call me crazy (and i know you will), but i’m often very tempted to frame all of the photos of my meal preps and turn them into a massive gallery wall in my home. they are art to me 😫 the people who get it, will get it.
we have an epic menu this week. let’s break it down!
refuse to choose
as a girl with an aggressive sweet tooth, i’m constantly craving new treats. while brainstorming recipes for this menu, i began with breakfast.
and since i’m a sweet breakfast enthusiast, what that really means is thinking of what dessert i’m craving and turning that into overnight oats. lol.
this week, banana bread instantly came to mind. a nanosecond after that? brownies.
i was torn. how in the world can someone pick between those two!? then i remembered i had free will. i could combine them.
these banana bread brownie overnight oats are so fun and unique. the base is protein packed with a creamy and lush texture. if you’ve ever licked the spatula after making banana bread (imagine not being able to relate to that), then you already know exactly what these oats taste like.
the brownie portion enters with the whipped topping. it looks and feels like melted chocolate, but actually isn’t 👀 i brought together a few simple ingredients to make it, and now my life is changed forever. this brownie batter alone is crazy good. i eat it by the spoonful when i need something sweet after lunch hahaha.
cravings = satisfied
even though breakfast is dessert inspired, every prep includes a dedicated treat for satisfying cravings all week long. remember, cravings aren’t the enemy and should not be fought or ignored. i honor mine daily by prepping ahead and anticipating them!
here’s a fun fact about me: i medically need a chocolate fix at least once a day in order to function (at least this is my suspicion). the chocolate-covered strawberry brownie bars i included for this week’s menu should do the trick.
when creating healthy desserts, i really like to focus on nourishing, whole food ingredients that will help keep my blood sugar stable instead of giving me a sugar crash. the base of these bars is packed with healthy fats to keep me full, the middle layer is bursting with fiber, and the topping? simply brings me joy. each bite tastes like a juicy, freshly dipped chocolate covered strawberry. a dream.
just peachy!
if you’re familiar with my preps, you’ll notice i simply adore a hearty, loaded bowl. they’re a huge part of my healthy eating blueprint for so many reasons: they’re satisfying to eat, they’re endlessly customizable, they only get better as they sit in the fridge (dressed!) over the course of the week… the list goes on.
i view loaded grain bowls as a blank canvas. this week’s flavor profile is a grilled corn and peach warm grain bowl, and it’s simply summer in a dish. the sweet elements from the corn and peach pair perfectly with some tangy, salty mix-ins. everything gets brought together in a creamy pesto dressing, packing an herby punch. i couldn’t love this one more.
pesto-packed
i snuck pesto into a few places with this menu, but the recipe it shines through the most is the sun-dried tomato pesto meatballs. these get oven baked for a deep roasted flavor, and thanks to the pesto (and some other fun mix-ins), they also develop a caramelized crust, they literally ooze with flavor 😭 i can’t properly communicate how addicting these are. you’ll have to see for yourself. if you only have time for one recipe from this entire prep, dare i say you should choose these!?!
if it ain’t broke…
look i know. another week, another chicken salad.
i keep including variations on the tried and true chicken salad for good reason. having a big batch of this in the fridge each week has made lunch time so incredibly easy for me. i know this mealtime can be tight on time for many people, so having a protein-packed option ready to go is game changing. this week’s italian-inspired chicken salad is everything and more. my favorite way to eat it is on a thick, toasted piece of sourdough.
the menu:
banana bread brownie overnight oats
chocolate-covered strawberry brownie bars
grilled corn and peach warm grain bowl
sun-dried tomato pesto meatballs
italian-inspired chicken salad
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
2 ripe bananas
1 pint strawberries
1 bunch tuscan kale
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 bunch fresh dill
2 yellow peaches
1 lemon
1 head garlic
1 bunch fresh basil
1 bunch celery
eggs/meat
1/2 dozen eggs
1 lb ground beef
1 rotisserie chicken
dairy
1 large tub plain greek yogurt (or plain dairy-free yogurt)
1 container crumbled goat cheese
1 container grated parmesan cheese (or 1 block of parm)
pantry staples
gluten-free rolled oats
unsweetened vanilla almond milk
chia seeds
creamy salted peanut butter
vanilla protein powder (this one is my favorite)
sea salt
cinnamon
cacao powder
chocolate chips
dark chocolate chips
almond flour
maple syrup
quinoa
frozen corn
pickled red onions
butter beans
pesto
black pepper
sun-dried tomatoes
gluten-free breadcrumbs
olive oil
dried oregano
dijon mustard
castelvetrano olives
and now for the fun part— recipes below :)