Food Prep Friday -Lentil Rice Chicken Bowl - My Go-to Make Ahead Healthy Meal

FOOD PREP FRIDAY with a RECIPE!

Take a few hours this weekend to prep your snacks and some of your meals to use throughout your work week. Those hours will save you a lot of time and you will be more successful throughout the week. I always keep snack bags or containers of cut up carrots, celery, peppers, oranges, strawberries, along with hummus, almonds, walnuts, grapes in snack bags, Greek yogurt, etc in the fridge. I don't always have all of them, but those are my typical go-to fridge snack items. For the freezer I keep on hand, peeled and frozen banana halves, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and I sometimes freeze pineapple juice to throw in my shakes.

This is my favorite make ahead healthy meal This makes dinner time on the go, so much easier for me. I am often lacking time at night, or going somewhere that will not have healthy options for me. I like to make these in advance to keep me on track when I do not have time, or need a quick meal. Eat them with a side salad to complete the meal.

Here is how I make several Chicken Rice Lentil Bowls and freeze them to use throughout the week. You do not have to freeze. This recipe is from one of the 10 Day Challenge Meal Plan's. What's a 10 day challenge? Contact me jenniferwoodfitness@gmail.com and I will fill you in!

*marinate about 2 lbs of chicken and grill until inside reaches at least 170*. Once grilled, chop into bite size portions, set aside

*Prepare 1 cup of dried brown rice or wild rice blend (1 cup dried equals 3 cups cooked). Cook according to the bag directions (sometimes I do half brown and half black - you have to cook them seperately)
*Chop a red or yellow onion. Spray pan with olive oil, Saute until golden. Set aside to cool.

*Prepare a little less than 1 cup dried lentils (yields 2 cups lentils when cooked) cook according to the bag directions
* In a small bowl combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, 4 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp house seasoning (or a pinch of garlic powder, salt and pepper).

*Get containers lined up and ready.
*Top with 1/3 cup of lentils, 1 tbsp of onions and 3-4 oz of chicken.
*Drizzle each container with 1 tbsp of the olive oil/lemon juice mixture.
*Close lids, label and freeze. To eat, remove from freezer, pop out of container into a bowl, microwave on high 2-3 minutes or until hot. Enjoy!

**You can also put the meals in quart sized freezer bags.