Hi Friends!
I’ve you follow me on instagram (The Lean Green Bean), you may have seen me go on a little bit of a kitchen rampage for an hour or so on Saturday afternoon.
People always ask me how I have time to eat healthy during the week. My answer is simple: Preparation is key! An hour on the weekend can save you oodles of time during the week and it makes it MUCH easier to throw together healthy meals when you’re busy or tired after a long day of work or school.
I thought I’d take a minute to recap some of the stuff I prepped this weekend to show you guys what I’m talking about!
Like I said, I spent a little over an hour in the kitchen, and here’s what I got accomplished:
First off, I put my pressure cooker to work to prep some eggs and beans. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, this can all be done on the stovetop, it will just take a little longer. The good news is, pretty much all you have to do is set the timer and walk away. These activities don’t require much supervision. So you can get a lot done in the meantime.
I started with eggs. I put some eggs in the pressure cooker and hard boiled them. When they were done, I cooled them in cold water, placed them in a tupperware and stuck them in the fridge.
These are great to eat as a quick snack after a workout or when you’re running out the door. You can also slice them up an add them to salads for some extra protein or turn them into egg salad for a sandwich or wrap. Try some of the avocado egg salad sliders I posted about here.
When the eggs were done I moved onto beans. One of the #1 reasons to get a pressure cooker? You can throw a bag of dried beans in, cover with water and in 20 minutes have perfectly cooked beans! No soaking required. Beans are a STAPLE in my freezer. I realized this weekend that a lot of people didn’t know you could cook them before freezing!
Here’s what I do: If you have a pressure cooker, consult a time chart to see how long to cook the kind you’re making. Before I got mine, I used the quick-soak method on the back of the bag and then cooked them on the stove. They can still be done in about an hour and a half that way, making it an easy weekend project while you’re doing laundry or other things around the house.
This weekend I cooked three different kinds of beans to replenish my freezer supply: black beans, great northern white beans and pinto beans. So, cook them and then let them cool completely. I usually undercook mine by just a few minutes.
Once they’re cool, scoop them into ziploc bags and flatten to remove an excess air. Store in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, pull out a bag, whack it against the counter a few times, and then dump directly into whatever you’re making. That’s why I under-cook them slightly. Then if I’m making a stir-fry or fritatta I can just dump them into the pan frozen and they will thaw out and cook just a little bit more, but won’t end up overly mushy. If you’re using them for something like a taco bar or on a salad and don’t want to heat them in a pan, dump some in a bowl and just defrost them in the microwave! Voila! A super easy source of protein to add to anything you’re making. And with less sodium than the canned versions. You can also pre-cook and freeze lentils and chickpeas the same way!!
Don’t be fooled though, I definitely always have a can or two of beans in the pantry for backup. Sometimes I run out of frozen and need some before I get around to prepping more. I just look for the no-salt-added kind and give them a good rinse before using them!
While the beans were cooking, I got to work on my next project: burritos for the freezer. Even with the amount of prep work I do, there are still nights when I get home and just don’t feel like cooking. There are also still afternoons when the hubby comes home for lunch and we have no leftovers, or we haven’t been to the grocery store in two weeks. On those days, he usually turns to burritos. We recently found some frozen vegetarian burritos at Costco and have been buying those. They’ve got fairly good nutrition stats and I felt ok about him eating them a few times a week. But I knew I could make better ones myself. So this past weekend I quit thinking about it and just did it!
I made two versions- breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs and black beans and regular rice and bean burritos.
Here’s what you need:
-scrambled eggs (I used one per burrito)
-beans of your choice (about 1/4 c per burrito)
-sauteed peppers and onions
-cooked brown rice (perfect way to use up leftover rice)
-shredded mexican cheese
-salsa
-jalapenos or green chilis (if desired)
-whole wheat tortillas
Here’s what you do:
-Cook the eggs and set aside to let cool.
-Saute the veggies and set aside to let cool.
-Cook the rice, if necessary, and set aside to let cool
Once everything has cooled, begin assembling!
Lay out several tortillas and add the rice (or eggs) and beans.
Add the sauteed veggies.
Top with a little salsa, some jalapenos or chilis and cheese.
Tear off a piece of saran wrap and lay in on the counter.
Place the loaded tortilla on top.
To roll: fold the top over, then fold the sides in, then roll closed.
Pull the saran wrap over top to help hold it closed.
Wrap completely in saran wrap.
Place the burritos in a ziploc bag and freeze.
When you’re ready to eat, unwrap, wrap in a damp paper towel.
Microwave for 2-3 minutes until warm.
I made 4 egg and bean and 6 rice and bean burritos. After they’re warmed you can top with tomatos, avocado and hot sauce! Another tip- microwave them half way and then cut them in half before heating the rest of the way. This will help them warm more evenly.
While I was prepping the burritos, I had a batch of pearl couscous cooking away on the stove as well. I used that to make a big batch of Mexican couscous.
Come back tomorrow to see how I used this base to make three different meals during the week!
Finally I did some other basic prep work like peeling and chopping veggies to snack on during the week. If they’re pre-cut and ready to go, you’re more likely to eat them.
Other suggestions:
-Pre-cut some fruit to use as a topping on your cereal, oatmeal and yogurt.
-Roast a batch of chickpeas to snack on during the day.
-Put together a batch of your own trailmix with some nuts, seeds and dried fruit to throw in your bag and eat before you workout.
-Make a batch of no-bake granola bars and take one to work each day.
-Make a batch of hummus to eat with your veggies. I posted a video on how to make my favorite kind here.
-Make a batch of tuna salad to eat throughout the week for lunch.
-Similar to the burritos, make some homemade lean pockets like I posted about here.
-Make a giant salad and then you can just scoop out a portion for your meals during the week.
-If you eat meat, cook several chicken breasts in the crockpot. Cut or shred & freeze for easy use later.
-Roast a tray of veggies to eat alongside your dinners throughout the week. Add balsamic vinegar for extra flavor!
-Click here for another post I did over the summer about prepping food for the week.
–> EDITED TO ADD: Some other make-ahead tips from the comments of this post:
-Freeze cooked rice. Pack it in your lunch so it can thaw throughout the morning, then nuke for 30 secs and eat at lunch
-Make a big batch of soup packed with veggies and protein to eat throughout the week
-Make a few frozen casseroles like veggie lasagna or cook an extra meatloaf or meatballs. Freeze with instructions so your family can eat them when you’re not around.
-Make a batch of egg muffins or mini fritattas to eat for breakfast
-Pre-chop veggies to make a quick stir-fry.
So there you go, friends! Trust me when I say that an hour or two on the weekend makes life SO much easier during the week. Set yourself up for success by taking a little time to prep some healthy meals, sides and snacks for you and your family to enjoy!
So tell me, do you prep food on the weekend?
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
If you liked this post, you’ll love my ebook – The Ultimate Guide To Food Prep. It dives into even more detail about how to food prep, troubleshoots common problems and provides tons of tips to make it easier! Click the image below for more details.
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Thank you for sharing your tip on freezing beans. This works well with rice, too. I do it for my lunches. but cook the rice all the way. then when I pack it for my lunch, its defrosted by the time I eat. And if not, you just reheat it for 30 seconds. wha la.
What a money saver on the beans, too. Nice job!
I’m excited to try the burritos–especially with the scrambled eggs!
Great ideas. I would never have thought about freezing the burritos and then heating and thawing them.
Ah, yes, I believe if you and I lived together Sunday afternoons would be quite the hilarious production of pre-week preparations.
Well, on weekends unlike this one where I’m in town and not out of it, anyway. 😉
wow I’ll never be that organized! may have to give it a try though!!!
pinning those 🙂
An hour or two really does make a difference 😀 So interesting reading what you do!!! 🙂 I loved this and so many people will find it very helpful as a lot of people still grab whatever is in front of them! Congrats on a great post babe!
Preparation seriously is key! It makes everything sooo much easier 🙂
I freeze rice all the time but I never thought to do that with beans! Great idea. I do not prep on the weekend. I’m a seat of the pants kind of girl. I need to change that.
you are soooo well organized. that’s why you are going to be an AWESOME RD, already are in my book. Love these ideas. Need a pressure cooker now!
This is SO useful! And so true! You can power through a ton in an hour on the weekend. I LOVE crockpotting chicken or beef or whatever and using it on salads and other things during the week as leftovers. SO yummy!! (and filling!)
I love this post! Great tips and fabulous ideas (especially make/freeze burritos!). Wish I was that organized:)
Lindsey – How long do you cook those burritos for after they’ve been frozen? I am definitely making some of them this weekend! Thanks for sharing the process. I always have frozen homemade lasagna ready to go for hubby when I’m out of town, but he’d love these burritos just as much!
i start with about 1.5 min, then i cut it in half and put it back in for another minute or so and check it then.
A) I have pressure cooker envy
B) Freezing your own burritos is genius! And so much cheaper than buying the Amy’s from the freezer section.
Wowowowow so many great ideas!!! Agreed that healthy eating is all about advanced prep, and you’ve got so many tricks that are way more fun and enticing than my standard roast-all-my-veggies-and-store technique. Bookmarking this for when I want to make those burritos ahead of time!
Great tips, Lindsay!! I definitely am one of those preppers. I started doing Soup Sunday where I make a big batch of some kind of protein-and-fiber-rich soup and then I have it all week for my lunches 🙂 I also make a lot of Indian food that’s quick and easy to make (but making healthier versions) and freezing those for me and the hubs 🙂 It totally helps cut out some stress during the week 🙂
I started freezer cooking before my second son was born and it was so nice to have meals waiting for me when I’m too tired to cook. I will definitely be making some of your meals on my next go-round in a couple of weeks!
LOVE THIS. It is so true – preparation is absolutely KEY. When you think about it, prep is key for anything and everything in life. So, why not healthy eats too? It’s great to see it i”in action” too! I’m sure it will inspire people to do the same. 🙂
Awesome post! You are SO right about prep being the key. When I fail to do any prep or planning on the weekend, I am setting myself up for disaster in terms of healthy eating. LOVE these tips, the freezer burritos are such a great idea!
I absolutely LOVE this post! While I prep on the weekends, my meals certainly don’t look this good! I’m definitely hitting up the grocery store this weekend to make some of those bean/egg burritos. Thanks, Lindsay!
i always do this and it helps so much! i love the idea of freezer burritos though – i’m going to try that for brad’s lunches!
Love this post! I’ve definitely all about using my freezer for convenience. It is difficult to cook for one, so I have leftover regularly. With some special packaging, I always have a go to meal waiting for me.
Love these amazing tips, especially the frozen burritos!! I somehow never manage to make eggs in the morning…I am SO going to try these frozen burritos! Awesome!
I also do prep on Sunday, like making one casserole/tray of food we can have throughout the week and making a big salad with grilled chicken for our lunches.
Wow, you are impressive. I need to save this post to read in the future … great ideas here!!!
Love this post! I prep every single weekend, and it makes my life so much easier during the week. I don’t get home until 9 on Mondays and Tuesdays, but if I have everything prepped (or even cooked ahead of time), dinner can come together in about 10 minutes! I like to make a batch of mini frittatas for on-the-go breakfasts, and I usually prep veggies for stir fry or fajitas. Two hours on a Sunday seems to save me at least an hour each weeknight!
Awesome post! Thanks for sharing your routine 🙂 I’ll need to try and take a leaf out of your book this weekend – seems like it’d save a ton of time!
i do alot of these things… making bags of black beans, chopping our veggies for lunches, etc. my husband loves frozen breakfast burritos. i’m not a fan of how they heat up but i make ’em for him! 🙂 great tips.
I need a pressure cooker! No soaking required?!?! What a time saver!!!!!
I like to prep a little bit ahead of time … I’ll make a batch of quinoa and barley on Sunday night, and then use them in my meals throughout the week.
Freezer burritos?! How did I never think of this?? We’re always busy during the weeks and the fella gets home hours later than I do so quick dinners are usually key for us both Monday through Friday. This is fabulous. I’m burrito-ing this week. Pronto!
Those are great ideas! I like to steam up a whole bunch of veggies (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower…) on Sunday night to use throughout the week in salads and dinners. It’s great to not have to take time to chop and cook them during the week.
Great job! Im going to grill my vegetables and cook my grains this weekend to be prepared for the week. I can’t wait!
I couldn’t agree more that preparation is the key to eating healthy! I used to do things similar to this myself… thanks for reminding me I need to get back into that habit!
The burritos looks yummy. I’ll have to try them.
OH MY! This is such a great blog post. I don’t cook but I really do want to start and a lot of these sound like something I could handle. Would love to have the burritos for hubby to take to work for breakfast/lunch. It’s perfect!
We do freeze cooked beans and it’s nice for a quick meal in the evening. I want to put our slow cookers to use as well so I’m on the hunt for tasty vegetarian meals for that. Bought the vegan slow cooker book too.
Gotta go pin this post quick so I don’t lose it LOL
Great tips! Love the freezer burrito idea!
If I have an hour, I’d choose food prep over working out every time. Great suggestions!
I love the frozen bean idea! And the fact that your directions are to “whack it against the counter a few times”…haha!
Yes, yes, yes! haha Prepping ahead make healthy eating SO much easier! I’m definitely going to be making a batch of breakfast burritos for the week! The whole family will love them! 🙂
Great tips Lindsay! I try to plan meals and prep, but I’m not very great at sticking to my plan. I love the burrito idea – I eat Amy’s frozen burritos once in a while but they’re pretty pricey, so I’m definitely going to try freezing some. Why didn’t I think of that?! ha!
I really need to start prepping more on the weekends…now that my weekends are calming down a little bit! Great tips! 🙂
I totally need to start prepping food on the weekend, but I have a feeling I won’t really start doing that til Chris and I live together and are working haha. Thank you for all the tips though! I’ll definitely have to keep them in mind 🙂
Man, I thought I was a planner but I think you have me beat! I am still getting into the swing of things to match with my NYC life and time with friends, but I have to say I completely agree it makes life MUCH easier!
There is a brand of frozen burritos called La Favorita that I used to LOVE and I can’t find them in the city…guess I will have to start making my own!
Thanks for the tips! These are great!!!
These are great tips, Lindsey! I love the idea of freezing burritos for a quick, easy lunch… we usually have enough leftovers, but when we don’t, neither my husband or I like sandwiches, and it’s nice to have something quick to grab. Definitely trying those!
That Mexican Couscous looks delicious! I think that will be my dinner tonight 🙂
Great tips Lindsay! I absolutely love your frozen burritos idea! I am definitely going to give them a shot!
I love the idea of making freezer burritos! Great tips!
I need to start prepping my own beans at home. Saves money and it’s a lot healthier than the canned kind. Definitely bookmarking your instructions! Thanks, L!
Fabulous prep work! Thanks for sharing healthy tips and meals I can even cook! Such an efficient use of time in the kitchen. No excuses not to eat healthy!
These are great tips, thanks for sharing all of this useful information. Now I really want to make homemade freezer burritos!
awesome post!!!!! 🙂 so much useful information. and you’ve successfully made me want burritos.
Great post! Preparation is definitely the key!
This is amazing. I never knew that you could freeze beans OR burritos. I became a huge fan of prep work on the weekends when my son first started eating solids. I had no intention of ever giving him jarred baby food so everything was made from scratch. I found that spending 2-3 hours on the weekend boiling, steaming, mashing, pureeing and freezing his food in small containers saved me HOURS during the week.
Thanks for sharing all of your tips! I can’t wait for tomorrow’s post =)
We do this too! It helps so much to meal plan for the week and have fresh veggies and meat ready to go.
Great post! I definitely agree that preparation is key. It allows you to be in control of weight you eat. Thanks for sharing!
These are great tips, Lindsay! I use most of them, too, because (especially as a new mom) prepping healthy food is crucial!
You are good! I would have never thought to freeze pre-made burritos.
I’ve been freezing fruits and veg that are about to go past their prime. The fruit is great for smoothies!
LOVE. THIS. POST. Why?
Because, just recently, I’ve discovered that it is just as necessary to plan and prepare meals for the week (like you have) when you’re a stay-at-home mom as it is when you’re a working mom. I either end up not eating at all or end up eating like doodie. (Yes, I just used the word doodie. Haha.)
And as sad as this sounds…I have never ever been able to fold a burrito. Or a wrap of any sort. It falls apart and looks like someone slaughtered it. I’m going to practice this and show you the before and after if I have to. Haha.
Oh my gosh! I can’t wrap a burrito either! But I am stubborn as all get out, so now I am determined to do it! Good luck burrito wrapin!
I am a big fan of weekend food prep. I have two kids and I find it much easier to have healthy snacks for them in the evening when we all get home from work/school/daycare if I have stuff already made. I also find that I eat much healthier and pack healthier lunches for them if I prep food at the beginning of the week. I have been doing it so long that it has become routine. I always wash and cut a ton of veggies at the beginning of the week so that I can put out a veggie tray when we all get home at the end of the day. It keeps us from snacking on other junk while we are making dinner (I’m the worst when it comes to pre-dinner snacking, so I need the veggie try more than anyone). I also make batches of quinoa and brown rice to use throughout the week and I make fresh nut butter for my daughter to use in sandwiches of the week. She doesn’t really like peanut butter, but she LOVES almond butter and cashew butter and prefers my homemade version to store bought. I also make things like burritos or breakfast sandwiches to freeze and big batches of granola for my husband who loves to eat a bowl of yogurt and granola each night as a snack. If I didn’t prep all of this stuff over the weekend, we would never eat as healthy as we do…or we would, but we would rely on a lot of healthy convenience foods which are really expensive.
Judging by the amount of comments I guess you already know what an AWESOME post idea this is!! I pinned it and I’m sure it will be repinned many times. Thanks so much for this Lindsay. The amount of time to cook beans just sold me on buying a pressure cooker!
This is how I spend every Sunday of my life! Chopping, bagging, cooking. I just blast some fun music on the radio and make a day of it. It is the #1 thing I can do to keep me on track with eating!
Thank you for posting all of this great info in one place! After we went back and forth on Twitter the other day, I went and cleaned out my cupboard to make room for a new stock of bean and grain staples and made my first batch of rice for the freezer — premeasured, labeled, and ready to go!
Hi Lindsey,
I would like to feauture your post on my Featured Five…. may I use one of your pictures {there will be credit and a link of course}
Let me know,
Heidi
I love the idea of making burritos to store in the freezer….love these tips because I’m finding too that the more prep I do during the weekend the more likely I am to choose the healthiest options throughout the week!
I absolutely love this post and love the What I prepared Wednesday post you link to even MORE!!! Preparation really doesn make such a huge difference.. and you are creating healthy tasty options all in a sunday afternoon! Your blog rocks!
I love the idea to make homemade frozen {breakfast} burritos!
Thanks!
I usually do all my bulk cooking on Mondays, and Wednesdays after hitting up the grocery store. This week I made 7 meals all at the same time…whew. But that way the man stays fed, my freezer is full and I don’t have to cook over the weekend!
i loved reading this post! just goes to show that all it takes is a little work to have a week’s worth of healthy food!
I just saw this post for the first time! (shared by HLB on Twitter). I love your homemade freezer burrito idea. I totally need to do that. Mmmmmmm!
Wow, thankfully I stumble across this post through google. I found this post to be extremely insightful. Thank you so much:)
Love this post!! I am going to try the breakfast burritos soon!
I just started reading your blog, and I love it! This all looks great, and I can’t wait to try it.
Wish me luck, I’m using my pressure cooker for the first time tonight to make some black beans! If you look to the north later and see smoke on the horizon, you’ll know it didn’t turn out as expected! (Also, I just taste=tested a quinoa breakfast bar I made a bit ago, you know, to make sure they weren’t poisoned! Delicious!!!)