this week's healthy food prep: 10/26

pecan pie, pumpkin caramel, a loaded soup, and a flavor-packed grain bowl... this week is fall perfection

i won’t lie to you— these preps are a lot of work.

but i don’t want that to intimidate you, because it’s work that is not only enjoyable and fun, but also absolutely worth your while.

in the midst of the prep itself, with dirty dishes overflowing in the sink and the oven timer beeping non-stop while i scramble to find an oven mit, my head is spinning. what keeps me going? knowing that 24 hours from now, i’ll just be getting home from a long day. i’ll be starving but so exhausted that i won’t even have the energy to think about dinner, never mind cook an entire meal.

then, i’ll open my fridge, and find all of the love and labor my past self dedicated to this exact moment. the ease of simply reaching in and pulling out a nourishing, nutritious, not-boring meal that i can be eating 5 minutes later.

that is what i would call worthwhile.

my goal with my recipes is to find the perfect balance between nourishment and pleasure, while still maintaining a sense of ease. meals that are made with wholesome ingredients and real food, without skimping on flavor, texture, and overall deliciousness. meals that aren’t complicated or intricate, but still have a unique flair.

so while these preps may take a bit of time in the moment, in the grand scheme of things we’re looking at 2 hours TOPS for an entire week of good eats (and that includes clean-up!).

sounds like a decent trade to me! and each recipe is EASY! cooking made simple.

here in NYC, this is the first full week we’ve had decently breezy temps. i’m not typically a soup girl, but the weather has me itching for a hearty, loaded bowl. my soups will never be watery— think rich, luscious, and protein-packed with plenty of bite. this week’s high protein creamy italian wedding soup is the ultimate fall soup. it’s actually so good that after one taste while filming, i had to stop the camera entirely and sit down with a bowl for myself. LOL.

still sticking with savory, this week’s grain bowl is a smashed carrot honey mustard grain bowl, and yes it’s as good as it sounds. smashing the carrots just adds a fun depth to the eating experience, and using a sweet and salty dressing sets this bowl apart.

on the sweet side of things, we’re starting mornings off with pecan pie overnight oats. thick and rich with satiating ingredients, all brought together by the most incredible healthy pecan pie filling dolloped on top. beware— it’s addictive.

and lastly, could we forget our sweet treat!? never. i haven’t made date bark in what feels like way too long, so i knew i needed some this week with a fall twist. i landed on a pumpkin caramel filling coated in chocolate, and i must say… i’ve outdone myself. a piece (or 5) of this after a meal and i’m a happy, happy girl.

that is where i’ll leave you with the teasers! hope you’re hungry!!!!

the menu:

• pecan pie overnight oats

• high protein creamy italian wedding soup

• smashed carrot honey mustard grain bowls

• pumpkin caramel chocolate date bark

the grocery list:

note that a handful of these items are pantry staples, so you may already have them on hand and won’t need to purchase :) or if you do need to buy them, i have plenty of other recipes that call for these ingredients, so you’ll have plenty of use for your purchase!

produce:

• 1 small handful of fresh parsley

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 1 bunch of celery

• 1 big bag of large carrots

• 1 bag of fresh spinach

• 1 large bunch of kale

• 1 large zucchini

meat

• 1 package of chicken sausage (i used a spinach & feta variety)

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 carton (32oz) beef bone broth

eggs/dairy:

• .1/2 dozen eggs

• grated parmesan or block of parm (your choice)

• milk of choice (or non-dairy milk)

• plain greek yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt)

• 1 small container of feta cheese, crumbled

misc:

• old fashioned oats

• chia seeds

• creamy salted almond butter

• raw unsalted pecans

• maple syrup

• 1 can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

• vanilla extract

• oat flour

• almond flour

• cinnamon

• sea salt

• garlic powder

• baking powder

• chocolate chips

• 1 pound of small pasta of choice (i like a protein pasta for meal prep recipes)

• raw pumpkin seeds

• raw sunflower seeds

• olive oil

• dijon mustard

• honey

• gluten free breadcrumbs

• 1 can (15oz) cooked cannellini beans

• 1 microwavable quinoa pack

• 1 cup gluten free breadcrumb

• white balsamic vinegar (can sub white wine vinegar)

• soft pitted dates

• coconut oil

and now for the fun part— recipes below :)