Mexican-Inspired Meal Prep
This Mexican-inspired meal prep is all about flavour, variety, and convenience. By cooking a few core components at once, you can mix and match them into three tasty dinners for the week: burrito bowls, tacos, and stuffed sweet potatoes, plus a batch of chilli chocolate energy balls to keep you fueled on the go. It’s vibrant, nutritious, and a brilliant way to stay ahead with wholesome meals ready in the fridge.
Takes 1 hour
Serves 3
Ingredients
Protein Base: Smoky Black Beans
- 2 × 400g tins black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lime
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Carb Base: Mexican-Style Rice
- 300 g pre cooked brown rice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tbsp water
Roast Veg Tray: Sweet Potato & Peppers
- 1 medium sweet potato diced (with skin)
- 2 red peppers chopped
- 1 red onion cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Zest of 1 lime
- Pinch salt & pepper
Stuffed Sweet Potato Base: Roasted Halves
- 2 medium sweet potatoes sliced lengthwise
- Drizzle olive oil pinch salt
Fresh/Pickle: Quick-Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 fresh jalapeño thinly sliced (optional, for heat)
- 100 ml apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 100 m water
- Pinch of salt
Sauce: Cashew-Lime Crema
- 150 g cashews soaked 15 mins in boiling water, drained
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tbsp olive oil or water for lighter version
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- 150 ml water or oat milk (adjust for texture)
Snack: Chilli Chocolate Energy Balls
- 200 g pitted dates
- 100 g rolled oats
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch cayenne optional
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Smoky Black Beans
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in garlic and cumin seeds, cook for 1 min.
- Add ground cumin and smoked paprika, stir for 30 secs until fragrant.
- Add beans with 100ml water, simmer for 5–7 mins until flavours combine.
- Stir in lime juice, season with salt & pepper, then set aside.
Mexican-Style Rice
- Heat olive oil in a pan, add onion and garlic, cook 3–4 mins until soft.
- Add cumin and smoked paprika, stir for 1 min.
- Stir in tomato purée and water, simmer for 2 mins.
- Add pre-cooked rice, mix well, and heat through. Set aside.
Roast Veg Tray: Sweet Potato & Peppers
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Toss sweet potato, peppers, and red onion with olive oil, cumin, paprika, lime zest, salt & pepper.
- Spread on a lined tray, roast 25–30 mins until golden and tender (or air-fry).
Stuffed Sweet Potato Base: Roasted Halves
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Place sweet potato halves cut-side down on a lined tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast 35–40 mins until soft and caramelised.
Quick-Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño
- In a small pan, heat vinegar, water, maple syrup, and salt until just steaming (don’t boil).
- Pour over sliced onion and jalapeño in a heatproof jar.
- Leave to cool, then store in the fridge (ready in 30 mins, best after a few hours).
Cashew-Lime Crema
- Add soaked cashews, lime juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and water/oat milk to a blender.
- Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust thickness with extra water if needed.
Chilli Chocolate Energy Balls
- Blitz all ingredients in a food processor until mixture is sticky and holds together.
- Roll into 14–16 small balls.
- Optional: coat in cocoa powder or desiccated coconut.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Assemble into 3 Dinners
Dinner 1: Burrito Bowls
- Base: Mexican rice + smoky black beans + roasted sweet potato & peppers.
- Top with cashew-lime crema + pickled onion/jalapeño.
Dinner 2: Tacos (or Wraps)
- Warm corn tortillas or wraps.
- Fill with black beans + roasted veg + crema + pickled onion.
- Add fresh avocado & coriander if available.
Dinner 3: Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Use roasted halves as base.
- Fill with smoky black beans + rice.
- Top with crema + pickled onion/jalapeño.
- Tips & Storage
- Store components separately in airtight containers for 4 days.
- Add avocado fresh when serving (not in crema).
- Reheat beans & rice together for flavour boost.
- Cashew crema thickens in the fridge, loosen with a splash of water/lime juice.