Meal Prep: Apple Oatmeal and Falafel Bowls
Meal prep is one of those things that is simultaneously a chore and also lots of fun. I love grocery shopping and finding new ideas, especially as someone who often has to do a cold lunch, because I don’t always have access to a microwave at work.
For breakfast this week, I made an apple oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar. I paired it with Greek yogurt, berries, and walnuts. Lunch was a rice bowl, with Trader Joe’s pre-cooked falafel patties, veggies, hummus, and pita chips. Recipes/directions below!
Breakfast: Apple Oatmeal (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
3 cups of water
¾ cup of Trader Joe’s Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups of chopped apples
¼ cup of brown sugar (I initially did ½ cup but it was way too sweet for me)
2 tsps of cinnamon
½ tsp of vanilla extract
Directions
1. In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil, then add oats and some salt. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
2. Mix in chopped apples, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cook another 7-10 minutes on low heat.
3. Turn off the heat, give it a good stir, cover, and let cool before plating.
4. Split into four containers, sprinkle with chopped walnuts, and pair with Greek yogurt, strawberries, and blueberries. I ate this cold! It was great!
Lunch: Falafel bowls (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
Trader Joe’s fully cooked falafel
1 cup of white rice
1 cup of parlsey
1 lemon
1 tsp of salt
Veggies of choice (I used carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes)
Feta cheese for garnish
Pita Chips
Hummus
Directions
1. Bake falafel patties at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, turning halfway.
2. Cook rice according to package instructions. Let cool.
3. Mix rice with juice of one lemon, salt, and chopped parsley (I did a whole cup because I love parsley, but you can do less.)
4. Split rice into four containers.
5. Add falafel and veggies then sprinkle on some crumbled feta cheese.
6. Pair with pita chips and hummus on the side.
Happy meal prepping!