4 Easy Meal Prep Side Salads
FitMenCook
My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is truly a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and enjoying adequate exercise. By experimenting in the kitchen and openly sharing my meals, I learned that healthy eating is hardly boring and that by making a few adjustments, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my personal fitness goals. Our bodies are built in the kitchen and sculpted in the gym.
Every meal prep deserves a great side dish! Sometimes it’s easier to approach organizing your weekly routine when you focus on the sides. In today’s video, it’s all about salads!
Try a salad recipe, customize it according to flavor and your wellness goals and then add your choice of protein. Simple!
Check out my other meal prep sides video!
Winter Squash Primavera Salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients for 5 servings:
- 1 cup baked winter squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- spray olive oil
- 3oz uncooked wheat penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced and chopped
- 1/4 cup pasta water
- 1 cup parmesan, shredded or grated
- juice from 1 lemon
- sea salt & pepper
- Garnish
- fresh parsley, chopped
Steps
- Set oven to 400F.
- Slice winter squash down the middle and spoon out seeds. Spray the halves with olive oil then place them face down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Bake for about 40 minutes until soft. Allow it to cool enough to handle, then peel it and chop it into pieces.
- While that’s baking, prepare the wheat pasta. Once the pasta has been cooked, do not discard the pasta water since we’ll need some.
- Set a nonstick skillet on medium high heat and spray with olive oil. Add the zucchini and bell peppers – and if desired, garlic – and cook until the veggies are seared, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the pasta, veggies and chopped squash to a bowl, then add in the remaining ingredients. Fold everything together, then season to taste with sea salt & pepper.
- Garnish with parsley and enjoy this salad warm or cold.
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Calories 156
Protein 9g
Fat 5g
Carbs 19g
Sodium -
Fiber 3g
Sugar 3g
Horseradish Mashed Potato Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients for 5 servings:
- 1 1/2lb red potato, raw
- 4 tablespoons horseradish
- 4 tablespoons olive oil mayo (or lite mayo)
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup arugula, chopped and packed
- 2 tablespoons dried chives
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add red potatoes. Cook for at least 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and tender.
- Add the potatoes to a bowl and mash them with a masher or fork.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything together with a fork or spatula.
- Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.
Calories 134
Protein 3g
Fat 3g
Carbs 23g
Sodium -
Fiber 3g
Sugar 4g
Turkey & Shredded Brussels Salad
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 1 1/2lb Brussels sprouts, thinly chopped or shredded
- 5 slices natural turkey bacon, from leg meat and nitrate free, uncured
- Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil mayo (lite mayo)
- 1/8 cup Dijon
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or more depending on your preferences)
- 5 tablespoons goat cheese crumble
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
- Mix together the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- Cook bacon until crispy. Then chop and crumble into pieces.
- Use a sharp knife or mandolin to thinly slice or shred the Brussels sprouts into a bowl. Add the bacon bits and toss together.
- Pour the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and mix. Lastly, fold in the goat cheese crumble or divide the salad into 5 portions and sprinkle goat cheese over each one.
- Season to taste with sea salt & pepper.
Calories 137
Protein 10g
Fat 7g
Carbs 11g
Sodium -
Fiber 4g
Sugar 4g
Greek-Inspo Farro Salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients for 6 servings:
- 1 cup farro, uncooked
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives (with oil)
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- juice from 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons feta crumble
- sea salt & pepper to taste
Steps
- Cook farro according to the package instructions. I simply cook mine the same way I prepare brown rice.
- Add the farro to a large bowl then add the remaining ingredients. Fold everything together and season to taste with lemon and sea salt & pepper.
Calories 166
Protein 8g
Fat 4g
Carbs 25g
Sodium -
Fiber 3g
Sugar 2g