prep ahead week 4

Prep Ahead Week 4 features 5 dishes and all the recipes can be prepared mostly in advance on one day. This week I am including an easy seitan recipe to mix things up, along with 4 legume recipes.

The meals here are mostly whole foods, all contain greens, protein and a whole grain. We really enjoyed these meals and finishing them on the day of serving was easy and quick.

Meal 1 is Chili Potato Tacos. The potato tacos have potatoes, pepitas and cauliflower. The roasted vegetables are served with refried black beans, guacamole and salsa. Serve these with lots of shredded green lettuce.

Meal 2 is Moroccan Chickpea Salad made of chickpeas, dried apricots and garam masala. The salad is served with steamed rapini on a bed of lettuce. Seasoned Pita Wedges complete this delicious exotic meal.

Meal 3 is a quick baked pasta dish, Baked Broccoli and Seitan Pasta. The sauce is a sun-dried tomato bechamel that is creamy and cheesy. The pasta is baked with broccoli and seitan that was prepared on Prep Day.

Meal 4 is a warming and comforting Black Bean Chili full of whole grain barley and black beans. This is a slow cooker recipe that is ready in 6 hours on low, thanks to soaking the hull-less barley the night before.

Meal 5 is Firecracker Chickpeas and Vegetables. Traditionally this dish is fiery-spicy, but you can control the spice by leaving out the seeds of the jalapenos and using the garlic chili sauce judiciously. The dish is served with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

Preparing all the meals took about 2 hours and finishing them on the day of serving took less than 30 minutes.

PDFs below are the Overview of the meals (basically what will happen throughout the week), Shopping List (all the ingredients are listed so check over it and cross out what you already have), Prep Day Instructions (follow in the order given for speed and efficiency), Prep Day Recipes (these are the recipes that are called for in the Instructions) and Day-of Recipes (cut these in half and staple them together in the order you plan to serve the meals).


Overview

Shopping List

Prep Day Instructions

Prep Day Recipes

Day-of Recipes

curried chickpea soup

The final meal of Prep Ahead Week 3 menu plan is Curried Chickpea Soup with Seasoned Pita. This soup is packed with nutrition and flavor, but it doesn't require a ton of exotic ingredients. A curry powder (preferably homemade), a cinnamon stick, fresh ginger and garlic supply all the interesting flavors needed.

The heft of the soup is made up of brown rice, chickpeas, spinach and carrots. Because the rice is cooked in the soup, it takes a shorter time to cook than regular brown rice is typically cooked. (See my Fast and Easy Brown Rice for cooking brown rice as an accompaniment.)

The pita bread is simply brushed with vegetable broth, seasoned with salt and pepper and toasted or broiled until crisp. The soup is perfect for a cold night and is ready fast.

Curried Chickpea Soup
Serves 4 to 6 

2 celery ribs, cut thin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch knob ginger, finely grated
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder, Zsu's Curry Powder or store-bought
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (2 cups cooked), rinsed and drained
8 cups water

1 bunch spinach, chopped

4 pita breads
1 tablespoon vegetable broth

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add  the celery, onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook until golden. Stir often and add a splash of water, if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno, curry powder, cinnamon stick and the rice. Toast, stirring, until the rice is aromatic.
2. Add the chickpeas and water. Cover, bring to boil and reduce to a strong simmer. Cook uncovered until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add the spinach. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the cinnamon stick. Taste and add salt and pepper.
3. Brush the pita with vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper.  Toast until crisp. Serve the pita with the soup.


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