I definitely didn’t always look forward to Sundays – I mean it’s the day before Monday. BUT, I turned a corner a few years ago when I realized how great this day could be. You  can do as little (or as much) as you want and not feel guilty about it. You can wear spandex all day and pretend you went to the gym – no one will judge you because it’s Sunday after all.

Here’s how my Sundays normally go: wake up to two dogs jumping on the bed. Coffee, more coffee and breakfast. Long dog walk exploring our neighborhood in London (Battersea/Clapham) and then the day begins when I start on my Sunday Meal Prep (“SMP”). To those that know me, I’m a planner. I love nothing more than a good plan – sometimes to a fault, yes. SMP combines both of my loves – planning + cooking. I get excited just thinking about it.

The goal of SMP is to make food for the entire week (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) – that way  you know you’ll be eating healthy all week, won’t blow your paycheck on takeout and allow yourself extra time with family and friends (ok fine, The Bachelor) after work. Some people prefer to prep individual items (e.g. marinara sauce, roasted veggies and pasta, separately) but I prefer to do the full shebang (is that a word?) because one less thing to do before or after work equals less stress and don’t we all need that M-F. With that said, if you aren’t a “leftovers” type of person, you may be better off prepping the ingredients so you don’t feel like you are eating leftovers. Your call.

There are a few keys to successful SMP. First, make a variety – if you only cook tuna casserole (example only, I truly love the dish), by the end of the week you’ll be turning into a tuna. Second, cook foods that hold up well for 4-5 days – some dishes just aren’t meant to be eaten as leftovers and are better left to a weekend meal. Third, find a few staple items that you make every week – for me that’s roasted sweet potatoes and roasted brussel sprouts (or broccoli). Lastly, look forward to and enjoy the process – it’s such a great feeling to start Monday morning with a fridge full of healthy, delicious meals!

This will be a weekly post so you can see what I’m making for the week ahead. Here’s what I made this week with recipes to follow in the coming weeks:

Breakfast – Carrot Cake Muffins (served with a dollop of cashew butter and greek yogurt)

Lunch – Black Bean/Almond Butter Quinoa, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Honey Mustard Salmon

Dinner – Mushroom Risotto with an Avocado Basil Sauce and Shrimp

Cheers to SMP!

CHH