Make-ahead healthy meal ideas; Saves you time and money, because our health is our wealth

BY NOEL CUNNINGHAM

Quick and healthy cooking has been at the core of my culinary career from day one. When I just started blogging I was more focused on healthy lifestyle which I still do today but in a different way. When we think of healthy eating most people think it’s about restricting yourself from the food that is considered bad for us, but that’s not the case, I believe all food was created equally. These days we have so many different diets and food trends such as keto, and cabbage diet. The truth is you have to understand your body and your lifestyle and fit your meal and calories accordingly. If you follow all these trends and rules you will go crazy and add more stress to your body which will lead to more unhealthy weight.

In my first article “New Year, New Ideas, recipes and tips for a New You” I had shared some tips on how to create a new you which includes getting your rest, eating on time, portion control and balancing your meals. Summer is over and we had all the barbecue, beers and burgers so now we are all heading back to the gym and dieting.

Make ahead meals are one of the easiest ways to reach your weight goal and also to save money.  When you meal prep you have your food readily available to eat once you are hungry and it’s already portioned; preventing you from overeating or going hungry which will make you gain weight if you don’t eat on time or when you should.

How long should my meal prep last? Two to three days in the fridge is enough in order to keep your food fresh if you want to meal prep for the week I recommend freezing all the food for anything after day three. Or you can cook twice for the week on Sundays and Wednesdays. You are still saving some time. You will save money on grocery once you start to meal prep because you are now using your produce faster and preventing waste and you will also buy in bulk which will be way cheaper. Another way you will be saving money is, while you are baking your chicken you are also roasting your veggies for the week. This is a great way to save on your hydro. When thinking of make-ahead meals think of food that will be easy to reheat like stews, casseroles and all your one-pot favorites.

This week I’m sharing with you a quick and easy shepherd’s pie recipe that is great for a make-ahead dish that is also freezer friendly. If you want to make a healthier version you can always substitute the mashed potato for cauliflower mash.

Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled
• Salt
• 3 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, diced, blanched
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. In a large pot with salted boiling water cook potatoes until soft and fully cooked. Drain excess water then use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth. Add melted butter and milk, Mash together until fully incorporated, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In an ovenproof skillet over medium heat, sauté together onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant and softened, 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat
4. Stir in peas carrots and corn and cook until warmed through, 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a casserole dish top beef mixture with an even layer of mashed potatoes and bake   until there is very little liquid visible and mashed potatoes are golden, about 20 minutes