If you hear “meal prep” and cringe because you think it means eating the same thing all week long, think again. One shopping list with a few star ingredients (rotisserie chicken, anyone?), can help you mix and match your ingredients to create multiple dinners. The point? You don’t need much to turn your Monday night grain bowl into something new. Make the grain bowl recipe below, enjoy it, then use your leftover ingredients to whip up tacos the next night.
Weeknight Chicken Grain Bowl
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2⁄3 cup dry rainbow quinoa
1⁄2 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
1 English cucumber, diced
1 cup 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Shelled Edamame (frozen)
1⁄4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup teardrop or cherry tomatoes, halved
4 rainbow carrots, cut into julienne strips or shredded
Meat from half a rotisserie chicken, cut or pulled into bite-size chunks
1 package radish or other sprouts
Instructions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions; set aside.
Whisk vinegar, honey, pepper flakes and salt together in a medium bowl. Add cucumber and toss to coat. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add edamame; cook until heated through but still crisp and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Divide quinoa evenly among 4 bowls, top with cabbage, edamame, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber (with its liquid) and chicken. Garnish each bowl with a handful of sprouts. Serve and enjoy.
Chicken and Charred Corn Tacos
Makes 12 tacos
Ingredients:
2 ears fresh corn
1 tablespoon coconut or extra-virgin olive oil
Meat from half a rotisserie chicken, pulled into shreds
Pinch sea salt
12 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Corn Tortillas
1⁄4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup teardrop or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 ounces (about 1 cup) crumbled queso fresco or 365 by Whole Foods Market Feta Cheese
1/2 small white onion, finely diced
Leaves from 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Jalapeño Hot Sauce, to taste
Instructions:
Slice kernels from corn cobs. Heat oil in a medium cast-iron skillet over high heat and add corn to skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the kernels begin to char. Add chicken and salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes to warm chicken, then remove the skillet from burner.
Wipe out skillet and place over medium heat. Add tortillas one at a time, cooking until lightly toasted and brown spots appear on bottom; flip tortilla with tongs and cook the other side. Remove tortilla and tuck it into a clean kitchen towel to keep warm; repeat with remaining tortillas.
Place tortillas on a work surface. Layer with cabbage, chicken and corn mixture, tomatoes, cheese, onion and cilantro. Sprinkle with jalapeño hot sauce. Fold, eat and enjoy.
