Wellness: Meal Prep Recipes

Save Time This Fall With These Meal Prep Recipes

When the long summer days fade into autumn, it can be difficult to get motivated to do even the simplest of tasks, especially when it comes to cooking. Planning, preparing, and cooking meals on a daily basis can be exhausting, especially after a full day of activity. An answer to this common issue is preparing your meals ahead of time. The reward? Meals that are ready to eat when you are! No additional work needed!

Need some meal prep motivation? We’ve prepared a few easy, delicious, and nutritious meals to get you started by modifying the recipes listed. We’ve even included an awesome breakfast muffin which can also be served as a dessert! So who is ready?

GLUTEN-FREE CARROT CAKE MUFFINS/CUPCAKES

Carrot cake, to many, is the epitome of fall. And for those who avoid gluten, whether due to an allergy or preference, cake of any kind is usually avoided. Until now. Try this perfect gluten-free carrot cake that we modified into a breakfast muffin, and frosted to make a yummy dessert!

Our version: We combined 1/3 cup brown sugar with two very ripe bananas to make about ½ cup mashed mixture. We substituted virgin cold-pressed and unrefined coconut oil for canola oil, and used 2 1/3 cups almond flour and 2/3 cup coconut flour. Walnuts were added into the batter, and we sprinkled chopped pecans on top of the frosted cupcake. The batter was baked in a 12-cup muffin tin lined with unbleached paper baking cups at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

For added flavor, heat slightly in the microwave and ice with frosting before serving.

Recipe inspiration: wellplated.com/gluten-free-carrot-cake

PASTA WITH PUMPKIN SAUCE

Pumpkin and pasta? Yes, please! We got daring and modified a butternut squash sauce over noodles recipe to create a tasty meal: pumpkin sauce over bow tie pasta.

Instead of prosciutto, we used our favorite sausage, and added roasted broccoli to complete this delicious meal.

Recipe inspiration: halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-roastedgarlic-butternut-squash-pasta

STUFFED SWEET POTATO WITH GROUND TURKEY AND KALE

Who doesn’t love a loaded baked potato? We’ve created a healthy twist on this fall staple.

Our version: We used ground turkey, 1 large chopped Vidalia onion, chili seasoning, and 1 large bunch of kale (stems removed and leaves torn into bite sized pieces). In a skillet, we cooked the ground turkey, onion, and chili seasoning. Once the turkey was nearly cooked, we added kale and continued cooking. When ready, we added the turkey mixture into a baked, sweet potato. Enjoy!

Recipe inspiration: runningtothekitchen.com/ turkey-sausage-stuffed-sweet-potatoes

GARLIC SAGE ROASTED CHICKEN THIGHS

One of our favorite ways to cook chicken thighs is stuffed with greens. We purchased boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe, which are perfect for stuffing. We added mixed power greens by placing a handful in the middle of the underside of the thighs, sandwiched the two ends together, and secured them with a toothpick. We substituted the lemon for 2 tsps of apple cider vinegar and followed the rest of the recipe as noted. Because the chicken thighs are boneless and skinless, we reduced the oven temperature to 425 degrees F and cooked for 25-30 minutes. Save the drippings from this dish and add them to the roasted butternut squash recipe linked below.

These chicken thighs pair nicely with this roasted butternut squash recipe: southernliving.com/ recipes/roasted-butternut-squash.

Recipe inspiration: simplyorganic.com/recipes-by-course/entrees/ chicken/roasted-chicken-thighs-with-sage-thyme-and-garlic

Prep Tips:

There are several items in these meals that are roasted. To save time, prepare the items to be roasted first and roast at the same time (butternut squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and whole heads of garlic). They can all be roasted at the same temperature — you’ll remove each item at different times. First the broccoli, then the garlic, then the sweet potatoes, and lastly the squash.

To save time, plate your food prep meals in storage containers so you can just grab a meal, heat, and eat, with no fuss! For longer storage times, consider freezing the meals in a freezer safe container.

Story and Photos by Melissa Donald

Today's Transitions / Fall 2023