Meal Prepping Made Easy: Kale and Quinoa Bowl
For those of you who don't know, I work a 9 to 5 job Monday through Friday, as most people do. One thing I am big on is meal prepping, it saves money and allows myself to eat the way I enjoy. However, meal prepping can be such a difficult task, especially when you're crunched for time. Do you guys tend to think of meal prepping last minute on a Sunday and feel drained over it just thinking about the task? I know that's how I used to feel. It feels like such a daunting task yet also so necessary. It doesn't have to be so difficult and actually gets easier as you do it more.
People at work always ask me how I meal prep and have lunch every single day. I tell them, it wasn't always like this. It's a lifestyle switch and something to get used too, but it's not a chore for me. I don't dread it anymore because I enjoy cooking. I enjoy eating foods that make me feel energized and happy, and having the ability to control is something I am so grateful for. So when I say I meal prep on the weekends I don't say it in a negative way, because this is what I enjoy doing and I want you to enjoy it too. Here is an easy quinoa bowl you can throw together and have for some of your lunches or dinners throughout your week, it's extremely refreshing and filling!
Pineapple Kale and Quinoa Bowl
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can of Corn
1 Cup of Pineapple (cubed - it's easiest to buy the already chopped pineapple)
1 Cup of Quinoa (dry) - **This is good if cooked in chicken broth
3 Cups of Kale (you can use any lettuce, I just like kale)
2 Tomatoes (cubed - or canned diced tomatoes)
1 Rotisserie Chicken
1/2 Red onion (chopped - optional)
2 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Lime Juiced
3 Teaspoons of Cumin
Dressing of choice - Primal Kitchen's Ranch would be good with a little lime or this Creamy Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
Directions
If you like pineapple, this recipe is amazing! It is also SO easy. To begin, cut up the pineapple and mix it with the lime juice and 1 tsp of cumin. As that is sitting, start the quinoa and being to sauté the onion in the olive oil. Then, combine the beans and corn in a strainer and rinse them with water. While those are draining, add the chicken and the rest of the cumin to the onions and continue to cook on medium low heat. I usually just use cumin and salt and pepper for my seasonings in this recipe. Allow the chicken to soak up those flavors for about 5 minutes, then dump in the beans and corn and allow them to sauté with the chicken for another 3 minutes. In a large bowl, mix your kale, quinoa, and chicken & bean mixture together. Add the pineapple and tomatoes on top and eat it as you please! Right before you eat a bowl of this, add a tablespoon of dressing on top and mix it all up. I personally like the Cilantro Lime Dressing, and the recipe linked above is AMAZING. This makes about 3 to 5 days worth, depending on how hungry you are and how much you eat. Personally, I don't like to have the same thing everyday so I would make something else for 2 days.
This shouldn't take you more than 30 minutes. The longest part of this is the prepping, as with most recipes. You can easily prep these ingredients before hand and put it all together throughout the week as well. The best part about it is that you know exactly what you are putting in your body; you have control over the way it is prepared and everything that goes in it. I came up with this recipe from trying out other ones and adding my own twist to it. You can do the same with this one! I'd love to hear what you guys do to this recipe to make it your own. Let me know what you all think!