Sunday Meal Prep: 4/20/25

Hi Friends!

I’m so happy you loved last week’s Sunday meal prep video and blog — reading your messages and seeing your recreations seriously made my week! Also, I’m happy to report that it’s finally starting to look, feel, and even smell like spring here in Michigan. The sunshine has my motivation to stay consistent with my protein, fiber, and fitness goals at an all-time high.

It’s Easter Sunday as I’m writing this — whether you’re celebrating today or just enjoying the day, I hope you’re feeling some of that springtime energy too.

This week’s lineup is filled with easy, protein-packed recipes that make healthy eating feel effortless.

I managed to grocery shop, meal prep, and clean the kitchen in about four hours. Granted, two of those hours were me wandering around Costco and Trader Joe’s trying to find Good Culture cottage cheese and getting distracted by all the new spring snacks.

But I did leave with something fun from Trader Joe’s— the last strawberry plant they had. I love her already.

Let’s dive into the recipes!

What I Prepped for this Sunday Meal Prep:

Here’s everything I prepped for this week’s Sunday Meal Prep menu:

1. Viral Beef, Sweet Potato and Cottage Cheese Protein Bowls (lunch or dinner)
2. Chickpea Quinoa Salad with Simple Dressing (lunch or dinner)
3. Protein Pancake Bowl (breakfast)
4. Chia Seed Pudding (I’m sorry I know I do this alot but it’s the easiest, quickest, high fiber high protein breakfast or snack there ever was)

Recipe 1: Viral Beef, Sweet Potato and Cottage Cheese Protein Bowls

These protein bowls have been all over TikTok for good reason — they’re SO EASY, satisfying, and packed with flavor. Made with caramelized sweet potatoes, savory ground beef, creamy cottage cheese and avocado.

It’s perfectly balanced with protein, fiber, carbs and healthy fats. So nutrient-dense, and easy enough to make on a Sunday and enjoy all week. I have made this non stop last week and just made it again for this upcoming week.

I make my own hot honey with 1 tbsp raw honey and 1 tsp red chili flakes. Then I let it sit while I make the meal.

You guys always ask about the griddle I use when I’m roasting vegetables. It is the Carbon Steel Griddle from Made In . This is one of my favorite kitchen tools. It takes roasted vegetables to a whole other level from flavor to crispiness. Plus, because it’s made with carbon steel, everything just cooks so much faster! You can use it stovetop, in the oven, or on the grill. Use code AYAT at checkout.

How Many It Serves:

This recipe makes 4 hearty bowls — perfect for meal prep lunches or high-protein dinners.

Grocery List:

• 1 lb lean ground beef (85% or 90%)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 avocados
• Taco seasoning. You can totally make your own but I just use this big container here.
• 2 cups cottage cheese, divided into 4 containers (I use low-fat, but full-fat works too)
• Olive oil
• Chili flakes (optional
• Hot honey or chili crisp (for drizzling — optional but highly recommended)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon honey + 1 teaspoon red chili flakes PER CONTAINER to make your own hot honey. You can also use chili crisp, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions:

1. Roast the Sweet Potatoes:
   Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss diced sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. Spread evenly on a baking sheet or this carbon steel griddle (use code AYAT at checkout) and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender.
2. Cook the Beef:
   In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and add in the ground beef. Break up the beef with a wooden spoon, add 1 tablespoon taco seasoning and cook until browned and fully cooked through — about 8 minutes.
3. Assemble Your Bowls:
   In each bowl, add in 1/4 of the sweetpotatoes and 1 cup cooked ground beef. If you are meal prepping, I would recommend you add the 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and half an avocado when you’re ready to eat (after reheating the beef and sweetpotatoes to keep it as fresh as possible). Drizzle with hot honey or chili crisp for an extra boost of flavor. I personally love the hot, sweet and savory combo, but if you don’t, you can omit the hot honey.

Meal Prep Tip:
Store bowls in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the beef and sweet potatoes before serving, then add fresh cottage cheese and toppings.

Why You’ll Love These Protein Bowls:

• Packed with about 40g protein per serving from whole food ingredients
• Balanced with complex carbs, healthy fats, and fiber
• Meal-prep friendly
• The savory-sweet-spicy combo is 10/10

Recipe Notes & Customizations:

• Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
• Want it dairy-free? Sub in cashew cream drizzle instead of cottage cheese.
• Add sautéed spinach or kale for extra greens!

Recipe 2: Fresh Quinoa Chickpea Salad (Vegan + Meal Prep Friendly)

You know those recipes that just work for busy weeks? This is one of them. This quinoa salad is light yet filling, loaded with fiber, plant-based protein, and flavor in every bite. It’s the kind of dish you make once and keep reaching for all week long — fresh, zesty, and full of crunch.

Perfect as a stand-alone lunch, a side dish with grilled protein, or a big bowl dinner with some avocado or Greek yogurt on top (if you are not vegan). This one’s officially a Meal Prep Sunday staple, especially during these warmer months.

How Many It Serves:

Makes 4 entrée-sized salads or 8 smaller sides.

Grocery List:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 can chickpeas (15 oz) or 1 ½ cups cooked
• 1 red bell pepper
• handful cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1-2 lemons
• 2 garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Salt

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium cucumber, chopped and seeded
• Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ¾ cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Cook the quinoa:
   In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and it cook until all the water is absorbed, or about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 more minutes to steam and fluff.
2. Prep the veggies:
   While the quinoa cools, grab a large mixing bowl. Add the chickpeas, chopped cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, and parsley.
3. Whisk the dressing:
   In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and salt. Whisk or shake until well combined.
4. Bring it all together:
   Once the quinoa has cooled slightly, add it to the bowl with your veggies. Drizzle the lemon dressing on top and toss everything together until evenly coated. Taste test and feel free to add a pinch more salt or an extra squeeze of lemon.

Meal Prep Tips:

• Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
• Serving: Enjoy cold or at room temp. I love serving mine with grilled chicken, hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt or avocado for a balanced meal.
• Customization Ideas: Toss in feta cheese, olives, or chopped spinach to switch it up!

Why You’ll Love This High-Protein Quinoa Salad:

• Vegetarian/vegan friendly
• Great source of plant-based protein and fiber
• Meal prep-friendly
• Fresh, crunchy, and bursting with lemony flavor
• Made with pantry staples and a handful of fresh produce

Recipe 3: Protein Pancake Bowls

If you’re looking for a filling high-protein breakfast that feels like a treat but keeps you full for hours — these Protein Pancake Bowls are it.

Think fluffy baked pancakes, loaded with fruit (or chocolate chips if you’re feeling it), and topped with creamy Greek yogurt and a drizzle of nut butter. They taste like dessert, but they’re packed with protein and fiber to power you through your morning.

This is one of those throw it together on a Sunday and thank yourself all week kind of meals. Easy to customize, kid-friendly, and perfect for busy mornings.

How Many It Serves:

Makes 4 individual pancake bowls — perfect for grab-and-go breakfast meal prep.

Grocery List:

Base:

• Kodiak Cakes pancake mix (or your favorite protein pancake mix)
• Eggs
• Milk (dairy or plant-based)
• Vanilla extract

Toppings (choose your favorites!):

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Banana
• Chocolate chips

Optional Toppings for Serving:

• Greek yogurt
• Nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew)

Ingredients Per Bowl:

• ½ cup Kodiak Cakes protein pancake mix
• 1 egg
• ½ cup milk of choice (I used dairy, but almond or oat milk works too)
• Splash of vanilla extract
• ¼ cup strawberries (or blueberries, banana, chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, for topping
• 1 tablespoon nut butter, for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray 4 oven-safe ramekins or small baking dishes.
2. In each bowl, whisk together the pancake mix, egg, milk, and a splash of vanilla until smooth.
3. Top each with your favorite add-in — strawberries, blueberries, banana slices, or chocolate chips. Mix and match or stick with one flavor per bowl.
4. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the pancake bowls are puffed up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Let cool slightly before storing in the fridge.
6. When you are ready to eat, warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and top with a big spoonful of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of nut butter for some creamy richness and staying power.

Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20–30 seconds or enjoy cold (still delicious). Then top with Greek yogurt and nut butter.

Why You’ll Love These Protein Pancake Bowls:

• High protein + high fiber = energy that lasts
• Meal prep friendly (one batch = breakfast all week)
• Customizable with whatever fruit you have on hand
• Kid-approved and mom-approved
• Feels indulgent, but totally balanced

Recipe 4: Easy Chia Pudding Base (Customizable Snack or Breakfast)

I know, I know. Chia seed pudding, AGAIN?? But honestly, if you’ve never made chia seed pudding, here’s your sign. This recipe is as easy as it gets — just 3 ingredients, no cooking, and a blank canvas for whatever toppings you’re feeling.

It’s creamy, packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, and makes the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or mid-afternoon snack.

The best part about this recipe is you mix it the night before, and in the morning, it’s ready and waiting for you. No fuss, no blender and almost no dishes which makes it a perfect addition to your Sunday Meal Prep rotation.

It has everything a dietitian dreams of, just make sure to soak your chia seeds!!! If you have ever felt constipated or any GI discomfort after eating chia seeds, then you may be eating them wrong. Please soak your chia seeds for AT LEAST 15 minutes, preferably overnight.

Chia seeds need time to expand and they do this by absorbing liquid from around them. So if you do not let them expand, they will pull that liquid from your GI tract which can cause constipation. Plus make sure to drink extra water to help the fiber do its job!

How Many It Serves:

Makes 1 serving — easily doubled, tripled, or prepped for the week!

Grocery List:

• Chia seeds
• Milk of choice (dairy or plant-based)
• Vanilla extract
• Optional toppings: berries, sliced banana, nut butter, granola, shredded coconut, cacao nibs, etc.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ cup milk of choice (I use lactose-free dairy milk like Fairlife or the lactose free Kirkland brand)
• Splash of vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In each jar or container with a lid, stir together chia seeds, milk, and vanilla until well combined.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3–4 hours, until it thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
3. In the morning, give it a stir and add your favorite toppings — think sliced banana, peanut butter, berries, coconut and Greek yogurt for extra protein. The combos are endless.

Chia Pudding Tips:

• If the pudding is too thick, add a splash more milk in the morning.
• Want it sweeter? Stir in a little maple syrup or honey when prepping.
• Great for meal prep — make 3–4 jars at a time and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Why You’ll Love It:

• 3 ingredients, 2 minutes, 0 stress
• A blank canvas for your favorite flavors
• Packed with omega-3s, fiber, and plant-based protein
• Portable + perfect for busy mornings or post-lunch sweet cravings

And that’s a wrap!

That’s a wrap on this week’s Sunday Meal Prep lineup!

From sweet to savory, these simple recipes are packed with protein, fiber, and flavor to make your week feel just a little more manageable — and a lot more delicious. I hope these ideas help you stay nourished, energized, and focused.

Wishing a Happy Easter to those celebrating today! I hope your day is filled with love, joy, and maybe a few chocolate eggs. 🐣💐

As always, tag me on Instagram @momnutritionist if you try any of these! I love seeing how you make them your own. 💛 And let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

And if you missed last week’s Sunday Meal Prep, or just want to mix and match recipes, click here to check it out.

See you next Sunday with more meal prep inspo.

xx Ayat