Can that name sound any healthier?! Can these pictures LOOK any yummier?

Spoiler alert. No, no they can’t. CHICKEN. VEGGIE. QUINOA. BOWLS.

Alright. I’m going to just say it. Weeknight meals are getting a bad wrap. People are typically in a crunch at night after work, working out, putting kids to sleep, walking the llama, whatever it is you gotta do (no judgement ya’ll). And they don’t have time for dinner, or “eating healthy”.

I get it, you’re busy, we all are but I’ve also got a reality check for you – being busy doesn’t mean you have to eat crap and weeknight meals do NOT have to be warmed up in a microwave or delivered by a man wearing a baseball cap with dominos on it (I mean sometimes it can – because you know I’m all about balance but let’s not make this a thing.)

So today I’m going to give you a healthy, yummy, weeknight meal recipe just to help you out and share some of my weekly planning tips to continue eating healthy meals like this during the week – AND as a bonus I’m going to give everyone who subscribes to the blog (including those already subscribed) exclusive access to my tips on how I get all my healthy foods while still being on a budget (straight into your inbox – arriving Friday). Yes, today you’ve officially hit the jackpot with Jess 😉

 

EATING HEALTHY DURING THE WEEK

Alright, stop drooling and listen up – the recipe is coming soon but we need to talk first. Eating healthy during the week doesn’t need to be rocket science. It also doesn’t need to be you sitting in front of a grill for two hours on a Sunday,  or buying containers in bulk so you can have chicken, rice and veggies for every meal for five days straight (and if you do this I’m not knocking you – actually bless you child because that’s amazing but it’s just not me).

I LOVE food. I LOVE variety. My dad can eat the same salad every night for five days straight and it still absolutely boggles my mind. And I’m busy. I have a full time job, a blog that I work on every night, I work out 5 times a week and I also have a very serious commitment to most of the Bravo channel line up – but I still make it a priority and find time to make healthy meals during the week. Whats my secret? I’d break it down to three simple tips.

1. BE PREPAREDThat statement is pretty LOADED. So let me unpack it. I mean be prepared with:
   • Planning out your weekly meals ahead of time (we plan Monday-Thursday on Sunday before we grocery shop).
   • Prepping any foods you can ahead of time so they are ready to during the week (we cut up our bell peppers on Sunday so they are easily snack-able and ready for Turkey Taco Tuesday  and make things like roasted chick peas and protein muffins if we are going to eat them throughout the week).

   Preparation is the difference between you having healthy foods on hand and the healthy meals set out for the week and you scrambling in the fridge at 8PM starving with no idea what to eat – and we all know how that goes. Take 15 extra minutes before you go grocery shopping and plan out your meals. Write them down. Commit to them. Prep for them. Then it’s simply execution. Which brings me to my next point…..

2. BE REALISTICThis one is important. You have to be realistic about what you’re going to eat/make during the week. Don’t plan to make a bolognese that takes two hours to simmer when you are starting at 8PM (save that for a Friday night date night in). Look for recipes that will fit into the time that you have available (whether it is 1 hour or 15 minutes) so you aren’t feeling stressed or tempted to skip it all together – I’m sure you’re already doing enough during the week, don’t try to also make a five course meal. Plus there are plenty of ideas for weekly meals that take very little time (my turkey tacos take about 20 minutes tops) that are healthy and yummy. Use the time you have, which can fluctuate throughout the week and be realistic about it so you are set up for success
3. MAKE IT FUN (AND YUM)Lastly, and this one is equally important as the rest, don’t force yourself to eat healthy foods that you hate. Yes eating salad with grilled chicken that you cooked on Sunday every night only takes about 10 minutes to make and is healthy, but if you don’t LOVE grilled chicken and salads or crave variety – JUST DON’T DO IT. This will just make you feel like you are depriving yourself and get REALLY boring if that’s not you and ultimately it won’t be sustainable. There are plenty of healthy foods out there for you to find exactly the meals you will get excited about during the week (exhibit A: TURKEY TACOS).

 

And that’s it folks. Those are my top tips for making weeknight meals healthy AND manageable and I KNOW you can do this. I’ll start you off right with the recipe below for Chicken Veggie Quinoa bowls that are a staple weeknight meal in our household because they are healthy, fit well into our schedule, and are just plain YUM. These bowls are great because you can really pack in whatever you like to them and holy moly are they instagrammable.

 

Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog (available in the side bar) so you can get the exclusive access to my tips on how I get healthy food while still staying on a budget.

 

CHICKEN VEGGIE QUINOA BOWLS

INGREDIENTS

• Quinoa (I buy the Whole Foods frozen version above that takes 5 minutes to make – and you could totally substitute this base for spinach if you are feeling wild)
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in chunks
• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• Handful of matchstick carrots
• Half a cucumber, sliced to your liking (recommend sliced and quartered)
• 1 1/2 lemons
• 1-2 tsps Garlic Powder
• Blackening Seasoning
• My Special Spice Mix (at bottom of recipe)
• Olive Oil
• Roasted Chick Peas (recipe here)

For the Magical Sauce (that really takes it to the next level)

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoons water
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

 

INSTRUCTIONS

DRESSING

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Season sweet potatoes with olive oil and my special spice mix tossing with seasoning
3. Spread onto a baking sheet (leave room to add broccoli later) and bake for 15 minutes
4. While your sweet potatoes bake, prepare your broccoli by tossing it in a bowl with 1/2 lemon juice, your garlic powder, a pinch of salt and pepper, and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well and set aside until the 15 minutes are up for the sweet potatoes.
5. While your sweet potatoes bake and broccoli is mixed, prep your chicken by squeezing a little less than 1/2 lemon, and then mixing with the blackening seasoning until it is well coated (I’d recommend around 2-3 tablespoons but you should be able to eyeball it) as well as a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Around this time your 15 minutes on the sweet potatoes should be up. Take them out and add your broccoli to the baking sheet, reduce the oven to 400 and bake an additional 10-15 minutes watching that you don’t burn the broccoli (like I always do).
7. Heat a large pan to medium high heat and add a little olive oil to the pan. Add in your frozen quinoa and 1 cup of water, stirring occasionaly for about five minutes or until quinoa is cooked and water is absorbed. Dish quinoa out either into a separate bowl for later or distribute into your dinner bowls.
8. Using the same pan (that no longer has anything in it), add a little bit more oil turn your heat a little higher and add in your seasoned chicken.
9. When chicken starts to brown (around 6 minutes), add in your matchstick carrots.
10. Cook a few minutes longer until chicken is cooked through (test a thicker piece to be sure) and then turn off your heat.
11. Take your sweet potatoes and broccoli out of the oven and give yourself a second because everything is hot AF and you still need to make the magical sauce.
12. Put all of the ingredients for the magical sauce into a nutribullet or blender. Combine. That’s done.
13. Distribute quinoa into your bowls, add sweet potatoes, add broccoli, add chicken, add cucumber, add whatever else you feel is right but definitely also these roasted chick peas that you should just have in your fridge already. Top with generous helping of your sauce and make it fancy looking.
14. Probably take a picture and send it to your mom because she will be impressed.

 

Have any tips for how you stay healthy during the week? Comment below!

 

XO,

JESS

 

SHOP MY KITCHEN