It’s Friday! Instead of thinking about all the work we still have to do, let’s take a look at the Prep Cook menu for this coming week. We’ve tested a week’s worth of meal recipes for you so that you spend your time and money on the most delicious ones. This week’s menu includes eggplant caponata, alphabet soup, and more.
Everyone has a different schedule (and different tastes), so the menu is organized by meal rather than day. I’ve ordered them to provide variety throughout the week, but you can skip meals that don’t sound good to you or switch them around based on how much time you have to cook when you get home. If you really want to get ahead, set aside two to four hours on the weekend to prep ingredients for the week (cut produce, mix up sauces that will last, mass cook items you can freeze, etc.).
Breakfast
Blackberry cornmeal muffins: I decided to make these because I had half a bag of frozen blackberries left over from when I made the most popular smoothie on Pinterest (there are no blackberries in that recipe and I had bought a bag of mixed berries, so I hand picked out the blackberries out because I love you all that much). When reheating the muffins, cut them in half first and then put them in a toaster oven (or microwave if you have to) so that they get warm all the way through.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Top with fresh whipped cream and basil for a sweet treat or yogurt for a more savory one
Peanut butter overnight oats: Filling, easy to make, and quick to prep, this is one of my go-to breakfasts when I need to power through my morning without a rumbly tummy to distract me.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Add in your favorite toppings, like shredded coconut, sliced almonds, or dried fruit
Whole wheat flax blueberry pancakes: A fun and simple breakfast that may be better saved for the weekend when you have time to whip up the batter and brown the pancakes.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Add on a few toppings, like sliced fresh fruit, toasted nuts, or whipped cream
Lunch & Dinner
Sicilian Eggplant Caponata: There are a lot of ingredients in this dish, but you don’t have to prep most of them (you can buy your pine nuts pre-toasted). I loved the flavor combinations here; since Sicily is close to north Africa, this dish is somewhat Moroccan inspired. I served mine with couscous, but any grain will do.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Cook this a day ahead of time and let it sit overnight so the flavors meld even more
Add meat: A mild meat, like chicken, is best so the spices from this dish shine
Pack it for lunch: Make sure you use an airtight container so the oil doesn’t leak out
Spinach and hominy enchiladas: This dish requires a lot of assembly, but is good if you have three to five people for dinner (or you want lots of leftovers). If you don’t have hominy, you can swap in cannellini beans. I bought my salsa verde to speed up the process.
Prep difficulty: Hard
Boost it: Use three adobo peppers in the cashew sauce to heat things up
Add meat: Put cooked ground beef into the filling
Pack it for lunch: Cut the enchiladas up before you pack them to make eating lunch easier
Indonesian gado gado salad: Great for hot weather, this refreshing salad takes a bit of prep work but you don’t cook most of the elements. I chilled my rice noodles after cooking to make this a cold dish for a warm evening.
Prep difficulty: Medium
Boost it: Press your tofu before you marinade it (and marinade it as long as possible) so it soaks up more flavor
Add meat: Slice grilled or pan fried chicken breast
Pack it for lunch: Keep the noodles separate so they don’t get soggy
Alphabet soup with garlicky roasted broccoli: I wanted to make this after impulse-buying letter pasta from the bulk section. A simple combo that turned out tasty!
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Serve garlic bread on the side. So much garlic in one meal!
Add meat: Add sliced sausage to the soup
Pack it for lunch: Use a spill-proof container so your soup doesn’t go everywhere
Gnocchi with slow cooker marinara and caesar salad: I don’t recommend making your own gnocchi unless you’re already good at it. Instead, buy it pre-made, I get mine at Trader Joe’s. This is a good meal when you don’t want to do much cooking.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Put the extra garlic clove in the salad dressing, I dare ya
Add meat: After the sauce is done, add cooked ground beef
Pack it for lunch: You’ll need two airtight containers, one for salad and one for gnocchi with sauce
Portobello burgers with matchstick garlic fries: If you make the fries from scratch, this is better for a night where you have time to prep more. If you buy pre-cut fries, this meal is pretty quick to make.
Prep difficulty: Medium
Boost it: Pile your burger high with fresh toppings, like tomato or caramelized onions
Add meat: Swap the mushroom for ground beef or turkey
Pack it for lunch: Don’t assemble the burger until you’re ready to eat so the bun doesn’t get soggy
Orange tempeh with spicy stir-fried zucchini: The tempeh needs at least two hours to marinate so put it in the marinade before you head to work. I combined my tempeh and zucchini together and served it over rice, but you can serve the two separately if you prefer.
Prep difficulty: Easy
Boost it: Top your rice with furikake
Add meat: Switch the tempeh for chicken
Pack it for lunch: Keep the rice separate so it doesn’t get soggy with sauce
Have you tried one of these dishes before? Do you have your own version that’s super tasty? Share your tips and tricks in the discussion below.