This Easy Healthy Slaw Recipe Can Be Transformed Into 5 Delicious, High-Fiber Dinners
Every week, Well+Good's Prep School series sets you up with a plan for a whole week's worth of healthy dinners—with very minimal prep. This June, we're focusing on great seasonal produce, featuring a different starring veggie (or veggies) each week. Here, a registered dietitian shares her recipe for a carrot and bok choy slaw, which she uses to up the veggie content in her dinners all week long.
Registered dietitian Toby Amidor, RD, has two major tips when it comes to eating healthy: Plan ahead and keep things simple. She's made a career of helping people do this by working with directly clients and publishing a variety of books, which include Smart Meal Prep for Beginners and The Best 3-Ingredient Cookbook. In the latter, she shares 100 healthy recipes that seriously use only three ingredients. So clearly she has both meal prep and simple, healthy cooking down to a science.
When meal prepping for herself, Amidor focuses on making two core foods that she can incorporate into meals all week long: a protein and a fiber-rich veggie dish. It's a two-part formula she puts to action in this week's Prep School. The two foods she makes in advance are chicken and then a slaw starring carrots and bok choy. (If you don't eat meat, you can instead prep the slaw plus a protein of your choosing.)
The slaw recipe makes enough to be worked into five dinners throughout the week, with suggestions straight from Amidor. The meal ideas for each night are modifiable and can easily be tweaked depending on what items you already have as well as your own preferred eating style. Ready to get started?
Grilled chicken with carrot slaw
Yields 4 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp ground paprika
1 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
Nonstick cooking spray
2 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the herb-yogurt dressing
1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 scallion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
For the slaw
4 cups shredded bok choy (about 1 small head)
4 medium carrots, trimmed, peeled, and shredded
4 servings (1/2 cup) herb-yogurt dressing
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, paprika, mustard powder, and salt. Using clean hands, pat the dry rub over both sides of the chicken breasts.
3. Preheat a grill or grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast and cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides, about 15 minutes.
4. Transfer the chicken to an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and place in the oven for about 15 minutes until the chicken reaches a minimum internal cooking temperature of 165°F. Set the chicken aside to cool. Once cooled, slice each chicken breast into thin strips.
5. To make the herb yogurt dressing, in a blender, process the yogurt, basil, parsley, scallion, oil, lemon juice, honey, and salt together until smooth. Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
6. To make the slaw, mix together the shredded bok choy and carrots in a medium bowl. Add a half cup of the herb yogurt dressing and toss to combine. (Store leftover dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator.)
8. Store the slaw and chicken in separate air-tight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days.
How to use your chicken and healthy slaw recipe in a whole week's worth of dinners:
monday: chicken sandwich with Carrot-bok choy Slaw
Mimc your favorite fast food chicken sandwich in no time by taking half of a pre-prepped chicken breast and reheating in the microwave. Then add it (along with a serving of the slaw) to a toasted whole-wheat bun. Drizzle lightly with extra dressing if desired. Done and done.
tuesday: tacos
Heat up a serving of leftover chicken, chop it up, and divide it among two to three tortillas to make the protein base with your tacos. Divide a serving of slaw among the tacos, then top each taco with a few avocado slices.
wednesday: tuna-filled pita
To avoid protein fatigue (there's only so many times one can eat chicken in a row), switch things up by using tuna instead. Make a Mediterranean-inspired dinner by filling a toasted pita pocket with drained canned tuna (seasoned with salt and pepper) and the carrot-bok choy slaw. For extra flavor, add in olives, capers, and a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.
Thursday: Healthy reuben Sandwich
The dressing in the slaw makes it an easy swap for the sauerkraut traditionally used in a Reuben sandwich. Put a couple slices of Swiss cheese, a serving of slaw, and the meat of your choice (leftover sliced chicken works) between two slices of sourdough bread. Cook on a skillet or griddle for three minutes per side, or until the cheese is melted.
friday: chicken and slaw stir-fry
Stir-fry is a fool-proof way to use the rest of your leftovers. Chop up the rest of your leftover chicken and add it to a wok or skillet along with cooked rice or quinoa and cook until everything is warmed through. Take off heat and toss in the last of your slaw, then serve. The end result is a fusion between the classic Asian-inspired dish and a summery, American barbecue staple.
Did you make this healthy slaw recipe? Share how it turned out in Well+Good's Cook With Us Facebook group!
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