Meal prep is a saviour for working professionals because this is the most reasonable solution to resolve the what-to-cook-for-dinner issue on weekdays. It is a task that would take a good number of hours from your weekend, but at least, you will come home to half-cooked meals rather than worrying about spending a couple of hours every day to prepare dinner.
The art of meal preparation also prevents you from ordering food online and splurging your salary. This way, you can eat healthy and home-cooked food every day without hassle. This article recommends ideas to prepare a few vegetarian delights in advance so that your weekdays are sorted.
Roasted Vegetables & Hummus
If you have roasted vegetables and hummus in the refrigerator, you can prepare a number of dishes with these in less than 20 minutes. Bell pepper, corn, zucchini, carrots, and other vegetables can be roasted in the oven and stored in airtight containers. They can stay in the fridge for four days, and you can use the hummus to prepare hearty wraps, with layers of sauces, paneer, and leafy greens, in the evening. You can either use tortilla wraps or cook soft parathas at home for this.
Cook Quinoa And Chickpeas
Boiled chickpeas and quinoa can stay in your refrigerator for 4-5 days, not more than that. They are nutritious, and packed with protein, fibre, and essential nutrients. You can boil them over the weekend and keep them in airtight jars. On weekdays, you can use either of the two or both of them to prepare nutritious salads with leafy greens and chopped veggies like onions, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos, and cucumbers.
Also Read: 3 Indian Masalas To Make Meal Prep Easy
Stews
You might not know but boiled lentils or vegetable stew can stay in your refrigerator for up to a week, especially if you have not cooked them with onion or garlic (which shorten the shelf life of food). You can freeze the stew and heat as much as needed on weekdays. For lentils, you can use the blend to create several recipes like palak dal, dal tadka, dal makhani, sambar, and more.
Curries
You can prepare curries in advance and store them. From coconut curry to bhuna masala, you can prepare a small amount of these gravies over this weekend and freeze them. On weekdays, you can add cubes of gravies to a hot pan and drop in some vegetables and paneer cubes to prepare a lip-smacking delight that will pair exceptionally well with roti, rice, and parathas.
Stuffed Vegetables
From stuffed bell peppers to brinjals and karela, you can cook a variety of side dishes on weekends. You can use potatoes, paneer, a blend of spices, corn, and beans to prepare these dishes. If you don’t add onion or garlic to these recipes, they can stay in your refrigerator for 4-6 days. You can either reheat them or serve cold with hot parathas and gravy on the side.
Sweet Potatoes & Black Bean
Boil or roast sweet potatoes in the oven and store them in airtight tiffins in the refrigerator. You can also keep boiled black beans in the fridge. However, if you add them to a foil and freeze, they can stay good for a month. Both ingredients can be used to prepare burrito bowls, chaat, wraps, tacos, rajma, and many other mouth-watering dishes.
Comforting Bowls
Marinate paneer cubes and bake them. Keep boiled beans or chickpeas ready in another airtight jar. Store guacamole, salsa, and a few other spreads in small containers. On weekdays, you can simply prepare rice, and top them with spreads, beans, paneer tikka cubes, roasted corn and vegetables. Enjoy this comforting bowl with a glass of wine on the side.