Turkey Loaf with Cheesy Cauliflower Puree

For me, this took advantage of some pre chopped veggies and the convenience of a pre flavored cheese product (as well as using a cake pan to bake in a thin layer instead of being loaf shaped...) in order to be a 30 min, 1 pot/1 pan, mealprep for the week.  At just under 320 cals and 32g of protein a serving this is 4 servings of delicious, nutritious, lunch.

1lb ground turkey - I used 99% fat free

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

4 oz crimini mushrooms, chopped

3 cloves garlic, same

5 cups raw spinach

1 tbl butter

splash of water

1 egg - please don't chop this

salt, pepper, thyme, sage to taste

1.5lbs cauliflower florets, chopped/cleaned

1 container reduced fat garlic herb allouette... or 8 oz low fat cream cheese and some salt/herbs/garlic

Turn oven on to 350.  Sautee onion, mushrooms, and garlic until onion is translucent.  Add herbs/seasoning, splash in a bit of water, and throw in spinach and stir until it wilts and water is mostly gone.  Mix veggies into turkey, using egg to hold it together, it will be a bit slimy but oh well.  Spread out into a cake pan so that you can have super mega fast cooking and set timer to 20 mins.

Put cauliflower into same pot, add water to cover and a dash of salt, and go sit on the couch for 15 mins or so.  By now the cauliflower is falling apart so just drain it, smash it a bit, and add cheese and stir it in. The turkey loaf should be cooked through at this point, so just portion things out and store and you're set.   

Burrito Bowls

After a week of some uninspired things-grabbed-from-cupboards-willy-nilly for lunch, I am back at organized prep.  Been craving tacos/burritos/chipotle/nachos/etc/etc so I made some sort burrito bowl analogs for the week.  4 servings, 430 cals, very little fat, lots of fiber, and 41g of protein. 

1lb ground chicken (I used 99% fat free)

2 servings brown rice, cooked

1 bag (12 oz) riced cauliflower/broccoli 

2 ears corn, fresh (or a small can of corn, but fresh is better), cut off cob

1 can/3 servings kidney beans

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, chopped, seeded or not as you wish

3-5 cups some hearty green (I used arugula that was abt to die in the fridge)

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbl olive oil

cumin, coriander seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, salt, pepper (I left this out bc arugula) to taste

Lime juice (also to taste)

Put cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a hot pan and toast till you can smell them, then add the oil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. When oil is hot add the corn and bell pepper.  Stir infrequently, you want a bit of char on the veggies, until the corn starts trying to pop on you.  Then add the rice, cauli rice, and greens and stir a bit.  When it is heated through, add the beans and a liberal squeeze of lime as well for an additional few mins, then take off heat and portion this out into your bowls/tupperwear.  

Put pan back on heat and add your chicken, jalapeno, garlic, cinamon, salt, and pepper. While chicken browns, add  your tomato to your bowls.  When chicken is cooked through portion it out as well.  Done and done.

Larb (ish) Salad

This started with an attempt to make the standard weightlifters meal prep of chicken/brown rice/broccoli less boring, ran into my craving for this awesome meat salad from the thai place up the block, and somehow ended up here.  6 servings at 430 cals, 29g carb/17g fat/41g protein.  6g of fiber. nice chunk of potassium.  (Maybe a bit much sodium but, thankfully my blood pressure is low normal so....) More than a days worth of vit A and C, and 25ish% of both calcium and iron.  Not bad. Also, it tastes really freaking good. 

This recipe is 80% cutting things up, sorry not sorry, if you don't feel like chopping everything then don't make this this week.

Meat Component:

2 lbs ground turkey - could use chicken, but the salad this is based on uses pork and turkey gets closer to that, flavor wise.  I used 1 pkg 99% lean and 1 pkg 93% lean bc I was shopping in a post work fuge state.

1 pkg frozen steam in bag brown rice (thawed), or 2 servings leftover cooked brown rice

1 bag riced cauliflower - I used some that had broccoli and carrots in it also for variety

1 pkg white mushrooms - about 10 of them

1 long hot pepper, diced (seeded or not as you please)

1 handful basil leaves, chopped

 2 tbl coriander seeds

2-3 tbl chopped mint

2-3 green onions, yes also chopped

2 tbl sesame oil

3-4 tbl fish sauce 

Lemongrass - I used 1 tbl paste from a tube, if you have fresh avail use that

Juice of 1 lime

4 tbl peanutbutter (use the natural stuff that is just peanuts and salt) or a palmful or two of chopped peanuts

Put 1 tbl of the sesame oil in a wide bottomed pan over medium head and add the rice.  Stir infrequently and let the rice toast while  you start chopping up half the kitchen.  When you can really smell the rice/sesame oil then add the cali-rice and stir a bit more to incorporate it, then take that out of the pan and set it aside.  

Add 2nd tbl of sesame oil, the white mushrooms and hot pepper, and your fish sauce.  Saute until mushrooms start to reduce a bit then add your meat.  Put lemongrass, coriander seeds, and peanutbutter/peanuts in at this point.  When meat is cooked through, turn off head and add back in rice mixture.  Also add the green onion, mint, basil, and lime juice at this point and stir well to incorporate them while everything is still warm.  

Salad Component:

1 head napa cabbage, shredded

1 large english cucumber, quartered and chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch mint, chopped (minus the bit you put in the meat)

1-2 handfuls of basil, chopped

1 jalapeno - seeded or not as you wish

red pepper flakes to taste

juice of 3 limes

salt - you are sort of making quick pickles so you want some salt here, but use more or less to your taste/sodium requirements 

Just mix everything, you did enough work w all the chopping up.

Serve the meat on top of the salad, maybe don't mix them already in your meal prep containers.   You've got lunches for the whole week + one serving to taste test right now.  The salad component will get more pickle-ish as the week goes on. 

Banana Protein Bread

Not quite as delicious as straight up banana bread... not quite as nutritious as a totally boring version. This compromise is a pretty perfect breakfast, tho.

4 overripe bananas you should maybe not of bought so many of last week
1 cup greek yogurt (I used 2%)
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 container (about 2 cups) almond butter (peanut butter would work too but be less neutral tasting)
3 scoops vanilla protein powder (or chocolate) (or all plain but add some vanilla extract)
2 scoops unflavored protein powder (if you are less bothered by fake sugar taste you can use 5 of flavored stuff)
1 tbl or so cinnamon
1.5 cups oats
pinch each salt and baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix first 5 ingredients until they are well combined.  Fold in the rest, do not overmix.  Put into a baking pan (I used a silicon 8x8 cake pan) and bake approx 30 mins (more if using a deeper pan, less if using muffin tin).  For 12 servings comes out at 300ish cals, 30g carb, 14g fat, 18g protein, more if you add things like chocolate chips or walnuts or other things that might taste good in there.

"Caprese" Salad Pasta

This is a light, incidentally vegetarian, mealprep lunch for a busy week. 4 servings come out to 425ish cals, 60g carb, 20g protein, 12g fat.

4 cups bow tie pasta
8 oz fresh motz balls
8 plum or campari tomatoes
1 bag spring mux, baby arugula, or spinach
1 lemon for juice
Salt, pepper (if not using arugula!) oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, etc to taste

While pasta cooks, portion your motz and tomatoes and arugula into containers, and season/squeeze lemon over. Split pasta into containers while still warm to wilt greens a bit if not using spring mix. Done. This is barely a recipe but makes awesome lunchez.

Lentil Curry (not daal)

This recipe starts with a frustrated cupboard cleanup/reorganization prompted by being unable to find my coffee...... nevermind everything else I seem to be hoarding against the zombie apocalypse I had 6 goddamn bags of dried lentils.  Looks like I need to use some of these up over the next few weeks..... I had been planning on making a big batch of chicken and veggie curry for this week's lunches so, veggie only curry, go!  (This is by no means an authentic recipe of any sort, but it borrows heavily from several.)  5  big servings come in at 325 cals, 70g carb, 5g fat, 27 protein. 

1lb bag dried lentils
4-5 cups raw spinach
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bag (4-5 servings) frozen spinach
1 can peas (I like leseur, use whatever you like if  you have less impeccable taste)
1/2 a large sweet onion
1 jalepeno (or more or less, to taste)
1 bunch cilantro
2-4 cloves garlic
1 inch chunk of ginger
few stalks celery
2 tbl butter - but could use coconut oil to be vegan
spices to taste - tumeric, cumin, 'curry powder'
juice of one lemon

Build the base of your curry first.  Get the butter/oil melting and add the chopped onion, tumeric/cumin, jalepeno, garlic/ginger, cilantro, and celery (which is not part of the curry but..... I had it in fridge and somehow I can't fathom cooking lentils w out it, hush).  Once those have cooked down a bit, add the tomatoes (maybe you want to cut them up... I neglected to) and the spinach.  Put water in the pot to cover the spinach, then add your lentil and califlower.  (Don't add peas yet or they will turn to total mush!) Watch water level to keep lentils covered/happy but not drowning (we are not making soup) and cook 15-25 mins until they are tender, adding the peas when they are almost done.  Then stir in your curry powder and add your lemon for brightness right at the end. 

New Years Day Double Chocolate Protein Muffins

When the cold light of new years morning leaves you hating the scale and determined to get back on track but you can't shake the memory of your awesome cookies from last night..... Here is the diet friendly version for breakfasts/snacks all week.  You're welcome.

2 ripe/overripe bananas

1 cup natural peanutbutter (can do almond butter or sun butter etc if you are allergic or dislike the taste of pb)

2 eggs

pinch each baking soda and salt

1 cup oats

3 scoops chocolate protein powder

splash vanilla

1/3rd to 1/2 bag semi/dark chocolate chips

Set oven to 350.  Smash bananas, mix in pb and eggs.  Add soda, salt, and vanilla at this point.  Stir in oats and protein powder, then chocolate chips.  Portion into muffin tin and bake for 12-15 mins.  I ended up with 16 muffins at abt 190 cals, 16g carb, 10g fat, 8.5g protein each.  No white sugar, no white four, plenty of chocolate taste, and a good way to use up some protein powder you thought maybe you could stand to just drink (you thought very wrong). 

Greek Pasta Salad for Days

This would be good either hot or cold.  It makes a nice substantial lunch at 665 cals with 44g protein and 46 carbs.  It is not low fat, but could be if you want to use low fat greek salad dressing instead of the olive oil/lemon.

8 servings (ie one box) bow tie pasta
3lbs chicken breast
2oz chopped black olives
5oz baby arugula, or baby spinach, or regular either...some green which is not iceburg or romaine
8oz feta cheese
1/4th cup lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 cup olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
Oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

Spread chicken breast out onto a cookie sheet, season liberally with lemon, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper and throw in the oven at 350.  While that is cooking, put on water and boil pasta according to directions on the box.  When pasta is 1-2 mins from done, toss the greens into the pot right along with it.  Drain pasta/greens and toss back into pot.  Put feta, olives, and tomatoes into the pot and stir to mix everything.  Dress w olive oil, lemon, and more oregano (or your light greek dressing if using that) . Chicken should be done by now, so take that out and chop it up and add that in.

Portion into tupperwear for meal prep or just store it all in one if you don't like 1000000000 small containers in your fridge. Makes a week of lunches + today's lunch and a few extras for lazy dinners. 

Peanutbutter Chocolate Protein Comfort Compromise Cookies

So ya..... crazy time of year.  Craving all things I should not eat bc, ofc, stress = junk food cravings. But. I know better, poor nutrition = poor dealing with stress.

Compromise cookies, go. This recipe makes 36 cookie things that come in at abt 175 cals each with 7-8 g protein, 13 net g carbs (11 of which are sugar), and 10g of fat.

15 servings natural (no ingredients besides peanuts and maybe salt) pb (36 tablespoons, or 1 16oz container)
1 bag dark chocolate chips (mine was 19 servings in the bag at 80 cals each, 60% coco)
4 cups instant nonfat milk powder (can use unflavored whey protein for higher protein content, even)
1 cup honey (maple syrup or molasses would work as well)
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 tsp salt
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla to taste

Mix everything - pb honey eggs and milk first, then dried milk powder and flavorings, then chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 mins - I baked it in mini muffin tins to keep cookies from sprawling too much.

Updated Macaroni Salad

I wanted pure unadulterated simple comfort for lunches this week.  Of course, I did not want quite all the calories that usually come along with this, or low protein macros. So... update, go!

This makes 6 servings, at 37 grams of protein, 55 of carbs, and 13 of fat... just under 500 calories.  Pretty much a pretty perfect lunch.

14 oz of elbow noodles (ie, a box w one serving used already)
24oz (6 cans) of tuna
6 eggs
3 cups of chopped celery
12tbl olive oil mayo (lighter then the standard but no strange ingredients/aftertaste of low fat)
salt, pepper, celery salt, etc to taste

Put the eggs into a pot and fill with water, set on the stove to boil.  When it starts boiling, add the noodles and time them according to the package directions. The eggs should be done at the same time this way.  Drain/rince pasta/eggs.

Open alllllll the tunas and put one can's worth into each container for your mealprep, add half a cup of chopped celery and 2 tbl  mayo to each.  Shell the eggs and cut one of them into each container.  Season to taste with salt/pepper/etc.  Add an equal amount of (now hopefully cool) pasta to each one, and stir.

This, nicely, makes 1 extra serving beyond your 5 lunches so that you can have it for lunch now to make sure it's not poison. 

Pantry Soup

Cold fall weather always makes me want soup for dinner, and I did not have any cans that looked appealing in the cupboard.. but, I did find the makings for a great bowl of soup while I was in there.  If you keep some basic things like canned beans, chicken stock in a box (or bullion), and fresh veggies on hand you always have soup available. 

This version included:
boxed chicken stock
1 chicken sausage
1/2 a cup black beans
1/4th a cup canned fire roasted tomatoes
1 handful spinach, chopped
4-5 baby carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic
salt, pepper, cilantro, red pepper flakes

Just cook it all 5-10 mins so everything is cooked through and the flavors meld, done! Leftover cooked rice or other grains, egg noodles, and pretty much any other veggie you have in the house would work here.  Chick peas or pinto beans would be just as good as black beans. As long as you have stock and spices, you are never far from a good bowl of soup.

Sesame Squash Salad

Since I seem to be in a 'healthy cooking' frame of mind, I decided to remake spicy cold sesame/peanut noodle salad.  This makes 1 lunch sized serving or an app for 2-3 people and is best if you let it sit in the fridge at least overnight.

2 cups baked spaghetti squash, stringed
1 tbl sesame seeds
2 tbl natural peanut butter (I like crunchy but you can go with plain if you don't like discernible chunks of peanut)
1 tsp sesame oil
2+ tbl red pepper flakes depending on your heat tollerance
1 tbl ground ginger
3tbl to 1/4th cup stock (I used chicken, veggie or beef would work also.)
several green onions, chopped. a shallot works in a pinch as well
splash of rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Microwave your peanut butter 30 sec or so so it will mix well, and mix in your sesame seeds, oil, spices, stock, and vinegar.  Taste for heat and adjust accordingly.  Toss in your squash and green onions and mix well.  Let sit in the fridge and serve cold.  This makes a great lunch with a side of quick pickled cucumbers (let them sit overnight with rice wine vinegar, salt, and pepper).

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Makes one serving for a hungry person or 2 app sized servings, scales up easily. 

1-2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp curry powder (hot or mild as you like it)
1 tsp cayenne  pepper
2-3 tsp ground ginger
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 tbl butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups veggie stock (can use chicken stock if you are an omnivore. Don't use water without really amping up the spices or soup will be bland.)
6oz (a single serving container) of 0% greek yogurt (could use full fat yogurt, or a smaller amount of sour cream or creme fresh, or just a dash of actual cream if you want.  But the yogurt has a bonus effect of adding a bunch of protein along with the creaminess.)

Put curry powder, cumin seeds, and both peppers in a small soup pan over medium heat to toast a bit while you chop up your onion.  Add butter when spices are toasted (you will be able to smell when they're ready).  Throw your onion and salt in when the butter melts and cook until onion is caramelized.  Add chicken stock, ginger, and pumpkin and stir to incorporate.  Bring to a low boil and cook for about 5 mins or so to let it thicken up a bit and let the flavors meld.  Taste for seasoning (you want the soup a bit spicier then you actually want it at this point because the yogurt will cool it down considerably) and pour into whatever bowl you are serving it in over the yogurt.  Stir to incorporate and enjoy.  Lunch for under 300 calories (assuming you did not overdo it with the butter) in under 10 mins. 

Sweet Chili Paper Fish

Have you ever noticed that at least 90% of food that you can grab in a hurry and shove in your mouth one handed on the go is carb based? So if you've been running around like a maniac all day (such as my 'must clean all the things' spree today) you have probably only gotten one food group (well, 2 if you count caffeine in your pyramid).  Here is an easy recipe to remedy that with, emphasis on easy because who has energy left to cook?  (This is written to feed 1 person but scales up very easily for more.  Just make separate paper envelopes for each piece of fish for best results.

Turn your oven on to 450, and put a nice bottle of white wine in the fridge.  Mix 1-2 tbl hot oil (or some neutral oil and smashed up red pepper flakes), 1-2 tbl honey, the juice of 2 limes, and salt/pepper in a small bowl.  Lay out a piece of parchment paper large enough to make an envelope on a baking sheet and put a piece of  fish (in this case I used salmon, but this would be equally good on tuna and would probably even work on a white fish like tilapia. Use whatever you like) in the middle of the paper.  Pour your chili/honey mixture over the fish and seal up the envelope.

Let it sit on the counter a few mins while you chop up a clove or two of garlic and wash/chop a good plateful (remember they shrink) of some hearty green.  I like kale but arugula or bock choy or spinach or really whatever  you like would work.

Put your fish in the oven and wander off for 10-20 mins, depending on how rare/cooked you like your fish.

Come back and pull the fish out of the oven and carefully open the paper, there will be steam when you do so watch your hand.  Put a small sautee pan over high heat and add a splash of chicken stock (or water, or wine) to the pan, put your garlic in as well.  When it starts to simmer throw in your greens.  Toss greens with a fork until wilted (only takes about a min or two).

Plate greens (leaving water/stock in the pan) and dress them with salt/pepper and a smidge of really good olive oil.  Flip your fish over as you plate it because the bottom side got nice and browned and pretty from the honey, if you like pour over a bit of the cooking liquid as a sauce.  Pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy.

Kale and Brown Rice Salad

2 cups cooked brown rice
4-5 cups torn up kale
3 avocados, diced
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
Juice of 3 limes
salt and pepper to taste

Another assembly job.  Tumble it all together and beat it up a bit mixing it so that some of the avocado gets squished enough to create a dressing. Lazy summer lunch that looks fancy and even contains trendy super foods, go!

Greek Grain Salad

2 cups quinoa, cooked (or the frozen in a bag just microwave to reheat type, if you are lazy and making salads because it is too hot to cook in the summer time like I am.)
1  arugula or baby spinach
1/4th cup crumbled feta cheese
10-12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (can use black olives in a pinch)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 tbl fresh oregano
Juice of 2 lemons (3 if they are stingy)
few tbl olive oil
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

This is pure assembly.  Just toss everything together and dress with the oregano/oil/lemon juice and let it sit in the fridge for awhile (or even a day or three) and take to a picnic or serve as a nice light summer side.

Herbaceous Fruit Salad

Listing the ingredients as if you are making 1 serving of this salad, scale up for the number of guests. (If you have an odd number of guests either just throw the extra peach in there or snack while chopping)

2 cups Arugula, baby arugula, baby spinach, or mixed greens
1/2 chopped up ripe peach (peeled if desired)
1/4th cup blueberries
3-4 large basil leaves (or 5-6 small ones)
8-10 mint leaves
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
4 tbl good olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

This is super simple. Roll the herbs up and slice them into nice confetti like pieces and put them in a plastic baggie or a small bowl with the oil and vinegar. Stir and let sit, you can make this way ahead. When ready to serve, toss the greens, fruit, dressing and some salt/pepper if desired.

I love this salad as part of my Summer BBQ Gone Sideways menu.

Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad

(This is in no way an authentic Thai recipe.  I have been really enjoying laarb salads in my local Thai place recently and set about replicating the flavor profile in a simple cucumber salad at home.)

1/4th head red cabbage
2 cucumbers
1 big or 2 small shallots
large handful fresh mint leaves
1 or 2 serrano or jalapeno pepper (or several tablespoons red pepper flakes in a pinch)
Zest of 1 and juice of 2-3 limes
2 tbl kosher salt, pepper to taste
optional to serve: chopped iceberg lettuce, chopped roasted peanuts.

Shred the cabbage and chop the cucumber into very fine disks/half disks.  Dice shallot and pepper and roll up the mint leaves and cut them together to make gorgeous mint confetti. If using red pepper flakes, beat them up  a bit into smaller shards.  Throw all these veggies into a big ziplock type bag.  Add salt, pepper, lime zest, lime juice, shake it up and seal the bag. 

Let sit at least 30 mins up to several days.  If served immediately it will resemble more of a salad, in a few days it becomes a spicy sour pickled condiment.  It is great on its own but you can bulk it out/tone it down by serving it over chopped iceberg lettuce. Add chopped peanuts if you are not a peanut-hater like my father and you can serve it on its own as a great light lunch.

Spicy Quinoa Chickpea Salad

for quinoa-
Toast 2-3 tbl cumin seeds and some black pepper in a saucepan.  When fragrant, turn off heat and add 2 cups water, 2-3 tablespoons grated ginger, a few corriander seeds, a pinch of salt, and 2-3 cloves finely chopped garlic.  Turn heat back on, add 1 cup quinoa and put a lid on it.  When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.  Stir occasionally and cook until almost all of the water is absorbed (about 12-15 mins).

for dressing:
Mix the juice of 2 (and the zest of one) lemons with 1/4th cup of mayo (can use vegan substitute if desired) and a few tablespoons of good olive oil.  Add 2 finely chopped shallots, and 1 finely chopped serrano pepper (can use less pepper if you like less heat).

 additional components:
Chop up 1 bunch of cilantro, a handful of any other hearty greens or or parsley that you happen to have around (I used some arugula and watercress, spinach or kale would be good also).  Also dice up a large tomato (or cut about 10 grape or cherry tomatoes into quarters) and let it sit with a bit of salt on it.  Drain a can of chickpeas (or get out some you have cooked ahead).

Add the greens/herbs and tomatoes to the dressing and toss.  Then pour in the warm quinoa and the chickpeas and toss it all together until everything is well coated in the dressing.  Can be served hot or cold, it gets spicy-er if you let it sit in the fridge for awhile before serving.

Chili Lime Tillapia

Heat up some olive or grape seed oil over medium heat, and zest 1 lime into the oil.  Put salt, pepper, and garlic powder on one side of some tillapia fillets.  Throw them seasoned side down into the oil and set a timer for 3 mins.  While they are cooking, put some cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper on the unseasoned side.  Chop up an avocado and a tomato/some baby tomatoes and toss the with the juice of 1/2 the lime, salt, and pepper, throw this mixture over some spinach leaves.  Flip the fish when the timer goes off, reset your timer,  and squeeze the remaining lime half over it.  Look to see if you have some corn chips to go with this feast and find the crumbs in the bottom of the bag that should really of been thrown out, top your avocado and tomato salad with those for crunch and pour yourself a drink (a mojito would be awesome with this if you are less lazy then I am, a crisp white wine works very well also).  Plate your fish when the timer dings and dinner is ready.  A fairly healthy, balanced, dinner in well under 10 mins, what more can you ask for?