Let's face it - by the time lunch rolls around, you're exhausted and eat the first thing you can get your hands on, whether it's healthy or not. Prepping and planning your meals ahead of time is not only affordable, but can help organize your diet and keep your meals tasty and fresh!
Thai Coconut Yellow Curry Chicken & Rice
Ingredients :
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced.
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Freshly ground salt and pepper.
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger.
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped.
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned.
- 8 oz green beans, ends trimmed and cut into roughly 2 inch long pieces.
- 2 medium carrots, sliced.
- 1 15 ounce can lite coconut milk.
- 1 tablespoon medium yellow curry powder.
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric.
- 1 lime, juiced.
- ½ teaspoon salt.
- 1 cup white basmati rice.
- Fresh cilantro - For Topping.
- Diced green onion - For Topping.
Instructions :
- Place a large deep 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, a large pot also works. Add in coconut oil and garlic. Once hot, add in chicken and season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Cook until browned 4-5 minutes, then flip and and cook an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Remove from pan and transfer to a plate.
- In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, chopped green onion, red bell pepper, green beans and carrots.
- Sauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes to absorb pan flavors.
- Add in coconut milk, yellow curry powder, turmeric, lime juice and salt. Make sure to stir well!
- Bring to a simmer, then fold in the rice. Make sure it's evenly distributed.
- Add browned chicken on top.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet immediately and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, most of the liquid should be absorbed and rice should be cooked.
- Garnish with cilantro and green onion.
Notes :
This meals serves four, meaning four days of lunch! To individually pack each lunch, divide rice into four meal prep containers and top with 1 chicken thigh. As an alternative to the basmati rice, subbing 3/4 cup of quinoa works just as well. Do NOT use brown rice.
CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
Ingredients :
- 1.25 lbs ground chicken breast.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.
- 1/2 cup carrots grated.
- 8 ounces water chestnuts roughly chopped.
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced.
- 1.5 tablespoon chili paste.
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar.
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos - Can be subbed with soy sauce.
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha.
- 2 tablespoons Gluten Free hoisin sauce.
- 4 cups butter lettuce - Can be subbed with iceberg lettuce.
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced.
Instructions :
- Add the extra virgin olive oil to a large sauté pan and bring to medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic, carrots and ground chicken.
- Cook 7-8 minutes until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Using a wooden spoon, break up the chicken while it cooks.
- Add the chili paste, coconut aminos, Sriracha, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar and water chestnuts to the pan, being sure to stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce immediately.
- Simmer another 5 minutes in the pan, then top with green onion.
Notes :
This meals serves four, meaning four days of lunch! To individually pack each lunch, divide into four meal prep containers and top with lettuce.
BURRITO BOWLS
Ingredients :
Rice
- 3 ½ cups water.
- 2 cups short grain brown rice, uncooked.
Meat
- 1 ½ pounds ground turkey.
- ½ tablespoons avocado oil.
- ½ lemon.
- salt, to taste.
Spice Mix
- 1 tablespoon chili powder.
- 1 teaspoon dried onion.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1 teaspoon oregano.
- 1 teaspoon cumin.
- ½ teaspoon paprika.
Bowl Mix-Ins
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed.
- 1 cup frozen grilled corn.
- 1 lime.
- 1 cup cilantro.
- 1 cup salsa fresca.
Toppings
- Avocado.
- Greek Yogurt.
- Fresh Greens.
Instructions :
- Cook the rice - In a medium-sized pot, bring water and rice to a boil. Turn down to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
- Cook the meat - Preheat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Then add avocado oil and meat to the pan. Stir often and use a spatula to break it up into smaller bite-sized pieces. Season with spice mixture and the juice of ½ a lemon. Add salt to taste. Will cook quickly, in about 5-7 minutes.
- Heat up the corn - Microwave corn for two minutes.
Notes :
This meals serves four, meaning four days of lunch! Get creative, after dividing the rice and meat into four meal prep containers, diversify the mix-ins or toppings in each container so each lunch is unique! You can add more toppings or mix-ins than listed.
Peanut Chicken
Ingredients :
- 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- 3 chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes.
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 cup red cabbage, sliced.
- 1 cup red peppers, sliced.
- 1 cup carrots, julienned.
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, sliced.
- Chopped peanuts, for topping.
- Sesame seeds, for topping.
Peanut Dressing
- 1/3 cup peanut butter.
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
- 1 tablespoon lime juice.
- 1 tablespoon honey.
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger.
- 1/4 cup water.
Instructions :
- Preheat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add chicken and sauté for 7-8 minutes until browned.
- Add soy sauce and sriracha, cook another 3-4 minutes until chicken is fulled cooked.
- Mix ingredients for peanut sauce together with a whisk. Add water bit by bit, whisking as you go to combine.
Notes :
This meals serves four, meaning four days of lunch! To individually pack each lunch, evenly distribute chicken and veggies into four meal prep containers, then top with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts, and sesame seeds.