15 Mistakes beginners make prepping for the week

By Alex Chung

Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

We all know that meal prepping can be such a daunting task. It takes all day and the results are just boring mediocre meals that by the end of the week it feels like you’ll never want to look at another piece of grilled chicken again. But here’s the thing that most people don’t know… meal prepping is actually an art from. It takes some finesse and skill to get it right so in today’s videoI’m going to tell you the 15 mistakes most people make when meal prepping and how you can avoid them.

I’ll also be sharing tons of tips and tricks that I have collected overmy many years of cooking so that you too can turn the art of meal prepping into a skill that will last you a lifetime. From making a variety of healthy snacks to making an all purpose spice mix there are tons more tips to learn that will change your stance on meal prepping. Click here tosee the full video!

Flavor Blast All Purpose Spice Mix:

Ingredients:

  • 5 -6 Cardamom pods

  • 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds

  • 1 tablespoon of mustard seed

  • 1 tablespoon of dried thyme

  • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon of dried chilis

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

  • 1 tablespoon of salt

  • 1 teaspoon of pepper

Instructions:

  1. In a spice grinder add all the spices in the ingredient list and pulse to breakdown so that all the spices are the same consistency.

  2. Place in a jar and use it anytime you want a blast of flavor.

 

Perfect fluffy rice

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of rice

  • a little less than 2 cup of water

Instructions:

  1. Start by washing your rice to get rid of the starch. Place 2 cups of rice into a colander and run it over some cold water. Once the water runs clear, place your rice into a pot.

  2. Add in a little less than 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. You can give it a stir if you want.

  3. Once it start boiling, lower the flame to a low heat and cover the rice. Steam for about 15 minutes.

  4. After the 15 minutes are over, shut the stove off, and fluff your rice with a fork.

  5. Let the rice cool down and save it in a container for the rest of the week.

 

Roasted Veggies

Ingredients:

  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets and don’t forget to use the stem as well

  • 1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets and don’t forget to use the stem as well

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 1 tablespoon of oil

  • 1 tablespoon of your spice mix

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.

  2. Line sheet pan with some parchment paper add place your cut up broccoli, cauliflower, and onion onto your sheet pan.

  3. Drizzle some oil over tops of the veggies and sprinkle your spice mix on top as well.

  4. Toss everything to combine and roasted for about 15 – 20 minutes.

  5. Place them into a container and eat them throughout your week!

 

All Purpose Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 clove of garlic

  • bunch of dill

  • bunch of parsley

  • 1 whole lemon

  • 1 avocado

  • 1/4 cup of yogurt

  • salt and pepper

  • 1/4 cup of water * see instructions

Instructions:

  1. In a food processor add in 1 clove of garlic, a bunch of dill and parsley, the juice of 1 lemon. Pulse everything so that it breaks down a bit.

  2. Next, add in 1 whole avocado (pit removed), 1/4 cup of yogurt, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.

  3. Check the consistency out. Depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce add in some water. I used about 1/4 cup of water to thin mine out then plused to combine everything.

  4. Using a funnel pour the your all purpose sauce into a squeeze bottle or jar and save for your meals. This goes great as a dipping sauce, a salad dressing, a marinade. Get creative with it!

Pressure Cooked Beef

Ingredients:

  • 2 pound of beef chuck

  • 2 tablespoon of oil

  • 2 -3 tablespoon of flavor blast spice mix

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 2 carrots, sliced

  • 2 clove of garlic

  • 1/4 cup of cooking wine

  • 1/4 cup of soy sauce

  • 2 cups of water

Instructions:

  1. Start by patting your meat dry and giving them a heavy sprinkling of your flavor blast spice mix.

  2. Using sear setting on your pressure cooker sear both sides of the meat with 2 tablespoons of oil until you have a nice crust all around your meat.

  3. Next, add in 1 sliced onion, 2 sliced carrots, 2 clove of garlic, 1/2 cup of cooking wine, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 cups of water.

  4. Cover with the lid and pressure cook for 2 hours. Save in a tubberware for your next meal!

Homemade Trail Mix

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of almond

  • 1/2 cup of cashews

  • 1/4 cup of chocolate chips

  • 1/4 cup of dried blueberry

  • 1/4 cup of raisins

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients together and mix well.

  2. Pour your homemade trail mix into a air tight jar and keep on hand when you start to get a little snack!

Feel free to use whatever nuts, dried fruits, healthy candies, and chocolate that you like!

Banana Nice Cream

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup of frozen banana pieces

  • 2 tablespoons of coconut milk

  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

  • pinch of salt

  • 2 tablespoon of walnuts

  • 2 tablespoon of chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. In a food process add in 1 1/2 cup of frozen banana pieces, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. This will take approx. 1 minute.

  2. Next, add in 2 tablespoon of walnuts and 2 tablespoon of chocolate chips. Blend for another 30 seconds to break down the walnuts and chocolate chips.

  3. Scoop everything out into a tubberware and freeze until hard. Serve yourself some banana nice cream whenever you want some cold, creamy, and sweet.

Sweet Potato Tahini Brownie

Ingredients:

  • 2 baked sweet potato

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/4 cup of maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup of coconut milk

  • 2 tablespoons of tahini (for in the brownie mix)

  • 1/4 cup of cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon of salt

  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder

  • 1/2 cup of flour

  • 2 tablespoons of tahini (for the top of the brownie mix)

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mash 2 baked sweet potatoes until there are no large lumps. Crack in 2 eggs and add in 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of coconut milk, and 2 tablespoons of tahini. Mix until everything is combined.

  2. Next, add in 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 cup of flour. Mix until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet ingredient. If they process become hard to do with a whisk. You can use a spoon or rubber spatula.

  3. Line an 8×8 tray with parchment paper and pour your brownie batter into the tray. Smooth down as much as possible.

  4. Pour 2 tablespoons of tahini on top of the brownie mix and using a toothpick or knife, swirl the the tahini into the brown batter.

  5. Bake for 30 minutes and let it cool slightly before cutting them into squares.

 

Leftover Fried Rice

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of shredded beef

  • 2 cups of rice

  • 1/2 cup of roasted mixed veggies

  • 2 tablespoons of beef juice

  • pinch of dried chilies

  • 1 tablespoon of oil

  • 2 eggs

Instructions:

  1. Add in some oil to a large pan on medium high heat. Next, add in 1/2 cup of shredded beef, 2 cups of rice, 1/2 cup of roasted mixed veggies. Toss to combine and let everything fry for about 3 – 4 minutes.

  2. Next add in 2 tablespoons of beef juice and pinch of dried chilies. Stir to combine and fry for another 1 -2 minutes.

  3. Push all your fried rice to one side of the pan. In the empty side of the pan, add in 1 tablespoon of oil and crack in 2 eggs.

  4. Gently scrambled then in the pan with your spatula once they are 85% cooked mix them into the rice. Fry everything together for another 1 -2 minutes and then serve hot or save for another meal!

By Alex Chung

Senior Food Writer at Pro Home Cooks

Published