Prep Cook: Pineapple Cashew Stir Fry, Purple Power Bowls, And Breakfast Burritos

Welcome back to Prep Cook, where we plan and test a week’s worth of meals so you spend your time and money on the tastiest ones! This week’s menu includes pineapple cashew stir fry, mini pot pies and cinnamon rolls.

His and Hers purple power bowls.

Everyone has a different schedule (and different tastes), so the menu is organised by meal rather than day. I’ve ordered them to provide variety throughout the week, but you can skip meals that don’t sound good to you or switch them around based on how much time you have to cook when you get home (slow cooker dishes are great for days when you want to eat as soon as you walk in the door). If you really want to get ahead, set aside two to four hours on the weekend to prep ingredients for the week (cut produce, mix up sauces that will last, mass cook items you can freeze, and so on).

Breakfast

Freezer Breakfast Burritos: Breakfast burritos are filling and easy reheat and get out the door. These ones are great because you can make enough for the week (or even a couple of weeks) in one go and freeze them until you need to chow down.

• Prep difficulty: Hard (but worth it)
• Boost it: Serve with a dollop of sour cream or topped with mashed avocado.
• Add meat: Throw in chorizo or ground sausage.

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats: Really simple to put together and no cooking is involved. For a breakfast, this will fill you up, or it also makes a great snack.

• Prep difficulty: Easy
• Boost it: Add in whatever dried fruit, nuts or sweetener you like. I usually put a sprinkling of chocolate chips in mine.

The World’s Easiest Cinnamon Rolls: Cinnamon rolls are damn delicious. That’s the only reason you need to make them.

• Prep difficulty: Easy
• Boost it: Add citrus zest on top just before serving.

Lunch & Dinner

Pineapple cashew stir fry: Stir fry is a great way to use up leftover veggies and rice and turn them into something that tastes different (and delicious). It also packs really well for lunch.

• Prep difficulty: Easy
• Boost it: Slightly undercook your rice so that it gets nice and crispy in the pan. Coat the pineapple in cinnamon before caramelising it in the pan. Trust me, it’s so good.
• Add meat: Toss in cubed chicken with a marinade.
• Special notes: You can throw whatever you have in your fridge into this stir fry. The pineapple and cashews are really the only constant elements.
• Pack it for lunch: Throw it in a container and you’re good to go!

Black bean and avocado enchiladas: Depending on how many people you’re feeding, this dish can last you more than just one dinner and lunch. Enchiladas are easy to put together and cook.

• Prep difficulty: Medium
• Boost it: Make your sauce really spicy (if you can handle it).
• Add meat: Shredded chicken would go well inside the enchiladas.
• Pack it for lunch: Know that this one will be a bit soggy the next day, especially if you don’t have a toaster oven to reheat it at work.

Purple power bowls: Since most of this dish is raw, it’s really fast to put together. It took me maybe 15 minutes to prep the toppings, so I was just waiting on the rice to finish up.

• Prep difficulty: Easy
• Boost it: Swap the tahini sauce for a peanut one (because peanut sauce is just so good). Make sure to add spice to whatever sauce you use or the dish will end up pretty bland.
• Add meat: A spiced chicken breast, sliced beef or fish would all be fine on top of this bowl.
• Special notes: I switched the chickpeas for crispy tempeh because I wanted some texture difference from the raw veggies.
• Pack it for lunch: Keep the rice separate from everything else so it doesn’t get soggy. Include a slice of lemon to squeeze on top just before eating for added brightness.

Slow cooker white bean soup: Soup is an easy go-to meal that you can round out with other elements like bread or salad on the side. I like slow cooker soups because I just put the ingredients in before I leave for work and dinner is basically ready when I walk in the door after work.

• Prep difficulty: Easy
• Boost it: Serve with crusty, thick slices of bread. Make it garlic bread if you wanna get fancy.
• Add meat: Sliced sausages plopped in at the end.
• Pack it for lunch: Make sure you use a spill-proof container. I always wrap mine in a plastic bag just in case.

Spaghetti and lentil-mushroom balls with slow cooker marinara: Pasta is probably my favourite dish, especially with a classic marinara sauce. This combination is easy to make and packs a ton of flavour since the sauce simmers in a slow cooker all day (but you don’t have to keep an eye on it).

• Prep difficulty: Medium
• Boost it: Add a little more balsamic than the recipe calls for. It adds a slightly sweet, umami flavour to the sauce. Throw in veggies of your choosing to bulk up the sauce (I tossed in frozen spinach).
• Add meat: Swap the lentil-mushroom balls for either handmade or premade (check the meat counter/deli section at the store) meatballs.
• Special notes: If you swap in pre-made meatballs, this goes from medium to easy. Make sure you cook the onions before adding them to the slow cooker or your sauce will taste like nail polish remover (raw onions are no fun). If you make the lentil-mushroom balls, skip the dried cranberries and the sauce (since you’re serving them with marinara).
• Pack it for lunch: Pile it all together to help the flavours meld.

Mini pot pies with superfood crunch salad: You’re basically making a thick pot pie stew and a biscuit rather than a bunch of little pot pies, which makes this slightly easier (less assembly). These are really cute looking, so if you’re having someone over for dinner, I recommend serving this with the salad as a meal or the pot pies by themselves as a starter course.

• Prep difficulty: Hard
• Boost it: Make the dressing on your salad super flavorful by swapping in toasted sesame oil.
• Add meat: Toss some cubed or shredded chicken into the pot pie filling.
• Pack it for lunch: Keep the pot pie filling and biscuits separate. You’ll probably eat this for lunch more like a thick soup with a biscuit and salad on the side.

Tofu, pine nut and jicama lettuce cups: This is something you probably wouldn’t make, which is why it’s good to try it out! Push outside your food (and cooking) comfort zone. The results are tasty, I promise.

• Prep difficulty: Medium
• Boost it: Put in twice as much ginger as the recipe calls for.
• Add meat: Pretty much any ground meat will work in this dish since it matches the overall texture.
• Special notes: Cooking this isn’t that hard, it’s cutting everything up that takes work. If you can, split the chopping between two or more people and prep time will go down dramatically. It’s a little work, but I could seriously eat this for a week straight because there’s so many layers of texture and flavour.
• Pack it for lunch: This will make for a messy lunch, so good for a day you’re eating alone (ah, the peace and quiet of the lunch break). Pack the filling and lettuce separately and assemble as you eat.

Share your own tips and tricks in the discussion below as you try these recipes out.