In honor of National Nutrition Month, we’re sharing how to create hassle-free and healthy meals that can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. The secret? Batch-cooking! This modern twist on food prep, modeled after training supersets, has you making a few staples at the same time so you can enjoy greater nutrition “gains” throughout the week.
Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT, national nutrition expert, adjunct professor, personal trainer and four-time author who owns Shaw Simple Swaps, a nutrition communications business, explains how to cook meal supersets.
Batch Cooking Meal Prep: The Basics
For our meal prep supersets, you won’t make everything at once: Instead, you’ll have 1 day in which you will conquer the bigger menu items. This will set you up for 2 or 3 days before you get to your light-day (midweek) meal prep day. Don’t worry: It’s easier than it may sound. Throughout the rest of the week, you’ll mix and match your premade staples to create healthy meals like a wrap made with Pistachio Turkey Meatballs and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus or those same meatballs atop your precooked higher-protein pasta or quinoa. Read on for more tips for making and using these staples.
Main-Day Meal Prep: Slow-Cooker Chicken Breast
Nutrient highlights: Chicken is a lean protein source that’s a great addition to a balanced diet. If you’re not a fan of the breast, opt for a boneless chicken thigh, which offers a bit more flavor thanks to a slightly higher fat content.
Directions: In a slow cooker or an Instant Pot set to “slow cook,” add chicken breast, low-sodium chicken stock, a bay leaf and other preferred seasonings.
Tip: Start meal prep with this recipe, as it will take about 2 hours to cook, allowing you plenty of time to knock out the other items.
Light-Day Meals
Use the cooked chicken in a variety of tasty ways throughout the week.
- Add sweet curry seasoning and a can of light coconut milk to chicken. This serves as a great protein base for a quick curry bowl, rounded out with a cooked grain and roasted veggies.*
- Toss chicken on top of a bagged salad for a quick and convenient lunch with a flavorful dressing, like spicy peanut.
- Spoon chicken into a whole-grain tortilla with roasted veggies for a quick wrap.
- Pair chicken with roasted vegetables with some healthier “croutons,” like dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds.
- Roasting a bunch of veggies or precooking grains like quinoa, below are a great addition to your superset prep day!
See also: Family Meal Planning
Main-Day Meal Prep: Pistachio Turkey Meatballs
Nutrient highlights: If you’re trying to eat more plant-based this year, these blended meatballs are a great addition to your menu. Pistachios are a good source of plant protein and fiber and add an unexpected yet delightful twist to your traditional meatball. Plus, pistachios contain all nine essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source. Turkey is another great lean protein source that offers meat eaters the satisfaction they crave with a plant-forward pistachio twist.
Directions: Prep time: 35 minutes
1 C no-shell roasted and salted pistachios
1 large egg
16 oz lean ground turkey
1⁄2 t chili powder
1⁄2 t black pepper
1⁄4 t kosher salt
1⁄4 C fresh chopped cilantro
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place pistachio nut meat in a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse until flour-like consistency is achieved. (Be careful not to over-pulse as this will create a nut butter consistency, which is not what’s needed for this recipe.)
In a large bowl, whisk egg, then add turkey, chili powder, pepper, salt, cilantro and pulsed pistachios. Mix thoroughly. Portion mixture into 1-oz balls (roughly 15 meatballs), and lay on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and misted with nonstick spray. Bake for 25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 F. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Tip: Store in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. They hold up really well, so it’s a great idea to freeze a few for later in the month when you have no desire to cook!
Light-Day Meals
- Pair with roasted veggies and desired dressing as a fun twist on the hot-salad trend.
- Serve inside a whole-grain bun with lettuce and dressing for a handheld option.
- Use in Low-Carb Pistachio Turkey Meatballs Wrap.
Main-Day Meal Prep: Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
Directions: Prep time: 10 minutes
15.5 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1⁄2 C sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
3 T extra-virgin olive oil or sun-dried tomato oil from jar
1 T water, optional
1 t lemon juice, optional
Toss all ingredients into a high-powered blender or food processor. Process until smooth, about 2–3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed to fully combine. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3–5 days.
Tip: Hummus makes an excellent sauce for pizzas and pastas alike, while also increasing your vegetable intake.
Light-Day Meals
- Low-Carb Pistachio Turkey Meatballs Wrap: Top a low-carb tortilla with 2 T hummus. Add 2 warmed meatballs, ½ cup mixed green and 1 T crumbled feta cheese.
- High-Protein Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus: Whisk together 1/3 C hummus with 3 T milk of choice over medium heat until a thin sauce is formed. Ass ½ C baby spinach and heat for 3–4 minutes. Toss in 1 C cooked high-protein pasta, below.
Put Your Own Spin on Batch Cooking and Meal Prep Supersets
The most important thing to remember is to make items that suit your food preferences, keeping in mind your cultural food traditions as well. All foods can fit in a balanced diet. Find out what works for you as you embark on your batch cooking supersets, and keep it consistent! Commit to your meal plans just like you commit to your workouts.
Share this link with your clients to help them make healthy eating a little easier—and much more satisfying. And add your own meal superset ideas, too!
See also: Meal Prep Supersets: A Quicker Way to Eat Well All Week
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