Table of Contents

The Meal Prep 3

Farro (PP) 4
Pickled Onions and Chiles (FP) 5
Creamy Herb Sauce (FP) 6
Tofu (PP) 7
Crunchy Nutty Seed Mix (FP) 8
Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (PP) 9
Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing (FP) 10
Beans (PP) 11
The Recipes 12
Crispy Baked Beans 12
Simple Baked Tofu 13
Cabbage-Carrot Slaw 14
Loaded Lavash Wrap 15
Grain Bowl 16
Herby Pasta Salad with Crispy Beans 17
Tofu Noodle Bowl 18

2
The Meal Prep
For this meal prep, I’ve listed the components in the order that I think you should prep them for
maximum efficiency and time savings.

This will require a bit of multitasking. While the farro cooks on the stove, get started on the next
few components. Any item that is marked with “FP” means that it gets fully prepped in the meal
prep. Any item marked with “PP” gets only partially prepped and will be cooked/finished later in
the week.

Before starting, you’ll want to make sure you have enough storage containers and jars on hand
to store everything. And of course, please feel free to customize this meal prep to meet your
tastes and nutritional needs.

Hope you enjoy it!

xo,
Nisha

3
Farro (PP)
Yields about 2 ½ cups cooked

Ingredients
2 ½ cups (600 mL) water
1 cup (180g) farro, semi-pearled or pearled
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1. Add the water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the farro, bay leaves, 2
teaspoons of kosher salt, and several rounds of black pepper. Reduce to a simmer and
cook until al dente-—tender yet chewy. For pearled farro, it should take 15 to 20 minutes;
for semi-pearled farro, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Once al dente, drain the farro in a colander. Discard the bay leaf. Transfer the farro to a
sheet pan and spread out. Rest for 15 to 20 minutes—this prevents the farro from
getting mushy. Transfer the cooked and dried farro to a storage container and refrigerate
for 4 to 5 days.

4
Pickled Onions and Chiles (FP)
Makes enough for 1 (24-ounce) jar

Notes
1. You can also use jalapeño peppers. If you don’t want anything spicy, omit the peppers
and use more red onion.

Ingredients
1 medium red onion, rinsed and sliced as thinly as possible
2 to 4 Fresno peppers, rinsed and sliced thinly into rings (see Note 1)
½ cup (120 mL) distilled white vinegar
1 cup (240 mL) water
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions
1. Use warm soapy water to wash a 24- or 32 ounce (1-quart) jar and its lid and sealing
ring (or use a jar that was recently run through your dishwasher). Rinse well and dry.
2. Add the onions and peppers to your jar, packing them in as tightly as you can without
smushing them, making sure there is ½ to 1-inch of space from the rim of the jar to the
tops of the vegetables.
3. Bring the vinegar, water, maple syrup, and salt to a boil in a small or medium saucepan
(if you want to use the same saucepan used for the farro, wait until it’s done cooking).
Once boiling, take off the heat.
4. Carefully pour the hot brine over the onions and peppers in the jar and submerge,
pressing down with the end of a spoon to cover the onions and peppers in brine.
5. Gently tap the jar(s) against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off
with more brine if necessary, and seal the jar(s).
6. Cool to room temp before refrigerating. Taste after 8 hours, but try to wait 48 hours to
allow the flavors to fully develop. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.

5
Creamy Herb Sauce (FP)
Makes about 1 cup

Notes
1. This is a multipurpose sauce. Use it in grain bowls, drizzle over rice and beans, use as a
sauce for tacos or burritos as well as sandwiches and wraps. Or, slightly thin it out with
water and use as a salad dressing.
2. If allergic to cashews, you can use hemp seeds. They do have an earthier, less neutral
taste, so add more lemon juice and salt to taste, as well as 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil
for more richness to mask the earthy taste. No need to soak hemp seeds.

Ingredients
¾ cup (105g) raw cashews (see Note 2)
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups (~32g) mixed soft herbs of choice (e.g., basil, mint, parsley, dill, cilantro)
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ of a small jalapeño pepper (optional, for a spicy version)
2 to 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for a subtly cheese flavor)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (see Note 2)
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1. Add the cashews to a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10
minutes, then drain and rinse. Or, you can soak your cashews in cool water overnight.
2. In a high-powered blender, add the cashews, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup water (80 mL),
and blend until the mixture comes together. Add the herbs, garlic, chile pepper,
nutritional yeast if using, olive oil, salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Blend until
smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as you go and/or using a blender tamper if
you have one.
3. If the sauce is too thick for your taste, or you have trouble blending, add a couple more
spoons of water. Taste, adding more salt or pepper or lemon juice as needed.
4. Store leftovers in a glass jar in the fridge for 1 week. When using leftover sauce, add a
squeeze of lemon juice to revive the flavors and a splash of water if too thick.

6
Tofu (PP)
Serves 4 to 6

Notes
1. Don’t press the tofu for more than 15 minutes, as it can remove too much water and dry
out the tofu when you bake it in the oven.

Ingredients
2 (14-ounce/400g) blocks of extra-firm tofu

Directions
1. Slice each block of tofu into 4 slabs, lengthwise. Wrap the slabs in a thin dish towel or in
several layers of paper towel. Weight down the tofu with your heaviest cookbook (I use
one book per block of tofu). If necessary, add a heavy skillet on top to further weight the
tofu down. Press the tofu for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the towels and pat the tofu dry
with a dry towel.
a. Note: You can also use a tofu press if you have one (keep the tofu blocks whole,
don’t slice them). I have this one and like it.
2. Now slice each slab in half vertically so that each block of tofu has 8 vertical slabs). Slice
each slab into ½” to ¾” cubes (1.25 to 2 cm).
3. Store the tofu cubes in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days.

7
Crunchy Nutty Seed Mix (FP)
Makes about ¾ cup

Notes
1. This is my go-to nut/seed blend for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other
seeds and nuts. If using larger nuts like almonds, roughly chop them first.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (can use a bit less if using a nonstick pan)
1/4 cup (32g) pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup (32g) pine nuts
1/4 cup (32g) white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Directions
1. Line a large plate with parchment paper.
2. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Once warm but not hot, add the olive oil,
pepitas, pine nuts, and sesame seeds. Stir from time to time, stirring more frequently
once some of the seeds/nuts start to turn color to prevent burning, for a total of 3 to
4 minutes, or until golden.
3. Add the paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and salt. Stir continuously for 30
seconds, until the seeds/nuts are well coated in spices. Transfer to the paper lined plate
and spread out. Allow to cool. Use the parchment paper to funnel the seed mix into a jar
for which you have a lid. Store the sealed jar in the pantry for a few weeks.

8
Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (PP)

Notes
1. Feel free to scale this amount up or down depending on how much food you need. If you
scale up, you’ll want to make more of the Lemon-Sesame Dressing as well.
2. A box grater will get you the finest grate, which makes the cabbage feel less
cruciferous-y, but it will also slightly reduce the shelf life.

Ingredients
½ of a small or medium red cabbage (see Note 1)
3 to 6 medium carrots (see Note 1)

Directions
1. Wash the cabbage and carrots. Scrub the carrots well or peel them.
2. Prep the carrots and cabbage using one of these methods:
a. Food processor slicing disc (thinnest blade option, at least for the cabbage
b. Mandoline (thinnest blade option, at least for the cabbage)
c. Slice with a sharp knife (as thinly as you can for the cabbage)
d. Box grater: use the large holes of the grater for both cabbage and carrots.
3. Store cabbage and carrots in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.

9
Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing (FP)
Makes a scant ½ cup

Notes
1. This is designed to be a fairly lemony dressing, more acidic than a standard salad
dressing, since it’s not being used with salad greens. If it’s too acidic for your taste, feel
free to drizzle in more olive oil for richness and/or maple syrup to balance the tang.
2. If your sesame seeds are not pre-roasted, you can toast them in a dry frying pan over
medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 fat garlic clove, crushed or grated
½ to 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds

Directions
1. Add the lemon juice, garlic, ½ teaspoon maple syrup, red pepper flakes (if using), salt,
sesame seeds, and olive oil to a jar for which you have a lid. Seal the jar and shake
vigorously to emulsify. Taste, adding more maple syrup for sweetness, lemon for zing, or
salt and pepper as needed.
2. Store the dressing in the sealed jar in the fridge. It should stay good for at least 1 week.
a. Note: The oil will solidify in the fridge, so before using the dressing, let it sit out at
room temperature. To speed this process up, add the jar to a bowl of hot water.

10
Beans (PP)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
2 (15-ounce/425g) cans cannellini beans or other white beans

Directions
1. Drain the beans in a colander and rinse well. Transfer to a dish towel and pat dry. They
don’t need to be super dry but they shouldn’t be wet. Transfer to an airtight storage
container and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days.

11
The Recipes

Crispy Baked Beans

Ingredients
2 (15-ounce/425g) cans cannellini beans or other white beans (drained, rinsed, and
dried from meal prep)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or neutral-flavored oil of choice)
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
2 teaspoons oregano (optional)

Directions
1. Arrange a rack in the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 425ºF/220ºC.
2. Add the drained, rinsed, and dried beans to a rimmed sheet pan. Add the olive oil,
kosher salt, a generous amount of black pepper, nutritional yeast (if using), and oregano
(if using). Toss well to coat the beans, and spread out in a single layer as much as
possible.
3. Roast on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. If the beans are crisp, split open, and golden
brown, they’re done. If not, shake the pan and roast for another 5 minutes.
4. Once cool, store in a storage container with the lid ajar on the counter for 1 day (or in the
fridge for 5 days).

12
Simple Baked Tofu

Notes
1. This tofu is slightly chewy with a nice crispy exterior. Potato starch yields the best
coating in my experience, but arrowroot powder can also be used. You can also use
cornstarch, but I personally don’t use it with baked tofu, as I can taste a subtle chalky
aftertaste. However, when the tofu is combined with other ingredients and flavors, the
aftertaste is less prominent.
2. Once cooked, the tofu can be stored in sealed tupperware in the fridge. It will be edible
for 3-4 days but tastes best within the first 24 hours.

Ingredients

2 (14-ounce/400g) blocks of extra-firm tofu (pressed and cubed from meal prep)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (or neutral-flavored oil of choice)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons potato starch (see Note 1)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/218ºC and arrange an oven rack in the top ⅓ of the oven.
Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the cubed tofu, oil, salt, and several cracks of pepper. Toss gently
with a silicone spatula or your hands. Now add the starch and, as gently as possible,
toss to coat the tofu.
3. Arrange tofu on the pan in a single layer, spreading out the pieces so they don’t touch.
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip with a spatula or carefully turn the tofu with your hands. Bake
for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp.

13
Cabbage-Carrot Slaw

Ingredients
Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (from meal prep)
Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing (from meal prep)
A small handful of fresh herbs such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, mint, cilantro, or dill
(optional)
Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1. Add the amount of carrots/cabbage you want to eat on a given day to a mixing bowl.
Fold in some chopped fresh herbs, if you have them. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and
pepper, and pour on some of the Lemon-Sesame Dressing. Toss well and season to
taste with more salt, pepper, or dressing. Ser

14
Loaded Lavash Wrap

Notes
1. You can find lavash wraps at certain grocery stores (e.g., Trader Joe’s, Ralphs) and
Middle Eastern markets. You can also just use a large tortilla of your choice, or pita
pockets (though you won't be able to fit as much filling).

Ingredients
1 lavash wrap (see Note 1)
Creamy Herb Sauce (optional, from meal prep)
Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (from meal prep)
Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing (from meal prep)
Crispy Baked Beans (OR Simple Baked Tofu)
Pickled Onions and Chiles (from meal prep)

Directions
1. Spread a generous amount of the Creamy Herb Sauce on your lavash bread, leaving a
border around the edges.
2. In a bowl, add the amount of Shredded Cabbage and Carrots you want to add in your
wrap. Spoon some of the Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing on top and toss to coat.
Add this mixture on top of the sauce, taking care to not spread the toppings all the way
out so the wrap doesn’t fall apart when rolled.
3. Spoon some Crispy Baked Beans on top, followed by Pickled Onions and Chiles.
Carefully roll up the wrap (or tortilla), then slice in half (you may want to add toothpicks to
each segment to keep the fillings in place).

15
Grain Bowl

Ingredients
Cooked Farro (from meal prep)
Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (from meal prep)
Simple Lemon-Sesame Dressing (from meal prep)
A large handful of fresh herbs such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, mint, cilantro, or dill
Simple Baked Tofu
Pickled Onions and Chiles (from meal prep)
Crunchy Nutty Seed Mix (from meal prep)
Creamy Herb Sauce (optional, from meal prep)
Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Optional mix-ins
A handful of green olives, smashed with the back of a knife and chopped
(optional)
A handful of dried apricots (or other dried fruit), finely chopped

Directions
1. Add the amount of Farro and Shredded Cabbage and Carrots you want to eat in a
bowl. Add in your fresh herbs. Pour on some of the Lemon-Sesame Dressing and toss
to coat.
2. Add in the Baked Tofu, Pickled Onions and Chiles, Crunchy Nutty Seed Mix, and
any optional mix-ins. Toss to combine.
3. For a creamy topping, spoon a little Creamy Herb Sauce on top. Taste, adding a pinch
of salt or pepper as needed.

16
Herby Pasta Salad with Crispy Beans
Notes
1. Nut-based sauces like the creamy herb sauce thicken quickly, so be sure to (1) thin the
herb sauce out with water before tossing with the pasta; (2) don’t skip the olive oil, as it
helps bring a better mouthfeel.
2. Leftovers will thicken in the fridge, so if you can, store your cooked/chilled pasta and
creamy herb sauce separately, then toss together when ready to eat.
Ingredients

6 ounces (170g) medium-sized pasta, such as rigatoni, penne rigate, cavatappi, gemelli,
etc.

6 to 8 ounces (170 to 230g) broccolini, cut into 1-inch pieces (or broccoli, cut into
small-medium florets)

½ cup (125g) Creamy Herb Sauce (from meal prep), plus more to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

½ cup to 1 cup (100 to 200g) cherry tomatoes, halved

1 big handful fresh basil leaves, slivered

1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (or more basil)

Kosher salt or sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

½ batch Crispy Baked Beans (from meal prep; or however much you want)
Directions
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt generously, then add the pasta. Cook
according to the package instructions for al dente pasta.
a. Set a timer for 3 minutes before the pasta will be done. When the timer goes
off, add the broccolini. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the broccolini is crisp-tender
and bright green and the pasta is al dente.
b. Drain, then rinse under cool water to bring to room temp. Shake the colander well
to remove excess water, then add the pasta & broccolini to a large bowl.
2. Only when ready to serve, measure out your Creamy Herb Sauce. Add in a tablespoon
of water to thin it out and stir well.
3. Add the Creamy Herb Sauce and olive oil to the pasta. Toss well with tongs to ensure
the pasta is well coated. Add in the tomatoes, herbs, and season with salt and pepper to
taste. Add in the Crispy Baked Beans just before serving.

17
Tofu Noodle Bowl
Notes
1. Use rice noodles if you are gluten-free, but not super thin noodles.
2. Chinese black vinegar can be found at East Asian grocery stores or online. It’s savory,
tangy, and a little sweet. It will last for a long time in your pantry. To substitute, you can
try rice vinegar or mirin, but the sauce will have a different flavor profile. If using mirin,
don’t add the maple syrup at first; taste, adding it as needed.
Ingredients
8 ounces (225g) ramen or udon noodles (see Note 1)
1 to 2 cups of Shredded Cabbage and Carrots (from meal prep)
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt or sea salt
Sauce
3 tablespoons tahini, well-stirred
2 tablespoons soy sauce (use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce if GF)
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar (see Note 2)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 to 3 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Sichuan chile flakes (or chile flakes of choice; omit for no heat)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly (optional)
3 to 4 scallions, sliced thinly on a bias
2 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
½ batch of Simple Baked Tofu
Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse the noodles to
cool them down.

2. Squeeze some lime juice over the Shredded Cabbage and Carrots. Season with a
pinch or two of salt.

3. Make the sauce. Stir together tahini, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons
maple syrup, and chile flakes. Season to taste, adding more maple syrup if desired.

4. Pour the sauce over the cooled noodles and toss well with tongs. Add the bell pepper,
scallions, carrot and cabbage mixture, and sesame seeds, and toss again. Try to really
get underneath the noodles and combine everything together, as the sauce will pool at
the bottom. When ready to serve, top with Baked Tofu.

18