1 Hour Food Prep: Part 2
The previous post focused on the first half of the total 1 Hour Weekly Food Prep.
Which was mainly fresh vegetables. This portion of food prep focuses on a few things that we really can’t rush, such as yogurt, properly prepared grains and legumes, hard boiled eggs, a roast chicken or beef and bone broth, pro-biotic cultured food, sprouts, plus some condiments that help pull it all together.
My purpose for this portion of food prep. is to show you a streamlined method for preparing all this food, ahead of time. This will allow you to have healthy food at your disposal without spending hours and hours in the kitchen. At the end of your 1 hour food prep, you'll have a wide variety of healthy food at your fingertips.
We're not going to tackle this thing all at once. We'll take it a step at a time. Adding one new item to our food preparation each week. Keep things simple. If you try to do everything all at once, you'll set yourself up for failure. You've got a great start with the vegetables you have prepped. Now let's take the next step:
Grain
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but the below method kind of rocks! Many people recognize that grains should be fermented, sprouted or soaked for optimal nutrition and digestibility. But how in the world can we remember to soak grains everyday in our fast paced life? People who practice soaking their grains, often run into the issue of needing brown rice, or another type of grain, but have not soaked it in advance. It becomes a frustrating venture to say the least! I know the frustration all too well. Because I love efficiency in the kitchen, I have thought and thought over the years, how I could make this process more simple. This is what I came up with. I honestly think it's nothing short of inspiration from some higher, all-knowing, food prepping being. Anyway, ever since the idea for this method hit, it has made my healthy, whole grain-loving life much easier! I hope it will help you too.
This post explains proper grain preparation. Grains should and can be an important part of a healthy diet, but they can also cause us digestive issues. Click here for more information about why grain may give you tummy trouble.
1. Start soaking 2-4 different types of grain in water and whey for 24 hours at room temperature following these instructions. I often soak 1 cup of grain in a quart mason jar, with a lid placed loosely on the top. If it's fruit fly season, and you have a problem with flies finding their way into the jar, place a coffee filter on top of the jar and then the canning ring portion of the lid, to secure.
2. After 24 hours, place an airtight lid on the container and store it in the fridge, soaking water and all, for up to a week, or until you are ready to cook them.
3. Cooking soaked grains is different than the traditional method, as they require less time and less water. Each type of grain varies as well, find instructions for cooking each individual type of grain here.
4. I like to soak and cook a batch of whole grains that is enough for 2 meals, so I can get double duty out of one batch of cooked whole grains. See this post for ideas.
After you feel comfortable with preparing a variety of whole grains, you can move on to the next step.
Beans and Other Legumes
The method for beans and other legumes is very similar to the method I used for soaking grains.
1. Start soaking 2-4 different types of beans or other legumes in water and salt for 12- 24 hours at room temperature following these instructions. I often soak 1 cup of beans in a quart mason jar with a lid placed loosely on the top.
2. After 12-24 hours, place an airtight lid on the container and store it in the fridge, soaking water and all, for up to a week, or until you are ready to cook them.
4. I like to soak and cook a batch that is enough for 2 meals, so I can get double duty out of one batch of cooked beans and other legumes.
Now that you have prepped your vegetables, grains and legumes, you need a strategy for using them, so they don't go to waste.
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