The Healthful Human

If you’re a fan of pizza, you’re probably already familiar with California Pizza Kitchen – a nationwide chain with a huge selection of delicious pizza combinations. But did you know that CPK also specializes in salads? Like the fresh, crisp Thai Crunch salad that inspired this sweet, tangy recipe! As a huge salad fan myself, I hope you’ll give this one a try in your next meal plan.⁣
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✨ Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad (California Pizza Kitchen Copycat Recipe)⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Restaurant-Inspired⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
15 oz. mixed salad greens (with red cabbage and carrots)⁣75 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast⁣
1/4 cup peanuts⁣
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped⁣
1 oz. crispy wonton strips⁣
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter⁣
2 tbsp. soy sauce⁣
1 tbsp. coconut oil, melted⁣
1 tbsp. rice vinegar⁣
2 small limes ⁣
1 tsp. sesame oil⁣
1 clove garlic, minced⁣
1 tsp. grated ginger⁣
salt and pepper, to taste⁣
honey, to taste⁣
water, as needed⁣
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (or the air fryer to 400 degrees). Season the chicken breast on both sides with salt and pepper, then cook in the oven or air fryer for 15-18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Once cooked, allow to cool and then chop into bite-sized pieces and store until ready to eat.⁣
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While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut oil, rice vinegar, the juice of 1 lime, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and honey. Slowly add 1-2 tbsp. water until you’ve reached your desired consistency, then store in the fridge until ready to eat.⁣
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In each meal prep container, split the mixed salad greens evenly. When you’re ready to eat, top the greens with 1/3 each of the chicken, peanuts, wonton strips, cilantro, and a slice of lime to drizzle. Top with as much Thai dressing as you’d like and store any leftover dressing in an airtight container for later. Enjoy!

For this month’s overnight oats recipe, I wanted to take inspiration from one of America’s favorite sweet treat chains, Cinnabon! And if you’ve ever enjoyed a big ol’ cinnamon roll from Cinnabon, you probably know why. But even if you haven’t had the chance to taste one of their classic cinnamon rolls, these sweet and nutty Caramel PecanBon-inspired overnight oats are a great alternative! As always, you can enjoy these oats as-is OR feel free to play around with the mix-ins and toppings to suit your tastes.⁣
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✨ Caramel Pecan Overnight Oats (Cinnabon Copycat Recipe)⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Restaurant-Inspired⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 cups milk (your choice!)⁣
3/4 cup caramel creamer⁣
6 tbsp. caramel syrup or sauce, divided⁣
3 cups rolled oats⁣
1/2 cup pecans, chopped + extra for on top⁣
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, caramel creamer, and 3 tbsp. caramel syrup or sauce. Whisk thoroughly until everything is fully incorporated.⁣
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In each meal prep container, add 1 cup of rolled oats, 1/3 of the chopped pecans, and 1/3 of the milk mixture. Stir thoroughly, then allow the overnight oats mixture to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours – or better yet overnight.⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, serve chilled or hot (reheat in 30 second increments in the microwave). Drizzle each serving with 1 tbsp. caramel syrup and a few extra chopped pecans and enjoy!

Panda Express is a fan favorite in my house and there are so many menu items we love – Orange Chicken, Broccoli Beef, and of course my personal favorite, Mushroom Chicken. So, you know I had to create my own take on this classic recipe, which features thinly sliced chicken and fresh veggies in a savory, umami sauce. If you’re also a fan of this menu item at Panda Express, give this easy 30-minute recipe a try in your next meal plan!⁣
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✨ Mushroom & Zucchini Chicken Rice Bowl (Panda Express Copycat Recipe)⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Restaurant-Inspired⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣75 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced⁣
8 oz. white or baby Bella mushrooms, thinly sliced⁣
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced into half circles⁣
¼ cup soy sauce⁣
2 tbsp. oyster sauce⁣
1 tbsp. rice vinegar⁣
1 tbsp. brown sugar⁣
2 cloves minced garlic⁣
1 tbsp. grated ginger⁣
2 tsp. cornstarch + enough to coat chicken⁣
1 tbsp. water⁣
oil, for cooking⁣
3 cups cooked rice (or more)⁣
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In a small mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and 2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. water. Stir thoroughly and set aside.⁣
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Toss the sliced chicken with enough cornstarch to thoroughly coat. Set aside.⁣
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Heat 1-2 tbsp. cooking oil in large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and cook until browned on both sides (roughly 5-6 minutes total). Remove from the heat and set aside.⁣
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In the same pan, add a little more cooking oil and the sliced mushrooms and zucchini. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften, and then add the chicken back to the pan. Add the soy sauce mixture and toss everything to coat, allowing the chicken, veggies, and sauce to cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cornstarch has thickened. Remove from the heat and divide into separate meal prep containers with the cooked rice.⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, reheat in in the microwave, top with green onions, and enjoy!

Back when I lived in Columbus, I used to love visiting Noodles & Company for lunch – because let’s be real, who doesn’t love a big bowl of comfort food noodles, right? And even though I’m partial to their world-famous mac and cheese, this month I wanted to offer my take on their “Spicy Korean Beef Noodles”. I decided to make this dish with rice noodles instead of lo mein – but both types of noodles would taste great with this recipe, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand!⁣
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✨ Spicy Gochujang Beef Noodle Bowl (Noodles & Company Copycat Recipe)⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Restaurant-Inspired⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
6-8 oz. pack of noodles (your choice!)⁣
9 oz. top sirloin beef (or another tender cut), thinly sliced⁣
1/2 small red cabbage, thinly sliced⁣
1/2 small napa cabbage, thinly sliced⁣
2 tbsp. gochujang paste⁣
2 tbsp. soy sauce⁣
½ tbsp. brown sugar⁣
2 tsp. sesame oil⁣
1 tsp. grated ginger⁣
1 tsp. grated garlic⁣
1 tsp. mirin⁣
2 tbsp. water⁣
2-3 green onions, chopped⁣
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped⁣
1/4 tsp. salt⁣
oil, for cooking⁣
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In a small mixing bowl, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, mirin, and water to make a marinade. In a large mixing bowl or bag, combine the thinly sliced beef and 3/4 of the marinade mixture (making sure to set aside roughly 1/4 of the mixture for later). Allow to marinate in the fridge for at least one hour.⁣
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While the beef is marinating, cook the noodles until just al dente, then drain and set aside.⁣
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In a large pan or wok, heat a little cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef in a single layer and cook 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside. In the same pan, add the thinly sliced red and napa cabbage and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the beef and noodles back to the pan, along with the small amount of marinade mixture you set aside earlier. Sauté until heated through, remove from the heat, and portion into separate meal prep containers.⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, reheat in in the microwave, top with green onions and cilantro, and enjoy!

It’s 2023, which means we’re all finally ready to save some money by making our favorite restaurant meals at home… right? Right! 👌🏽 And we’re kicking off February’s restaurant-inspired menu with one of my FAVORITE Starbucks breakfast items: the Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap. My version of this (quite frankly) iconic wrap includes flavorful sundried tomatoes, fresh sautéed spinach, and fluffy egg whites in a whole grain wrap. If you’re also a fan of this delicious breakfast wrap, definitely save this recipe for your next meal plan!⁣⁣
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✨ Spinach & Feta Breakfast Wrap (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)⁣⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣⁣
📌 Category: Restaurant-Inspired⁣⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣⁣
3 large whole grain wheat wraps⁣⁣
6 tbsp. cream cheese, softened⁣⁣
2-3 small sundried tomatoes, finely chopped⁣⁣
1 (5 oz.) bag or container of spinach⁣⁣
6-9 large egg whites (your preference)⁣⁣
6 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese⁣⁣
oil, for cooking⁣⁣
salt and pepper, to taste⁣⁣
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In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sundried tomatoes. Set aside.⁣⁣
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Heat a little cooking oil in small sauté pan over medium heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites, with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/3 of the egg white mixture, making sure to spread evenly across the bottom. Cook until the bottom of the omelet is set, then flip and continue to cook until fully cooked on both sides. Repeat two more times - and once you have 3 egg white omelets, fold each omelet into thirds, and set aside.⁣⁣
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Heat a small amount of cooking oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Set aside.⁣⁣
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On each whole grain wrap, spread 2 tbsp. sundried tomato cream cheese, then top with 1/3 of the sautéed spinach mixture, one egg white omelet, and 2 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese. Close the wrap tightly, then grill for a few minutes on each side (you can use a griddle, panini press, or just a regular pan over medium heat). Cut each wrap in half, and store in separate meal prep containers.⁣⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, reheat in 30 second intervals in the microwave, and enjoy!

Loaded potatoes: we love to see them, we love to eat them, and for this low-cook mashed potato bowl recipe, we love to make them a part of our weekly meal plan. By the way, when it comes to ready-made mashed potatoes, I LOVE using the Bob Evan’s brand – but you can use any brand that’s available to you (including packaged mashed potatoes, if fresh aren’t available).⁣⁣
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✨ Loaded Mashed Potato Bowls⁣⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣⁣
1 (24 oz.) package ready mashed potatoes⁣⁣
6 large pre-cooked chicken tenders or strips (buffalo flavor would work great here!)⁣⁣
3/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese⁣⁣
toppings: sour cream, pre-cooked bacon bits, green onions⁣⁣
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If the chicken tenders or strips are frozen, follow the cooking instructions to heat them thoroughly in the microwave. Once fully reheated, chop into small chunks and set aside to cool.⁣⁣
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Reheat the pre-cooked bacon in the microwave according to the directions. Once cool, chop into bacon bits and set aside until you’re ready to eat.⁣⁣
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In each meal prep container, divide the ready mashed potatoes evenly (roughly 8 oz. each), then top with 1/3 of the chopped chicken tenders, and 1/4 cup Colby jack cheese. When you’re ready to eat, reheat thoroughly in the microwave, then top with sour cream, bacon bits, and green onions. Enjoy!

Wraps are one of the most versatile meal prep recipes, and just like many of the other recipes from this month, there are so many different variations you can make. But like salads, if you do plan to include wraps in your meal plan, just make sure to keep your ingredients separate until it’s time to eat. By storing all of your ingredients in airtight containers and only preparing your wrap once you’re ready to eat it, you can avoid everything getting soggy or tasting weird.⁣
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✨ Chicken Cordon Bleu Wraps ⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 large whole grain wraps⁣
3 cups sliced rotisserie chicken⁣
6 slices thick cut deli ham⁣
6 slices Swiss cheese⁣
3 cups fresh spinach⁣
1/2-3/4 cup creamy dressing (ranch, creamy Italian, etc.)⁣
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Optional: to save time, you can assemble each wrap with a base of chicken, ham, and cheese (as described below) ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Just note that if you do this, there's a chance your ingredients might get a little soggy and not taste as fresh.⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, for each wrap, layer 1 cup sliced rotisserie chicken, 2 slices deli ham, and 2 slices of Swiss cheese. Heat the entire wrap (flat) in the microwave until the cheese has just melted, top with spinach and your choice of salad dressing, and wrap to close. Enjoy!

If you’ve ever visited Cincinnati before – or anywhere in the Midwest, really – you’re probably already familiar with the concept of serving chili with pasta (stunning, by the way). As far as meal prep ideas go, this chili cheese pasta bowl is as quick and easy as it is filling and delicious. With both the pasta and chili being pre-cooked, all you need is a few minutes in the microwave and you have the perfect low-effort, low-cook lunch or dinner for your next weekly meal plan.⁣
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✨ Chili Cheese Pasta Bowl ⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 (8.5 oz.) packs ready rotini⁣
1 (15 oz.) can chili (your choice)⁣
1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapenos⁣
3/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese⁣
toppings: sour cream, tomatoes⁣
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the canned chili with the canned diced jalapenos (you can skip this step if you’re not a fan of spicy food, or adjust the amount of jalapenos to your tastes). Set aside.⁣
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In each meal prep container, add 1 package of ready rotini, 1/3 of the chili mixture, and 1/4 cup Colby jack cheese. When you’re ready to eat, reheat thoroughly in the microwave, then top with sour cream and diced tomatoes. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a quick and hearty breakfast, look no further than this scramble bowl, with tasty eggs, filling hash browns, and fresh veggies to help keep you full and satisfied all morning. 😌 By the way, one of the best parts about this low-cook breakfast bowl is that everything can be prepped in less than 10 minutes, and tastes just as good as if you spent all morning making it from scratch!⁣
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✨ Loaded Hash Brown Scramble Bowl⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 cups frozen hash browns⁣
3 Just Crack An Egg cups (your choice of flavor)⁣
3-6 eggs⁣
3/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese⁣
toppings: avocado, tomato (or if you’d like, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream)⁣
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Season the hashbrowns with your favorite seasonings, then drizzle with a little oil and reheat thoroughly in the microwave until fully cooked. Set aside.⁣
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Prepare each Just Crack An Egg cup according to the directions – and feel free to use 2 eggs in each cup if you want a heartier scramble. Once fully cooked, set aside.⁣
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In each meal prep container, split the cooked hashbrowns evenly, add 1 each of the fully cooked scrambled egg cups, and top with 1/4 cup Colby jack cheese. When you’re ready to eat, reheat the hashbrown, egg, and cheese mixture thoroughly, then top with sliced avocado, tomato, and/or any other toppings you’d like (hot sauce, guacamole, whatever). Enjoy!

Barbeque chicken, bacon, and ranch? If it’s good enough for a pizza, then it’s good enough for a salad, too. 👏🏽 By the way, when it comes to meal prepping salads, here are 3 tips to keep in mind if you want your ingredients to stay fresh:⁣
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1️⃣ Keep your greens separate from any other salad ingredients until it’s time to assemble the salad (unless you’re using hardy greens like kale, which can benefit from a little time spent marinading in your dressing).⁣
2️⃣ Store all of your salad ingredients in airtight containers to help keep them fresh for the week – glass containers work best for this but plastic containers with airtight lids can also work, too.⁣
3️⃣ Don’t cut any ingredients that are prone to browning, like avocado, until the moment you’re ready to eat! If you prep these ingredients too far ahead of time, they won’t be fresh by the time you want to enjoy your salad.⁣
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✨ Barbeque Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
2 (5.5 oz.) packs mixed greens (your choice)⁣
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken⁣
3/4 cup barbeque sauce⁣
3-4 slices pre-cooked bacon⁣
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella⁣
1/2 cup ranch dressing (or more depending on your preference)⁣
toppings: tomatoes, avocado, red onion⁣
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm rotisserie chicken and barbeque sauce. Stir until combined and set aside until you’re ready to eat.⁣
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Reheat the pre-cooked bacon in the microwave according to the directions. Once cool, chop into bacon bits and set aside until you’re ready to eat.⁣
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In each meal prep container, split the mixed salad greens evenly. When you’re ready to eat, top with 1 cup of barbeque chicken, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, ranch dressing, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, diced red onion, and bacon bits. Enjoy!

If you’re looking for a low-cook take on a classic recipe, give these chicken enchilada rice bowls a try! 🥑 By using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and ready-made rice, you can save 20-30 minutes of prep and cook time in the kitchen. Plus, these bowls are fully customizable, so feel free to give them a try with any quick and easy premade sauce (like green enchilada sauce or taco sauce). ⁣
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✨ Chicken Enchilada Rice Bowls ⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 (8.5 oz.) packages ready rice (your choice, there are so many options!)⁣
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken⁣
1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce⁣
3/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese⁣
toppings: guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lime, cilantro⁣
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the rotisserie chicken and enchilada sauce. Stir until combined and set aside.⁣
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In each meal prep container, layer 1 package of ready rice, 1 cup of enchilada chicken, and 1/4 cup Colby jack cheese. When you’re ready to eat, reheat thoroughly in the microwave, then top with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, and chopped cilantro. Serve with a slice of lime. Enjoy!

Ok. Real talk. Over the many years I’ve spent meal prepping, I’ve made so many different variations of overnight oats. Most of them were solid recipes, but I’m gonna be honest, this is probably the BEST overnight oats recipe I’ve created yet. 👏🏽 They’re creamy, they’re chocolatey, and they’re so quick and easy to make – so if you’re a fan of chocolate and hazelnut, definitely give this recipe a try.⁣
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By the way, this is the first recipe in my January low-cook/no-cook recipe series! All of these recipes are intended to be quick and easy to make, with minimal or no cooking at all (and any cooking required can be done in the microwave). If you’ve found yourself struggling to meal prep for lack of time or energy, definitely consider saving some of these recipes for your next weekly meal plan!⁣
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✨ Chocolate Hazelnut Overnight Oats⁣
🍽️ Servings: 3⁣
📌 Category: Low/No-Cook⁣
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🛒 Ingredients:⁣
3 cups milk (thicker oat milk works great for this recipe, but any milk of your choice is fine!)⁣
3/4 cup hazelnut creamer⁣
6 tbsp. Nutella, divided⁣
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract⁣
3 cups rolled oats⁣
3/4 cup chocolate chips, divided⁣
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, hazelnut creamer, 3 tbsp. Nutella, and vanilla extract. Whisk thoroughly until the Nutella is fully incorporated.⁣
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In each meal prep container, add 1 cup of rolled oats, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, and 1/3 of the milk mixture. Stir thoroughly, then allow the overnight oats mixture to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours – or better yet overnight.⁣
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When you’re ready to eat, serve chilled or hot (reheat in 30 second increments in the microwave). Drizzle each serving with 1 tbsp. warm Nutella and a few extra chocolate chips. Enjoy!