Tis the season for meal prep! The holidays are over and we are all getting back into the swing of things. I am loving it. I have been meal prepping in one way or another for years. For me, this means preparing a few things each week that makes putting together a meal or cooking a meal easier. I do not prepare entire meals per se and portion them out, but rather I prepare ingredients and proteins that allow me to assemble healthy meals and cook at the moment with flexibility. This is what works for me, of course, you do whatever sets you up for success!
This month, I am partnering with Ello Products to share a few meal prep ideas in this blog post. These are simple, delicious ways to make your meal prep approachable! Ello makes incredible reusable products such as tumblers, travel mugs, food storage containers, straws and more. Their products are durable, high quality, and actually super cute! I am obsessed with them.
I love the Ello Duraglass 10pc Meal Prep Set! The containers are a perfect size and actually keep your food fresh. They are made with glass and silicone for a comfortable non-slip grip. The glass does not stain or smell and can be washed directly in the dishwasher. They are also microwavable and oven safe and can be stored in the freezer. The best part is that they are also super affordable! You can check out the set here! I love the cashmere pink color set by the way!
So what did I prep and store in these beauties (pictured above)?
- (NEW!) Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad. Made with the Goat Cheese, Slivered Almonds and Pomegranates (Full Recipe Below). This is great to add to a salad, as a side dish or even pair with a protein for a meal.
- Lemon Pepper Salmon. I love this recipe from the blog. It's easy, delicious cold and can be added to any salad or as the main event for a meal.
- Soft Boiled Eggs. My personal fave way to enjoy eggs. I boil water, add in eggs and let them boil for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, I immediately remove from water and place in a bowl of ice and cold water. This stops the cooking! I let them sit / cool for 10 minutes and then peel them. The texture comes out perfectly jammy and delicious! These are a great snack, to put on toast or in a salad.
- Roasted Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes. Love having a good roasted root veggie prepped and ready to enjoy. This can be a great dinner side dish, salad topping or even snack. I sliced up 2 sweet potatoes into circles and roasted them on 425 with olive oil, sea salt, and cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes. That's it! They are great heated up or cold.
- Chopped up Veggies. This is KEY. I love cutting up peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and carrots. I can snack on them raw with a dip or have them ready to go for a salad or to cook into pasta or stirfry. Having the veggies ready to enjoy or cook makes me way more inclined to eat them!
- Dessert! Made my fave vegan and gluten-free cookies. This time I did not include chocolate chips, but you certainly can. I am a big fan of enjoying the sweet stuff in life and a lot of the time it is healthier versions! I have so many healthy treat recipes that can be meal prepped and enjoyed as snacks or an after-dinner treat.
Now time to get into the new recipe I made: the Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad! This is such a delish grain salad for meal prep. It is seasonally inspired, fresh and healthy. Let's get to it!
Winter Citrus Quinoa Salad
Ingredients:
Directions:
Prepare quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in cold water (this step is optional, but I find it helps cook it better). Add 1 C of quinoa to 1 C of vegetable stock + 1 C of water. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for 10-12 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat and let cool. You can even place in the fridge and all the mix-ins later on. It is best to have the quinoa cold before mixing with the rest of the ingredients. That said, if you like quinoa hot, go for it!
While quinoa is cooling, start to prepare the rest of the mix-ins. Peel and separate wedges of the mandarin oranges, set aside goat cheese/almonds and pomegranate seeds.
Add quinoa and mixins to a large mixing bowl. Add in olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic, and salt. Mix well. Store in the Ello Products container until you are ready to enjoy it!
Thank you to Ello products for sponsoring the development of this content. I am proud to work with brands that help me lead a healthy lifestyle. Check them out on Instagram!
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in cold water (this step is optional, but I find it helps cook it better). Add 1 C of quinoa to 1 C of vegetable stock + 1 C of water. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for 10-12 minutes until the quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat and let cool. You can even place in the fridge and all the mix-ins later on. It is best to have the quinoa cold before mixing with the rest of the ingredients. That said, if you like quinoa hot, go for it!
While quinoa is cooling, start to prepare the rest of the mix-ins. Peel and separate wedges of the mandarin oranges, set aside goat cheese/almonds and pomegranate seeds.
Add quinoa and mixins to a large mixing bowl. Add in olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic, and salt. Mix well. Store in the Ello Products container until you are ready to enjoy it!
