Meal prepping is a big money saver, especially for those with kids or busy lives. Sometimes I have plenty of time to meal prep and other times I forget all about it and by the time I remember I just don’t have the energy for something too time consuming. Here is a simple meal prep recipe with items you probably already have in your pantry.
Burrito Bowls are nice because they are easily customizable for those picky eaters- you know who you are! Save those $10 from Chipotle and make your own.
Base: Brown or white rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
I always use my rice cooker, then I can focus on other things while it cooks. Quinoa can be cooked in the rice cooker on the white rice setting. If you really want to save on time, keep some instant rice or cauliflower rice in the freezer as seen at Trader Joe’s.
Protein: Chicken, tofu and beans
I usually have cooked and shredded chicken in my fridge. The crockpot is great to have shredded chicken ready for the next several days. Just season, add about ¼ cup water and cook on high for 3-4 hours before shredding. You can bake your chicken or chop it and sauté it as well. To save more time, keep Trader Joe’s “Just Grilled Chicken Strips” in your freezer. As for the beans, pick your favorite. Who doesn’t have beans in their pantry? I typically go with black beans and I drain first then scoop straight from the can.
Veggies: Bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and jalapenos.
I always try to add a vegetable to every dish. Sautéed bell peppers and onions are classic but I like some spice so I’ll chop up some fresh jalapeños. ALWAYS wear gloves when working with jalapeños and you will save yourself a lot of pain later when you inadvertently touch your face. You can bake the veggies or sauté them with butter. My new favorite thing to do is use miso butter with a little cumin, paprika and jarred garlic.
Extra: Corn, cheese, lettuce, salsa and sour cream
Corn is a nice add on for those who like it. I drain and take it straight from the can! Salsa and corn is a pantry staple. These extras are when recycling jam and other small mason jars come in handy.
Burrito Bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
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Rinse white rice and cook in the rice cooker
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Cut chicken and cook in oil or butter with taco seasoning
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Slice onion, bell peppers and jalapeños and sauté with miso butter (or regular butter), cumin, paprika and jarred garlic over medium heat until cooked through
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When rice is cooked, divide into meal plan containers and add chicken and cooked veggies
When using tofu, I like to use the prepared sriracha tofu from Trader Joe's, which is ready to go. -
Drain the beans and corn and add a few spoonfuls into the meal prep container
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Prep your sides of salsa and sour cream
recycled jam containers are great for this!