There’s nothing I love better than spending a Sunday afternoon cooking and pre-making meals for the week…really, I LOVE it! It saves so much time during the week, and I know I’ll have healthy meals to grab on my way out the door to work. Or, if I have a late day I know there’s a tasty dinner waiting for me with absolutely zero effort.
Growing up, we had a lot of vegetables on the table every night. Unfortunately, unless it was summer garden season, they were mostly commercially canned. It wasn’t until I became an adult, traveled a bit, and was exposed to some pretty phenomenal dining experiences that I learned to love so many different vegetables. What I’ve really come to love is roasted vegetables.
The beauty of roasting is you can roast anything…and I mean anything…that’s in season. Roasting brings out flavor beyond what you experience with a steamed version, and it’s head and shoulders better than anything frozen or canned. With sheet pan roasting, you just simply raid the produce section at your grocer or farmers market, pick up whatever looks delicious, and you’re on your way.
It’s as easy as cleaning and cutting them up to all about the same size, spread in a single layer on sheet pans, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and roast at 425*F. I group my vegetables based on how long they take to cook. That way, none get cooked to death. My pan groups are:
Group #1 – roast 10-15 minutes
Red pepper
Red onion
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Fennel
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Sugar Snap Peas
Baby Bella Mushrooms
Group #2 – roast 15-30 minutes
Carrots
Turnips
Rutabaga
Butternut squash
Baby red potatoes
As long as I’m in the kitchen, I also whip up some baked turkey or beef meatballs, saute’ shrimp, or roast a chicken for a great protein addition. And while that’s all cooking, I make a batch of brown/wild rice combo, a batch of quinoa or farro, and a small batch of lentils. Sound like a lot of work? Not really…the time is in cutting everything up and that’s certainly something you could engage your family for help. It’s also a great opportunity to teach your kids how to healthy meal prep, a skill they’ll have a lifetime! 
Depending on what flavor profiles I’m aiming for, I make a variety of small-batch dressings to drizzle on my bowls. My favorites are lemon/basil, honey/sesame/soy, blue cheese/mustard, or any favorite salad dressing. In fact, I love putting salad dressing on hot foods. It’s a no-effort way to punch up flavor! If you like a little crunch, toss in some sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, or pepitas!
Then, it’s as simple as layering your bowls and refrigerating. They’ll last the whole week! And, just because you’ve packaged in carry dishes doesn’t mean you need to serve in them! Simply dump your bowl on a pretty plate, microwave about 2 minutes (time varies by microwave), and you’ll have yourself a beautifully colored, flavorful and healthy meal in minutes.
Friends, the options are endless….and delicious. Give it a try. You’re going to love how much easier your week becomes, you’ll feel great with eating healthy energy-filled meals….and you’ll be the envy of your workplace breakroom!
Lemon Basil Dressing – 1/2 C olive oil; ¼ fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp sugar, 6-8 cranks of pepper. Place all ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.
Honey Sesame Soy – 3 T soy sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 T honey; 6-8 cranks of pepper. Mix well.
Blue Cheese/Mustard – ¼ C mayonnaise; ¼ C whole grain mustard; 1 tsp salt; 6-8 cranks of pepper; ¼ C crumbled blue cheese
