Meal Prep Hacks: 5 Healthy Recipes That Make Meal Prep Easy!

Week after week of clean eating can get, well, tedious. You can only down so much steamed tilapia and boiled chicken before you need a meal-prep makeover. When that time comes, lean on these recipes. You’ll turn standard go-to ingredients like sweet potato, eggs, turkey, beans—and yes, even chicken—on their heads. Awaken your palette with these refreshing takes on your meal-prep staples!

1 Post-Workout Sweet Potato Brownies

Store-bought brownies might not meet your macros, but that doesn’t mean the squares of gooey, chocolaty goodness have to be taken off the table completely. Try these zucchini and sweet-potato-filled brownies instead!

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse and, more specifically, a great source of vitamins A and C, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The shredded zucchini gives you an extra serving of vegetables while adding moisture to the brownies and guaranteeing they’ll come out bakery-worthy.

In addition to packing a flavor punch, these brownies provide a healthy mix of carbs and protein to kick off the muscle-recovery and growth process.

FitMenCook
Watch The Video – 1:01

• 2 large sweet potatoes, skin removed
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour or oat flour
• 1 zucchini, grated (optional, but recommended for added moisture)
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1/3 cup raw organic honey

1. Preheat oven to 415 F.
2. Bake potatoes for approximately one hour, or until they’re soft. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Mash sweet potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Evenly divide batter into a muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into brownies comes out clean.

Post-Workout Sweet Potato Brownies PDF (96.4 KB)

2 Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with
Grilled Chicken Breast

This recipe features veggie-filled sweet potato boats and several options for lean protein, making it a win-win for everyone. Whether you prefer to go the traditional route with chicken, or change things up with portobello mushrooms or tempeh, this meal’s high complex carb and protein content are sure to meet your macros and win over your taste buds.

FitMenCook
Watch The Video – 4:23

• 2 lb. chicken breasts (measured raw)
• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 1 cup black beans (optional)
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup corn
• 2 vine tomatoes
• 2/3 bell pepper
• 3 green onions
• 1 zucchini
• 5 tbsp mozzarella (optional)
• Seasonings such as cayenne, paprika, sea salt, pepper, or Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle

1. Preheat the oven to 405 F.
2. Wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and bake until firm but soft, about 45-50 minutes.
3. Season chicken with Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle, cayenne, paprika, and dash of sea salt, and cook in a nonstick skillet. Set aside.
4. Chop vegetables into small pieces.
5. Saute garlic and corn in a nonstick skillet using spray coconut oil. Once corn is seared, toss in vegetables and black beans.
6. Slice sweet potatoes in half and carve out part of the insides. Set carved-out portions aside to be used later.
7. Spray sweet potato halves with coconut oil, then place back in oven for 5 minutes.
8. Fill sweet potatoes with vegetable mixture, then top with 1 tbsp mozzarella.
9. Bake for another 8 minutes at 405 F.
10. Serve chicken breasts on the side with stuffed sweet potatoes.

Tip: So as not to waste food, take the leftover sweet potato, mash it up, and add 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp raw honey or 3 packets of natural sweetener. Enjoy this sweet potato mash hot or cold. For breakfast, heat it up and sprinkle with a little bit of granola and fresh blueberries.

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Grilled Chicken Breast PDF (113 KB)

3 Breakfast Omelet Roll-Ups

Who needs a burrito made of enriched white flour when you can use protein-rich eggs as the vehicle for your breakfast sandwich? Make your roll-ups a sit-down meal, or take your omelet to go with this protein-packed recipe.

• 1 whole egg
• 4 egg whites
• 3 oz lean ground turkey
• 1 handful spinach
• 1/3 cup bell pepper
• 1 oz goat cheese

1. Season and cook lean ground turkey in skillet, drain.
2. In a separate skillet, cook whole egg and egg whites.
3. Add goat cheese, spinach, bell peppers, and ground turkey.
4. Roll mixture and wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate, and heat up when ready to eat.

Tip: I recommend prepping no more than three of these at a time so they can be as fresh as possible. These are perfect for bodybuilders or people following strict diets where the portions must be exact.

Breakfast Omelet Roll-Ups PDF (99.1 KB)

4 Balsamic Chicken

Fact: Having #StruggleChicken is the leading cause of failed meal prep and inconsistent diets everywhere! Don’t fall victim by playing it safe—you can only eat so many dry, flavorless chicken breasts before you start sprouting wings. Spice up your chicken-based meal prep with a few ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.

FitMenCook
Watch The Video – 0:57

• 3 lb. chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 4 tbsp oil-free balsamic dressing
• 1 tbsp red chili sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp ginger

1. Preheat oven 405 F.
2. In small bowl, mix together balsamic dressing, red chili sauce, honey, and ginger.
3. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and add balsamic mixture. Marinate for at least 20 minutes.
4. Place chicken pieces on a baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes.

Balsamic Chicken PDF (98.5 KB)

5 Lean Turkey Lasagna Meal Prep

If you’re trying to stay lean so you can soak up the last few moments of summer sun, this meal will get you there. It’ll keep you full while you show off your hard-earned beach body.

FitMenCook
Watch The Video – 1:01

• 1 lb. extra-lean ground turkey
• 1.5 cup low-sodium basil marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat mozzarella (optional, but recommended)
• Seasonings for meat such as garlic powder, onion powder, or cumin. (Seasoning may not be needed if you purchase a “seasoned” marinara sauce.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Season ground turkey and cook in a nonstick skillet. Add marinara to create the meat sauce and stir.
3. Slice zucchini into small pieces.
4. Mix cottage cheese with egg white in a separate bowl.
5. In a jar or small foil tin, layer zucchini, meat sauce, and 1-2 tbsp of cottage cheese mixture. Repeat one more time to fill jar.
6. Add one final layer of meat sauce to the top, then finish with 1/4 cup mozzarella.
7. Repeat for remaining 2 containers.

Lean Turkey Lasagna Meal Prep PDF (103 KB)

For more meal prep ideas and daily recipe inspiration, join Team FitMenCook on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook!

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