QUICK AND EASY TOMATO MEALS. WEEKLY MEAL PLAN IDEAS #2
Mid August.. can you believe that?
Even during the strangest year ever, time seems to fly.
But there is also so much goodness available at the moment, that will help us to strengthen the immune system and get ready for cooler months.
Usually during summer months I crave more fruit, like peaches, plums and berries. I also fell in love with papaya this year and basically because they started to grow it locally close by where I live.
But do you know what is my summer love affair?
Summer tomatoes 🍎!
Those enormous ones called “toro” in southern Spain, that you can only grab on local markets. I think it is because they get ripe so fast, it is not interesting for supermarkets to have them. They are delicate and you cannot keep them in the fridge because they lose taste. You need to get them green and keep them on the kitchen countertop with abundant light for a few days and you’ll be awarded with the best tomato essence you can ever imagine.
Yes, I’m in love and because this is the best season to enjoy them, tomatoes are the Highlight of the Week.
Fresh tomatoes are low in carbs. The carb content consists mainly of simple sugars and insoluble fibers. These fruits are mostly made up of water.
Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer.
Now, let’s have a look at this week’s Meal Prep.
Welcome to the week #2 my friend!
A good habit I developed is to get all the fresh veg on a local market every Friday or Saturday morning, and I also make sure all my pantry basics are ready. There is nothing worse than realizing that an important ingredient is missing.
I have a universal pantry basics list copied in my phone notes and every time I have a moment to stop in a grocery shop, I just follow the list. It is always easier to remember what´s missing when you cook it yourself.
I try to make my weekly meal prep very strategic. It means I have always some useful multi-purpose basics ready especially for busy days, so I can reduce the time spent in my kitchen significantly without grabbing some processed crap.
Because here is the thing… if you really commit to healthy eating, forget about processed food and eating out most of the days… it won´t work.🙅🏼♀️
Let´s dive straight in!
SATURDAY:
Visit a local market or an organic store to get some nice, big and juicy tomatoes and all the veg and fruit for the week - just follow my Universal Pantry List above ⬆️.
SUNDAY WEEKLY MEAL PREP:
This Weekly Meal Prep will be shorter than usual, because it is best to get the tomatoes fresh, but still it feels good to be ready for a busy week.
✅ Start with Summer Tomato Sauce. The longer it simmers, the better. When it cools down, you can store it in a glass jar for almost a week (i don’t believe you resist not eating it sooner)
✅ Continue with Summer Fruit Crumble
✅ Thai Red Curry Paste - big batch to freeze
GREAT JOB!!👏🏼
Now that you´re ready for the week, here is what you can do with it:
MEALS:
🍅 ZUCCHINI FRITTERS with VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE and tomato salad - just cut tomatoes and avocados in chunks add a bit of salt and pepper and a good splash of good extra virgin olive oil. You can top it with some pitted black olives - just a pure bliss of simplicity.
🍅 SUMMER GAZPACHO. This is not a typical recipe you find online. This one is very special and actually the best I’ve ever tried invented by my boyfriend. (He was born in Seville, so he know about this stuff).
🍅 AYURVEDA INSPIRED AVOCADO SALAD.
This one is so rich and filling that it doesn’t need any add-on, but you can also eat it with an extra batch of ZUCCHINI FRITTERS or MILLET PATTIES (from the last week)
Another easy and fast recipe that’s done within 20min and probably eaten even faster because it is so delish.
I like to boil gluten free brown rice pasta, but you can also try carb-free version with zucchini or pumpkin spiralized spaghetti if you fancy something lighter.
SNACKS:
Ohh this one is addictive! I love to keep it in the fridge to enjoy cool instead of an ice cream.
So this is it for a tomato week.
I hope you’ll enjoy it. And if you do, please let me know in comments or tag me on IG @wellbeingzuzana.
Have a great week!