I’ve been here before – so many times.
This past week several people asked Ed or I “what are you eating”. It was usually a glass container with previously cooked foods spooned out into that container so that we could eat well while not at home (like at work/the gym). Once with Ed it was Picadillo over rice. I had Ahi Tuna over rice (which I don’t usually do but looked good) with broccoli. And our brekkys are always the same: eggs with egg whites, some kind of other meat added and oatmeal or homemade sourdough or pancakes. Maybe some berries or a piece of fruit.
Yes, it’s “old hat”. That why I titled this 2.0…because we’ve spoke to this several times. But heads up – we’re both older and grumpier now so strap in…because if you need to make changes for your health and fitness, this could be a positive step in the right direction. If you can come up with more than 1 excuse “why you can’t”, then you’re reading the wrong blog and probably training at the wrong box if you’re with us. (And THERE’S the grumpy!).
Lots of questions on how to “meal prep”. Step one: just start. Do something. Even if you fail, you learned something and if it’s inedible, the dog will eat it.
We’re going to start with a basic: eggs. If you hate eggs, again, move on to another blog or stay with us and adapt. These are pretty tasty because they pull in the flavors of the other proteins we use.
I’m not going to drone on, but rather just get to the facts. I cook for two of us, for the whole week, hence the amounts. If you find yourself with no time, no motivation and often unprepared, then prepare for the worst: over-prepare.
The skillet image here is today (Friday, 7/18) while I’m working on this at Ed’s request. It’s a small batch of our usual, which is typically this:
- 2 dozen eggs
- 1 small container of egg whites (16 oz)
- 16-24 oz of some kind of protein (ham, chicken, sausage etc)
- Avocado or coconut oil, tallow or duck fat. Your choice of oil – maybe 3-4 Tbsp
- salt/pepper to taste
- Optional: cheese
That’s it. And the process is simple, slow and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance:
- heat the oil on medium
- add the protein and sear a bit
- turn heat to low
- add eggs try not to crack yolks), egg whites, seasoning and cheese if you’re using it)
- cook on low, stirring gently with wooden spoon so as not to break yolks – about 20 minutes
Cool and package up in glass container to refrigerate for the week.
The image here is a quick estimate of how much protein is in that skillet scramble. It’s actually a little low for us – as we aim for about 50 grams per meal (Ed a little more).
Yes, we buy expensive eggs – we eat a lot of them and quality is important. Try to remember this: toxins are stored in the fat cells of animals and mammals. When I think of beef, and even eggs, I want some fat in my protein (it’s naturally occurring in most), but I want it to be healthy fat. The healthier the animal, the healthier the fat. Free range chicken eggs that mainly forage on bugs and insects would be your goal.
Egg whites add fat-free protein. Additional meats add flavor and more protein.
The entire skillet comes out to be about 300 grams of protein, divided by 5 days, divided by 2 people – about 30 grams a meal. This could be bulked up by a little more ham or egg whites to get us to 50 grams a meal.
The big point here is make it flavorful – egg yolks are so delicious. If I cook it slow enough they remain soft and melt into the other flavors. Don’t fear salt. Or use salty meat like a nice ham.
This is 100% whole foods – one ingredient foods. We feel really good when we eat this!
BUT WHAT ELSE?
Eggs and what?
Usually oatmeal, homemade pancakes using oats and sourdough starter (I just wing it) or homemade sourdough. Oatmeal is the easiest. Again: made from 1 ingredient foods. Makes me feel really good about this.
Currently I buy One Degree Sprouted Oats (at Costco). I do my best with sourcing ingredients but also don’t split hairs if I can choose from a whole food over something someone else dolled up.
You can get really creative with this.
- Start with water.
- Add raisins (or dried fruit of your choice) to the water with a little pure vanilla extract or vanilla beans scraped from the pod, some cinnamon and let it boil.
- Then add oats.
- I kinda go nuts on this by adding pumpkin and sunflower seeds, walnuts, chia, flax…whatever I have in the pantry that makes me feel “healthy”!
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook on low for 20 minutes.
We use less water to make it thick (because we eat at the gym a lot and spoons are not in our repertoire.
Add some berries or fruit, coffee black, or heavy cream…and you have a hearty breakfast – in our opinion: the most important meal of the day. WHY?
- Most people are more active at the beginning of the day and less at night. So if you’re going to go light on a meal, or skip one, make it the later meal of the day.
- It’s one of the easier meals for us to prepare for. If not this, then blended whey, fruit and heavy cream or avocado for fat. One way or another we’re getting 500+ calories here, 50+ grams of protein and filling in with a balance of the rest.
Finally, on “excessive meal prep”. Yes, we’ve been accused of that – “it’s not realistic”. Ok. Well, we’re not the ones with the problem….so while this works for us and we’re sharing…if not this, go find it. We are emploring the unique snowflakes with “all the problems”, to find something simple with one ingredients foods and make it work – do it. Everyone has excuses these days….find solutions and be conscious of how many times you say “but I can’t because….”.
Making meals from whole, one-ingredient foods creates a very clean and whole environment for your body to function the way it’s supposed to. As opposed to….
- Frozen , prepackaged breakfast burritos😬
- Drive through Egg McMuffins🤮
- Cereal🤯
Go back to eating like your grandparents, or grandparents grandparents – pre-Kelloggs era.
Stress and friction create growth – mental, physical, etc. If this seems “hard”…lean into it. The macros took me time to learn too, but once you know how much protein is in 8 ounces of chicken breast, or how many carbs in a cup of oatmeal – you know it and it has an opportunity to be put to use. Learning new things, whether physical or in the kitchen will make you a healthier human being.