Budget-Friendly Meal Prep Recipes

1. Begin by mixing together the sesame sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, 2 Tbsp water, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, minced garlic and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set the sauce aside.
2. Cut the brick of tempeh (I did tofu as well) into 8 squares, then cut each square diagonally into a triangle.
3. Place the tempeh/tofu in a large skillet and add 1/2 cup water. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and let the tempeh simmer until all of the water evaporates (about 5-8 minutes). Flip the tempeh a couple times as it simmers.
Once the water has evaporated, turn the heat down to medium and pour in the sesame sauce. Stir the tempeh in the sauce until the sauce has thickened (1-2 minutes), then remove it from the heat immediately to prevent further evaporation and thickening.
4. To build the bowls, place one cup of rice in each dish, top with 1/4 of the sesame tempeh, 1/4 of the broccoli florets, and a sprinkle of green onion.

1. To make the almond lime dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl or blender. Whisk or blend until smooth. Set the dressing aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the spaghetti. Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti, and continue to boil until the pasta is tender. Drain in a colander and rinse it briefly with cold water to cool it off.
3. Meanwhile, shred the cabbage as finely as possible using a knife. Shred the carrots using a large-holed cheese grater. Slice the red onions. Slice the green onion.
4. Combine the cooled and well drained pasta in a large bowl with the cabbage, carrots, pepper, edamame and green onion. Toss the salad until the ingredients are evenly combined.
5. Serve the salad and almond lime dressing immediately, or divide the undressed salad between four containers (about 2 cups each) and divide the dressing between four smaller containers (about 2 Tbsp or slightly more each). Refrigerate up to 4-5 days.

1. Combine oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds and soy milk in 4 different bowls. Top with berries, jam and seeds.
2. Refrigerate overnight.

1. Drain and rinse the white beans. Roughly chop the sun dried tomatoes. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp of the oil from the jar of sun dried tomatoes with the apple cider vinegar, basil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Set the dressing aside.
2. Add the olive oil and minced garlic to a large skillet. Sauté the garlic over medium heat for one minute, or just until it begins to soften and becomes fragrant.
3. Add the chopped kale and 2 Tbsp water to the skillet. Stir and cook over medium heat until the kale has wilted.
4. Add the drained beans and chopped sun dried tomatoes to the skillet with the kale. Continue to stir and cook until the beans are heated through. Lastly, drizzle the dressing over the skillet and stir to combine, and add salt to taste. Serve warm.