Meal Prep for Building Muscle

BREAKFASTS

1. Rice Cakes With Protein Spread (2 Days)

Ingredients:
2 scoops protein powder
1/2 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
4 rice cakes
2 bananas

Method:
Combine the protein powder, almond milk, and peanut butter in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
Store the rice cakes and the protein spread separately.
When you’re ready to eat this breakfast, put the spread on two rice cakes, and top with slices of one banana. Yum!

Tip:
I LOVE protein powder by Vivo Life, which you can find at this link! Use the discount code Rawvana to save money on trying this amazing brand.

2. Protein Smoothie (3 Days)

Ingredients:
3 bananas
3 scoops protein powder
1 1/2 cups frozen berries
3 cups almond milk
3 tablespoons almond butter

Method:
Divide all of the ingredients equally between three resealable plastic bags. Freeze the bags until you’re ready to use them.
When it’s smoothie time, put the contents of one bag in the blender and blend until smooth for a cold, refreshing, delicious start to your day!

LUNCHES

1. Egg Salad Sandwich (3 Days)

Ingredients:
1 block of tofu
1/4 red onion
3 green onions
1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
6 slices whole wheat bread
3/4 avocado (optional)

Method:
Break the block of tofu into several pieces and put them in a bowl. Using your hands or a fork, crumble and mash the tofu until it reaches the consistency of scrambled eggs.
Dice the red onion and slice the green onions. Mix the onions, turmeric powder, Dijon mustard, the juice from the lime, and salt and pepper to taste into the crumbled tofu.
Divide the tofu mixture between three containers. If you’re using divided containers, put two slices of bread in a separate compartment in each one. (Alternatively, store the bread separately.)
Refrigerate until ready to use, then assemble and enjoy your sandwich! Optionally, add 1/4 avocado, sliced, to each one.

2. Garbanzo Falafels (2 Days)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white onion
2 cups chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1/2 cup oat flour
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup green onions

Tzatziki Sauce:
2 Persian cucumbers
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh dill
2 limes
2 cloves garlic
2 heaping tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dice the white onion. Slice the green onions.
Put the chickpeas, diced white onion, oat flour, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and green onions into a blender. Blend until chunky but dough-like.
Form the chickpea mixture into balls the size of golf balls. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes, or until crispy on the outside.
Meanwhile, make your cucumber tzatziki sauce. Slice the cucumbers, mince the parsley and dill, and juice the limes.
Add the cucumbers, parsley, dill, lime juice, and all the other tzatziki sauce ingredients to a blender. Pulse the ingredients until they form a chunky sauce.
Divide the falafels and sauce into two portions each, keeping the sauce and falafels separated so the falafels don’t get soggy! When you’re ready to eat this lunch, just dip the falafels in the sauce and enjoy.

DINNERS

1. Lentil Picadillo Taquitos (3 Days)

Ingredients:
2 cups lentils
2 Roma tomatoes
1 tablespoon mustard
cumin to taste
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to taste
garlic powder to taste
12 small or 9 medium corn tortillas

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the lentils according to package directions.
While the lentils cook, dice the tomatoes.
Mix the cooked lentils with the diced tomatoes, mustard, and spices to taste.
Warm up the tortillas in a pan. Put about a heaping tablespoon of the lentil mixture in each one, and roll up. Place in a glass baking dish (stacking them is fine if necessary!).
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 20 minutes or until crispy! Divide into three containers and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat them.

2. Sweet Potato Fries With Black Bean Hummus (2 Days)

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Fries
2 sweet potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
chipotle powder to taste
paprika to taste

Black Bean Hummus
1 jalapeno
1 tablespoon cilantro
2 cups black beans
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the sweet potatoes into thin strips, like fries. Season with salt, pepper, chipotle powder, and paprika to taste.
Put the seasoned potato strips on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how crispy you like your fries!
While the fries bake, prepare the black bean hummus. Slice the jalapeno and mince the cilantro. Put the cilantro, jalapeno, black beans, tahini, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste into a blender, and blend until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Divide the fries and hummus in half, and refrigerate until you’re ready for these lunches.

You’ve probably heard a million times that “you need more protein,” but have you ever wondered why protein is so important? Well, when you’re building muscle mass, it’s great because it stimulates growth in our bodies. It’s also rich in amino acids, which are super important because they’re essential to our bodies but we can’t produce them ourselves.

Remember that protein on a plant-based diet doesn’t include saturated fat or hormones like meat-based proteins. The nutrients are also easier for your body to absorb! If you want to learn more about this lifestyle, I really want to recommend two documentaries: What the Health and Forks Over Knives. It’s so important to get educated, and there’s such a wealth of amazing information out there! Of course, if you haven’t done so, I also recommend you subscribe to my newsletter and YouTube channel.

Love you,

Yovana