Prep Once, Lunch For Your Week Ahead

We’re getting back into the fall routine here. Our kids are going back to school and we are finding our footing with our daily routines. We’ve had a few habits that fell by the wayside this summer but it has felt so good to get back into the swing of things! We’re thinking of habits like our evening and morning routines. Also helpful? Taking a little time on the weekend to prepare lunches for ourselves for the week ahead! A little time on the weekend means a week full of healthy lunches we can grab and go. We need food that will fuel our busy days ahead. Today we’re sharing three easy recipes you can prep on the weekend to help you with your week. Pssss. If you need a quick dinner to grab and go to eat in the car between carpools and practices, these recipes will work for that too! 

Taco Bowls 

1.5 lb. ground turkey

2 T. taco seasoning 

2 lb. cauliflower, steamed (frozen, steamable bags work great in a pinch)

3.5 c. cooked rice (white or brown rice, your preference)

1 C. shredded cheese, optional 

½ C. chopped cilantro 

Dressing and toppings of your choice such as chipotle ranch, cilantro lime, greek yogurt + hot sauce, guacamole, shredded lettuce, pickled onions, jalapenos, crushed tortilla chips, etc. 

If you haven’t already steamed your cauliflower and cooked your rice, go ahead and get those things going. While those are cooking, cook your turkey in a skillet. Once browned, add your taco seasoning and ½ C. of water. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat, cooking until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat. Grab 6-7 of your favorite takeout containers and begin building your bowls. A kitchen scale comes in really handy for building your bowls quickly. To each container add about 150g of cauliflower (about 1 ½ C.), 100g of cooked turkey (about ⅓ C.), 90g cooked rice (about ½ C.), 16g cheese (about 2 tablespoons), and a handful of cilantro. These bowls will easily reheat throughout the week. Top your bowl with any extras you like, such as shredded lettuce, hot sauce, and any dressing of your choice. 

Quick Tuna Salad 

3 cans of tuna (sub 2 cans of drained, rinsed, slightly mashed chickpeas if you prefer)

⅓ C. mayonnaise (sub Greek yogurt if you’d rather skip the mayo!)

1 T. Dijon mustard 

1 T. minced red onion 

1 celery stalk, diced 

Juice of one lemon

⅓ C. diced dill pickles 

Handful of fresh herbs (parsley, dill)

salt & pepper

Crackers, lettuce leaves, rice cakes, seeded bread, or sliced vegetables for serving. 

Mix up all of the ingredients in a bowl. Divide the tuna salad into 4 takeout containers. Enjoy the tuna salad with crackers and sliced vegetables, over lettuce leaves, or on rice cakes or bread. 

Cashew Chicken

1.25 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 T. avocado oil

1 lb. chopped mixed vegetables of your choice (We like broccoli, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, sugar snap peas)

3 cloves of garlic, chopped 

⅓ C. cashews 

⅓ C. low-sodium soy sauce 

1 T. sriracha 

2 T. Hoisin sauce

2 T. honey 

1 T. cornstarch 

Cooked rice or cauliflower rice 

Preheat your oven to 400. On a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment, add your chicken pieces and drizzle with avocado oil and salt and pepper. Make sure pieces are well coated. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 12 minutes. While the chicken is baking, mix up your sauce. Combine the cornstarch with a tablespoon of water in a small dish. In a small saucepan, add the soy sauce, sriracha, hoisin, and honey. Stir to combine and heat over low heat. Once heated, add the cornstarch and water mix to the saucepan. Once the sauce thickens slightly, remove from the heat. When the chicken is done, add the vegetables, garlic, and cashews to the pan, stirring to make sure everything is combined. Drizzle everything with the sauce and return to the oven and bake uncovered for 8-10 more minutes. Once cooled, divide the chicken and vegetables among 4-5 takeout containers, along with a scoop of cooked rice or cauliflower rice. 

Let us know if you try any of our lunch favorites! And we’d love to hear about your lunch ideas and the recipes you like to prep for your week! Any favorite lunch recipes to share? Tell us in the comments below!