I haven’t done a full Protein Prep in a while.

Honestly, lately I’ve been in a rhythm of prepping one recipe each week and filling in the rest with simple staples, leftovers, and whatever sounds good in the moment. It’s felt a little more flexible and realistic for this season of life, and I’ve actually been enjoying not spending as much time on Sunday in the kitchen.

But every once in a while, I get the urge to do a true meal prep week. Not because I have to, but because having breakfasts, snacks, and lunches ready to go makes life feel just a little easier. And this week felt like the perfect time for it.

One thing I’ve been focusing on lately is my gut health. Protein has always been a priority for me, but I’ve been making a more intentional effort to think beyond just protein and pay attention to fiber, variety, and getting a wider range of foods into my week.

The funny thing is that even as a dietitian, I can fall into food ruts. I find meals I love and then eat them over and over again until I suddenly realize half my grocery cart looks exactly the same every week.

So for this week’s prep, I challenged myself to branch out a little.

I made quinoa crunch bowls for lunches because they’re packed with both protein and fiber, loaded with different textures, and a nice break from some of my usual meal prep rotations. Then I paired them with a few of my tried-and-true favorites for breakfast and snacks because not everything needs to be new to keep things interesting.

Here’s everything I prepped this week:

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A post shared by Erika Fox Silverman (@dishwitherika)

Egg Bowls

Protein: 29g per bowl

Ingredients per bowl:

• Olive oil (to grease the bowls)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese
• 2 breakfast chicken sausage links, diced (I used Amylu Harvest Apple Mini Links)
• 1/2 cup diced veggies (I did broccoli, bell pepper, spinach, green onion, tomato)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a few glass oven-safe meal prep containers with olive oil.
3. Add the egg, egg whites, cottage cheese, and veggies to each container. Mix well.
4. Place containers on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until set.
5. Let cool, cover, and store in the fridge.

To reheat: Microwave uncovered for 1–2 minutes. Breaking it up with a fork first helps it heat evenly.

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Collagen Chia Pudding

Makes: 3 servings | Protein: 28g per servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 scoops vanilla collagen
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• Berries of choice

Directions:

1. Add the almond milk and collagen to a cup and whisk to combine.
2. Into a meal prep container, combine the greek yogurt, chia and collagen milk. Cover and shake well.
3. Uncover and add your favorite berries.
4. Let set overnight and keep stored in the fridge. Enjoy as a snack or light breakfast!

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High-Protein Chocolate Banana Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins | Protein per muffin: ~8g

Ingredients:

• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain and unsweetened
• 1/3 cup maple syrup, honey or agave
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder of choice
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (optional but so good!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Whisk in eggs, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla and nut butter.
3. In another bowl, whisk together almond flour, protein powder, cocoa powde5r, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
5. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
6. Divide batter evenly into muffin tin (about 12 muffins).
7. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Quinoa Crunch Bowls

Makes: 4 servings | Protein: 38g protein

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 cup snap peas, chopped
• 1 1/3 cup edamame
• 1 bunch green onion, diced (greens only)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tbsp honey
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook 3-5 minutes each side until fully cooked through. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, cabbage, carrot, snap peas, edamame, and green onion.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, lime juice, honey, and salt & pepper to taste.
5. Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss to combine.
6. Evenly distribute the salad into four individual meal prep containers and top with chicken.
7. Cover and store in the fridge for an easy grab-n-go meal.