Home-Cooked Meals for a 24/7 Workweek

Eating healthy can be a very difficult endeavor for most of us who have rigorous work schedules. Whether we are getting to the office in the dark or leaving well after dinner time, it's not exactly ideal for maintaining a healthy and fit body.
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Eating healthy can be a very difficult endeavor for most of us who have rigorous work schedules. Whether we are getting to the office in the dark or leaving well after dinner time, it's not exactly ideal for maintaining a healthy and fit body.

Unfortunately, too many nights a week of takeout orange chicken, burritos with refried beans, or even lasagna with low-fat cheese can be a huge issue for our waistlines. In a perfect world, we'd have a personal chef to prepare healthy food for every meal (seriously, is this something that I can sign up for?). But in reality, the only way to avoid falling into what seems like the easiest option, is to develop healthy habits that you can actually stick to.

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It is possible to cook healthy meals with very limited time. Cooking a few simple dishes before your workweek begins is a great way to reach your goals. I know that my weeks are jam packed, so I like to set aside time on Sunday to make a few easy recipes that will last throughout the week.

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The most important thing to remember is that mistakes happen, and you won't love every dish you make. I've burnt my fair share of Pinterest recipe, and found that I, in fact, hate chard no matter how it's prepared. Get rid of your expectations, have a glass of wine to spice up the experience, and dive into it. You will surprise yourself.

These recipes can all be made ahead of time, will not cost you a fortune, and have incredible health benefits. Once you have developed a few staples, then you can begin to increase your repertoire.

Tasty recipes that are easy to prepare:

Mama T's Roasted Veggies

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Ingredients
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1 bunch of carrots
  • 1 c. olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
Directions:
  1. Cut up all veggies into small cubes. Spread evenly in a baking dish.
  2. Cover with olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin and turmeric
  3. Bake on 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash Pasta

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Ingredients:
  • 1 spaghetti squash
  • 1 jar of organic pasta sauce or homemade tomato sauce if you have time
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 bunch mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
Directions:
  1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, sautee the chopped broccoli and mushrooms in olive or coconut oil on medium heat until soft.
  3. Once squash is soft, use a fork to scoop out the inside into a bowl. Add the jar of sauce and the sautéed veggies on top. Optional -- throw on some nuts or nutritional yeast.

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