Parchment paper is key to cooking flavorful proteins fast.
Nutrition is half the battle for high-performers, and meal prep is a key strategy for achieving success. Takeout is often loaded with extra oils and high in sodium. And studies show that people who spend more time on home food preparation have a higher-quality diet. That’s why we’re introducing our new healthy meal prep series. The plans to follow support Equinox’s nutritional pillars that functional food should be full of nutrients and free of added sugars to make you feel and perform at your best.
If you’ve never taken a week off from buying lunch, here is an excuse to try it. Each week will have practical cooking takeaways and unlike most meal prep plans, no two meals are the same. Previously, athletes mastered roast chicken, perfected four- and six-minute eggs, learned to make a healthier version of quiche called kuku, assembled delicious kebabs, got creative with wraps, and more.
This guide was created by Natalie Mortimer and Holly Erickson, the chef duo behind The Modern Proper.
See all of our plans here.
“To make this week’s meal prep especially speedy, we relied on a few tried and true methods,” says Mortimer. “Store-bought zucchini noodles, julienned carrots, pre-mixed za’atar spice blend, and olive bar ingredients from your local market save you from doing the extra work at home.” Plus, “using a parchment paper method to cook vegetables and proteins at the same time is a simple and fast technique that doesn’t sacrifice flavor or nutrition.”
SUNDAY PREPARATIONS:
Prepare all of the salmon using parchment paper.
FIT CHEF HOW-TO: COOK EN PAPILLOTE
“Cooking in a packet, also known as cooking en papillote, is a technique done at high-end restaurants that can easily be replicated at home to save time when batch cooking,” says Mortimer. The basic method involves wrapping food in individual parchment or foil packets with a dressing or marinade and baking them in a hot oven. This ensures that the flavors combine and intensify from the steam as the dish cooks. “The secret is using a large, 18 inch-long piece of parchment paper, folded in half, and cut into an oval.” she adds. “This way, it’s easier to wrap than a rectangle piece and it also fits better on a round plate when serving.”
Assemble all of the lunches and store in the fridge.
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