Meal Prep and Matcha

Today is my last Sunday off for a while, so I decided to make the most of it. My first task was to clean out the fridge and fill it with delicious foods. I worked up an appetite while walking around the market, so I had some salad and a portobello mushroom pizza with vegan cheese. It was SO delicious. Here is what I did:

Recipe

Preheat oven (I prefer to use my toaster oven when cooking for 1-2 people) to 375. Wash and prep a portobello mushroom cap. Put 1/4 cup of sauce in the mushroom. Top with 1/4 cup of vegan cheese. I used vegan mozzarella from Trader Joes. Throw some fresh basil on top. Cook for 20 minutes. 

Make it Green

Rather than using disposable items, I use my little toaster oven tray and a silicone mat. It is super easy to clean and better for the environment. Not to mention, this is a one time cost and tin foil/parchment paper have to be tossed and replaced. No more forgetting foil at the market! 

I also decided to prep for the week. My big thing is that I forget to make breakfast and wind up either having a matcha latte with coconut almond milk or one of those spinach and egg white wraps from Starbucks. Those wraps do have gluten and dairy in them, so they aren't the easiest on one's tummy in the morning. Today I pre-made egg white "muffins". I also find that egg yolks are really hard on my stomach, especially on days that I am already feeling a little yucky, so I try to steer clear of them all together.

Recipe

All you have to do is put spinach and mushrooms (or whatever omelet fixings you usually like) into a muffin tin, fill it with egg whites, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and bake for 30 minutes at 350. 

Make it Green

My muffin (not) tin is also silicone. Anything I make it it just pops right out, so I don't have to use those little paper liners that just get tossed in the trash. 

More About Matcha... 

As I mentioned before, I really do like having matcha in the morning. What is matcha? It is basically really fancy green tea! Rather than steeping the green tea leaves in water to make your average cup of tea, matcha is powdered green tea leaves. This means you are drinking the whole leaf, not just the essence of it. 

It is a great replacement for coffee because it has lots of caffeine, but I don't find myself crashing in the same way I did with coffee. I also feel like drinking coffee is pouring an awful lot of very acidic liquid into my system first thing in the morning! I have started making the matcha with water instead of the aforementioned coconut almond milk because it is lighter that way and involves less preservatives. When I make my own preservative-free almond milk, I will use that. Here are some awesome benefits of matcha that made me convert and stop drinking my coffee: 

- Tons of antioxidants

- Metabolism booster 

- Helps detox the body

- Has chlorophyll in it

- Lots of fiber 

- Helps enhance concentration and improve mood

- Filled with vitamins 

- Helps to lower cholesterol and blood sugar  

The process of making matcha traditionally involved meditation and I actually think that creating this drink is quite meditative and a nice way to take a moment in the morning to slow down without completely throwing off your routine. For a step-by-step slideshow with instructions about how to make this delicious drink, click here.