meal prep spinach beet and chicken power salads

by Katie | Jan 1, 2018 | Main Course, Soups and Salads | 16 comments

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Are you new to Meal Prep? Today is the day to give it a go! You can start your new year off right and pack these high-protein Spinach, Beet and Chicken Power Salads for a week’s worth of healthy hunger-busting lunches.

Well hello 2018! So glad to meet you.

I’ve said before why I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions, so we’re not going to be talking about that. Phew. But we are going to talk a bit about being healthy this year and setting some GOALS. To me goal setting is more of a positive than a negative way of looking at making positive changes. In addition to adding these high-protein meal prep salads to your list of #GOALS, I want to quickly add one more goal to your list. Then we can get into the deets about how to throw these superfood packed power salads together. K?

If you are over 40 and a woman, add This Unmillennial Life to your list of podcasts. Pop over there and subscribe right this minute, and you can thank me later. How’s that for an attainable goal? All you have to do is click a button. Boom!

It is a podcast by my awesomely inspirational friend Regan Jones. She created this podcast for Generation X women. And it ROCKS! {And I am not just saying that because I was her guest on one of the episodes. 😉 )

One of my favorite episodes was the Protein (Bar) Episode where Regan interviewed Jessica Crandall, RD, CDE about how much protein women over 40 should be getting and why it is so important. And guess what. We need A LOTTTTT of protein!!! Like OMG I am so glad I listened to this because it really was a wake up call to pay more attention to the balance of macronutrients in my day. I am not at all getting enough.

In her interview Regan also talked to Chris Mohr, RD, PhD who explained that we need to eat protein throughout the day because we don’t store it like we do fat and carbs. He says try for 20-30 grams per meal! Guys, I am no where near that. How about you?

Jessica recommends if you’re using protein bars for meals on the go to aim for every 100 cal choose a bar with 10 grams protein.

Anyway, these meal prep Spinach, Beet and Chicken Power Salads are loaded with protein- 30 grams! Holla!

Let’s talk about how to meal prep, shall we?

How To Meal Prep Spinach, Beet and Chicken Power Salads

Marinate your chicken first. This recipe for Garlic Herb Marinated Chicken is a must-try if you are new here. Seriously folks, it is one of my personal favorite recipes on the blog, not just because it tastes fantastic, but because it is so easy to make. Plus it only takes 30 minutes to marinate!
For these meal prep salads, one batch yields enough chicken to provide the above mentioned reccomended 30 grams of protein per serving.
I used my indoor grill pan to grill the chicken, because it is cold and snowing here in Vermont. It takes 13-15 minutes on the grill pan.
Make sure you let the chicken rest before you slice it. It is also even better if you let it cool too before you top the salads with it, so it doesn’t wilt the veggies.
While the chicken was in the marinade, I blended up the dressing. I used this Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing, because it is so delicious and healthy. But if you want to try something more adventurous, I have a huge selection of healthy home-made salad dressings to choose from. This Maple Tahini Dressing or This Walnut Balsamic Vinaigrette would also be super yummy with the ingredients in these Meal Prep Salads ingredients. You’ll need 10 tablespoons of dressing.
While the chicken is grilling, shred your veggies up. I used Beets, Carrots and Kohlrabi, because they are great winter storing vegetables, and among the locally grown vegetables that I can find in January in Vermont. In my reader survey, a lot of you told me that buying locally is also important to you, so I know you’ll appreciate that! I used the box grater for the carrots and beets, but I used my Oxo mandoline for the kohlrabi. If you don’t have a mandoline, a box grater would work fine for the kohlrabi too.
Next assemble the meal prep salads and top with your seeds or nuts.
Pack the dressing separately so they will last for 5 days in the fridge. I like the little tiny ball jars for this, but any little spill-proof resealable container works well.

QUESTIONS

Have you ever done meal prep?

Have you listened to This Unmillennial Life podcast?

Did you know that women over 40 need that much protein throughout the day?

Do you think you’re getting enough protein?

Thanks so much for reading, and if you haven’t already make sure to sign up for my email newsletter. I send it out every Saturday morning, so you’ll never miss anther healthy recipe.