Meal Prep Monday: Lentil, Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

A couple weeks ago, I shared some ideas for meal prep that was so easy, you could do it Monday morning instead of slaving away on Sundays.

This week we have a nutrient packed salad that is loaded with robust flavors, and a ton of fiber and protein.

We start with a bed of Arugula, which is a peppery type of green (an also one of my favorites to use in salads). Then we put a layer of shaved Brussels sprouts, pre-cooked lentils, roasted beets, and blue cheese.

If you’re a vegetarian, you can stop there, or if you are looking for a bit more protein, you can top with just chicken. For extra color and a pop of a bold flavor, you can add chopped fresh basil to the top.

All these ingredients were divided evenly in five containers, one for each day of the week. I only used a fraction of the blue cheese for the five salads, probably 1-2 Tbsp per salad. The thing I like about bold cheeses, like blue, feta, parmesan and goat, are that a little goes a long way!

The chicken only went into three of the salads (due to the expiration date coding), so I also picked up some fresh chicken to bake up on Wednesday and use part of it for lunches on Thursday/Friday, and eat part of it for dinner Wednesday night.

This week, I paired the salad with our old stand-by, the Tuscan Italian dressing. If we were having this at home, I would just toss it with a little bit of olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.

Super simple, fresh ingredients, lots of flavor, and really easy to assemble. It will take a max of 10 minutes. What else can go in your lunch? A handful of your favorite nuts for a snack. Fresh fruit (there are so many to choose from these days). Baby carrots or sliced celery or cucumbers.

Lentil, Beet and Blue Cheese Salad

• Servings: 5
• Time: 10 min
• Difficulty: SO EASY!
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Recipe by Amanda Hibshman, RDN

Ingredients

• 1 bag Arugula
• 1 bag Shaved Brussels Sprouts
• 1 container Pre-Cooked Lentils
• 1 package Steamed and Peeled Baby Beets
• 1/2 cup Blue Cheese Crumbles
• 1-2 packages “Just Chicken” (Pre-Cooked chicken breasts)
• 1/2 cup packed Fresh Basil Leaves,

Directions

Divide all ingredients evenly into five containers in the order listed. Cover and store for up to a week. Note that the “Just Chicken” has a limited “sell by” date. You can divide one package between three of the salads and then purchase another package mid-week, or just have the other two salads be meat-free.

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SWASHBUCKLED! (S1E1): Lonely Alcoholic White Girl Soda

I am so excited to introduce my new project with The Fearless Flying Kitchen – SWASHBUCKLED!!

My best friend, Marie, lives a block away and works at Trader Joe’s. Every week, she is going to bring over FOUR INGREDIENTS that are absolutely random and completely unknown to me. My challenge is to create a dinner with what she brings to me and what I have in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. We film the whole thing for you to witness, and we call it SWASHBUCKLED!

Here is the first episode, followed by the recipes of what we came up with. I hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think about our new show in the comments!

Sunchoke and Fennel Chicken Picatta

• Servings: 4-6
• Time: 30 min
• Difficulty: easy to moderate
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Recipe by Amanda Hibshman, RDN

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Flour (can sub All Purpose Gluten Free Flour)
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 5 Sunchokes, peeled and diced
• 1 Fennel Bulb, diced (and dice the fronds for seasoning)
• 2 Cloves Garlic (optional)
• 1 Lemon, both zest and juice
• 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/2 Cup Peach Simpler Wines (or white wine of choice)
• 1 Sprig fresh rosemary, diced or 1 tsp dried rosemary
• GARNISH: Icelandic Style Plain Yogurt (or greek yogurt, or sour cream) and sprig of rosemary.
• SERVE ALONG SIDE: Brown Rice, Quinoa, or a Whole Grain Pasta

Directions

1. Cut chicken breasts into cubes. Season with salt and pepper then toss in All purpose Flour.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add chicken breasts and brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes on each side. Does not need to be cooked all the way through just yet). Remove from skillet and place on paper towel to remove some excess oil.
3. In the same skillet, add sunchokes, fennel, garlic and lemon zest. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add lemon juice, chicken broth and white wine (peach simpler wines). Add rosemary and fennel fronds. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and reduce for about 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve alongside grain of choice. Garnish with Icelandic Style Greek Yogurt and Rosemary Sprig.

 

Arugula and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Roasted Coconut Sesame Seeds

• Servings: 4
• Time: 10 min
• Difficulty: easy
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Recipe by Amanda Hibshman, RDN

Ingredients

• 1 Cup arugula
• 1 Cup Shaved Brussels Sprouts
• 1/2 Cup Blueberries
• 1/2 Cup Strawberries, Sliced
• 1/4 Cup Organic Coconut and Sesame Seeds Clusters
•  Fresh Ground Salt and Pepper
• Dressing:
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Lemon Juiced
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Honey

Directions

1. Mix together dressing ingredients. Rinse arugula, Brussels sprouts and fruit and dry completely.
2. In a separate bowl, combine arugula, shaved Brussels sprouts, salt, pepper, and a few tablespoons of mixed dressing. Add fruit and toss well. Arrange on plate and add coconut and sesame seed clusters.

 

Tortilla Crusted Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders seem to be a classic food item that appear on kids menus across america. Often these crispy crowd pleasers are battered or breaded and deep fried (or at least pan fried!) Not necessarily something I want my kid having on a daily basis. They also are on the “no-no” list for individuals with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, due to the bread crumb coating.

But have no fear, the Fearless Flying Chef is here to rescue this disastrous meal!!

The first task at hand was to make it a meal that kids (and adults) with food allergies and sensitivities can enjoy. The second was to eliminate the deep fryer (because, let’s be honest, I don’t even own one and don’t plan on buying one). After a few tweaks to your standard chicken strips recipe, this one was definitely a keeper.

I have made a version of this before with regular hummus and bread crumbs, and it was a hit. So I decided to give it a “South of the Boarder” twist with the Cilantro& Jalapeño Hummus as the binder and crushed White Corn Tortilla Chips as the breading. This makes for a slightly messy and little more involved process, but the end result is worth it!

• Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Tenders (one package)
• Half container of Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus
• 2-3 Cups Tortilla Chips, Crushed
• Finely Shredded Mexican Cheese
• Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a 9X12 glass baking dish by spraying lightly with your favorite cooking spray. I used coconut oil spray (my first time using this product), but also stock my cabinet with a sprayable Olive Oil.
2. Crush tortilla chips (in food processor or manually) and pour out into a dish.
3. Stir hummus well, then smother each chicken tender with hummus until covered. I used about half of a container for this. Then drudge the chicken tenders into the tortilla chips until covered. Place on prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese (lightly).
4. Once all of the chicken is smothered and drudged and placed in the baking dish, place in oven in a center rack for ~ 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Turn once and sprinkle other side with cheese.
5. Remove from oven and let rest ~5 minutes.

I served this meal with Corn on the Cob, and honestly, had such high aspirations for making a delicious grilled corn. But instead, I went the lamest route possible and MICROWAVED it. Olive still loved it, and my husband and I ate it up just fine. But it probably would have been so much better if I grilled it for a few minutes too. I also heated up a can of Organic Black Beans and sautéed some zucchini and bell peppers in a little bit of Olive Oil as a side (with just some salt and pepper). Very simple and nutritious sides. We also had watermelon as an appetizer. It was intended to be served with dinner, but it never lasts long in our home. Definitely doesn’t last long enough for a picture!