Tag: meal prep

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Bringing y’all another easy lunch recipe! This one is particularly good as we head towards summer because there is no cooking at all. It’s smashed chickpea salad! And when I say salad I mean like egg salad or tuna salad, not your average salad with greens.

I’ve seen this kind of recipe around a lot and since my roommates and I tend to eat vegetarian at least 50% of the time, I thought it would be a good recipe to try for some lunch time meal prep. And it was a hit!

I ended up reading through a bunch of recipes and then used what I had in our kitchen to make my own. But this is totally customizable to whatever you have! To make my version, I smashed my chickpeas, added mayo and dijon mustard, sprinkled in salt and pepper to taste, and was good to go! But you could add more or less mayo or mustard depending on your preferences, mix in some hot sauce or sriracha for a spicy kick, mix in some dill if you have it, add chopped cucumbers or celery or bell pepper for some crunch. This recipe simply serves as a base for whatever you want to add.

In terms of serving, my roommate Carissa and I have been eating this in sandwiches: I’ve been adding cheese, she’s been adding pickles. Both are delicious. Other options I think would be tasty: avocado, cucumbers, red onion, hot peppers. This would also make a great filling for a wrap, or a dip/spread for crackers or chips! And it keeps super well in the fridge, so is excellent as meal prep for the week.

As the weather gets warmer and you want to stand over a stove less, try this super easy smashed chickpea salad for some no-cook lunch meal prep!

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1-2 tbs dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Mash the chickpeas with a fork, or pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped.
  2. Add mayonnaise and mustard to desired consistency
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper (or any other spice you wish!)
  4. Enjoy! Keeps super well in the fridge

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

This recipe was part of my mission to find more lunch recipes that aren’t sandwiches or leftovers, and oh my gosh guys it’s incredible. I made it 2 weeks in a row if that’s any indication!

Of course this pasta salad recipe comes from Budget Bytes, and it’s honestly one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. Because I don’t have a grill (college life) I used the broiler on my stove, and this recipe was as easy as 1. cooking my veggies, 2. making my dressing, 3. making pasta, and 4. putting it all together. It honestly took me half an hour, and for a whole week of lunch meal prep? Incredible.

It would also be a great side for dinner, especially for a cook out. And could definitely be a filling vegetarian dinner if you added some protein like beans! Or add (grilled) chicken for a delicious summer meal.

Dropping the recipe below, but just know you could use any vegetables you happen to have! Or use more than the recipe calls for to bulk it up (I did this, adding more peppers and squash)! Add beans or chicken for protein! The possibilities are endless so you should definitely try it. Bonus points for being tasty warm OR cold. Basically a perfect recipe.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tbs dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 lb penne pasta

Instructions

  1. Wash the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper. Remove the stems from the zucchini and the squash and cut into large slices or pieces (cut each in half, then each half in thirds). Remove the seeds and stem from the bell pepper and cut in half. Slice the red onion into thick slices.
  2. Place all the vegetables on a large baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Grill the vegetables (except the cherry tomatoes) over an open flame, OR move top rack of oven to 6 inches from the top and cook all vegetables (including tomatoes) under the broiler until vegetables are charred, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a handful of salt, and cook pasta 8-9 minutes. Drain and let cool.
  5. While the pasta is cooking and the vegetables are cooling, prepare the dressing: mix all dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk to combine.
  6. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, chop into 1 inch pieces. Add pasta and vegetables to a large bowl and add about half the dressing, tossing to combine. Eat warm or chill in fridge, adding more dressing as necessary.

Crockpot Chicken Chili

I make this chili ALL the time. When I lived by myself I would make the whole batch and then freeze half of it, but now that I have roommates again it makes excellent meal prep. The three of us probably got at least 4 meals each out of it!

I found the original recipe for this on Sally’s Baking Addiction, but as I’ve made it throughout the last few years, I’ve changed things up a bit. I like to double the beans from her OG recipe because I prefer a higher bean ratio, and this most recent time I added diced potatoes to bulk it up! You could even take the chicken out and add sweet potatoes too to make it vegetarian.

I love serving this with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and some avocado, but you could also eat it with cornbread, mix it with rice, or make chili mac! Below is the version I made most recently, but the options are truly endless, so add or take out whatever you want! Although I guarantee it’s absolutely delicious as is.

Not the prettiest photo, but absolutely delicious

Crockpot Chicken Chili

  • Cook time: 7 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (or one 28 oz can)
  • 2 7-8 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 14 oz can of corn, or 1 package frozen corn
  • 2 14 oz cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1-3 jalapeños, minced (depends on how spicy you want your chili!)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning mix
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder)

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and stir to combine
  2. Cook low for 6-7 hours, or high for 3 hours
  3. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken
  4. Serve warm with your fave toppings! Cheese, chips, avocado, cornbread, rice, mac and cheese, etc.

Lunch Box

In elementary and middle school I was a sandwich queen when it came to lunch. When I got to high school, I was a bit bored of sandwiches so I turned to leftovers. And while I’m still a fan of “meal prepping” by making way too much for dinner and bringing the leftovers for lunch, this summer I’ve become a big fan of making these “lunch boxes” for work.

Today’s meal prep

They kind of remind me a bit of the snack or lunch packs you can buy from places like Starbucks? But this is way cheaper, plus cuts out extra waste. And you can fill them with pretty much anything! I’m a big fan of protein packed lunches because they keep me full all day and prevent any “hanger” (hunger + anger, not pretty). So I almost always bring a hard-boiled egg along with a few slices of cheddar or jack cheese. Then I like to add some veggies: sliced bell pepper, cucumber slices, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes. Then for a little crunch you can add nuts (like cashews or almonds). Or add half a peanut butter sandwich, or a piece of fruit. No matter what I bring, I’ll pack it all in a tupperware and I’m ready to go! Quick and easy lunches that are perfect for meal prep! Toss in a few extra snacks for a long day of class and band (like granola bars or some salami) and you’re good to go:)

Yesterday’s meal prep

This post isn’t really a recipe, so here’s a list of some go to options for the perfect lunch box:

  • Hard-boiled egg (boil for 7 minutes for the perfect egg!)
  • Sliced cheese
  • Salami or pepperoni
  • Half a peanut butter sandwich
  • Nuts (like cashew, almonds, peanuts, mixed nuts)
  • Sliced bell peppers
  • Cucumber slices
  • Baby carrots
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Apple slices
  • A kiwi
  • A peach
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