Hi everyone! Taylor here from One Balanced Life giving you all my favorite recipes for a busy day!
We all have those crazy weeks where we feel like we have a million things to do and not enough time to do it! A lot of people turn to unhealthier options during the busy times because it is the most convenient at the time. The thing about healthy eating, is that you don’t have to sacrifice good food when life gets busy.
What I always recommend is setting a couple hours aside at the beginning of the week to prepare a few items to have ready to go. You’ll be surprised by what a little bit of preparation will make for less stress during the week. A few of my favorite items to meal prep for the week are overnight oats, chicken or tuna salad and energy balls for a quick snack. All of these can be packed up in a container, stored overnight & easily made for a grab and go in the morning.
Overnight oats are a great way to customize based off what you like and they keep you full! You won’t be grabbing for a snack right after eating these. It’s important to find meals that are going to FUEL you during your busy day. This is my go-to recipe for overnight oats that I make every single time! I keep them different by switching up the toppings.
Overnight oats
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 scoop collagen peptides
- 2 tbsp vanilla yogurt (I use Siggis)
- cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in mason jar. Mix & store overnight in fridge. In the morning, top with whatever you like & take with you!
Another thing that I like to prep and have ready for the week is chicken salad. You can make a bunch to have all week long and you can switch it up every day to keep it interesting! Some ways I like to eat it is in a sandwich, on top of a salad, with crackers, or in a bowl with quinoa!
Chicken Salad
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 apple
- celery
- cranberries
- walnuts
- mayo made with avocado oil (I use primal kitchen)
- sea salt & pepper
Add chicken to the crockpot on high for 4 hours or until fork tender. Shred with fork. Chop celery, apple & combine with walnuts, cranberries. Mix in desired amount of mayo, sea salt & pepper. Top on toast, greens or eat with crackers!
Lastly, one of my favorite things to prep for the week are energy bites! These make for the best grab & go snacks for the week. I like to switch them up each week, but there are a few that I make when I’m in a pinch, including these oatmeal raisin bites. I try to have all of these ingredients on hand at my apartment so that I can make these any time without having to go out and buy a bunch of ingredients. Also, when making these, I recommend buying from the bulk section because it’s a huge money saver! If you like oatmeal raisin cookies, you’ll love these!
Oatmeal Raisin Bites
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup raw honey
- ½ cup almond butter
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp flaxseeds
- 2 scoops collagen peptides (I use further food collagen)
- ¼ cup raisins
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together
- Let mixture sit in the fridge for 20 minutes
- Roll into balls!
- Store in fridge for a week or so
Be sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram if you make these so I can see them and follow me here!
About Taylor and the role of fitness in her life:
Fitness has played a huge role in my life. I love starting my day by getting a good workout in! For me, it makes me feel energized and sets the tone for the rest of the day. I like to switch up my workouts with everything from going on long runs to trying out different workout classes, which StudioHop is great for! I always leave a group class feeling inspired by the community that comes together to better themselves, whatever that may be to them. Moving to a new city, I find that fitness is a great way to get involved and meet new people! All around, it is my “me” time that I truly love!