Now that our weekdays have gotten much busier, I’ve gone back to my “Sunday prep day” ways just a bit.
Made nut butter
Made a giant pot of soup
We should be all set for a busy week ahead! I always tell busy people the key to mid-week healthy eating is just a wee bit of planning and chopping on Sundays. You can make a whole pot of stovetop oats to microwave during the week, chop all your veggies for salads, and even make lunches for the upcoming 5 days! I used to do it all when I had my stints of 8am-9pm straight through.
While soup simmered, beets roasted. This time I used regular beets – they are not NEARLY as good as the goldens, and they were much harder to peel!
But even without gloves I was happy to see my Shaklee dish soap got the pink right out! I couldn’t believe it since my hands were magenta just minutes prior
Tonight’s dinner was Frontier Soup sample we brought home from Great Harvest. We’ll be selling these in our store! It was the Montana High Plains Wheat Berry Chili –
Luckily I’m a pro at wheatberries already 😉 I simmered them away
And then you add the spice pack
And a 28 ounce can of tomatoes and some broth. The recipe called for ground turkey, but I used a can of kidney beans instead. No reason other than:
Organic turkey = $10
Beans = $1
Matt was at the bakery all afternoon sanding our kneading table, which was quite dirty. See photos at GHCville Facebook!
He said he would be home around 6:30, which came and went. I was getting pretty hungry and munched on tortilla chips while I waited and waited. Finally at 7 I texted him that I was going to eat! The boy who cried wolf did not have me convinced that he was coming home on time!
But sure enough, he arrived just 10 minutes later.
Delicious chili topped with yogurt + cheese + tortilla chips!
Gah I could eat blue corn chips till the cows come home! I had 2-3x the serving here.
Look at these BEAUTIFUL hand-made sign holders that blog reader Seana made for me!! Remember this post about being frustrated about signs? Seana saw these on Etsy and decided to put herself to the crafting test. She even threw in cards + laminate paper! They turned out SO cute and will be perfect for our sweets labeling! Thank you Seana!
Do you know what one of my favorite desserts is? Making overnight oats and taking a bite before I put them in the fridge for breakfast! The sweet banana milk is the perfect one-bite dessert : )
Now you know what’s for breakfast!
Abby says
Those little sign holders are absolutely adorable! 🙂 How creative!
Holly @ The Runny Egg says
Those sign holders are so adorable!!! I just love them.
The chili looks fabulous — I am with you on the $1 vs $10 debate. I’d have made the same decision!
kate@ahealthypassion says
I love the sign holders im so excited to see your finished bakery!!! That soup looks delish as well I love the little soup bags they always make an amazing dish and hardly any effort!
Stacy @ Every Little Thing says
Those sign holders are adorable! They’ll be perfect for the store.
I had roasted beets today, for the first time actually! I’ve never been big on beets (texture, mostly) but these were great and now I might want more!
rebecca lustig says
wow everything is coming together so nicely!!
blue corn chips are soo addicting, no doubt about it.
Heidi - apples under my bed says
Great sign holders! & you’re right – it’s all about Sunday prep when you’re busy! dinner looks great. beans are the bomb – so cheap.
Heidi xo
marian says
I LOVE taking a sweet bite of oats before bed at night – i totally know what you mean!!
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Those sign holders are a great idea! So creative. I like them! 🙂
Your dinner looks delish. And I agree: Planning and prepping ahead of time is key when you are busy, but luckily you’re already good at it!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Try peeling the beets under running water or in a large bowl of water (if you didn’t!). Much easier and less staining.
Krystina (Organically Me) says
I agree with you on beets – golden are WAY better!
Kathleen @ KatsHealthCorner says
YUM!!! I love how you take a bite before you put your oats in the fridge!! You are so smart! 😀
Ashley @ Feeding Ashley says
You take the best food pictures, they are so pretty and always make me drool!
KathEats says
🙂
Salah@myhealthiestlifestyle says
I need to try that chili! Looks awesome!!!
Astrid says
LOVE roasted beets! So much flavor and color
AShley says
Ahhhhhh BEETS. Scary. 😉 That chili looks + sounds so good!! Agreed about the blue corn tortillas, or any tortillas really. The signs are super cute…that was so sweet! Here’s to another super busy week…good luck!
Emma (Namaste Everyday) says
that chili looks so fab! I think I need to make some. It’s turning into winter here in New Zealand and I am craving wintry foods to warm my soul!
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife says
Cute sign holders! I love chili and chips-yummmy 🙂
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
awesome sign holders…what a lovely reader gift..wow!
““Sunday prep day” ways” = I hear that! Way to get organized for the week or at least a head start. I am the same.
The $1 vs. $10 ingredient choice…good call!
I never roast my beets in foil b/c I dont think they carmelize quite as well. I line my sheetpan WITH foil (for easy cleanup) but don’t actually cover them with foil. I agree goldens are better than reds but maybe uncover next time? You may be happier with the results. Then again, yours look just great as is! 🙂
KathEats says
I never thought of that! I assumed they had to steam or something, but I love all things caramelized! Do you peel them first or after?
Tracy says
If you can find baby beets (I always found them at the farmers’ market last year), you don’t even have to peel them. Super simple to roast!
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says
I actually left this comment on your other post about beets. I was comment #24
https://www.katheats.com/beets-me
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) April 21, 2011 at 9:45 pm
I adore beets and get so many unique varities here in San Diego where they grow so easily. Love golden ones!
My tips…
Wear rubber gloves and then peel them in the sink
Dice into cubes or wedges
Drizzle with EVOO, ginger, S & P, and place on a foil lined pan
Bake at 425f flipping every 20 mins or so til done. Will be super carmelized, and just perfect. Takes about an hour-1 hr 15min to get them really perfect, IMO.
Not that you need any help.. Your food looks awesome!!!
—
But no, you dont *have to* peel them but I find them to turn out better if you do if they’re just regular red beets.
Happy beet eating 🙂
Kathy says
Your meals look so small compared to mine. And a bite of oatmeal is “dessert?” Really?
Lucy@The Sweet Touch says
Are those blue corn chips Garden of Eatin? If so, yes, I could eat my weight in them and still keep going – it’s ridiculous!
Love the little signs, creative, practical and eco-friendly to boot!
KathEats says
Actually they’re a brand I haven’t heard of that was the cheapest per ounce, but they are not as good as other brands!
Liv @ The Salty n' Sweet says
The word “beets” sends shivers down my spine! The golden ones don’t look so bad, but purple beets are another beast.
Those sign holders are too cute 🙂 Perfect for springtime, too!
Kenz says
I have been reading your blog daily for a couple months now, but finally just subscribed! I ate at the Great Harvest here in Bozeman, MT today and am so glad you are opening one in VA so more people can enjoy it! It is definitely one of my all-time favorite places to eat.
KathEats says
Welcome!
Alyssa says
I swear by Sunday prep days! Unfortunately, today was more of a Sunday cleaning day…but it had to be done! I also took some time to prep my body for the week…some awesome CorePower Yoga!
Hope your week is less stressful 🙂
lynn @ the actor's diet says
with all the traveling i’ve been doing it’s been forever since i’ve had a sunday prep day. i miss it!!!!
Allie says
What goes into roasting beets? Just peel, put in foil and wait?! What temperature and for how long? I love beets and would like to make my own 🙂 Thanks Kath!
KathEats says
Here’s what I did:
Wash
Wrap in foil basket
Bake at 425* for 45 minutes
Cool
Peel off skin
Chop
Khushboo says
Call me cheesy but I love the phrase ‘fail to plan and you’re planning to fail’! Just a few minutes of pre-planning can be SO helpful! I don’t know what came up with me but within 5 minutes, I thought of 5 different breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (all easy to put together) so that’s one less thing to think about this week!
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
Looks like a fabulous dinner!
Do you roast your beets whole with the peel on, then chop? Or do you peel and chop, then roast?
KathEats says
See two comments above! Roast, peel then chop
Hannah says
Aw, I wish you’d said the pink ones were better! I can’t find golden beets here!
Kate (What Kate is Cooking) says
I always have a bite… or two… or three… of my overnight oats 🙂
Lenna says
Roasted beets, wheatberries…sounds like a lot of yummy food to me:)
Chad says
Ohhh I love beats – I once got these beats at the farmer’s market that were deep orange colored and SOOOO good.
Ellie says
Hi Kath,
The Sunday prep day sounds a great idea – sometimes the thought of chopping veggies after work sends me to the takeaway. Just wondered what your thoughts are about whether pre-chopping or cooking affects the vitamin content of the veggies? Also, how far in advance can you prepare things? Would a salad that is chopped on a Sunday stay fresh until Friday? I would be interested in a post on this (or links to a previous one). I think being able to get my head around preparation would really help my weight loss efforts. Thanks x
KathEats says
Good question. I’m not really 100% sure of the answer. I don’t think you’d lose a lot of nutrition – especially if you kept them well covered in the fridge in an air-tight container. I wouldn’t let them just sit out on a counter or anything. In terms of quality, stronger veggies like broccoli and peppers held up all week fine for me, but I wouldn’t chop some of the more delicate veggies, as they seem to deteriorate faster.
Alana says
I make 5 salads every Sunday…everything seems to hold up fine..it’s just not quite as “fresh” come Friday. However, I will take that over getting out the cutting board each night!
Nichole says
Whenever I use a knife to cut my lettuce, it darkens fairly fast. I would tear the lettuce instead of chopping if you are not going to use it in a day or two.
Christine @ Burning It Off says
It’s so true that planning and doing some prep work on the weekend is key to eating properly during a busy week. When you take out all the prep work, many meals only take 15-20 mins tops to cook and you can usually do something else during those 20 mins.
Molly says
I love prepping on Sundays. Yesterday was too much celebrating so I will be scrambling this week. 🙁
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin says
That was so sweet of Seana to make you those sign holders. They’re adorable!
I can’t stop at 1 serving of tortilla chips either. I recently bought Garden of Eatin multigrain tortilla chips and I’m obsessed with them!
Karen says
Even though my professional schedule is fairly flexible these days, I still engage in Sunday food prep rituals for the week ahead. I love the feeling that I’ve got a running start having bought myself some a bit extra time during weekday evenings – esp. during these warmish spring evenings, when I like to linger outside in the great fresh air as long as possible.
Those are such adorable sweets table sign holders…just perfect! And, such a generous spirit you are, Seana!
How fun it is watching everything come together so nicely for you, Kath…here’s hoping for a productive week ahead!
Melissa says
OMG! BEETS!!!!!! I love them with all my heart!
Your chili looks delicious, too, but the beets! Oh my!
Nichole says
I want that chili! I wish my Great Harvest was not 30 miles away:(. What would you think of traditional chili spices with the wheatberries?
KathEats says
Yup! That’s all this was – just in a packet
Susan Atkins says
Those sign holders are perfect! Another way you could utilize what she gave you as well as not have to worry about paper/laminate/stuff getting sticky from sweets or other food items would be sheet metal and chalkboard paint. You can get a can of chalkboard spray paint and a thin piece of sheet metal for just about nothing these days (just cut the thin sheet metal in your desired shape and spray with chalkboard paint and stick in her awesome holders). That way they’d be easy to clean and changing the items listed would be a breeze with just a wet paper towel and a piece of chalk!
Fallon says
Love tortilla chips too!
Lindsey @ Morningstar Project says
Totally random, but where did you get your wedding rings? Mine look so similar and I’m wondering if my husband went to the same place? I mean good men think alike right 😉
KathEats says
They are A. Jaffe and we got them from Diamonds Direct in Charlotte, NC!
Wine Girl @ Kitchen Doesn't Travel says
I hear ya, sister! I work until 6pm every night and, although I love to cook, that’s the last thing I want to do when I get home. I make a habit of prepping all the weekly meals on Sunday afternoon so that all I have to do it pop it in the oven when I get home. If I don’t, that’s when we eat out…spending unnecessary cash and eating unnecessary calories.
Paula says
I’m picking up a pail of wheat berries tomorrow and was just going to cook them and eat them for breakfast, but now I’m going to have to try making chili with them too!