Advanced Meal Prep - Saving Money & Time

As I start preparing to train for my next half-marathon, I have tightened the reigns again on my diet. One of the most successful strategies for me is to prepare all meals in advance and portion everything out into containers.

If you ignore the poor quality of the picture, you get the idea. I have meals for Monday through Thursday all prepped and ready to go. On Fridays I generally have lunch with co-workers, but I still focus getting the healthier options.

So this past Sunday I went on a 3.5 hour cooking frenzy and prepared all my food for the week. I then subsequently put all my lunches into containers.

I made chicken stew, grilled turkey cutlets, gobi (Indian style cauliflower), seasoned rice, roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed Brussels sprouts, and date honey (added it to my oatmeal). With all that, I have lunches and dinners prepared for Monday through Thursday. I also had dinner for Sunday night. I prepared a lot of food for several reasons:

1. So I can have healthy and good food to eat :)

2. So that there is a variety of things to eat. One of the grumblings I hear from people about cooking food is that they do not like to eat leftovers. By cooking a variety of veggies and sides, you can rotate what you eat. Some nights I may feel like just have one of the veggies and some of the chicken stew. Another night I may feel like having just a veggie plate. So you essentially have options about what you eat to prevent you from getting bored with your meals.

3. So I can have a different meal for lunch and dinner. I have learned over the years that I get tired of a dish faster if I eat it twice a day, no matter how tasty it is. I prepared some grilled turkey cutlets and added some sides to my lunch containers. Those cutlets are for lunch and the stew is for dinner.

Let me also add that you can always throw in a simple fresh salad if you want to change things up a little mid-week. Either way, the more options you prepare on Sundays, the more options you have during the week. Here are a few other tips to help with preparing your meals in advance:

-You do not need to spend all day and night in the kitchen. Pick simple dishes to be practical and to give yourself time to ready get for the week. I start cooking after I return home from church and relax for a little while. Roasting fresh veggies is my favorite thing to do because the veggies need very little time to prep.

-I also do not recommend grocery shopping and cooking on the same day. Why? Because after you shop and then cook, you will be exhausted. Take it from me, I've done it a few times.

-Check out the cooking section of discount stores like Ross, TJ Maxx, etc for some glass containers with lids. Reheating your food in plastic containers is not recommended.

-Take a minute to think about what you would really like to make and plan out your shopping trip. Most of your items should be fresh goods or frozen.

Hope these tips are helpful! Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you.

SALUD!!

And the Winners Are.......................................................................

The moment you've all been waiting for......................................the winners!!!

But first, a little information. The grand total for the items was $26.88. Interesting enough, the most expensive item I purchased was the hibiscus tea, which was $4.93. I did a quick search for it and the cheapest I could find online for the tea was around $6, not including shipping. And I don't think I need to share how much it would be at a specialty tea store.

Regarding the rest of the spices, you will notice that most of them were under or a little over $1. While I like giving away things I also wanted to show that you can save money on spices by going to markets and buying it in bulk. You would be surprised how much you're playing for packaging. Check online as well for vendors. And keep in mind, the spices will last you a while.

And now the winners!!!!!

For the

Mrs. Kerri Rawson!!!!!!

For the 

Ms. Efua Opoku!!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAANNNNNDDDDDDD, I decided to throw in a THIRD prize!!!!!!!!!!

One bag of your preferred flavor. And the winner is Ms. Justine Wagner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations everyone!!!!! 

This will not be my last contest so stay tuned!!!!

SALUD!!!!!!

Official Contest Annoucement and Rules!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!! Hope your new year is off to a wonderful start!!!!! All right, here is the information about the contest I announced yesterday on my Facebook page.

I have mentioned several times how cost effective it is to buy spices from markets in larger quantities. During my trip home for the holidays I stocked up on a lot of things. Here's the spread

So here's the challenge, guess how much I spent on all this. The person that has the closest guess will win the first prize, the Nature Box, and the second closest guess will receive the magazine subscription.

Here's a list of every thing in the picture:

Whole cloves
Masala biryani spice
Masala chicken spice
Herbs de provence
Ground cloves
Sesame seed
Thyme
Turmeric
Dried spearmint
Jasmine green tea
Hibiscus tea
Chili powder
Ground cinnamon
Whole cardamom
Bay leaves

Email your guesses to singlesistasdish@gmail.com. The contest ends on Wednesday January 8th at 11:59pm.

Happy Guessing!!!!!!!! SALUD!!!!!!!!!!

Another Original Single Sista Dish - The RRVP (Roasted Root Veggie Pot)

I have to admit, I am VERY proud of this dish. It's very hearty, healthy and super easy to make. I got the inspiration because I had some celery and onions leftover from my post-Thanksgiving meal and I randomly decided to pick up some turnips from the grocery store. Turnips are very inexpensive by the way. I immediately knew I wanted to roast the turnip and something said, throw some other root veggies in there and see what happens.

I actually made this dish twice in one week. The first time I use turnips, potatoes, celery, garlic and shallots. Preheated the oven to 400 degrees. I cut up all the ingredients into large chunks, put everything in a dutch oven, and covered it all generously with extra virgin olive oil (roughly 1/4 - 1/3 cup). I honestly did not measure out set amounts of each ingredient, but I cut up 3 small/medium turnips, 2 celery stalks, 1 whole large shallot, 1/2 one small bag of multicolored potatoes (I cut up the potatoes into halves and thirds), and about 2 tablespoons of garlic. I didn't add a lot of potatoes to minimize the starch. I also did not put any stock or water in the pot. I made sure all the ingredients were covered in the extra virgin olive oil by stirring things around in the pot. Lastly, I added some fresh ground pepper, roughly 1 tablespoon of salt, roughly 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, and 1.5 tablespoons of Earth Balance (I use Earth Balance in place of butter in almost all of my recipes).

Since that turned out WONDERFULLY, I decided to kick things up and add Brussels sprouts and carrots to mix the second time. I added 3 small/medium turnips, half a bag of fingerling potatoes, half a bag of baby carrots, 2 tablespoons of garlic, 1/3 of an onion (or 1 whole large shallot), one bag of Brussels sprouts (wash, remove outer layer, cut off the stem, and cut into thirds), 1 tablespoon of salt, fresh ground pepper, and 2 tablespoons of thyme (you can also just add the thyme to the pot without pulling off the thyme leaves).

I had to roast things a little longer this time to make sure the carrots cooked all the way through (total cooking time was 1 hour) but it was even better than the first time.

Last night for dinner, I cut up and browned some sausage, and added that on top of the veggies. INCREDIBLE!!! A few people have asked if you can add meat while cooking it, OF COURSE. I recommend browning the meat first a little in the pot and adding a little stock or water before you add the veggies. You will also have to cut down on the amount of veggies you can add obviously. But I am still calling this my RRVP and I will continue to make it meatless :) I will probably make this at least two more times before the end of the year because it is that good and easy to make. It's also very affordable. For roughly $15 for all the ingredients, I made 6 meals. Well if you make this please let me know how you like it since it is one of my creations. Hope you enjoy!

Seasons Greetings and Salud!!!

Thank you Mandiba!!

Last week, one of the world's most renowned leaders drew his last breath at the age of 95. Nelson Mandela was a phenomenal leader in so many ways, and to so many people. I greatly admire him for everything he did during his life. But the MAIN thing I admire him for the most is not retreating and hiding after he was in prison for 27 years. He continued to fight for his people and advocate for several causes.

We all have been through storms and trials, and these experiences often impact our daily steps. If Mandiba continued fighting and rising after enduring 27 years of prison, I will not let anything limit me. I leave you all with that thought and my favorite quote by this great leader below. Do not limit yourself because something seems impossible. This may not be food/cooking specific advice, but this is advice that can go a long way. Take care!

Tis the Season for............................................Brussels Sprouts!!!!

I was talking to my mom a few nights ago and I told her that one of the BEST things that I made for my post-Thanksgiving meal was some roasted Brussels sprouts. She reminded me that she was not a fan, but I assured her that I would dazzle her taste buds with these when I got home for the holidays.

My preferred method for cooking those lovely spouts: roast them!! I have to catch myself sometimes because I will stand over the pan and eat all the Brussels spouts before I get them on my plate. I guess there are worse things to get caught eating right off the pan :)

So let me start with a basic roasting recipe and then share with you what you can with them after that. Shall we? Let's!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound (or two bags) or Brussels spouts
1/4 cup diced shallot (should be roughly one small shallot)
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (if you're cutting back on salt leave this out)
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (optional, but recommended)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash Brussels sprouts thoroughly. Cut off the end of the sprouts and pull off one layer the outer leaves. Cut each sprout into thirds. Wash again. Place in a bowl. Add the diced shallot and garlic, and mix. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and mix again. Spread the spouts evenly on a baking sheet (you may want to use some non-stick foil if you have some to save on the clean up time). Roast for 35-40 minutes. While roasting, you may want to move some of them around to make sure they are cooking evenly.

Right after they are done, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top. And ENJOY!!

So now what? Well, I've had sprouts with breakfast, lunch and dinner!! Yes, breakfast!!!

Let me show you!!

I made a Brussels sprouts and sweet potato hash! I actually used turkey bacon :) AND I made it with some Brussels sprouts that I had already prepared. I also added a few red pepper flakes for a little heat.

This was my breakfast for three mornings :)

While in New Orleans for a conference, I had this tasty meal.

Ingredients include: fingerling potatoes, Brussels sprouts, banana peppers, alligator sausage, corned beef and scrambled eggs. I had this two mornings in a row for breakfast. Yea, it was that good. When I got home I had to recreate it some kind of way. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Instead of the alligator sausage and corned beef, I used some dark meat turkey and I had a little Sriracha so I put that on top. If you have any left over turkey (or other meats) during this holiday season you should DEFINITELY give this a try. Just take some leftover potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and meat, and saute that with a little onion/shallot and garlic in olive oil. Then prepare some eggs to your liking and put that on top and voila!

And that my dear readers is a showcase of Brussels sprouts season. Add some to your next meal :)

SALUD!

My First Thanksgiving!!!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I sincerely hope you all enjoy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I will be spending my day with family and friends in the area. I also plan to get a little workout in tomorrow morning. Just a little reminder to enjoy yourself, but do not eat until you pop. Steve Harvey said it best this morning on his radio show, "your third plate should not look as full as your first plate."

I wanted to share my pictures from the first Thanksgiving meal I made all by myself. I did not go home that year and I still wanted a traditional meal. I remember calling up Bubbie (my late grandmother) and telling her that decided I would make my own meal for the very first time. The meal included a pot of collard greens, a small turkey, sweet potato souffle, seasoned rice, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, and an apple cobbler (I didn't make the cranberry sauce or the rolls). And I served it with a glass of sparkling apple cider. This meal really meant a lot to me because I was thankful that I was able to purchase the food and make it for myself (I was a graduate student at the time). And I was thankful that I was able to use the skills I had learned from my parents and grandparents. Cooking a Thanksgiving meal was not something I thought I would be able to handle on my own, but I did. It took some time, but it was all worth it!! I was so proud of this meal! I have made several turkeys, souffles, etc since then, but this one stands out the most for me. Before I get too mushy on you all, again, have a WONDERFUL day tomorrow. SALUD!!!!!

One of My Biggest Achievements for 2013!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!! I've got TONS of blog posts that I would like to share (including what I am making for my own little Thanksgiving meal) but I definitely wanted to share one of my biggest achievements for the year with you!!!

I finished my first half-marathon!!! Yes FINISHED!!!!!!! It was a VERY humbling and spiritual experience for me. I cried a little when I finished because I almost couldn't believe it. But, I really did it!! I didn't do it for the medal, which is VERY heavy, nor did I do it to brag to people. I also didn't do it just so I could put the 13.1 magnet on my car (but I did get one for my car). But finishing that race was something I told myself I wanted to do last year, and I did it this year. Finishing gave me the satisfaction that when I set my mind to something, I can seriously do it. I have done challenging things before, but I raised the bar significantly on what I demanded for myself both mentally and physically when I decided to complete this race. I finished this race on November 10th but it really feels like yesterday (minus the few blisters I got).

I trained, hydrated, ate right, and finished a 13.1 mile race. So the take home message to you: It may not be a 13.1 mile race for you, but think about something that would require you to push yourself and go for it!! I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions because I believe in starting things yesterday. But take FULL advantage of this ONE precious life you have been given. A lot of people have told me that I have inspired them to run and become active. That seriously humbles me and warms my heart tremendously. It's VERY inspiring that people think I am inspiring. I set out to take care of myself and wanted share that by blogging. Knowing that someone, even if it is only one, finds what I say useful is a MAJOR accomplishment to me. I am a woman that loves serving, supporting and helping in the community. So on this eve of Thanksgiving, I say, THANK YOU for allowing me to give.

If you're home with your family and helping to prepare the dressing (or stuffing), enjoy! If you are just looking forward to the day off tomorrow and plan on ordering some take out, enjoy! Bottom line, enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

$$$$$$ Saving Travel Tip - BYOTOC

Gooooooood morning!!!! Coming to you live from the airport this AM as I wait to board my plane for another adventure.

So, it's extra early and cold this morning which means I need a warm drink to get me going. I stopped at some no name airport spot and only asked for hot water.  Why? Because during my work related trip earlier this week I packed up the complementary tea bags from the hotel and left them in my purse. Guess how much the exact same tea would have cost me? $2.75. Guess how much they wanted for the cup of hot water? $0.50!! You start adding up how much money you've spent on cups of just basic tea and coffee and it will make your head hurt. Moral of the story dear friends: bring your own tea or coffee (BYOTOC). For you coffee drinkers, I have become a fan of the instant coffee packs/sticks that also have the cream and sugar already added. Yes, yes, I know you love your double expresso caramel vanilla mocha non fat hold the whip grande drink from you know where (and I always say do you and too each his own) BUT every time you opt to bring your own instant coffee and just add water you could save up for something nice. Like new boots (I love boots by the way). And you can cut the calories in your coffee too. Just my 2 cents.  Well, my 50 cents in this case.

Well, lovelies I am signing off for now. I will be writing you all in a few days with a surprise :)

SALUD!!!!!!

Live from the Farm!!!

My friends and I went apple (tomato, spinach, swiss chard) picking today. We had a blast and it felt GREAT to get fresh fruit and veggies straight from the farm. I have lots of plans for the goodies I got! If you a chance, take a trip out to a local farm and pick up some REAL food. Did I mention that the prices are better than the regular grocery store?

Hope you enjoy the video and pictures! Autumn is finally upon us :)

SALUD!!!