Mastering Meal Prepping: A Guide to Versatile Cooking with Grain Free Mama’s

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding the time to prepare nutritious and delicious meals can be a challenge. This is especially true for those who are affected by autoimmune disease, food allergies, and food sensitivities. Oftentimes, these individuals feel like they are losing the battle even before they get started. Eating becomes a chore, and so digging up the motivation to plan can feel exhausting.

If you are one who rarely cooks, lives by yourself, or doesn’t even know where to start, I say to you, “Take heart. It is do-able. You will gain more energy when you are eating nutritious foods you can digest daily.” When you can go to work with a nutritious option for lunch with you that didn’t take you getting up an hour early to prepare, it will be encouraging and energizing as well.

The idea of meal prepping sounds kind of daunting for those of us that are not chefs or are on a limited budget. There are many advertisements for meal prep services that tell us that it takes too much time, is too costly to do on your own, and that it is more cost effective to order meal prep. HOLD THE PRESS. First, with meal prep you are paying for the chef service, as well as the food ingredients and delivery costs. Secondly, are all the ingredients clearly labelled? Are the ingredients being used from genetically modified crops (GMO’s)? Do the ingredients have unwanted chemicals that can further undermine health? Can you ensure that the food you get will be free from the ingredients that you cannot safely digest?

Meal prepping isn’t a complicated as you may think. Are you a person who happily eats left-overs? I like leftovers, but just don’t like becoming bored of the same taste day after day. I like variety. That is why the art of variety meal prepping is so appealing and fun to me. I accidentally started doing this a couple of years ago and found that it was fun. I like to be creative, and so when I started prepping strategic items and then creatively combining them in different ways, what I discovered was that I didn’t feel like I was eating the same thing repeatedly at all. A win!

Adopting this adventurous mindset is freeing. With a bit of strategy and creativity, meal prepping can transform the way we eat, making it easier to enjoy a variety of dishes throughout the week without spending hours in the kitchen every day. One key to unlocking this convenience is through the versatile use of mixtures and ingredients, such as the sautéed steak and vegetable mixture that can serve as the foundation for multiple meals. Let’s explore how you can apply this approach to your cooking routine, with a special focus on incorporating Grain Free Mama’s products for a healthy twist.

The Art of Meal Prepping: Meal prepping involves cooking ingredients or entire meals in advance, allowing you to store them for later use. This practice not only saves time but also ensures you have healthy options on hand, reducing the temptation to reach for less nutritious alternatives. By preparing versatile base ingredients, you open a world of possibilities for the week ahead. I am going to share three examples of meal prep ideas that are easy to multi-use in meals to get your creative juices going.

I am utilizing examples that can be easily implemented with Grain Free Mama’s Crepe and Pizza Crust Mixes. These mixes offer clean, nutritious, low inflammatory bases that are easy to digest.

 

1. Sautéed Steak and Vegetable Mixture: A Versatile Base

Imagine preparing a hearty mixture of sautéed steak and vibrant vegetables at the start of the week. This mixture can be the star in a variety of dishes, thanks to its rich flavors and nutritional profile. The key is to choose ingredients that not only taste great together but also retain their texture and appeal over a few days.

Here is the simple combination I used for the sauteed steak mixture that I used, which was for one person (me). One 6-8 oz steak of choice, cut into bite sizes pieces. ¼ cup chopped onion. 1/8 cup each orange and red bell peppers, diced. 1 ½ TBSP avocado oil. Sauté in 1 1/2 TBSP avocado oil, starting with the steak and then adding the onions when steak is halfway cooked.

Add the bell pepper when the steak and onions are almost cooked through. Split the mixture into 3 parts, using one portion the first day and refrigerating the other two portions for later in the week. The three meals I made with this combination were as follows.

1. Grain Free Mama’s Pizza Night: Spread your pizza sauce and sautéed steak and vegetable mixture atop a Grain Free Mama’s pizza crust that has been pre-baked for 6 minutes at 425 degrees. This base, free from edible grass ingredients, gluten, dairy, soy, and artificial additives, offers a perfect canvas for your savory topping, creating a delightful meal that’s both satisfying and aligned with a health-conscious lifestyle. Bake for additional 12 minutes and enjoy.

1. Steak and Sweet Potato Dinner: Pair the mixture with a baked sweet potato for a comforting and nutritious meal. The natural sweetness of the potato complements the savory steak and vegetables, providing a well-rounded and fulfilling dinner option.
2. Steak and Egg Crepe Morning Delight: Wrap the sautéed mixture in a Garlic & Onion Crepe from Grain Free Mama’s for a gourmet breakfast or brunch. The crepes add a delicate flavor twist, turning your leftover mixture into a luxurious meal to start your day.

 

2. Baked Sweet Potato, Chickpeas, and Root Vegetables

If you adhere to more of a plant-based, or combination diet of sorts, this combination offers an animal free base idea. I love sweet potatoes. They bake up so easily and deliciously as well. Adding in the chickpeas and root vegetables make this combination a good protein base to work with that is tasty and versatile.

Here is the simple combination I used and how I prepared it. One can (15 oz.) chickpeas or ½ cup dried chickpeas. 1 very large, sweet potato (or 3 small, sweet potatoes), 3 large carrots, 1 large parsnip, 1 rutabaga, 2 TBSP avocado oil, 2 cloves garlic (diced), salt and pepper to taste.

Step one is to prepare the chickpeas for use. I use organic canned chickpeas, adding 2 cans of water in a pan, which I then bring to a boil for 45 minutes. I cover the pan and then let soak overnight, adding additional water after boiling if necessary. The next day I thoroughly rinse the chickpeas and remove as many outer shells as possible. The outer shells are tougher to digest for my body and removing them makes a big difference for me. Do this if you need a little more help to make them easier to digest. You can also use dried chickpeas that you soak overnight, or several nights, to soften to your liking.

Cube the sweet potato and rutabaga. Slice the parsnip and carrots. Add to a bowl with the prepared garbanzo beans. Mix in the diced garlic, salt and pepper and avocado oil to thoroughly coat. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place mixture on a baking sheet and spread out evenly. Cook for 18 minutes. Turn over the mixture and bake for additional 8-10 minutes. Separate into 3-5 portions. Here are 3 meal ideas for this mixture.

1. Sweet potato crepes and salad. Prepare your Grain Free Mama’s crepe mix of choice (with this combination you can use Garlic & Onion or Cinnamon & Nutmeg Crepe Mix). Fill with mixture. Fold and enjoy. This is super quick and pairs very well with a salad of your choosing or cold cut up cucumber, carrots, radishes, sweet turnips, or celery.
2. Spread your pizza sauce and vegetable mixture atop a Grain Free Mama’s pizza crust that has been pre-baked for 6 minutes at 425 degrees. Whether you choose to top with cheese, plant-based cheese or neither, this delicious comforting pizza will delight and hit the spot. A simple salad or cold vegetables pairs nicely with this option as well.
3. Tuna salad crepe and sweet potato mix salad. For this meal, you can take your mixture, add 1-2 TBSP reduced balsamic vinegar, 1/8 cup diced red onion, and minced fresh cilantro for a quick delicious salad. Pair this with a Garlic & Onion Crepe filled with tuna salad. (When I make a quick tuna salad, I mix 1 can tuna with a small amount of avocado mayonnaise, 1 TBSP spicy mustard and dill relish.)

3. Turkey or Chicken and Minced Vegetable Meat Balls

The last example I will leave you with for today is to use ground turkey or chicken with minced vegetables to make meatballs. I use 1 pound of ground meat, ½ cup finely chopped green onions, ½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 2 TBSP tapioca flour, 1 TBSP coconut four, ¼ cup shredded carrots, ¼ cup plant-based shredded parmesan cheese, 2 egg whites, 2 TBSP coconut cream, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. fennel seeds, ½ tsp sea salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and 1 ½ TBSP avocado oil. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then roll into 24 balls (about 1 ½ inch diameter).

If you choose to cook your meatballs in a pan, use the avocado oil, cooking for 10-12 minutes, turning over halfway through. If you decide instead to bake the meatballs, grease a baking pan, bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, turning over at 18 minutes.

1. Riced Cauliflower fried ‘rice’. This is a quick and tasty fried rice alternative that I make soy free by using coconut aminos. I use 1/3 package of frozen riced cauliflower. (You can easily use fresh cauliflower that you ‘rice’ in a food processor either.) I steam the cauliflower in 1 TBSP water in a pan for 3 minutes, draining the excess water once steamed. Add 5 warm meatballs and 1 TBSP coconut aminos and mix well. Heat to desired temperature. Remove from heat and serve. Tops well with fresh sliced green onions and sprouts of choice.
2. Meatball Pizza Night. Spread your pizza sauce and 4-5 halved meatballs atop a Grain Free Mama’s pizza crust that has been pre-baked for 6 minutes at 425 degrees. Top with plant-based or dairy cheese of choice if desired. Bake for additional 12 minutes and enjoy. Pair with cut up vegetables or side salad of choice.
3. BBQ Meatball Crepe and salad. Prepare your Garlic & Onion Crepe Mix per instructions and then prepare one crepe. After turning over, top with BBQ sauce of choice, halved heated meatballs, and shredded lettuce. Fold into a triangle and enjoy! This pairs very well with a smoothie or cut cucumbers. NOTE: In our Food Breakthrough Cookbook, we have a recipe for Easy BBQ Sauce that is Sugar-free and Soy free.

These ideas are suggestions. There is no limit to the creativity you unlock when you choose to make variety meal prepping your new adventure. Eating is one the great pleasures of this life. Take back control of your health and eating today and then watch as your health soars

Incorporating Grain Free Mama’s products into your meal prep routine offers numerous benefits. These products are designed with health in mind, free from common allergens and artificial ingredients, making them a fantastic choice for those seeking nutritious and delicious alternatives. Whether you’re using their pizza crust, crepes, or other baking mixes, you’re not just adding variety to your meals; you’re also choosing ingredients that support your well-being.

In conclusion, meal prepping is more than just a time-saving technique; it’s a lifestyle choice that promotes healthier eating habits. By being strategic with the mixtures and ingredients you prepare, you can enjoy varied and delicious meals throughout the week with minimal additional preparation. Incorporating Grain Free Mama’s products into this routine enhances the nutritional value of your meals, aligning with a commitment to health without compromising on taste. With a little planning and creativity, the possibilities are endless.

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Happy gut – It’s in the mix.