The Beauty of Prep-Sesh...Why it works.

Soooooo, you want to eat more fun, quick, plant-based recipes or sides on the fly…the secret is getting your prep sesh on! Yes, it takes a little time, but it will make your plant-based journey more effortless and most importantly fun!

What exactly is a prep-sesh?

It’s taking a setting a little time in the kitchen to chop, slice, clean…a bunch of ingredients at once! And most importantly, selecting a bunch of ingredients that work across the board on several recipes.  For example…red cabbage. I love making a nice zesty slaw with it. I use cabbage, corn, cilantro, and onions…well…for at least 2 of those ingredients…cilantro and onions, I use for Pico de Gallo also which is just adding tomatoes, olive oil, and vinegar. Ok so now I have two sides. Get it? Cook some quinoa and you can make it into a cold Quinoa Pico de Gallo Salad…and this can evolve into several dishes all made in one day with that one prep sesh.

Oh and it saves money and time too!

By using the same ingredients to create several different recipes, you save money, and time! You save money because naturally you are buying less, and you are saving time because you are prepping less!  Why buy a bunch of different items that you use once, gets lost in the fridge, and down the drain it goes. Also, this cuts down on your shopping time hahaha…So win win!

How to get started…it’s all about the right mindset and fining your groove.

FIRST, acknowledge that it will take a little time. So find your groove and the fun in it by playing your favorite type of music or tv show in the background so you can enjoy your time in the kitchen. You can dance too while you do it…I know I do (and I confess I sing along too hahaha)

SECOND, make sure your kitchen countertops are nice and open so you have plenty of space to spread out all those beautiful vegetables and ingredients without fussing.

THIRD, get your cutting board, knives, bowls, all out so you can create your almost like your own version of a “food assembly” line with ease….from the chopping, then into the bowl, and repeat.

BY THE END, you will see this beautiful array of ingredients ready for some fun mix and match and plant magic recipe fun!

So how do you know which ingredients to select?

Well, first look at what you gravitate to on daily basis…do you eat a lot of salads, or specific cuisine inspired dishes like Mexican, Italian, American, etc…

Once you hone into a few of your patterns, then look for recipes that you do eat. I’ll give you my example: I love little salads, slaws, and wraps. The more versatile the better. My cuisine gravitational poll (hahaha) seems to be Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean, American, Indian, and Moroccan inspired. Many of these cross paths trust me!

So here is how I break it down my core items and how they apply to several types of cuisines:

FRESH HERBS: Cilantro (Asian, Mexican, Moroccan, and Indian), Parsley (Mediterranean, Italian, Moroccan), Mint (Moroccan, Indian, Mediterranean), Basil (Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian),

VEGGIES: Onions and Garlic (every cuisine and cooking style) Cabbage (Mexican and Asian) Tomatoes (Mediterranean, American, Italian), Ginger (Asian and Moroccan), Kale (Mediterranean, Asian, American, Indian, Moroccan)

GRAINS/BEANS: Quinoa, (Mediterranean, Asian, American), Black Beans (Mexican), Garbanzo Beans (Mediterranean, American, Indian), GF Penne Pasta (Mediterranean, American, Italian)

DRESSING: Olive Oil (every cuisine and cooking style), Rice Vinegar and Vegan Fish Sauce (Asian), Lemon Juice (Mediterranean, American, Italian, Mexican and Asian), Liquid Aminos (American, Asian), Balsamic Vinegar (Mediterranean, American, Italian)

SPICES: Curry Powder, Ginger Powder, Cumin Powder (Asian, Moroccan, and Indian), Chana Masala (Indian and Moroccan), Garlic Powder (in everything hahaha), Dried Oregano  (Mediterranean, American, Italian)

So as I mentioned, these are just some core items that I buy because it fits a lot of quick recipes that keep me healthy, saves me time and I enjoy! Some of my fav recipes from this include: Pesto, Tabouli, Cabbage Zesty Slaw, Quinoa Mediterranean Salad, Asian Slaw, Summer Rolls, Zesty Kale Salad, Black Bean Burrito, Chickpea Curry Soup, Chickpea Curry Kale Wrap, Curry Balsamic Salad…so many fun delicious and quick combinations on the fly.

But don’t worry…I'm not going to leave you hanging...I'm here for you to help you find your style.

I will be publishing a mix and match list to help you identify the items that works for you so you can buy effectively along with which recipes you can create with some of those items. This feature will be in the camila app but as soon as it is ready, I”ll give you a sneak peak to help you get started!

Till then, you can message me with questions about your palete and how I can give you ideas. I’m here for you and am excited to share in your plant-based discovery journey!