Meal Prep for Busy People
Over the years I have mentioned to several people a recipe that I use to make a very healthy homemade vegetable soup. I really like to prepare food in advance so that it is always available.
Recently, I was asked some specific questions, so I thought I’d write down everything related to ingredients and preparation.
A 6-quart crockpot is needed.
The ingredients are sourced primarily from my local Trader Joe’s and are all organic.
Ingredients:
• Kale – 1 10-ounce bag – chopped
• Power Greens- 2 bags of 5 ounces- chopped
• Broccoli- 1 cut 20-ounce bag
• Carrots- 4-cut into chunks
• Mushrooms- 6 large mushrooms- cut into chunks
• Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – 1 can
• Molasses- 1 tablespoon
• Honey- 1 tablespoon
• Sea salt: a pinch
• Olive oil- 1 tablespoon
• Flaxseed (ground flour) – one-third of a cup
• Onion- 1 small
• Garlic-several gloves
Start by lightly sautéing the onion and garlic.
Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Fill the pot to a half inch from the top with filtered water. Cover the pot and seal the lid. Cook over low heat for nine to 10 hours.
When the cooking process is over and the ingredients have cooled, stir everything evenly.
Usually the contents will provide enough to fill four or five Tupperware containers. Place the containers in the freezer for storage.
I keep a thawed container in my fridge so I can portion out the ingredients each day. I’ll put some in a pot, add some Trader Joe’s vegetable broth, turmeric, pepper, and Peruvian sea salt (which I get from Steel City Salt Co. in Millvale, Pennsylvania).
In the winter, I like to come home at lunchtime and have a bowl with some chicken breast. It really warms me up and gives me energy on those cold dark days. During the warmer months, I have a bowl in the morning with a separate batch of fried eggs.
Kale, greens, and broccoli belong to the cruciferous family of vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables are very important to detoxify us. It is important to eat vegetables in this family every day.
Organic molasses is produced from sugar cane. Sugarcane roots extend deep into the soil and absorb a large amount of minerals. Since organic molasses is not processed, it is definitely okay to consume. It is the processed white sugar that we want to avoid.
It is good to combine pepper and turmeric. Pepper activates the powerful anti-inflammatory ingredients in turmeric and allows for better digestive absorption.
Food preparation is very helpful in maintaining a good diet. We can prepare many foods in advance. Some examples would be preparing a salad for the next day. Also to defrost chicken breasts, fillets, fish or any other type of entry for the next day. Having a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer, readily available, to sauté is convenient.
By having food prepared, we’re much less likely to grab anything convenient at home or, worse, stop for fast food.