Ready, Set, Lose Weight Loss Edition: Easy, Meal Prep Ideas

Can we get a show of hands of all the folks that slacked in one area or the other during the holidays? Please, don't leave me hanging! I'll be the first to admit that in the area of meal prepping and over indulging in sweets, I dropped the ball big time. Luckily I maintained my workouts. I faced the music on New Years day by stepping on the scale only to find that I neither gained or lost during the month of December. That's a win in my book!

I'm happy to say that I'm back on the meal prepping band wagon and not only does it save my pocketbook by avoiding pricey cafeteria food, it also saves me the temptation of making a bad choice. Here are a couple easy meal options to leave you full and satisfied.

Breakfast smoothie

Easy, filling and full of fruit, veggies & fiber!

The sky is the limit on making smoothies simple and tasty. I often reach for frozen fruit and veggies to make my smoothie because they're affordable and won't go to waste. This week I chose and assortment of frozen fruits including blueberries, strawberries and mango. I added half a sliced banana and a handful of baby spinach. Because chia seeds provide a good amount of fiber and help to fill your stomach I also added half tablespoon and two tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, I love this stuff. I keep my smoothies in mason jars in the fridge for easy access and when I'm ready I add in a cup of Light Almond Milk and crushed ice. I pour the ingredients in my Bullet and have my breakfast ready it about 20 seconds flat! Lately I've been experimenting by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla or even powdered coco to my smoothie combinations and I have yet to be disappointed in the taste! Not only are smoothies very filling, I also satisfy my sweet tooth!


Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken

I'm big on carbs and they are definitely my weakness. Learning to cook cauliflower that can pass for potatoes, pizza and rice has been a lifesaver for this carb craving Midwest gal. I've read a ton of different versions on making cauliflower fried rice and here's mine. I'm not one to go by exact measurements on this particular recipe and I've also been very pleased with the results by adding a variety of different veggies including zucchini and also with substituting the chicken for shrimp.

Here's what you'll need:

I may have overloaded on the protein but it's tasty!

1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded carrots
three green onions diced
small onion diced
2 eggs, beaten
Soy sauce or Low sodium soy sauce
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders cubed
Lemon juice
Tablespoon of sesame or light olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

I begin by cutting my head of cauliflower into smaller sections and chopping it finely in my Ninja blender because I don't have a food processor. Once complete I put the cauliflower in a microwave proof bowl and nuke it for about four to five minutes. While that's cooking I heat my skillet, add the oil and begin cooking the chicken which I always lightly season with garlic salt, light salt and pepper. Once the chicken is lightly cooked on both sides I drizzle lightly with lemon juice and then pour in enough soy sauce to cover the chicken and allow it to cook down, stirring lightly until the chicken is fully cooked; about three to four minutes.

I set my chicken aside in a bowl and proceed to cook the two eggs which I scramble hard in a lightly greased non stick pan and dump into the same bowl with my chicken. After that I pour in the veggies, saving the cauliflower for last. Based on my observation cooking all the fixings together or adding the cauliflower too soon can make it mushy and we don't want that. So I cook my veggies of choice, lightly season them and once they're tender I add the cauliflower. Again, I pour in a bit of soy sauce to the veggie cauliflower mix and stir lightly for about two to three minutes. Add the chicken and egg mixture and give the combination of ingredients a good stir. Finally, I may or may not add additional soy sauce, salt and pepper and season to my liking.  Once the mixture is combined top with green onions and enjoy!

I find both these choices easy to make and versatile enough to toss in several combinations of ingredients. A delicious smoothie can serve as a filling breakfast or a meal replacement and your fried rice can be an easy lunch or dinner option. Prepping your meals takes the guess work out of making a healthy eating choice. That's important to me and a key ingredient in my weight loss success. Tune in tomorrow for another edition of this weeks Ready, Set, Lose Week of Weight Loss inspiration!

Plan, Prepare and Execute your way to weigh loss!