Sunday is usually prep day. Never underestimate the importance of prep, once you have everything in place the weekday meals become a snap.

I like Sundays because it sets me up for the whole week, and as someone who’s been a project manager I like having a plan.

Depending on what you picked up for the week’s groceries, plan your prep. This week I found great deals on the following:

As I shop, a plan starts to take shape for the coming week.

1 Family pack of red and yellow peppers
1 Family container of mushrooms
2 Zucchinis
1 Bunch of scallions
1 Bunch of parsley
4 Tomatoes
1 16 oz can of chickpeas
1 16 oz pack of organic baby spinach
1 Avocado
Some olives from the salad bar

The first decision was how I wanted to treat the vegetables and that would provide inspiration for the weekday meals. This week I wanted them roasted.

Grilling time on each vegetable depends on how ‘al dente’ you like them. I like charred marks on the peppers, flipping them about 6-8 mins to get the second side. I know, the indoor grill marks on both sides at one time, but over time I’ve learnt that flipping the peppers renders them better and the skins are easier to peel off. The mushrooms take longer to concentrate the meaty flavours. And the zucchini and scallions are quick, no flipping required, keeping the crunch.

Being a vegetarian, my building blocks always have to include proteins as well. While I chopped the vegetables, I cooked a 1/2 cup of cracked wheat and 1/2 cup of quinoa. The base of some fun building blocks along with my can of chickpeas.

Once all the roasting was done, prepped and cut, I was ready for assembly.

The first two things I assembled is a simple tabouli salad and some hummus.

Out of all the prepped veggies and proteins, the weekday meals have included meze lunch salads, veggie pizza using frozen naan bread I already had, quinoa and chickpea burgers, and mushroom and pepper risotto where I sneak in some hearty surprises.

Watch this space for all those recipes.

Let me know if you are a prepoholic like me and share if you like.

Follow the Fork!