Good morning folks! It’s time for a new series on the blog *drum roll please*…
Meal Prep Monday! (at this point the imaginary crowd in my head oooh‘s and aaaah’s)
So I’m kind of cheating – I don’t actually do my meal prep on Mondays – but Meal Prep Saturday just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.
I’m sure you’ll forgive me once you see how delightfully easy it is to make this recipe.
The idea behind this new series of posts is simple – quick, delicious and nutritious dishes that you can cook in bulk when you’re short on time.
Time is a luxury that I frankly, don’t have very much of anymore. Turns out being grown-up is pretty time consuming (despite the fact that I am unmarried and childless – much to my mother’s not-so-secret dismay). So upon realizing this I figured I have two options:
- I can mope about how I have no time anymore to do all of the things I used to love (ie. cooking, working out/running, yoga, reading, journalling) and spend any free moment feeling too absolutely sorry for myself
OR
- I can acknowledge man up, organise my time and do something about it.
After many months of doing the former and a rejuvenating getaway trip – I chose the latter.
As part of my newfound bout of productivity I have started to do all of my cooking and meal prep on weekends. I make big batches of easy, healthy dishes along with some staples like grains, dry beans, steamed veggies and a couple of big leafy green salads to essentially live off during the week.
I also bought this awesome lunchbag which carries all my meals for the day. So convenient I can’t even begin to explain.
Enough mindless chatter – let’s get down to business with this week’s recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 1 cup of split peas (pre-soaked for two hours or overnight – not necessary but will significantly reduce cooking time)
- 1 large red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 medium tomato, roughly diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed or chopped
- 1 heaped cup of butternut squash, cubed
- 2 cups of organic vegetable stock (Kallo brand is my favourite)
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tsps organic coconut oil OR vegetable stock
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Sweat onion and garlic in coconut oil (or a splash of veg stock for a low fat option, personally I love the flavour and richness coconut oil adds here) for a few minutes on medium heat until translucent, then add the tomatoes. Add the cumin and coriander and stir well – careful not to burn the spices.
- Add the lentils, split peas, squash, vegetable stock, water and spices. Bring to a boil then cover and let simmer on low heat for about 35 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally to avoid sticking (the lentils will form a creamy puree quite quickly which can burn if left unattended).
- When the split peas have cooked through and the whole mixture resembles a chunky soup – it’s done. Add fresh coriander on top and stir through. Serve with some brown rice or quinoa and savour!
The inspiration behind this Dal is down to one of our old interns in the office who was (as many others are) fascinated with my veganism. One day she brought in the most delicious lentil soup made by her grandmother which she offered me a taste of – and I have been craving it ever since.
The addition of split peas adds a wonderful texture, and of course a higher nutritional profile.
Not to mention a beautiful golden hue.
Fragrant, delicious and most importantly heartily filling even all on it’s own. The perfect companion to any lunchbox, if you ask me and several of my co-workers who exclaimed “What are you eating? It smells so good!”
Do you do a big prep or cook during the week?
What are your go-to work/school meals?
I’d love to see them! Share them with me via social media.
Wow! This looks so, so good. Great photos, too.
Lentils are SO great & SO affordable. Love your blog! Your comment is awaiting moderation.
I actually just made a little free guide– if you’re interested, although it looks like you’ve got it covered 🙂
http://bethleahnutrition.com/eat-fat-get-slim/