Some of you may know that my husband, Giles and I, meal prep every week. With my teaching schedule and his late shift, we have to heat up our meals quickly. And truth be told, after getting off work, I have no intentions of spending 30 minutes in front of the stove. Therefore, pre-made meals are the best option for us. If you haven’t tried it already, I suggest you try it out for a few weeks. As Giles and I begin to increase how seriously we take our eating, we try to find creative ways to satisfy all of those foods we crave. We have increased our carbs a little bit, which gives us a little more flexibility in this. This week, we’ve made Beef Marsala and Scalloped Sweet Potatoes. It’s absolutely amazing and I hope you’ll enjoy it, as well.
The entire meal only took about 15 minutes per dish–I make Giles’ meal separately from mine, which allows us more ease in measuring out the meat. The amount of protein Giles requires is ridiculous, so I’ve given you the measurements according to my macros, but feel free to tailor it as you like. I’ve paired this dish with steamed broccoli and cauliflower to add to the fiber count.
When I meal prep, I often try to make it my own by adding unique ingredients that might not be available to everyone. These are typically going to be spices and oils, both of which I get in Austin. I have included the links below, and I highly suggest trying a few options from both places. They add a phenomenal flavor and a unique quality that sets your food apart. In this case, I used these in the milk mixture I pour onto the scalloped potatoes before putting it into the oven.
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 5-6 small sweet potatoes
- 1 cup milk
- parsley for garnish chopped
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450°F. While waiting for it to heat, sauté the garlic in the skillet. As soon as it is lightly browned, add the beef and continue to brown it while breaking it up. I didn’t use any oil for this part, but you can if you would like to (you’ll need to change the nutrition facts at the end).
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Deglaze the pan with red wine of your choice and reduce to half. Sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder and flour on top of meat. Stir and then add beef broth. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
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Pour into a casserole dish coated with olive oil spray and add the cheddar cheese on top.
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In a small bowl whisk together the milk, water, olive oil and seasonings of your choice. I used Pink Himalayan salt and Raritan River Herb and Chipotle seasoning from a shop called Savory Spice. For the olive oil, I used Wild Mushroom and Sage from Conolio. Both of these shops are in Austin, but will deliver.
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Thinly slice sweet potatoes. In a large saucepan combine the sliced potatoes, and enough water to barely cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stir and cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and layer the slices on top of the cheddar cheese and meat mixture. Pour milk mixture over all. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered or until top is golden brown and edges crispy. Top with parsley for garnish (optional) and serve.
