If you purchase a product through a link in this article, a portion of the sales may be returned to us.
Over the past few months, I’ve been drawn to a plant-based diet. I can’t deny that it has had a positive impact on my energy levels and overall health. But what I’ve noticed is that the more balanced my diet is, including incorporating both plant-based foods and occasional animal-based foods, the better I feel. It’s not about strictly adhering to a certain diet, but rather finding what makes you feel best. So, to help me feel better, I decided to reset my body by focusing on a plant-based diet. And for me, the key to success in this job is plant-based meal preparation.
Featured image from interview with Roksana Saidi Suruchi Avasti.
Plant-Based Meal Prep: A Week of Healthy Eating Tips
I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do on a busy day is cook a complicated meal. If you don’t prepare ahead of time, you’ll often reach for quick fixes, but those quick fixes usually don’t provide the type of nutrition your body needs. That’s why plant-based meal preparation has been a game changer for me.
Rather than pre-cooking every meal, it’s important to prepare ingredients that can be quickly assembled into satisfying, nutritious meals. Do I like it? Plant-based grain bowl. It’s quick, delicious, and has a balanced combination of flavor, texture, and nutrition to keep you energized throughout the day.
Make it a Sunday ritual
One of the best ways to streamline plant-based meal prep is to set aside time on Sunday to cut and prepare the week’s produce. I usually spend about an hour preparing fruits and vegetables, but believe me, this is a huge time saver. When cooking or assembling meals during the week, you can quickly pull out what you need without having to carve out extra time. Make this ritual fun. Put on some music, pour some wine, and enjoy the process. Once you’ve prepared your vegetables and fruits, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer and they’re ready to eat.
Want more tips on how to ritualize preparing plant-based meals? Watch the video below.
Learn the “grain bowl formula”
When it comes to preparing plant-based meals, I trust Grain Bowl Formula. The simple structure allows you to mix and match ingredients to suit your mood, making your daily meals feel fresh and enjoyable. The situation is as follows.
- grain: Choose your favorite base: quinoa, farro, barley, brown rice, mix, etc.
- green: Massaged kale is my favorite. It is packed with nutrients and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- beans: Beans are essential for vegetable protein and dietary fiber. I love marinating them to make them even more flavorful.
- roasted vegetables: Choose hearty vegetables like broccoli, butternut squash, and red onions. These keep well and are easy to add to any dish.
- sauce: Flavorful sauce is the key to satisfaction. My favorite is the garlic lime tahini sauce.
- crunch: Add texture with toasted nuts or seeds or even flavorful granola.
With this formula, you’ll always have the ingredients for a delicious plant-based grain bowl.
Start with the item that takes the longest to cook
Working efficiently makes meal preparation even easier. Cook the grains first (takes the most time), then marinate the beans, massage the vegetables, and make the sauce while the grains cook. You can also prepare multiple types of grains for variety throughout the week. I love cooking brown rice and quinoa, and both make great bases for plant-based grain bowls and salads.
Pack for optimal freshness
Once everything is cooked, let it cool and store the grains, beans, and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This keeps the ingredients for your plant-based meal prep fresh and makes it easy to assemble during the week.
marinate the beans
Canned beans may be a little bland on their own, but marinating them adds even more flavor. Wash and drain canned chickpeas (or your favorite beans) and toss with olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes. It will taste even better the next day if you let it sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
A sauce full of flavor is a big hit
Homemade sauces enhance plant-based meals. Store-bought dressings are great, but nothing beats the fresh flavor of homemade dressings, pestos, and dips. My favorite is garlic-lime tahini sauce, which is incredibly easy to make with ingredients you already have in your pantry. Trust me, once you try it, it will become a regular part of your plant-based meal prep routine.
My Garlic Lime Tahini Sauce Recipe
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 lime juice
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon honey
- water, dilute
Shake everything in the jar and it will drizzle.
Save herbs and enjoy until the last moment
Herbs and crunchy toppings are best added just before serving to preserve freshness. Fresh herbs like parsley, coriander and basil enrich the flavor, while crunchy toppings like sunflower seeds and toasted nuts add texture. Store these in your fridge or freezer so they’re always available when you need them.
explanation
A sweet and easy Indian dessert.
For Ras Marai’s works:
- 2 Container (16 oz) Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Ghee/butter for grease
For lovey:
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 8–9 thread saffron
- Pistachio (for garnish)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and sugar until the sugar is completely melted and incorporated.
- Grease a 9-inch pie plate with ghee. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly in the pan, leveling the top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the ricotta is set and firm to the touch. It should not move around in the pot. Cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, pour the milk into a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent the milk from burning on the bottom of the pan. Once it boils, reduce the heat and keep it boiling constantly. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly and watching the milk so it doesn’t boil over, until the milk is reduced by one-third.
- Add sugar and continue to simmer until milk is reduced by half.
- Make a saffron milk mixture by placing the saffron threads in a small bowl and adding a spoon or two of warm milk. Once the milk is concentrated and a deep marigold color, pour it into the saucepan and stir. Turn off the heat and while it cools, cut the ricotta cheese.
- Once the ricotta has cooled, cut into 2-inch pieces. I use round cookie cutters, but my mom always makes square shapes out of the cookie cutters to avoid waste. Stir the ricotta into the milk, making sure each ricotta is submerged. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to eat the next day, spoon the milk and rasmalai pieces into a bowl and sprinkle with pistachios.
Source: Camille Styles – camillestyles.com
