Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Magic

It seriously happens every year.

I start strong with my declaration that spring my least favorite season. I walk around obnoxiously saying that I really prefer summer and fall and maybe even the first few days of winter, but spring? not so much.

And then spring comes around and the air tastes like flowers and dirt and rain and I don’t have to wear a jacket and we can keep the windows open at night and I remember that, yes indeed! I actually love spring. Or more like I NEED spring. Isn’t it just such a sweet drink for the soul?

Is it just me, or does this spring season feel especially life-giving? I feel like as soon as April came around the corner, I just dove headfirst into a few months of all things New and Fresh and Life.

A Magical Meal In Just 45 Minutes

That’s what this Spicy Chicken and Sweet Potato Meal Prep Magic situation is all about. It’s me saying: I see you, hungry person with an empty fridge on a busy Monday (ugh, aren’t Mondays so rough? come ON, life), and I acknowledge the weariness that you’re carrying, BUT YOU AND I? WE CAN DO THIS.

You can, you can, you can. This requires 45 minutes of mostly-hands off time, and you can feel really good about it because it looks pretty and tastes delicious, especially with a big ol’ side of avocado and hummus. And then you can enjoy it 5x over in all its different forms (cold salad! warm veggie / rice bowl! soup! pasta! taco! cause I don’t know, maybe you like broccoli in your tacos? whatever) and appreciate all the yummy nutrition and back-to-dinner-table-basics it brings into your life.

By making regular meals, feeding myself good food on the most basic level and not stressing about all the other stuffs, this is what I’m trying to do: I’m trying to leave a little margin in my life for some above and beyond food inspiration. Going backwards to go forwards. It’s me and maybe you starting a wave of fresh new energy by just going super simple, totally stripped down, completely basic on ourselves.

Hey guys bonus! basic is also delicious. So long as I got my dollop of hummus and my avocado for sides, I can honestly say that even as a sauce-a-holic I did not miss any sort of sauce here. WHAT is even going on. Who knew?! Basic is the new Next Level.

So Simple and So Versatile

So since I’ve said basically nothing about the food yet and it’s now the end of the post, let me just say this.

This “recipe” is less of specific recipe and more of a concept that we’ve been loving lately. Loving as in EATING IN OUR REAL LIFE. I didn’t make this for the blog – I made it for real life first. And now I love it so much that I want to share it on the blog. And that order feels refreshing.

Here’s the concept: Fill sheet pans up with good ingredients – vegetables, protein, etc. – toss with olive oil and good salt and spices, roast for a while, then pack into containers for easy eating and lunch-taking and meal-building all week.