Vegan Wednesday: Veggie-Packed Meal Prep!

I can always rely on a grain and bean-based salad when I'm short on prep time or just want to make sure I pack in all of the things I need nutritionally.  Fiber, protein, antioxidants, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates--these types of salads have it all if you follow the basic template.  This week my grain of choice was nutty and delicious kamut.  It is very similar in texture to farro, which is one of my favorites.  I love that it fills me up and adds a little bulk to my salad without weighing me down one bit.

All of the different fresh variations of peas and beans are showing up at the farmers market, so I grabbed a bag of pinkeye peas this week.  They are similar to black-eyed peas, but I like that they taste a bit fresher.  I just did a quick simmer on them in a bit of veggie broth before I rinsed them and tossed them in with the rest of my ingredients.

To make the most out of my time, I try to get a few things going at once so my meal prep can be as efficient as possible.  Beans and grains are usually pretty hands-off, so they are easy to throw on the stove at the same time.  While they cooked I was chopping up veggies for the rest of my meals and had my sweet potato hash-browns going on another burner.

The rest of the salad was just organic sweet corn, green peas, chopped fresh onion and bell pepper from the farmers market, fresh herbs from the garden, and a little rice wine vinegar.  Of course I serve it over a big bed of leafy greens with a squeeze of dijon mustard on top and a few olives on the side.  So quick to toss together, and it makes a big batch so we have lunches for the whole week.  I just make sure to use veggies that hold up well for a few days, so anything like avocado and the greens I add daily so they don't get brown or wilted.

The hash-browns were pretty simple since I just shredded them up in the food processor and tossed in some onion and spices.  I served them with a version of broccoli soup similar to this one I made a month ago.  This time around I didn't have kohlrabi so I used a few stalks of celery, and I switched up the seasoning to use curry and cayenne for a bit of a kick.  Of course some extra broccoli sprouts on top add all kinds of extra nutrients.  Soup is another option that is fantastic for meal prepping because you can make a big batch and it usually gets better as it sits in the refrigerator for the week.

For snacks I made some delicious energy balls which I shared on the @runningproject page yesterday.  They are a versatile little healthy treat that you can make an infinite number of ways.  It can take a little longer when you roll then up into balls, so if you want to make it really easy you can spread it out in a pan and cut it into bars instead.  They are so delicious and good for you!

Since I had a little extra time yesterday evening, I also decided to try some "un"-fried green tomatoes for the first time.  I'll try to share the recipe for that in the next few days.  It could use some work I think, but they were definitely good enough to pass along!

That's all I've got for this week!  I hope you enjoyed the peek into my kitchen and maybe got a few ideas for your own meal prep.  When you get into the habit of doing it the process gets easier each week.  I just make sure I have a good variety of green vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils, and lots of color to round everything out.

Make sure to check out @woman-onthe-wing's great interview with the dear @heart-to-heart here: https://steemit.com/food/@woman-onthe-wing/steemit-voices-5-or-or-an-interview-with-vegan-blogger-heart-to-heart#@plantstoplanks/re-woman-onthe-wing-steemit-voices-5-or-or-an-interview-with-vegan-blogger-heart-to-heart-20180620t115337272z