:26g FIBER:9g SUGAR:8g PROTEIN:36g
Ingredients //
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 onion, sliced 2 tablespoons chile lime seasoning Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large avocado, diced 1.5 cups brown rice, chickpea rice, orzo or cauliflower rice 3 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced 1/2 cup red onion, diced 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 jalapeno, diced Juice of 1 lime
Instructions //
Season chicken chile lime seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste, on both sides.
Season onion with chile lime, salt, pepper and toss to coat.
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and cook chicken on both sides until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Dice chicken. Prepare rice according to package directions.
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to combine.
Divide rice, chicken, avocado, tomato salad, onions and rice amongst three glass food storage containers. Cover and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Eat cold within 5 days. Enjoy!
*** The avocado will get slightly brown after about a day. If that turns you off, pack the avocado separately and dice right before you eat.and if you prefer to eat it hot, pack the avocado and tomato salad separately. Microwave chicken with rice and onions for about 2 minutes. Toss with tomato salad and avocado to eat.
Ingredients //
For The Chicken:
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
1 sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Bowls:
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 cup hummus (homemade or store bought)
Instructions //
Turn the Instant Pot onto sauté setting.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onion to the Instant Pot. Cook until onion is translucent.
Add all other chicken ingredients and stir to combine.
Close the Instant Pot and cook for 10 minutes on the poultry setting.
Release pressure for 5-10 minutes. Shred chicken and divide into 4 meal prep containers.
Divide remaining ingredients amongst air-tight containers and store in the refrigerator.
For the Marinated Steak:
Juice and zest of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
1/2 cuppineapple or orange juice
4cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoonground cumin
1 teaspoonchili powder
1/4 teaspoonground cayenne (more to taste)
1/3 cuproughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoonsea salt
1 teaspoondried oregano
1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
1pound skirt or flank steak
For the Bowls:
4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
1poblano pepper, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1green bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1red bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1yellow bell pepper, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
1large red onion, seeds removed, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste
Guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa verde, grilled corn, black beans, sour cream, tortilla strips, cheese, lime wedges—whatever other fajita toppings make your heart sing!
For the Cilantro – Lime Cauliflower-Rice:
1 tablespooncoconut oil
1clove garlic, minced
212-ounce bags frozen riced cauliflower
1/4 cupwater
Juice and zest of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup juice and 2 teaspoons zest)
1/2 cupfinely minced fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions //
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinated steak, except for the steak itself, until well-combined. Place the steak in a large zip-top bag or a tight-sealing glass container, and then cover with the marinade, turning to coat. Close the bag or cover the container, and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but preferably at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
When the marinating time is up, remove the steak from the marinade and discard the marinade. Using paper towels, wipe off the steak and dry as much as possible. Bring to room temperature on a plate, about 30 minutes.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add in two tablespoons of the avocado oil. Place the steak in the skillet and sear over high for 3 minutes per side (for medium rare) or 5 minutes per side (for well done). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain into thin strips. Cut into bite-size chunks.
Return the cast iron skillet to medium heat, add in the remaining avocado oil, peppers, and red onion. Sauté until charred and slightly tender, but not completely mushy, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the Cilantro-Lime Cauli-Rice by heating the coconut oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add in the garlic and sauté until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add in the frozen cauliflower (no need to defrost) and water, using a wooden spoon to break up as much as possible.
Cover the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water is absorbed and the rice looks fluffy and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add in the lime juice and zest, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble bowls by making a bed of cauli-rice, then topping with steak, sautéed veggies, and your favorite toppings.
Ingredients //
4 tablespoonschili-lime salad dressing
1/2 cuphalved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cupdiced red onion
1/4 cupsliced green onion
1/4 cuppepitas
1/4 cupfresh minced cilantro
4–6cups mixed lettuce and greens (I usually just pick whatever is on sale that week)
Instructions //
Divide the ingredients evenly between two wide-mouth pint-size mason jars. Make sure to follow the order listed in order to keep the lettuce crisp.
Stuff in as much lettuce as you can, screw on lid, and stash in fridge for up to a week.
My Favorite Products to Use //
These glass food containers are amazing to reuse throughout the week and when you are prepping for the week. The silicone acts as a built-in trivet, and protects the glass!
The instant pot was one of the best kitchen items I have ever bought.
Avocado Slicer – this tool is a game changer for all those avocado lovers out there!
These are great Baker’s Sheet. I have both the big and the half sheet.
My Favorite Cookbooks //
If you have any favorite recipes I would love for you to share them in the comments!
XX Becky
