We haven’t really posted anything on meal preparation so far, or at least not on this channel. However, since we are into this convenient practice ourselves due to the busy life we lives, we thought it was about time to start sharing some of our favourite meals with you, which are sure to be quick, cheap and very easy to make. In fact, the name of our meal prep videos from now on will be exactly that: quick, cheap and easy! I hope you will love our recipes, and buon appetito.
For the bulgur wheat
13.5ozbulgur wheat
12ozbeetroot juice
12ozwater
For the squash and lentil curry
¼ tspolive oil
2 smallgarlic cloves, minced
1onion, diced
1½ tspsmoked paprika
1½ tspcurry powder
2.1ozred lentils
1lb 1.6ozpumpkin, diced
13ozwater
1 tbsptomato paste
½ tspgaram masala
10 leavescoriander, chopped
For the vegetable stir-fry
¼ tspolive oil
1 tspcumin seeds
1 tspginger, diced
5.5ozcarrots, diced
3.5ozbell pepper, diced
7ozbroccoli, diced
2ozspring onions, diced
½ cupwater
1½ tbspsriracha sauce
For the crystallised nuts
2ozwhite sugar
1ozwater
2ozmixed nuts
Instructions
- Cook the bulgur wheat as instructed on the packet, and substitute half of the cooking water with beetroot juice.
- For the curry, place a saucepan over a medium heat, tip in the oil and the garlic, and gently fry it until slightly golden in colour.
- Add in the onions, stir, and cook them until just translucent.
- Add in the paprika and the curry powder, and stir them in. Once the spices have been mixed in, add the lentils to the pan, stir, and then tip in the diced squash.
- Pour in the water, add the tomato paste, and stir.
- Bring the liquid to the boil, turn the heat down to the minimum, cover the pan with the lid, and cook the ingredients for 20 minutes. There is no need to stir during the cooking time.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, turn off the heat, add in the garam masala, the chopped coriander, and stir, to complete the recipe.
- For the sriracha stir-fry, place a pan over a medium heat, tip in oil, and gently fry the cumin until fragrant.
- Add in the ginger, and cook it until slightly browned.
- Add in the carrots, the peppers, the broccoli and the water, and sauté the ingredients for roughly 6 or 7 minutes, stirring regularly. Make sure to keep some extra water to hand, in case it is needed.
- Once the vegetables are almost ready, add in the spring onions, the sriracha sauce, and stir them in.
- Continue the cooking process for an additional two minutes to complete the recipe.
- For the crystallised nuts, add the sugar into a saucepan, followed by water.
- Turn on the heat to medium, and stir the ingredients until a syrup is formed, and it starts boiling.
- Bring the syrup to 135°C before adding in the nuts and start stirring.
- In the absence of a thermometer, simply wait for the syrup to start to change colour. As soon as you perceive a slight change in hue, throw in the nuts and start stirring. Within seconds, the sugar will begin to crystallise around the nuts.
Substitutions and Tips
- For the pumpkin curry, you can use virtually any pumpkin and lentils you have to hand, the only difference you might find is that the dish will require slightly more (or less) cooking time and water.
- For the crystallised nuts, you can use any kind of nuts you want, but the only sugar that will be easy to work with is white sugar.
Yield, Times and Info
Makes: 4 meals (600kcal each)
Preparation Time: 20m
Cooking Time: 40m
Total Time: 1h
Storage Times: Keeps for 2 days in the fridge
Preparation Time: 20m
Cooking Time: 40m
Total Time: 1h
Storage Times: Keeps for 2 days in the fridge
Nutritional Info
Serving Size: ¼ recipe (1 meal) Calories: 600kcal Carbohydrate: 116.5g Sugar: 15.3g Fiber: 26.6g Fat: 9.5g Saturated Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g Protein: 21.8g Sodium: 70mg Water: 250g
