Trying to eat healthier. What kind of meals worked for you? I currently do taco salads, pasta/meat/veg, or meat/broccoli/rice. The same boring stuff you would expect in meal prep. Hoping for some inspiration. Extra points if you can cook it in bulk. 🍜 🍽️ #food #cooking #health #mealprep - ThreadSky

lunchwithluis.bsky.social • 54 days ago

Trying to eat healthier. What kind of meals worked for you?

I currently do taco salads, pasta/meat/veg, or meat/broccoli/rice. The same boring stuff you would expect in meal prep.

Hoping for some inspiration. Extra points if you can cook it in bulk.

🍜 🍽️ #food #cooking #health #mealprep

Comments

allegrotx.bsky.social•54 days ago

Crocked a batch of stuffed peppers yesterday that are wholesome, delish and freeze perfectly. Since I had to cook rice for it, I cooked the whole 32 oz bag, used the rice I needed in the peppers then froze the rest of the cooked rice in bags for future use like veggie fried rice.

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•54 days ago

🤔 the peppers don't get super soggy after getting frozen then thawed?? Not the breaded stuffed peppers I imagine?

allegrotx.bsky.social•54 days ago

Not at all. Cool thing about them is that you can throw all kinds of stuff in there. I had a couple of tomatoes that were use or throw so I used those and also tossed in some corn from the freezer. Here's a sample recipe to give you an idea.
https://feastandfarm.com/classic-stuffed-peppers/

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•54 days ago

Ohhh this kind of stuffed pepper. I was thinking Chile Relleno, which has a breaded crust lol. This makes a lot more sense.

That's a cool idea. I could definitely see myself having a bunch of these in the freezer then.

allegrotx.bsky.social•54 days ago

Yeah, different critter. Although you certainly could do a version of this with poblano peppers and Mexican seasoning (chili powder, cumin, oregano...). Add corn and black beans. Use enchilada sauce, top with cheese. I'm talking myself into trying this lol. Sounds pretty damn good.

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•53 days ago

It does sound good lol. I'll probably post them when I try them. I literally have most those ingredients at all times. When I grocery shop I kinda just get general ingredients that can be used for many things. I know for a fact I have 3 red and 3 orange bell peppers in my fridge right now. 😂

allegrotx.bsky.social•53 days ago

Here's another use for those sweet peppers: cut in half lengthwise and stuff with loaded tuna or chicken salad. Cold, crunchy and delicious. Also great if you want to limit carbs.

lttrs.bsky.social•53 days ago

Crustless quiches/frittatas baked in muffin cups and then frozen, two to a quart-sized freezer bag. Good way to use up dribs & drabs of vegetables or even cold cut salami or ham.

briebrie.bsky.social•53 days ago

This is a great suggestion

valymonahan.bsky.social•53 days ago

Love to see you like frittata! Me too, big fan of Spanish tortilla de patatas. Recommend shaksuka. Again, not for bulk meal planning, but a great breakfast/lunch/dinner thing. Can have cheese, or not. Make it more substantial with potatoes, or chick peas, or cannelini, you can wilt in greens.

valymonahan.bsky.social•54 days ago

Bean-heavy chili, veggie-heavy stews in bulk to freeze. Can always add a salad, or chopped raw veggies with it. I love these veggie fritters as a lighter meal, though not a bulk thing. Great with Asian-style dumpling sauce and can be made with cole slaw packs. https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•53 days ago

Ooo man, that looks tasty 😯. You have a good point with the veggie stew. I love soup! Idk how I would figure calories though. I guess if it's veggie though, it's likely gonna be low anyway. As long as it's not a big ole bowl of cheesy potato soup 😅.

centaurita.bsky.social•53 days ago

Been in Gulf Shores since October and tried this soup at Fish River Grill. It was delicious so I searched and found this recipe. Make a batch and let it sit in a slow cooker for a few hours. Made enough to share with campground neighbors and everyone loved it.
https://www.gulfshores.com/recipes/swamp-soup-recipe/

jeff-franklin.bsky.social•53 days ago

Roasted beets. Hear me out: wrap them individually in foil and throw them in the oven for an hour. Skin slips right off, then you can cut them up and put them in salads or whatever. My favorite is beet/olive/orange/shaved fennel. Or classic borscht.

valymonahan.bsky.social•53 days ago

Stew-style borscht is such a great filling soup! You can make it with fresh beets and it freezes beautifully. I like ones with a bit of meat/meat stock, but I know lots prefer veggie only.

jeff-franklin.bsky.social•53 days ago

Fair point, I hadn't thought about freezing it! So it can be made in bulk!

valymonahan.bsky.social•53 days ago

Borscht is so variable, some is almost a beet puree. I make this kind of chunky borscht. Great to freeze!

valymonahan.bsky.social•53 days ago

Absolutely! My area produces stellar beets (they love a cold climate). Every fall I do up a couple of big batches of borscht when they show up in my grocery store. I freeze "dinner for two" amounts and a bunch of smaller containers for at work lunch.

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•53 days ago

I have tried cooking some before, but I think maybe I didn't cook them well enough. I do love the color. Maybe I need to try them again.

jeff-franklin.bsky.social•53 days ago

They aren't delicate, so you can err on the side of leaving them in there. I'd say an hour at 350/400 degrees is fine. They will occasionally leak, so I've learned to put parchment paper on the baking dish or sheet pan. Also, sometimes you can find "candy cane" beets that have swirls of color.

dark-satellites.bsky.social•53 days ago

ez turkey chili recipe:
- 1 package gr turkey
- 2 cans diced tomatoes
- 2 cans beans (chefs choice)
- ~ 1/2 onion
- Seasonings: salt, garlic, cumin, paprika, cyanne

1. Chop onion, saute with turkey, season with seasonings to taste.

2. Dump in crockpot with toms and beans.

3. Cook low 4-6 hrs.

dark-satellites.bsky.social•53 days ago

Oh, drain the beans.

I usually serve with shredded cheese, sour cream (so much for healthy lol), rice, and I personally like to add a small handful of peanuts as garnish.

briebrie.bsky.social•53 days ago

📌

newlevelofhell.bsky.social•53 days ago

Quinoa

glyph0.bsky.social•54 days ago

Some people go crazy with it, but I've found, for me, simple is better. I have a constant supply of hard-boiled eggs and roasted chicken thighs that are easy to dress up in any taste I'm craving. Portioned soups and stews in the freezer are good. I also supplement with Huel which is cheap and easy.

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•54 days ago

I feel a little dumb for not thinking about hard boiled eggs. That sounds perfect actually. Could just as easily walk out with 1 or 2.

How long do they last once cooked?

glyph0.bsky.social•54 days ago

Usually a long time! A week or two is fine. I boil a dozen, and I peel them after cooking so they're easier to snack on later. And you don't even need to dress them up if you don't want to; they taste great with a little salt. Oh, I forgot to mention nuts! Almonds are a great easy snack too.

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•54 days ago

I'm definitely gonna try to add that to my routine. Seems too convenient not to.

I do have a bag of, essentially trail mix, in my desk, but I have a terrible habit of snacking too much. Beginning to think it's counter productive lol.

I eat when I'm bored 😮‍💨.

glyph0.bsky.social•54 days ago

Yeah, that's tough for me too. I try to portion a smaller amount into a bowl instead of eating from the bag. Not always successful though. 😁

joyousk.bsky.social•53 days ago

My current obsession is canned black beans heated with broth, onions, garlic, chopped smoked sausage. Add onion powder, garlic powder, and some chili seasoning (I like Penzey's Chili 9000). Top with salsa and queso fresco. Eat with hot tortilla chips and/or a spoon.

valymonahan.bsky.social•53 days ago

Beans are amazing! If you have/like an instapot, dried ones are great. Me, mostly use canned, sometimes paired with canned tomatoes. Amazing stuff, with rice, with chips, with meat, with sweet potatoes. You can get a completely different dish, just switching spice mixes.

thesame40.bsky.social•54 days ago

I like a tub of cut greens that include raw cabbage (green n red) sometimes savoy cabbage , parsley, cilantro , diced apple presoaked in lemon juice . Always have cooked /roasted winter squash, steamed broccoli , zucchini, cooked rice, farro, barley , roasted potatoes , steamed potatoes .

nbd2003.bsky.social•54 days ago

📌

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

I was going to suggest egg bites or crustless quiche. I’ve made them in giant muffin tins and then put them in the freezer. But if you don’t wanna turn on your oven, that doesn’t work too well. But you could freeze portions of frittata. The eggs and cheese don’t suffer ( much) from freezing.

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

Indian dishes like butter chicken, vindaloo, korma (you can also use beef or pork for the last two) can be cooked in big batches and then frozen in individual portions. I use half-pint mason jars. Add cream or coconut milk and butter or ghee after you defrost and reheat. Serve with veggie rice.

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

You can also cook big batches of sauces and freeze the individual portions and then add your protein, including garbanzo beans, upon reheating.

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

Peanut sauce, both Chinese and Thai, are quick to make and last forever in the refrigerator and freeze well too. It’s one way to mix up bowls of salad or protein and veggies.

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

I make really large batches of keema, Indian spiced meat, and portion it into half pint mason jars, and freeze it. I use this over taco salads, serve it over veggie rice, or simmer it in coconut milk to make a curry. It’s so versatile and I never get tired of it.

briebrie.bsky.social•53 days ago

These are all terrific, thank you!

leximccologist.bsky.social•53 days ago

Also, meatballs. I make big batches of Italian, Vietnamese, Swedish style meatballs. I roll them and freeze them individually on a baking sheet and then freeze them in giant Ziploc bags. I put them in soup, serve a top veggie rice with peanut or some other kind of sauce.

dinkleduck.bsky.social•54 days ago

Korean food is pretty good in general. Having a small bowl of rice with a main dish and an assortment of vegetable side dishes let's you eat healthier with any meal

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•53 days ago

I appreciate all of the input y'all! Work got busy so I haven't had a chance to respond or review everything, but I'll definitely check all suggestions!

alirein.bsky.social•54 days ago

I make Mediterranean bowl of baked chicken, brown rice, hummus and tabouli salads

lunchwithluis.bsky.social•53 days ago

Unfamiliar with Tabouli. I like the other stuff though! Gonna have to look it up lol

alirein.bsky.social•53 days ago

It’s a middle eastern salad of bulgar, parsley, tomatoes, mint. It’s delicious. I usually get mine already packaged at any grocery store that sells hummus.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply