this week's healthy food prep: 11/23

this will likely be your first time meal prepping a taco skillet... but definitely won't be the last

every week i say i don’t have a favorite recipe and then i proceed to obsess over one recipe… and this week is no different.

we need to be talking about the ground beef & rice taco skillet. a 15-minute meal from start to finish that’s absolutely flavor packed, with so much protein it feels wrong (it’s not). i was worried this wouldn’t hold up well for meal prep, but after inhaling it every night the following week, i was happily proven wrong. SO GOOD.

oh, and if you use protein rice like i did, this meal provides 40g of protein per serving. insane.

while the skillet will be a fun and flavorful weeknight dinner, it is still fall/winter after all. aka warm grain bowl and root veggie season. i need my daily fix of seasonal roasted veg, so this week i made a root veggie sheet pan bake. there’s a creamy balsamic dressing i pair the perfectly roasted veggies with that takes this to another level. secret ingredient in that dressing that makes it extra smooth… any guesses!?

to balance out my savory side, we have two sweet bites: vegan apple oatmeal blondies (inspired by my most viral recipe— salted peanut butter oatmeal blondies), and chocolate peanut butter cookie dough bark. i honestly crave something sweet at least once a day, and since i honor my cravings (instead of resisting them), i have a sweet treat every single day to satisfy my need for it. this allows me to move on in peace! having goods like this prepped and ready to grab reduces decision fatigue for me and gives me something to look forward to each day hahaha.

okayyyyy! keeping it short and simple today. let’s get into a really good week of eats :)

the menu

• vegan apple oatmeal blondies

• root veggie sheet pan bake

• ground beef & rice taco skillet

• chocolate peanut butter cookie dough 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 large apple (i like pink lady or snapdragon, but any red variety will work)

• 3-4 small honey nut squashes (can sub with sweet potatoes or butternut squash)

• 3-4 large parsnips

• 1 bag brussel sprouts

• 1 small onion

• 1 handful fresh cilantro

• 1 small avocado

meat

• chicken sausage (i like a variety with cheese)

• 1 lb ground beef

eggs/dairy:

• non-dairy milk of choice

• crumbled goat cheese

• shredded cheese of choice (i like sharp white cheddar)

misc:

• coconut sugar

• creamy salted peanut butter

• vanilla extract

• oat flour

• GF oats

• baking powder

• sea salt

• cinnamon

• apple pie spice

• white chocolate chips

• olive oil

• sea salt

• craisins

• raw pecans

• balsamic vinegar

• dijon mustard

• hummus

• olive oil

• 1 package of taco seasoning (i like Siete)

• 1 can (15oz) cooked black beans

• beef bone broth

• white rice (or orzo) (i used protein rice from Kaizen)

• chunky mild salsa

• coconut oil

• milk, dark, or semi-sweet chocolate chips

and now for the fun part— recipes below :)