Cook to Set Yourself Up for the Week [How-to Inside]

Some of you may have seen my Instagram picture Dinner in Six Parts and the oh-so-yuuum final dish.

If you have a busy schedule or have lost inspiration and feel a lack of creativity in the kitchen and are tired of eating the same thing over and over, here’s how to cook to set yourself up for the week. The trick here is to set yourself up in one night so you have culinary (and healthy diet!) smooth sailing for the rest of the week.

With my Dinner in Six Parts trick you can mix and match to create unique dishes, using the same ingredients throughout the week. It saves you time and numerous shopping trips for endless ingredients for different recipes and minimizes the stress of trying to figure out what to eat every night of the week. [Share with friends!]

Here’s what I started with:

Salad

Ingredients:

• Greens
• Avocado
• Sunflower seeds
• Chopped basil and mint
• Tomato

Directions:
1. Combine chopped ingredients in a bowl.

Creamy “Ranch” style Dressing

Ingredients:

• 8 oz yogurt (I prefer plain goat’s milk yogurt, it’s easier to digest and works great in this recipe)
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp chopped mint
• Salt and pepper
• Dash of hot sauce or pinch of cayenne pepper
• Splash of water, may not need depending on desired consistency of dressing

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary or add a splash of water to thin.

Quinoa

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer (I like this one)
• 2 1/2 cups water or veggie broth
• 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer.
2. Combine broth, oil, salt and pepper and quinoa, bring to a boil.
3. Cover and lower heat to low, cooking for 12 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 lbs)
• 4 tbsp. of extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 400
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl
4. Toss with 2 tablespoons of oil and season to taste with salt and pepper
5. Spread the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet
6. Roast until they can be easily pierced with a knife but still offer some resistance, about 35 minutes
7. Let cool for 15 minutes or so
8. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper

Sauteed Crispy Chickpeas

Ingredients:

• Two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss chickpeas with oil and spices until evenly coated. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
3. Roast, shaking pan occasionally, until chickpeas are golden and crunchy, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Healthy condiments

• Garlic hummus
• Fermented, raw sauerkraut (THE best food you can eat for better digestion)
• Rawmesan – a delicious dairy-free nutrient packed topping that replaces parmesan cheese

Put it all together and voila! My YUM creation:

You now have a fridge stocked with healthy, home cooked food ready to go when you are. You can create quick stir fries, new salad creations or just snack on the dishes separately and you will have a bangin week because of it (and the bod to match).

Now I want to hear from you! Do you ever cook this way for the week? If so do you have a few dishes you make or ways you swap ingredients? And if you re-create my Dinner In 6 Parts let me know! Hop down to the comments below and share away!