Cooking for the Week • Meal Plan Guide

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Planning a week of meals in just two hours can even seem like a kind of crazy and tiring idea, but in fact, it will give your routine a nice streamlined. If you, like me, don’t have someone who cooks for you, you are no chef and you still have a very busy schedule, know that it’s all very basic and will just help you maintain a healthier lifestyle, in addition to saving a lot of time and $.

Think that in just two hours in the kitchen, in a single day of the week, we can save those 30 to 40 minutes that we spend cooking something every day when we get home. Which can result in savings of 4 to 7 hours in your week! Having more time for you to do the things you like more calmly, without having to worry about planning what you will eat for lunch and dinner.

I usually do this planning on Saturday or Sunday, if I have a trip or a busier weekend, I end up not doing it and cooking every day. And it is in these circumstances that I see how much time I waste if I don’t organize myself properly. Even if I love to eat out, I prefer to cook my own food on a daily basis, use the ingredients I like and know that I’m varying food with quality. I learn recipes, discover new ingredients, how to use natural spices and so on.

I suggest starting planning for just one meal and the one that finds the most difficulty in your routine. Most of my patients report difficulty with dinner, because they arrive home very late and tired. So it’s worth starting by organizing meals for dinner. Over time you get used to it and get the hang of it, until you get everything done faster and faster. I also suggest starting with foods that require more preparation time, such as potatoes or other vegetables that will be baked.

These are some steps between analyzing what we have at home, what we need to buy, even the preparation of the food itself. I will detail what you will need, how to explore basic foods and some preparation ideas and tips! I hope you like it and venture out, I guarantee it will help a lot in your routine!

what are the benefits?

• save time|There is more space for leisure during your week.
• Save | Less spending on restaurants, leaving an extra $$.
• create routine| Important for those who seek to balance their diet, especially if there is a specific objective (losing weight, some health problem, gaining muscle mass, performance, etc.).
• Health | When we cook at home we can control the quality and way of preparing our food, which is crucial to ensure quality in your food.
• less stress | No need to worry about planning or warming up with that question: \”What am I going to eat/cook today?\”.

Everything is a matter of organization and planning, then it becomes routine and something simple in your life. My kitchen turns into a huge mess, but after I see everything ready, it gives that pride and tranquility to start the week.

what will you need | basic utensils 

1. plan yourself| what you like with a recipe guiding you and what’s missing at home / make a supermarket list
2. tupperware | Various sizes, preferring the glass ones rather than the plastic ones so there is no contamination of toxic substances from the plastic to your food when it heats up)
3. glass jars or jars like these |to store your food or take salads to work. They are one of the best to seal.
4. Ziploc bags (sandwich size)| To carry nutritious or nutritious mix – snacks between meals.
5. Bowls – Bowls| Great for making your main meals, salads or smoothies.
6. Basic kitchen utensils such as blender, knives, oven, pot. see mine kitchen tools To find out what I have in my kitchen.
7. Fresh ingredients from fairs or food markets|Vide my guide De How to find food fairs, mkt farmers and other cool healthy food places.
8. Herbs and Spices| Dried or fresh: basil, black pepper, rosemary, parsley, garlic, ginger, sea salt, etc). Essential to give a \”fresh\” touch when reheating your dish, in addition to having thousands of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that enhance, even, absorption of nutrients from food!!
9. Song|In my opinion, everything is better when we have a good soundtrack. I always leave a background sound to give that relaxed and make this moment more pleasant.

the base foods

• vegetable proteins | Tempeh, lentils, chickpeas or peas – before cooking, soak in water for at least 4 hours and then dispense the water. This improves the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients. I usually leave it the night before the day I will cook.
• animal protein | Chicken (cooking chicken breast in water or with homemade vegetable broth or version with reduced sodium and then shredding and storing in a tupperware. Ground meats are also easy to make – sauté onions and/or garlic in water or with 1 teaspoon of Coconut. Eggs (cooked, scrambled, omelet) and fish (shredded, grilled, roasted on parchment paper). See below for the finishing touches (important)
• Carbohydrates | Leave 2 to 3 ready-made options and vary the way to mix them: Wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes (without being rolled up in foil and helps if you stick the potato with a fork before baking), cooked quinoa (see how to make here) or a whole pie That gives you several pieces throughout the week!
• Green | Option 1: Leave the raw vegetables already chopped and washed in a container, if you want to eat fresher and always sauté on time. Option 2:  already leave vegetables sautéed in water or steam, leaving more al dente, as you will probably reheat them (let them include oils or seasonings when reheating). Option 3: Bake in the oven at 350 ° f / 175 °C for 20 to 35 minutes with balsamic vinegar, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Soups can be frozen or last up to 4 days in the fridge. Perfect for cold days or when you want something light and comforting.
• folders | dips: Always have some option: Humos folder, vegan cheese, guacamole, fruit jellies without added sugar. Great for seasoning salads or eating as a snack with vegetables or wholegrain toasts.
• sauces | Leave a good amount ready in a glass container in the fridge. Basic recipe: 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 teaspoon honey (or a few drops of stevia) + 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard + pinch of black pepper + 1/2 lemon expressed + 1/8 tsp fine sea salt tea. Optional: Include 2 col. of Greek yogurt or coconut soup.
• extras | Every week or every 2 weeks I do 1 to 2  homemade breads at home, my favorite recipes here and here. I also do it almost every week My own cereal bar It takes me 10 minutes to do!

Exploring base foods

I Love quinoa and the versatility it has. It is a basic ingredient that I use both to mix in my salads, to fill vegetables or to be a simple accompaniment. See some examples I make to enjoy it in a week.

• Monday| Quinoa bowl with vegetables (may include some animal protein)| In a frying pan, sauté In water the vegetables you have already left previously chopped, when they are ready, include 1 portion of cooked quinoa and mix everything together for another two minutes. Here you can include extra virgin olive oil, seeds, fresh herbs and so on. Mix everything very well and serve in a bowl/bowl with a \”bed\” of green leaves underneath.
• Tuesday| as a simple follow-up
• Wednesday| Quinoa stuffed tomato | vegetable filling like tomato, Peppers, zucchini or eggplant. Remove the pulp from these vegetables (some need to be lightly cooked before), include the quinoa and other ingredients you like! This one requires more work, but it’s worth it to increase your ideas!
• Thursday| breakfast with quinoa bowl| Quinoa should be cooked only in water or also with cinnamon powder. You can mix it in yogurt and chopped fruit.
• Friday|  quinoa burger |  Use 1/2  cooked quinoa cup, mix with 1 tablespoon of chopped onion, herbs, 1 col. of tea of any wholemeal flour (usually I use almond or brown rice flour) and 1 drizzle of vegetable oil. Mix well with your hands and mold in the shape of a hamburger. If I have cooked lentils, I usually mix it together! You can bake or fry in coconut oil, over medium heat, for 5 minutes each side. Sirva with avocado on top on a plate with vegetables or a salad!

essential tips | final touches

1. Cook the basic foods with as little oil, sauces or seasoning as possible. I usually just cook in water and sea salt. So, when reheating (oven, frying pan or micro waves), you include the seasonings of your choice (extra virgin olive oil, balsamic, herbs and seasonings or sauces that you have already left ready).
2. So as not to be too lazy to eat salad: leave the ingredients for the salad already washed and chopped in a closed/sealed container in your fridge (sliced carrots, washed green leaves, cucumbers, etc.) left ready in a bowl.
3. Sometimes there is a little left of everything, so as not to waste it, just put everything together in the frying pan, put some herbs, seeds and mix with green leaves in a bowl. It’s always delicious!
4. Freeze! I freeze a lot of food at home to avoid waste. You can prepare twice as much a recipe and freeze it to consume later on and not spoil. I always have a frozen soup or vegetarian burgers in the freezer. Save it! worth reading the Frozen guide on the blog.

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batch day for the week

As I always say, if you want to improve your health, you should start by eating more real and unprocessed food as much as you can. Cooking and preparing your own food can be super helpful and one of the best ways to control the quality of what you eat, because you can use good cooking methods and high quality ingredients as well.

Since I know how busy can be, I thought that would be interesting to share how I cook and plan my meals for the whole week and how simple it is. You will save those 30 or 40 minutes to cook every single day in only 2 hours of your week. just 2 hours, remember this.

what are the benefits?

• Save Time | Will give you more time for Leisure during your week.
• Save Money | less money spent on restaurants
• Create Routine | Important for those Seeking for a balanced diet, especially if there is a specific goal (Weight Loss, Any Health Problem, Muscle Gain, etc.).
• Overall Health | When we cook at home we can control the quality and the method of preparation of our food, which is crucial to teach that you are eating healthy
• Less Stress | No need to worry about planning or wrap your head around that question, \”What will I eat or cook today?\”. You will always have some options.

It is all  a matter of organization and planning what you would like to eat. My Kitchen Becomes a Huge Mess, but afterwards makes my life way easier and I can keep my healthy habits going on.

What You Will Need | basic utensils

1. Plan Yourself | what food you like, what you do not have at home / from your Grocery Shopping List
2. Buy Fresh Ingredients from Farmers Markets or Local Grocery Shops. see here my guide to help you find the closeest farmers markets or healthy grocery stores from you.
3. Tupperware (Various Sizes, Preferring the Glass Ones)
4. Glass Jars or Jars Like These To Store Food Or Put Your Salads.
5. Ziploc Bags (Sandwich Size) to Carry Fruits or Nuts (Snacks).
6. Bowls (Ideal for Making Salads, Main Meals, and Smoothies in a Bowl).
7. Basic Kitchen Tools such as a Blender, Knives, Oven, Pots (Check What I Recommend here)
8. Dried or Fresh Herbs (Basil, Black Pepper, Rosemary, Parsley, Sea Salt, etc.). Great to give a fresh touch, increase anti-inflammatory properties, and declare the need of adding unnecessary salt into your food.
9. Music in my opinion everything gets better with a good soundtrack. Always leave a background sound while you are cooking to make a pleasurable moment.

staple food

• Vegetable Proteins | Tempeh, Lentils, Chickpeas or Pea – Before Cooking, I Recommend Soaking in Water for at least 4 Hours or Overnight to Improve the Digestibility and Bioavailability of nutrients. Generally I Leave Overnight.
• animal protein | Chicken (Shredded, Ground or Filet), Eggs (Hard Boiled, Omelet, Scrambled) Fish (Shredded, Grilled, Baked Using ).
• Carbohydrates | Leave 2-3 Options Ready: Wild Rice, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Cooked Quinoa, Brown Rice Pasta Or Quinoa | Proportion of glasses of water to quinoa or rice RAW 2: 1. always double check on the
• dips | Humus, Vegan Cheese, Guacamole, Fruit Jellies Without Added Sugar
• Homemade dressings (You should leave a good amount ready). Basic Recipe: ¾ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil + 1 TBS of Honey + 1 TBS of Mustard Dijon + Pinch of Black Pepper + 1/2 Squeezed Lime + 1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt. Optional: include 2 col. Tablespoons Greek Yogurt or Coconut Yogurt.
• Extras | Every Week or Every Two Weeks I Bake 1 Or 2 Recipes Of My Favorite Recipes Of Breads: here and here. Allow the bread to cool for slicing. I usually freeze it to last longer, since there is no preservatives or funny ingredients that usually make regular breads least forever. i also from my favorite homemade bar Almost every week, it takes max 10 minutes to make it.

Essential Tips | finishing touches

• When you first cook your food, cook them as simple as possible, using minimum oil, sauce, or seasoning that you can. i usually just cook in water and when is time to re-heat (oven, frying pan or microwave), i add the spices or oils of my choice (Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, Avocado Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Herbs, and Spices or Sauces that I have already prepped.
• Create a friendly environment for veggies and salads: cutting or grating your raw veggies and placing them into a sealed food container will be your first step! By this way, you have no excuses to mix all the ingredients and make a big bowl of salad or cook your veggies with whatever else you have. Use the homemade dressing or dips to mix with your veggies!

exploring the staple food

i love quinoa and its versatility. It is the base ingredients that I use very often in many situations and recipes. See How You Can Explore One of the \”Staple Food\” on Your Daily Routine:

• Monday: Quinoa Veggie Bowl | In a skillet, warm up your veggies and add the cooked quinoa. You can add 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil, Fresh Ginger, Fresh or Garlic Powder, and 1 Teaspoon of Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce. Add Olive Oil, Some Seeds, and Maybe Scrambled Eggs. Place in a bed of greens and our bowl is ready!
• Tuesday: As Simple Side. 
• Wednesday: stuffed tomato | Vegetables As Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Zucchini, or Eggplant. Remove the pulp of these vegetables and add the quinoa and other ingredients you like! See Mu Stuffed Tomato Recipe.
• Thursday: Breakfast with Quinoa Bowl | if you cook quinoa in water (you can also include cinnamon for a sweet touch) then you add into yogurts with chopped fruits! Great breakfast! See My Quinoa Bowl.
• Friday: Quinoa-Burger! Use ½ Cup of Cooked Quinoa, Chopped Onions, 1 Teaspoon of GF Flour, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, and 1 Teaspoon of Vegetable Oil. with your hands mix the ingredients very well and mold the burger. You can bake it or fry in a little oil on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes each side.

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