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I am a big fan of planning ahead. By spending a little extra time in the kitchen at the beginning of the week, daily meals and healthy food choices are quick and easy.
After my trip to the grocery store, I do the following:
1 onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 orange pepper
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
2-3 tomatoes
1/2 bag of baby spinach
I keep this mix in a sealed container in the fridge. These veggies will be added to egg beaters for breakfast, mixed with the turkey sausage this week (more on that to follow), cooked with the lentils, and used as salad fixings. A little chopping on day one = throwing together a healthy meal in minutes all week.
Louis Rich Frozen Turkey Sausage is pretty awesome. It is super lean, high in protein, and really versatile. This week, I mix it with a cup or so of the chopped veggies, a little seasoning (salt, pepper, Garlic Mrs Dash are my go to's) and 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs. Shape into meatballs and bake on a sprayed sheet at 350 for about 22-25 minutes or until done. One night, these meatballs are part of a dinner served with bbq sauce or spicy ketchup and another night, served with marinara sauce. Any left overs can become a meatball sandwich. Three super economical meals with very little prep.
The pork tenderloin tells a similar story. It can be a pricey cut of meat but again, very lean, no waste, and multiple meals. Get one (or more) on sale to have on hand in your freezer. I get the pre-seasoned ones. Throw it on a hot grill for 10 minutes on one side and 8 on the other. Make sure the internal temp reaches 170. Let the meat rest at least 10-15 minutes before slicing it very thin. Thin slices with dinner the night I grill, then leftover slices for sandwiches, salads, and added to fried rice. Next week's meal plans will use this week's leftovers. I usually get 2-3 meals from one tenderloin.
Chicken for the week - cook once, eat 3-4 times!! Place 3-4 large chicken breasts in crock pot. Season the chicken, add 1 onion (quartered), a couple stalks of celery, and 1/2 cup of water or chicken broth. Cook on high for 2 hours, then low for 3 more. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Discard veggies. Strain and reserve cooking liquid. Shred cooled chicken and portion into containers for 3-4 meals, add a couple tablespoons of rerserved liquid to each. Done and done.
With a plan and some prep, you can save time, save money, and eat healthy all week.