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Healthy meal prep reset: bento boxes

Make a deconstructed gyro and picnic-style lunches.

With the holidays approaching, now is the time to make a pre-resolution and stick to positive eating habits. That’s why we’ve created a three-week plan specifically designed to give your body a healthy reset. And that doesn’t mean you have to go on a liquid-only diet. Nourish your body and focus on clean, whole foods with the following guides for lunches that feature lean proteins, energy-boosting carbs, heart-healthy fats, and plenty of veggies. Previously, we showed you how to make crispy tofu and flavorful lentils. This week, how to perfect hummus and create the ultimate bento box-style meals.

“Bento boxes are ideal for planning out meals ahead of time since they keep food organized and fresh,” says Denver-based recipe developer Julia Heffelfinger. “If you don’t already own a set, you can use regular tupperware.”

Click here to see more from our meal prep series.

SUNDAY PREPARATIONS:

1.
Shop for the ingredients and allow 30 minutes to cook. View the shopping list here.
2.
Make your meatballs, roast the vegetables, char the kale, prepare one six-minute egg, and cook ¾ cup of farro and two ounces of soba noodles.
3.
Prepare the spiced yogurt sauce.
4.

Make the hummus.

tofu

FIT CHEF HOW-TO: SILKY HUMMUS VIEW THE RECIPE

There are two tricks to getting that ideal, cloud-like texture, says Heffelfinger.

  1. Peel your chickpeas. This quick five-minute step makes all the difference. Simply rub the rinsed and drained chickpeas between a folded kitchen towel and most of the skins will release. Then pick out the skins and pop the peels off any stubborn chickpeas. Even if you miss a few, just getting rid of half of the skins will improve the texture of your hummus.

  2. Fluff up your tahini. Instead of adding everything to your food processor at once, puree your tahini and gradually add some ice water. This aerates the tahini, allowing for a fluffier hummus.

5.

Assemble all of the lunches and store in the fridge. START PACKING

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