Sunday Prep Series Week Three

Well, this is it, mamas! Jenn is providing us with the last guest post in the series. She’ll show us a lineup of healthy & delicious meals for the week. Remember, we do all the cooking on Sunday (in under 2 hours) and it will provide your family with lunch and dinner through mid-week. For breakfast, try these smoothie packs!

We’d like to extend a great big THANK YOU to Jenn Wolfe for giving us a glimpse into her kitchen the past few Sundays. She’s answered all of our questions and provided inspiration and advice for making wellness a priority for the entire family. 

Of course, we have a few last questions for her. We need every burning question answered! But, don’t worry! If you still have questions for Jenn after the meal prep series is done, her contact info is at the end of this post. 

Now that we’re going to be shopping on our own, can you tell us the best way to navigate the grocery store?

Absolutely! Learning how to work the grocery store to your advantage is key! To get clean, whole foods you will mainly stay around the perimeter of the store. Going up and down aisles leads you to bags and boxes of foods with several ingredients. Many of the ingredients you can’t pronounce or recognize, and guess what? Your body won’t either! 

What’s the best way to turn our favorite recipes into meal plans for the week?

Great question! I think about the foods I love and create meals out of them. For instance, this week’s Pad Thai is a favorite of ours, but with a couple simple switches of ingredients and pasta it can be made much healthier. There are plenty of healthy substitutes. I share these with my clients to allow them to feel they aren’t being deprived while making small daily adjustments to meet their personal wellness goals. Remember to keep it simple, keep variety in your meals week to week, and avoid processed foods. 
 

What tips do you have for getting the family on board with making health a priority?

I’ve always cooked one meal and everyone eats that meal. Thankfully we have no dietary restrictions (other than mine), and my girls and husband eat (and like) everything. If you aren’t as lucky, and you’ve been struggling to find a meal everyone will eat, I think starting out basic is key. Choose a protein everyone likes, choose a vegetable everyone likes, and play around with the starch or complex carb. Then the next week, play around with a different food group while sticking with your safe foods for 2 of the 3 meals. No one will go hungry. Let’s face it, if they are hungry enough- they will eat!
 

Ok, ladies! Let’s get shopping.

Shrimp  Pad Thai


18oz raw shrimp (2 bags if you are feeding 4 people) OR chicken breasts or shrimp isn’t your thing
4oz (56g) flat brown rice noodles
3 tbsp garlic paste
1 red bell pepper
1 cup mushrooms (chopped)
1 cup green onions (chopped)
1.5 cup bean sprouts
Fresh cilantro

Sauce:
1/4 cup rice vinegar (or fish sauce)
1/8 cup coconut aminos (low sodium soy sauce)
1/8 cup red chili pepper sauce
2 tbsp coconut sugar
Juice from 1 lime

  1. Boil brown rice noodles. Drain and set aside. Do not OVERCOOK- they get mushy!
  2. Chop veggies- bell pepper, mushrooms, green onions, limes, cilantro.
  3. Peel and devein shrimp OR slice chicken breast into small pieces.
  4. In a bowl, mix rice vinegar or fish sauce, coconut sugar, red chili pepper sauce, & fresh lime juice.
  5. Spray a nonstick skillet with coconut oil, then add garlic paste.
  6. Toss in Shrimp OR chicken breast pieces and cook.
  7. Finally, add noodles, then fresh veggies and the sauce.

Note: This is Sunday dinner for us because we’re using shrimp. If you’re using chicken, it will last longer in the fridge.

 

Stuffed Chicken with Spinach and Feta


1  tablespoon olive oil, divided
1  medium onion, chopped
10 oz spinach, fresh
1  teaspoon zest of lemon
1⁄4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1  teaspoon table salt, divided
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon oil and saute onion until golden, about 5 minutes.
  3. Wilt spinach (steam spinach or heat damp spinach over medium heat in nonstick pan); stir in zest, feta, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, set aside.
  4. Slice chicken breast in half lengthwise and place even amount of spinach mixture on each breast.
  5. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
  6. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
  7. In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat.
  8. Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  9. Remove toothpicks.
  10. Cook 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165F.

Cucumber Quinoa Salad


1 English cucumber, diced
2 cups chilled, cooked quinoa (Cook the night before to save time on Sunday)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup julienned or roughly-chopped fresh basil leaves
1 batch Lemony Italian vinaigrette (see below)*

*You can also use Italian dressing or Braggs Vinaigrette instead of making your own 

Lemon Italian Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, homemade or store-bought
pinch of salt and black pepper

Turkey Taco stuffed sweet potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tsp olive oil

1 ¼ cup canned crushed tomatoes
¼ cup grated pepper Jack cheese
2 tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley

1 Package of Mrs. Dash Taco Seasoning OR these ingredients:
1 ¼ tsp ground cumin, divided
¼ + ⅛ tsp salt
¼ + ⅛ tsp ground pepper
¾ lb. lean ground turkey
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika

  1. Pierce sweet potatoes all over using a fork.
  2. Cook in the microwave on HIGH until tender when pierced with a fork, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
  3. Let potatoes rest until cool enough to handle.
  4. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop the flesh out of the potatoes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Reserve the skins.
  5. With back of a fork, mash potato flesh until most lumps are gone. Stir in olive oil, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  6. Divide mashed sweet potato evenly between the potato skins. Place on baking sheet.
  7. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
  8. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through.
  9. Stir in garlic, chili powder, remaining ¾ teaspoon cumin, oregano, paprika, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and pepper OR 1 package Mrs. Dash Taco Seasoning.
  10. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes.
  11. Spoon the turkey mixture into each sweet potato.
  12. Heat Potatoes in oven or Microwave when you are ready to eat.
  13. Top with grated cheese if desired.

Chicken, Beans and Cauliflower

1 lb chicken breast

4 garlic cloves

2 green bell peppers

3 tbsp green onions

1 Large Onion

2 tbsp Mina Harissa OR red chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar & salt

1 15oz can Tomato Sauce

Salt and Pepper

EVOO

2lbs or cauliflower OR buy already RICED in the frozen sections of grocery store

2 14oz cans of low sodium black beans

  1. If you’re making your own RICED cauliflower you will need a food processor. Add cauliflower florets in batches and process until “rice” forms. If you process too much it will turn to mush. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Preheat a large and deep non-stick skillet on medium heat and add EVOO. Add cauliflower rice and cook for 3-4 mins. (If you bought frozen, skip step 1 and cook now.) It should be golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and add to bowl.
  3. Add more EVOO to skillet and add onion, garlic and green bell peppers. Cook for 7 minutes.
  4. Add Chicken and cook for 5 more minutes.
  5. Add tomato sauce, black beans, and Mina Harissa. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 10 mins.
  6. Remove from Heat. Add rice and sprinkle green onions on top.
  7. Serve on its own or with extra brown rice for those hungry people In your family!

* Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Hard Boiled Eggs

  1. Put as many eggs as you can eat in 4 days in a pot. They have to be covered in water.
  2. Bring to a boil.
  3. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
  4. Pour cold water over and when you can handle peel and store in zip lock baggies. This makes it easy to grab and go! 

More photos of the finished product!

Here’s how to contact Jenn for guidance on health and wellness, information on AdvoCare and the 24 Day Challenge:

Website: www.wellnesswithwolfe.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Jenn Wolfe /jennifer.wolfe.77715

Instagram: @wolfe.jenn

Do you know of a mom with something to share in a guest post or series of guest posts? Contact us!

Sunday Prep Series Week 2

Written by Glens Falls Mom, featuring Jenn Wolfe

Welcome back to our Sunday Prep Series! If you’re just tuning in for the first time, take a look back at last week’s post for some introductions and the tips & tricks to help get started with Sunday meal prep. We’re prepping breakfast, lunches, and dinners in under 2 hours. Yes. Seriously. 2 hours. (I tried it myself, and every last dish was clean by the 2 hour mark. I even had to stop halfway through to feed my 5 month old!)

Thanks to the fabulous Jenn Wolfe for letting us have a peek into her kitchen again this Sunday! Jenn is a local mom, teacher, and business owner who makes health and wellness a priority in her house every day. She loves to post ideas for meal prep, so we asked her to share, and she agreed! 

We’re starting off this week’s posts with a few more questions for Jenn. 

Thank you for joining us for the second post in our Sunday Prep Series! Let’s get into some of the details of prep day. Can you tell us about the kitchen equipment we might want to keep on hand for Sunday Prep?

This Sunday’s food prep will include the use of a crock pot, baking sheets, muffin tins, large mixing bowls, cutting boards and knives. Most of these items are staples in anyone’s kitchen. If you don’t have a crock pot, I seriously encourage you to get one! 

Tell us about freezing on Wednesdays. Why Wednesday? What’s the process like?

Assessing your leftover foods is important to do on Wednesdays because you shouldn’t let cooked food last more than 3-4 days. Luckily in my house between my kids and my husband we rarely have to freeze food, but when we do I use freezer safe containers that stack easily.

How do you recommend we organize our Sunday Prep recipe ideas? Tell us more about how you pick your recipes and how you mix it up from time to time.

I wish I could say I was super organized! The truth is I often shop first, and then figure out what I am going to do either while I’m walking around looking at ingredients and what looks good (I avoid shopping when I’m hungry), or when I get home. I try to avoid boredom with food. Last week was full of chicken recipes, and although they were different, I knew I wanted more variety this week. I made the meatloaf cups a few weeks ago, and my husband and kids LOVED them, so I knew that would be a good fit. The crock pot recipe is always a crowd pleaser. To better answer your question, I mix and match protein (chicken, ground turkey, pot roast, steak), spices, and pair them with a different grain or starch each week.

One last question…we’ll make it a fun one! What’s your favorite local activity to do when you’re done with meal prep on Sunday?

I’m a HUGE fan of being outside. If I’m not coaching my girls sports teams, I love to drag them up mountains. We call it “Girls Day”. One of our favorites is Sleeping Beauty. We hike to the top and then I reward them for hiking by taking them down to Shelving Rock waterfall. We spend the afternoon splashing away and enjoy a picnic lunch. We’ve made some great memories out in nature!

We know what you’re really here for…the recipes! Here’s what you’ll need from the market this week:

 

Remember our tip…try to shop on a day other than Sunday to avoid burnout. You don’t want to spend the entire day shopping and cooking, unless you like that sort of thing! 

Groceries

Other general cooking tips to keep in mind:

Focus on the meal you struggle with most. If you rush to get breakfast in, make some easy eggs cups, make ahead breakfast sandwiches, etc. If you struggle with lunch/dinner, prep those items you need most.

Make a plan, stick to your grocery list. This is time and money saving! I’ve found Hannaford To Go to be extremely helpful. Don’t try to shop and prep in one day, that can be overwhelming.

Keep it simple! Don’t attempt several new recipes. It will monopolize your time and you will never want to do it again. Think/shop/cook in food groups and then mix and match.

Mix things up. You don’t want to be bored. Food should be fun!

Have plenty of storage containers and zip lock baggies handy.

Here’s how Jenn says a typical Sunday should go:

A typical Sunday prep takes me about 2 hours start to finish, including clean up. I make and focus on lunches and dinners.

I also make hard boiled eggs and I bag nuts for when we are on the go or as salad toppers.

I plan for 3-4 days. If I get to Wednesday and I find I have a lot of leftovers, I will freeze and use later.

Food prep shouldn’t be overwhelming, start small, and keep it simple.

Maximize your time in the kitchen by:

Chopping veggies while protein is cooking. You can also chop them the night before and store in a zip lock bag.
 
Lay out all ingredients on your kitchen table or counter so you save less trips to the pantry or fridge.

Clean as you go. I always make sure my dishwasher is empty and ready to be loaded. It’s much less overwhelming when you finish and don’t have a sink full of dishes!
 

Dinner Prep

Make a few dinners ahead on Sunday, and you’ll have a quick, ready-to-go dinner for the weeknights!

Turkey Meatloaf Cups

Mix ground turkey (1-2 packages) in a large bowl with…
1 egg
¾ cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Chopped onions
Chopped peppers (Use the tops of the pepper you’re slicing for the cups- less waste)
 
Slice peppers into thick rings
Lay on baking sheet (Use parchment paper for easier clean up!)
Fill cups with meat loaf mixture
If you have left over meat loaf mixture- freeze or put into a muffin tin and bake
Add ketchup and sriracha to the tops of each cup (If you like it spicier…add sriracha to mixture too)
Bake at 350 for 30-40 mins or until ground turkey is done
Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of the cups
 
Turkey Meatloaf Cups
 

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Combine chicken thighs, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, ½ cup chicken stock, chili powder and cumin
Make sure Chicken is covered
Add more stock if needed
Cover with lid; cook on high for 3-4 hours
Add 1 cup of rice, black beans, chopped onions and remaining chicken broth
Replace lid and continue cooking on low for another 3-4 hours
Check rice in the last hour of cooking, stirring occasionally 
(6-8 hours total cooking time)
 
Notes:
If it’s too dry, add more chicken broth
If rice is cooked but there’s too much liquid, take lid off and let cook on high to evaporate liquid
You can also cook rice separately and add the black beans/onions in the last 30 minutes of cooking time
Top with salsa or other desired toppings!
 
 

Sausage, Peppers, Onions Over Rice

Cook turkey sausage in a large saute pan
While turkey cooks, slice peppers and onions
Remove sausage when cooked 
Add peppers and onions to the pan, using remnants of sausage for extra flavor
When peppers are cooked, chop and store with peppers and onions
(Total cook time 25 minutes)
 
Notes:
We will eat over brown rice during the week
Batch cook the rice so it is already cooked for use in other recipes
 
 
 

Lunch Prep

Chicken & Salad

Chicken this week will be cooked three ways to serve over salads. Use mushrooms and cucumbers in salad along with any other salad toppings you like! To prepare the 3 types of chicken, use aluminum foil in the pan to separate. On baking sheet, lay down parchment paper and roll aluminum foil to create “walls” between each flavor of chicken.

  1. Sriracha/Lime Chicken
  2. Lemon/Garlic Chicken
  3. Buffalo Chicken

Evenly coat in sauce and place lemon or lime slices on chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Place on salads when cooled.

Breakfast

Egg White Muffins

Grease muffin tin with olive oil or coconut oil
Pour in egg whites
Bake at 350 for 20 mins or until fully cooked
*Add turkey sausage, spinach, tomatoes, or whatever you like to jazz these up!
 
 

Here’s how to contact Jenn for guidance on health and wellness, information on AdvoCare and the 24 Day Challenge:

Website: www.wellnesswithwolfe.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Jenn Wolfe /jennifer.wolfe.77715

Instagram: @wolfe.jenn

A special thank you to Jenn for helping us with this series! Keep following along for the next post in our Sunday Prep Series.

Setting up for Success with Sunday Prep

 

Written by Glens Falls Mom, featuring Jenn Wolfe

We all know preparing weekly lunches and snacks ahead of time sets us up for success for the week. If our lunches are yummy enough, it’s much easier to pass up that treat someone baked and left in the office break room. We might be less likely to bust open a bag of chips after work if there are snacks in the fridge already cut up and ready to eat.

But who has time to give up an entire day off of work to cook?

Here’s how Sunday prep usually goes for me:

  1. Check Pinterest for meal prep ideas.
  2. Pick out the most complicated (but delicious-looking!) prep plan ever.
  3. Print out pages and pages of shopping lists. 
  4. Spend half the day at the grocery store.
  5. Spend the other half making a disaster out of the kitchen.
  6. Finally fill the fridge with meals for the week and realize I have nothing for dinner tonight.
  7. Ignore all the dishes in the sink and order pizza.
  8. Decide not to do Sunday prep ever again.

(And that was BEFORE I had a baby!)
So each Sunday when I see my friend Jenn Wolfe posting her Sunday meal prep pictures on Facebook, I wonder how she has it all together. She is a busy mom to twin girls, a teacher, and she runs a business on the side! Where is she finding time to make health a priority for her family? I had to find out.

Of course, Jenn being the generous person she is, she offered to meet with me to share her tips and tricks! Here’s the really exciting part. She’s going to share with you too!

We’re thrilled to present the first article in our Sunday prep series, where Jenn will share her meal prep plans in hopes of inspiring you to get in (and out of) the kitchen on Sundays. It’s all about your health and the health of your family.

When we started discussing how we would lay out the series, I asked Jenn if she wanted to do recipes and shopping lists (like the Pinterest-style Sunday preps I mentioned above). Her answer was no! She wanted to keep things simple. (I knew I liked this girl!)

Our Sunday prep series will give you ideas for an easy weekly meal plan, but any ingredient can be easily substituted for something your family likes. Everything is designed to be done and ready to go without taking up your entire Sunday. 

Let’s get to know Jenn and why she’s so passionate about health and wellness, then we’ll get straight to the cookin’!

In the Kitchen with Jenn

We love your posts about Sunday food prep and inspirational quotes! What are some ways you spread awareness about health and wellness? How does it tie in with your business?

I love to hear my posts are helpful! I’m passionate about empowering women to take charge of their health and wellness. Women are often the gate keepers of nutrition in their home. They may do the grocery shopping and most of the cooking. Teaching women how to take charge of these aspects of their life impacts the rest of their family.

I have been a Independent Distributor with AdvoCare for 3.5 years. I offer free coaching to all clients. I teach people how to eat clean, grocery shop, supplement properly to fill nutritional gaps, incorporate exercise and of course, food prep.

I offer consults to discuss goals, supplementation, workouts and strategies for success. I also have get-togethers at my house a couple times a month. Women come for a multitude of reasons- support, accountability, interest and ideas. I offer conference calls as well, so I can reach women that are not local. My philosophy is where there is a will there is a way. I’ll support you in any way I can. Your goal becomes my goal.

What inspired you to begin your journey with health? What are some of your goals going forward?

I was inspired by some of my close friends that were having success with AdvoCare. I had never used supplementation before, but was feeling very stuck and insecure in my own skin 3.5 years ago. After having my girls, I felt like everything changed. Having been an athlete growing up and being active I was able to maintain a healthy weight, and eat what I wanted. That all changed.

I was around 200 lbs and I would yo-yo diet by restricting calories and strapping myself to a cardio machine. I’d lose the weight, only to gain it right back when what I was doing wasn’t sustainable anymore. I was frustrated, and simply not being the mom or wife I wanted to be.

I said yes to AdvoCare and began the 24 Day Challenge. It is a very structured, fool-proof program offering a daily meal guide, cook book, and grocery shopping list. I realized then that I had no idea how to eat, cook healthy, or supplement properly. Those 24 days were the catalyst to everything that has happened since. I knew if I could do this, anyone could!

I have lost over 50 lbs, went from a size 14/16 to a size 8/10. From that point on I have shared with others, and expanded on what I can offer my clients. My goals moving forward are to continue helping others realize this is something even the busiest person can do.

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. I’m busy too- I teach kindergarten full time, raise two little girls, coach their sports year round, and also run a business. I find value in what I offer and what I provide to my family. We aren’t running through a drive thru on our busy nights because we have a healthy meal waiting for us. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.

Tell us about a failure, challenge, or a time you had to overcome a fear during your journey.

Full disclosure and vulnerability… (Being more vulnerable is my New Year’s Resolution) I am currently experiencing my biggest challenge ever in my journey, and possibly in my life. I have been living with Rheumatoid Arthritis for years, but am dealing with a side affect from the medication I was on. It’s directly affecting my lungs. I am having difficulty breathing, am often short of breath, and experience extreme fatigue. I have also recently been diagnosed with Chronic Lyme.

Why is this so difficult? I love working out, typically 5-6 times a week, and I haven’t been able to since November. I am often so tired I hardly want to get out of bed, let alone work, cook, clean, etc. While these obstacles are difficult to be dealing with, I know that there is a lot still in my control.

I know I feel better when I eat better. That motivates me to continue food prep and move my body even if it’s just walking or stretching. I’ve been able to maintain my weight even though I haven’t been able to workout. This is directly related to food prep and my mindset. After all, nutrition is 80% of a healthy lifestyle.

What is the secret to making time for health as a busy mom?

You have to prioritize. Sometimes you have to look at your house and say, “Maybe the house isn’t perfect today, but I’m going to get my workout in.” Many times I wake up early before the day gets away from me and work out, or even food prep. That way I don’t feel “mom guilt” or like I’m missing out on too much. Some women I coach struggle because they are always at their kid’s practices or events, so I recommend that they walk during the practice or design workouts that they can do while they wait. Health is the greatest wealth of all.

Let’s talk Sunday prep. Why do you find it so important to your weekly routine?

It’s crucial to my weekly routine. I teach full time, so I am out of the house each day until 4 or 5:30 on the days I work out or have meetings. If we have sports, we typically aren’t home until 7-8pm. Having food prepped and ready to go saves us from binge eating, ordering out, or hitting up a drive-thru. 

It saves a lot of time by simply mixing and matching food that is already cooked and simply heating it up. Dinner is on the table in less than 10 minutes. It also saves money. Eating out is expensive!

What are your tips for making shopping for Sunday prep quick and easy?

Focus on the meal you struggle with most. If you rush to get breakfast in, make some easy eggs cups, make ahead breakfast sandwiches, etc. If you struggle with lunch/dinner, prep those items you need most.

Make a plan, stick to your grocery list. This is time and money saving! I’ve found Hannaford To Go to be extremely helpful. Don’t try to shop and prep in one day, that can be overwhelming.

Keep it simple! Don’t attempt several new recipes. It will monopolize your time and you will never want to do it again. Think/shop/cook in food groups and then mix and match.

Mix things up. You don’t want to be bored. Food should be fun!

Have plenty of storage containers and zip lock baggies handy.

What does a typical Sunday prep look like for you?

A typical Sunday prep takes me about 2 hours start to finish, including clean up. I make and focus on lunches and dinners.

When I cook, I start with the items with the longest cooking time, typically my protein- a roast chicken, turkey meatloaf, cauliflower rice stir fry, stuffed peppers, etc.

While my oven is being used, I’m chopping veggies to be roasted.

After that I’m prepping my salads for the week and my dinner for that night. (I learned this the hard way. I would finish all my food prep for the week, and forget completely about dinner that night!) Now, I put dinner in the crock pot.

Some dinners I make in the crock pot are roast chicken, ground turkey and quinoa burrito bowls, pot roast, homemade soups and chili.

I also make hard boiled eggs or egg white muffins for snacks, and I bag nuts for when we are on the go or as salad toppers.

I plan for 3-4 days. If I get to Wednesday and I find I have a lot of leftovers, I will freeze and use later.

Food prep shouldn’t be overwhelming, start small, and keep it simple.

Ok, let’s get into the nitty gritty. What’s cookin’ this week, Jenn?

To start, you’ll want to get your dinner for tonight going in the crock pot. You can set it up now and forget about it for the day!

Crock Pot Chicken

Place on 4 foil balls to keep out of liquid
Place onion in cavity
Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and fresh ginger
Top with fresh basil and pepper
Cook on high 6-8 hours depending on size of chicken
 
We’re starting with the recipes that need to cook the longest, so next will be our protein for the week. Each week you can switch up your proteins or cook different types of protein, but I’m sticking to chicken this week to keep things simple.
 

 

Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken

Cut boneless breast in 1/2 length wise
Spread pesto on each breast
Add sundried tomatoes
Drizzle with Olive Oil
Bake at 375 for 30 mins
 

Pesto Artichoke Chicken

Cut boneless breast in 1/2 length wise
Spread pesto on each breast
Add Artichokes
Drizzle with Olive Oil
Bake at 375 for 30 mins
 

 

Chicken, Peppers and Onions

Dice Chicken
Slice peppers, and onions
Place in skillet 
Drizzle with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and pepper. 
Saute on the stove top for 15-20 mins

While all of this is cooking, you can start chopping veggies and preparing snacks and salad toppers. 

Roasted Veggie Tray

Chop Brussels. I chop off ends first, peel outside layer, and then cut in 1/2
Chop Sweet Potatoes in small wedges. You want them relatively thin, as these take the longest to cook.
Chop Red Onion in large rings. Save this for LAST or your eyes will be burning! 🙂
Place on baking sheet and drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil on each veggie. 
Bake 375 for 40 mins or until sweet potatoes are done.
 

 

Sweet Potato Mash

Cut 2 Sweet potatoes into smaller chunks (This will decrease cooking time)
Boil until soft (approximately 10-15 mins)
Drain water and put in bowl
Add chicken broth, garlic and salt and pepper
Smash until you get them the consistency you like
 
 

Hard Boiled Eggs

Cover eggs with water
Bring to a boil
Turn off heat and cover
Let sit for 10 minutes
Drain and cool with cold water before peeling
I place 2 in a zip lock bag for storage and easy snacking!
 
 

Salad Prep

Place lettuce in containers
Add veggies you want (this week was mushrooms, cucumbers and left over artichokes from my chicken dish)
Add chicken when it’s finished and cooled down
 

 

Nuts, Trail Mix, Celery

I added these in baggies so they are easy to grab in the morning. We eat as a snack, or as salad toppers. 
 

Remember…

  • On Wednesday, freeze any leftovers for lunches/dinners next week!
  • Add in egg white muffins or another breakfast item if desired.
  • Start simple! We purposefully only used chicken this week and used the same ingredient in more than one dish to keep the grocery list short and the kitchen time for a minimum. You want to get IN the kitchen and OUT of the kitchen! You can add more variety as you get your techniques down.
  • All this prep was done before the kids and husband were out of bed. The goal is not to spend the entire day in the kitchen. Remember to shop ahead of time!

And here’s the finished product!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

If you’re a shopping list person, here it is!

 

What advice would you give other moms interested in making health a priority for their family?

Support and accountability are extremely important. I’m here to help and support you in your transition. Start with one thing and slowly build. If you try to do food prep, diet, exercise, supplementation, convincing your whole family to join you, it can be very overwhelming. Truly, I started with myself, and from there, over time, it spread to my entire family both immediate and extended.

Here’s how to contact Jenn for guidance on health and wellness, information on AdvoCare, your financial goals, or to become part of her team of leaders:

Website: www.wellnesswithwolfe.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Jenn Wolfe /jennifer.wolfe.77715

Instagram: @wolfe.jenn

A special thank you to Jenn for helping us with this series! Keep following along for the next post in our Sunday Prep Series.