30 Comforting Recipes to Cook in November

Ambitious Kitchen

30 Comforting Recipes to Cook in November

Delicious, comforting recipes to cook in November! These healthy fall recipes are a great way to use up seasonal produce like pumpkin, winter squash, kale, sweet potatoes, and cranberries for any meal of the day.  ‘Tis the season for all of the nourishing, flavorful recipes that are perfect for your Thanksgiving table and for general [...]

The post 30 Comforting Recipes to Cook in November appeared first on Ambitious Kitchen.

A Sweet Pea Chef

Fall Meal Prep on the Grill

Learn how to meal prep on the grill and discover some amazing Fall meal prep ideas along the way. From tips for delicious grilled chicken to the best grilled veggies, you can find everything you need to know about healthy Fall grilling using a Weber grill.  This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

The colder and shorter days are upon us, but that doesn’t mean we have to give up on our grills or our healthy food. Quite the opposite, actually.

Fall meal prep is my favorite healthy meal prep. Probably because I love Fall food a lot. Like a lot, a lot.

When I meal prep fall recipes, I usually opt for pan meals, one-pot meals, slow cooker meals or grilled meals. My grilled meals usually include grilled vegetables and healthy grilled chicken. I like to keep things simple and let the Fall flavors shine.

However, you know I like my healthy food tasty so my fall dinner ideas have to fit in 3 categories —> clean, healthy, and delicious. Duh.  There’s nothing like being excited for your meal prep dinners that have tons of flavor.

What I love about my make-ahead meals is that you can easily store them in airtight containers in the fridge and you have everything ready to grab for lunch or dinner the whole week.

For this post, I’m super excited because (1) Fall Meal Prep – woot! and (2) I partnered with The Home Depot to show you how grilling is not only for summer BBQs. In fact, if you don’t use your grill during Fall, you’re missing out on some amazing flavors, especially when you’ve got yourself a Weber grill.

This easy meal prep will provide you a week’s worth of delicious, healthy grilled chicken, grilled sweet potatoes, grilled Brussel sprouts, and grilled butternut squash plus high protein and high fiber quinoa for the base and a cashew dressing that is out of this world.

You can store these separately for a buffet style meal prep or you can pair them with quinoa and top them with dried cranberries and raw pepitas and a healthy drizzle of our cashew apple cider dressing to bring all the flavors together. That’s my favorite way to do it and OMG, I love the Fall goodness in this meal prep.

Sounds about YUM, right?

FALL MEAL PREP ON THE GRILL

Okay, so I mentioned that Fall is a great time to be grilling, especially for the holidays.  Here’s a list of the best fall ingredients for grilling, what healthy meal prep recipes you can make with them, and how to meal prep for grilling.

Grilled veggies are so easy to make but oh-so-delicious. Here are my favorite veggies I like to grill during the Fall:

Brussels sprouts – Fall is the season of the cabbage family. And I like to take advantage of that. Hence all the grilling of Brussel sprouts that happens in my backyard. I love the bold flavors of grilled Brussel sprouts and I like to pair them with other grilled veggies and grilled chicken. Or to use them in a salad. Butternut squash – another Fall-favorite of mine. I love it roasted, in chili, or in a soup but I also love it on the grill. It’s delicious when you pair it with other Fall veggies in a side dish or you use it in a classic salad to add Fall flavors. Sweet potatoes – I know sweet potatoes are a year-round deal, but they taste so much better during the Fall, don’t you think? Or is it just me? Anyhow, grilling sweet potatoes is definitely a good idea. Grilled sweet potatoes make a delicious Fall side dish. I have to admit I also like them as healthy snacks.

Of course, you can also grill mushrooms, bell peppers, and zucchini.  I know, these are not necessarily Fall veggies but they taste good when paired with grilled Fall veggies. Plus you can add them to salads for texture and flavor. YUMMY.

And, of course, you can grill meats. Most people love grilled beef, but I swear by my healthy grilled chicken.

Speaking of healthy grilled chicken, let’s chat a sec about how to meal prep your chicken and veggies for the grill.

How to meal prep on the grill:

Grilled chicken meal prep – the first thing I have to say about chicken meal prep is that you need a marinade. Marinating not only improves the taste of your grilled chicken recipe, it also makes the chicken juicy and delicious. Say goodbye to dry and boring grilled chicken.  Here are some great chicken marinade recipes for the grill. Prep your veggies. Spices, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar are perfect for seasoning veggies before grilling. You can choose your favorite spices and season the veggies before grilling or you can try the suggestions I included in this post. They are totes amazing. BENEFITS OF GRILLING

There are so many benefits of grilling that I don’t even know where to start. Let’s see…

There are many healthy grilling recipes you can try so you can never get bored of grilling. It’s super easy to meal prep on the grill. It’s also fun and you get to enjoy a little sunshine while prepping food. Ain’t that amazing? Cooking food on the grill comes with many health benefits as well: You eat less fat because the excess oil drips off; You don’t have to use tons of oil or butter because the grill locks in more moisture. Grilled veggies are good for you. When you’re grilling veggies, you are forced to use fresh seasonal veggies so no more canned veggies for you. Vegetables retain more of their nutrients (vitamins and minerals included) when grilled compared to when they’re cooked on the stove. The same thing happens for meats and poultry. When grilled, meats preserve riboflavin and thiamine, important nutrients that bring you many health benefits. You have fewer pots and dishes to wash. I don’t know about you but that’s always a win for me. WHY I USE A WEBER GRILL

I love grilling my food because it’s super easy and the taste of grilled meats and grilled veggies is amazing.

And I love to use my Weber grill.

The Weber grill I have right now is my 4th Webber grill and it’s the only propane grill I’ll buy. Weber grills are high-quality grills that are incredibly durable and they come at an affordable price, especially when you consider all their benefits. When it comes to how to choose a grill, I have a few requirements that have to be fulfilled in order for me to love a grill. That’s why I think my Weber grill is the best grill.

I meal prep for the entire family so it’s important for me to have plenty of space on the grill. I love Weber grills because they offer enough space for grilling. They also have consistent heating and heat retention which means meats and veggies will always be evenly cooked and I don’t have to keep flames burning on high so I can cook on lower temperatures and use less propane than with other grills.

HEALTHY GRILLED CHICKEN

After all this talk about my love for grilling, it’s time to chat about grilled chicken meal prep cuz I know you’re excited.

So, here’s how to make the best grilled chicken:

Start your healthy chicken meal prep with the marinade. I have a delicious and easy to make apple cider marinade for you. Place the chicken in the marinade and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat the grill and start grilling the chicken. Cook for 6-8 minutes per side over direct heat (about 350 degrees F), turning once there are grill marks.  Then, cook an additional 6-8 minutes until cooked through. While the chicken is grilling on one side, it’s time to prep the veggies. GRILLED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

To make the grilled butternut squash, follow these easy steps:

Slice both ends Remove the skin using a vegetable peeler or pairing knife Cut the butternut squash into slices and remove the seeds and strings Season with a mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. GRILLED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

For the grilled Brussel sprouts, I used a delicious sweet balsamic sauce. The flavor is amazing and it’s perfect for grilling brussels sprouts.

To prep the Brussels sprouts…

Remove the ends and slice in half Place them on skewers so they won’t fall through the grates of the grill Prep the balsamic sauce and Drizzle over the skewers.

So easy and simple and tasty!

GRILLED SWEET POTATOES

To season the grilled sweet potatoes, we’ll be using the same garlic mixture used for the butternut squash. The grilled sweet potatoes will be so yummy. As for the prepping steps:

Wash the sweet potatoes and remove the ends Slice them into wedges (by the way, you don’t have to remove the skin) Place the sliced sweet potatoes in a  mixing bowl and pour the garlic mixture over them Toss to coat the sweet potatoes.

You could slice the sweet potatoes into thick slices, but I prefer to cut them into wedges.  The choice is yours!

HOW LONG DOES MEAL PREP LAST?

It may seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually very easy to prep everything. It also doesn’t take a lot of time since you’ll be doing more things at the same time.  Here’s basically how the whole process of meal prep works for this Fall Meal Prep on the Grill recipe:

Start with the marinade. While the chicken is marinating in the fridge, soak the cashews so they are soft when you’ll be blending them later. The cashews have to stay in the water for at least an hour. I like to add a base to my Fall meal prep bowls. I usually go for quinoa or brown rice. So while the chicken is marinating and the cashews are soaked in water, I cook the quinoa in a saucepan for about 20-25 minutes. Now it’ time for prepping the veggies. At this point, we can start grilling the chicken, the butternut squash, and half of the sweet potatoes. I cook them over direct heat for approximately 6-8 minutes. Then flip over and cook on the other side until the chicken is cooked through and the sweet potatoes and squash are tender. Remove them from the grill and add the Brussel sprouts and the rest of the sweet potatoes. Cook for approximately 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook again for additional 4-6 minutes. While the last veggies are on the grill, we can make the cashew apple cider dressing. The dressing will be drizzled over our delicious grilled veggies and grilled chicken.

Pretty straight-forward, right?  Cool.

Now, for the Cashew Apple Cider Dressing.  Drain and rinse the soaked cashews and add them to a blender or food processor along with the following ingredients:

a chopped shallot apple cider vinegar dijon mustard raw honey olive oil sea salt ground cinnamon and a little water.

Then, blend until fully smooth and creamy.  The dressing has to be pourable so you can add more water and blend if needed.

PS: If you want to save time or you don’t like cashews, you can replace them with plain Greek yogurt.

Okay! Now we have all our veggies and chicken grilled on our awesome Weber grill. We have the quinoa base ready, and the creamy dressing done so all we have to do is arrange everything in our meal prep containers.

Everything takes about an hour and a half. Which is pretty good considering you have a week worth of Fall dinners ready!

Fall Meal Prep on the Grill

Fall Meal Prep on the Grill

Learn how to meal prep on the grill and discover some amazing Fall meal prep ideas along the way. From tips for delicious grilled chicken to the best grilled veggies, you can find everything you need to know about healthy Fall grilling using a Weber grill.  

Apple Cider Grilled Chicken 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic, (minced) 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp sea salt 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Grilled Butternut Squash 1/3 cup olive oil 3 garlic cloves, (minced) 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 butternut squash, (peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices) Grilled Brussels Sprouts 2 lb. Brussels sprouts, (halved) 3 tbsp. olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp. raw honey 1 tbsp. dijon mustard 1/2 tsp sea salt Grilled Sweet Potatoes 4 large sweet potatoes, (cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges) (use garlic mixture as butternut squash) Cashew Apple Cider Dressing 1 cup raw cashews 2 cups hot water, (for soaking cashews) 1 shallot, (minced) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 tsp raw honey 3 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup water 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon Quinoa 1 cup quinoa, (uncooked) 2 cups water For the Fall Meal Prep Bowl: dried cranberries, (optional topping) pepitas, (optional topping)

Either in a gallon size ziplock bag or a large bowl, combine olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, chopped fresh italian parsley, chopped fresh rosemary, minced garlic, sea salt, ground black pepper, and whisk together. Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cover with the marinade. Then, place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours. This will make our chicken juicy and flavorful when we grill it.

Pour hot water over raw cashews and then let set for at least an hour.

To make the quinoa, combine the raw quinoa and water in a sauce pan and heat over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Then cover and cook at a simmer over medium heat until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Prep the butternut squash and veggies, starting with butternut squash.  Slice off both ends of the squash and then peel off the skin using a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Then, slice the squash into 1/2 inch slices. A few of the slices will have seeds and strings which you can easily remove with a paring knife and sliding it in a circle. You can discard the seeds, and then set the butternut squash slices aside while we prep the sweet potato.

For the sweet potatoes, wash them well and then remove both ends. We’re going to slice them into wedges so first cut the sweet potato in half lengthwise and then slice into wedges. No need to remove the skin. Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl, and set aside.

Combine olive oil, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, and whisk together.  This will be used for both the butternut squash and the sweet potatoes.

Brush this garlic mixture onto both sides of the butternut squash slices and then pour the remaining mixture over the sweet potato wedges and then toss to coat. Now, both are ready for the grill so our last step before grilling is to prep the Brussels sprouts. Remove the ends of the brussels sprouts and then slice in half through the stem, removing any other leaves. Since the brussels sprouts would fall through the grates of the grill, I use skewers to hold them together. If you don’t have skewers, you could just cook them on tin foil on the grill. Add the brussels sprouts to the skewers, but try not to crown them too much. Then set aside.

To make a sauce for the brussels sprouts, combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, raw honey, dijon mustard, and sea salt in a small mixing bowl and then drizzle it over the skewers.

Preheat your Weber Grill to 350 degrees F. 

Add the chicken, butternut squash, and sweet potato wedges to the grill.  Cook over the direct heat for about 6-8 minutes, or until grill lines appear. Then, flip everything over and cook on the other side until the chicken is cooked through and the squash and sweet potatoes are tender. Then, remove from the grill and set aside.

Next, let’s add our tasty balsamic grilled brussels sprouts across the grill and then the rest of the sweet potato wedges in a single layer. Close the grill cover and cook, just like before, for 5-8 minutes, or until grill lines appear. Then, flip over and cook an additional 4-6 minutes, or until tender.

While the last vegges are on the grill, we can make our cashew apple cider dressing which will be drizzled over our delicious fall meal prep bowl. So grab those cashews that have been drained and add them to a blender, followed by the shallot, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, raw honey, olive oil, sea salt, ground cinnamon, and a little water.

Blend until fully smooth and creamy. You can add in a little more water, as needed to thin the sauce. You’re looking for a pourable dressing thickness. (If you want to save time or avoid the cashews, you can also replace them with plain greek yogurt.)

You can store them all separately in the fridge in airtight meal prep containers and then assemble your bowl based on what you feel like that day. This is more of a buffet style meal prep and allows you more flexibility during the week to have everything ready to grab and reheat.

Personally, I love to start with the quinoa, then add the grilled butternut squash, grilled sweet potato wedges, grilled brussels sprouts, grilled apple cider chicken, then top with dried cranberries and raw pepitas. Then, of course, a healthy drizzle of our cashew apple cider dressing to bring it all together. OMG this is so good and is such a great representation of all the goodies available to us during the Fall.

3 MORE MEAL PREP RECIPES

At this point, I really don’t think I have to tell you how much I love meal prepping. I think you know. What I can do instead is give you 3 more meal prep recipes that are just as amazing as this grilling deliciousness we just witnessed.

HOW TO MEAL PREP | CHICKEN

First, How To Meal Prep | Chicken because I’m a fan of chicken dishes but not a fan of chewy, dry chicken.

Learning chicken meal prep means no more tasteless chicken. And this healthy chicken meal prep lasts in the fridge for up to a week, which means you have many delicious chicken meals ahead of you. Get the recipe.

HOW TO MEAL PREP – HEALTHY CHICKEN PARMESAN

To continue with the chicken theme, we have How to Meal Prep – Healthy Chicken Parmesan.

Chicken Parmesan is one of my favorite dishes and I found a way to enjoy it without compromising my clean eating diet. You can do it too. Spoiler alert – zoodles are involved! Get the recipe.

HOW TO MEAL PREP SALMON

And if you have enough chicken meal prep ideas for a while, you can always learn How to Meal Prep – Salmon.

This is the best way to cook salmon. The salmon is delicious and it has the perfect texture. No more dry and crumbly salmon in your house. Plus a side of green beans to make the salmon meal complete. Get the recipe.

 

This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.  This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.

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