Book cover for THE HEALTHY MEAL PREP COOKBOOK: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go
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THE HEALTHY MEAL PREP COOKBOOK: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go

Toby Amidor

Rockridge Press
August 22, 2017
$15.99/Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1623159443

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Toby AmidorToby Amidor is a blogger, author, and regular contributor to online publications such as the FoodNetwork.com and Shape.com. As a leading dietitian and recipe developer, Toby is a firm believer that wholesome food should also be delicious. With over 15 years of experience in her field, Toby lends her knowledge here in The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook for you to enjoy a happier and healthier breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It’s easy to reach for frozen and microwavable meals when you’re short on time, but being too busy shouldn’t mean that you can’t have balanced and delicious meals. Learning how to meal prep properly will not only save you time and energy, but it will also help to make sure that you and your family eat homemade and nutritious meals. Providing practical and simple solutions with easy to follow instructions, The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook shows you how simple it is to enjoy fresh and flavorful meals on even the most hectic days.

The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook features:

  • 3 flexible 2-week meal plans for ready-to-go healthy meals without the hassle of prep
  • More than 100 simple, wholesome recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, complete with nutritional breakdowns and portion control to keep calories in check
  • Practical weekly shopping lists with easy to find ingredients to prepare your pantry for the week
  • Convenient illustrated guidelines on how to freeze, thaw, and reheat your meals to keep food fresh, safe, and tasty

As a working mom and nutritionist, Toby Amidor knows how difficult it can be to carve out the time for healthy home cooking. Applying her 15 years of experience as a nutritionist, blogger, and recipe developer here in The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook, Toby shares her tricks and tips to efficient and enjoyable meal prep.

Master the art of meal prep and serve up nutritious, ready-to-go meals every day of the week.

APRICOT CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Makes 4 servings

When I was right out of my master’s program in nutrition, I taught at a culinary school in New York City. It so happened that my mother, a fellow registered dietitian, asked me to work there so I could substitute for her when she wanted to go on vacation. I ended up teaching there for 10 years. During my tenure, they asked me to do many media interviews. This recipe was the first one that ever got published in the New York Daily News, back in 2006.

  • Cooking spray
  • 8 skinless chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons canola or safflower oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly groundblack pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup apricot jam
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Coat a shallow 9-by-9-inch baking dish with the cooking spray.

Brush the chicken with the oil and sprinkle it with the salt and black pepper. Put the chicken in the baking dish and bakeuntil a thermometer inserted in the center of a drumstick reads 165º F, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Just before the chicken is ready, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the sesame seeds until slightly browned, stirring them frequently so they don’t burn, about 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the apricot jam and soy sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until it boils, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove.

Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle the apricot sauce over it and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

REFRIGERATE: Store the cooled chicken with the sauce and seeds in a resealable container for up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave for 1½ minutes. It can also be reheated in a saucepan over medium heat.

FREEZE: Store the cooled chicken with the sauce and seeds in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. It can also be reheated in a saucepan over medium heat.

TOBY’S TIP: Pair the drumsticks with my Oven-Roasted Tomato Quinoa (page 98) and Lemony Green Beans with Almonds. First roast the tomatoes for the quinoa. When they’re done, removethem from the oven and add the drumsticks. While the chicken bakes, cook the quinoa in a saucepan and prepare the green beans in a skillet. When the quinoa is done cooking, fluff it and let it cool before mixing it with the roasted tomatoes and other finishing ingredients.

Per Serving (2 drumsticks with 1 tablespoon sauce and 1½ teaspoons sesame seeds): Calories: 541; Fat: 32g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Protein: 46g; Total Carbs: 14g; Fiber: 1g; Sodium: 766mg

BEEF STIR FRY WITH ASIAN PEANUT SAUCE

Makes 4 servings

When I lived in New York City, it was easy to pick up the phone and order Chinese delivery. These days it’s just as easy to order it right on your smartphone. But who wants all the calories and oil that go along with Chinese takeout? I would rather make my own, like in this simple stir-fry.

  • 1 pound top sirloin, cut into 1½-inch strips
  • 6 tablespoons Asian Peanut Sauce, divided
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon canola or safflower oil
  • ½ head broccoli, cut into bite-size florets 
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
  • 1 cup snow peas

In a large bowl, add the beef strips and 4 tablespoons of the Asian Peanut Sauce and toss to coat the meat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

In a medium pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the quinoa and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer the quinoa, stirring occasionally, until the liquid isabsorbed and the grains are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool lightly.

In a large wok or skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the beef and cook until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Discard the leftover beef marinade. Addthe broccoli, bell pepper, and snow peas, stirring occasionally,until the vegetables have started to soften, about 8 minutes.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of Asian Peanut Sauce to thestir-fry and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

REFRIGERATE: Store the cooled stir-fry and quinoa together or separately in resealable containers for up to 1 week. Reheat in the microwave for 1½ to 2 minutes.

TOBY’S TIP: Out of olive oil? Canola oil is the perfect substitute. It’s filled with healthy omega-3s and can be used in cooking, baking, and as is (like in dressings).

Per Serving (1½ cups stir-fry plus ½ cup quinoa): Calories: 522; Fat: 25g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Protein: 35g; Total Carbs: 39g; Fiber: 5g; Sodium: 223mg

These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit:

Recipes from THE HEALTHY MEAL PREP COOKBOOK: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go by Toby Amidor. (Rockridge Press; August 22, 2017; $15.99/Paperback, ISBN: 978-1623159443).

Contact: Eli Becker
ebecker@callistomedia.com