6 Meal Prep Ideas for Busy Weeks.

(budget friendly, easy & vegan)

Instead of doing one big Sunday meal prep, I like to incorporate multiple quicker “meal preps” into my week. This way I can more easily keep track of what I have and make sure to finish all the meals before they go bad.

I did in fact once give myself food poisoning by eating 5 day old rice, so we don’t want a repeat of that. Which ever way you prefer to do it though, I hope some of these following recipes make it into your next meal prep session.

#1 Peanut Sweet Potato Stew

→ 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 bell pepper, cut into cubes

• 1-2 onions, cut into cubes

• 1 tbsp ginger, minced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp olive/vegetable oil

• ½ tsp each: cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander

• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli (or to taste)

• ½ tsp salt, or to taste

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 400g chopped tomatoes (14oz can)

• 1-2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into cubes

• 1 large handful roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

• 400g chickpeas (14oz can)

• 750ml (3 cups) vegetable broth, more if needed

• 1-2 leeks, chopped

• 3-4 tbsp natural creamy peanut butter

• 2 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste

• 1 handful fresh herbs

→ pair with cooked rice, wraps, sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, fresh veggies etc.

Method:

1. Bring a heavy saucepan to medium heat. Sauté both pepper and onion for about six minutes.

2. Next add the garlic and ginger the pan as well, followed by all the spices. Give everything another 2 minutes.

3. Throw in the can of tomatoes, the chopped sweet potatoes, the chickpeas, peanuts, vegetable broth and leek.

4. Let everything simmer for about 20 minutes over medium to medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender.

5. Now, add in the peanut butter, lots of lemon juice, salt to taste. Mix well.

6. Serve with cooked rice, in wraps and or next to fresh veggies.

#2 Tofu Burger Patties

→ yields ~ 8 patties

Ingredients:

• 400g firm tofu (14oz)

• 1 medium sized onion, minced

• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1⁄2 cup quick cooking oats (45g)

• 1 tbsp yellow mustard

• 1 1⁄2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• salt, pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• a few tbsp vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Crumble up the tofu using your hands, inside a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the frying oil.

2. Bring a large nonstick skillet with some vegetable oil to medium high heat.

3. Using your hands tightly shape the tofu mixture into patties. Cook each patty for about three minutes on each side or until golden brown all over.

4. Serve on their own or add them to wraps, burgers, salads etc.

#3 Berry Breakfast Bars

→ yields a 20cm (8 inch) square baking pan / 9 slices

Ingredients:

• 180g quick cooking oats (2 cups)

• 1 ½ tbsp ground flax seeds

• 60g all-purpose flour (½ cup)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• 50g coconut oil, melted (3 ½ tbsp measured cold)

• 2 ½ tbsp applesauce

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or a few drops vanilla aroma

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

  for the filling:

  • 210 g frozen raspberries (1 ⅓ cups)

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed into 3 tbsp water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 cm² baking pan with wet parchment paper.

2. Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: Oats, flaxseeds, flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.

3. Melt the coconut oil and add it to the mixing bowl as well, followed by the remaining wet ingredients: applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup, vinegar.

4. Mix thoroughly, then press 3/4 of this mixture into the lined baking pan.

5. In a small saucepan place all the ingredients for the filling. Mix thoroughly and bring everything up to a quick boil. Let this mixture simmer and thicken for 2 - 3 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to the oat base and spread into one even layer.

6. Crumble the rest of the oat mixture on top.

7. Bake for ~ 30 minutes or until firm and golden. Let cool completely before cutting into slices.

#4 Tofu Enchiladas

→ yields 6-8 enchiladas

Ingredients:

for the sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• ½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste)

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp coriander

• 80g tomato paste (⅓ cup plus 1 tsp)

• 1-2 tsp syrup or sugar

• 2 tbsp flour

• 1 ⅓ cup vegetable broth (330ml), more if needed

for the filling

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 leek, chopped

• 300g smoked tofu (10.6oz), shredded using a cheese grater

• 1-2 tbsp oil for the pan

• ¼ cup white wine/soju/vegetable broth for deglazing

• 1-2 tbsp soy sauce

also

• 6-8 small to medium tortillas

• 150g vegan cheese (5.3oz)

• 1 can black beans (14oz = 400g)

Method:

1. Prepare the sauce first. To a medium pot add the vegetable oil and spices. Turn heat to medium and let the spices cook for up to 2 minutes until fragrant, mixing frequently and making sure nothing burns.

2. Next mix in the tomato paste. Let that cook for another 1 to 2 minutes before mixing in the flour. Using a whisk works best here. Now add the vegetable broth in 2 to 3 stages. Keep mixing until smooth. Let the sauce simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Taste test with salt.

3. Now onto the filling. Sauté the onion and leek for about 7 minutes over medium heat. Remove the veggies from the pan and add the shredded smoked tofu instead. Let the tofu crisp up for about 7 minutes. Mix in the onion and leek. Deglaze everything with a splash of wine (or vegetable broth etc) and soy sauce. Let everything cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, then remove from the heat.

4. Preheat your oven to 180°C.

5. Now assemble! Distribute about a cup of sauce evenly inside your casserole dish (mine’s 20x28cm). Best to watch the video for this step: Fill your first tortilla with a small handful of vegan cheese, black beans, and the tofu filling. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp of the enchilada sauce onto the filling as well. Tightly roll up the tortilla open side facing down, and press it tightly towards one end of the casserole. Again, watch the video. Now fill your second tortilla and press this one against the first tortilla. Continue on until all tortillas have been filled.

6. Add the rest of the sauce on top of the rolled tortillas. Top everything with the remaining vegan cheese. Bake your enchiladas for around 25 minutes or until lightly darkened at the top and the cheese is nice and melty.

#5 Bean Cookie Dough

→ serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats (90g)

• ¼ cup (60ml) agave / maple syrup

• 1 tsp vanilla or a few drops aroma

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 can white beans (400g = 14oz)

• 2 ½ tbsp vegan butter, melted

• 2-3 tbsp non dairy milk (60ml)

• ¼ cup chocolate chips, more if you like (40g)

Method:

1. Place all the dry ingredients inside a food processor. Blend until fine and powdery, then remove from the blender.

2. Next add all the wet ingredients and blend until super smooth.

3. Now add the blended oat mix back in and blend once more until you are left with a whipped dough type texture.

4. Lastly, add in the chocolate chips and give the blender another few seconds of blending - just enough to distribute the chocolate evenly. Serve immediately or cold after it’s been sitting in the fridge for a few hours.

#6 Overnight Focaccia

→ yields 2 focaccia loafs, baked in 2 baking dishes, 20 - 25 cm in size

Ingredients:

• 500ml water (2 cups)

• 2 tbsp agave syrup

• 2 tbsp olive oil to be added to the water

• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

• 630g all-purpose flour or bread flour (5 ¼ cups)

• 3 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp of olive oil to grease your baking tins with

• 2 tbsp of olive oil to be added to the top of the dough before baking (1 tbsp per bread)

• a generous sprinkle of flakey sea salt

Method:

1. The night before, in a large mixing bowl, place the water, olive oil and agave syrup. Sprinkle over the dry active yeast. Finally, add the flour and salt.

2. Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Place the bowl into the fridge overnight, or for at least eight hours.

3. Thoroughly grease 2 baking dishes with olive oil (~23cm/9 inches in size). Also preheat the oven to 190°C.

4. Using a greased utensil (check the video) divide the batter between the two dishes.

5. With olive oil greased hands create the typical bread dimples. You’re poking the dough basically, creating little indentations. If preferred, brush everything with even more olive oil, and sprinkle flaky sea salt over everything.

6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until nice and golden brown.

7. Once cooled, feel free to cut into slices and freeze!

That is everything yay!! I hope you’ve been enjoying these little cookbook-esque posts.

Have a wonderful day and definitely leave a comment over on youtube if you’ve tried any of these ideas.

Hugs! Mina