Monday is prep day...

I don't work on Mondays...at least not in my office. Sometimes I feel like I am working because a good deal of my Mondays are spent prepping for the week ahead. Take today for example. See all those veggies in that picture above? Yep, that was my Monday. Well, going from chopping these back and forth to the laundry room to deal with all the laundry I was doing was a good chunk of my Monday.

We all know what a challenge it is to eat healthy. And it is an even bigger challenge when working outside the home. If I want to have healthy eats for work lunches during the week I have to put in some time on my day off getting things ready. I like to bring salads with me to work. I fill a decent sized rubbermaid container with lots of good veggies, chick peas, walnuts, and some chopped egg or chicken and it is a healthy, satisfying work lunch. I also prefer to make my own dressing instead of using store-bought dressings. I  just make a simple vinegarette (recipe at bottom of post).

All the chopping and laundry take up a good chunk of my morning (or afternoon, depending on when I get motivated to start), but I find it leads to much less stress each morning as I am rushing to get out the door if my lunches are ready and my clothes are clean and ready to wear!

What are some ways you get organized each week to make your work days a bit easier?

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Simple Vinegarette

1 fresh lemon, squeezed

2 garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

In a glass bowl, squeeze lemon, being sure to remove all seeds. Using a garlic press, mince two cloves of garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in extra virgin olive oil to taste. Cover bowl and let flavors meld in the fridge for several hours.

I usually just make this in small batches every few days. When I have had family over for dinner I have made a batch with two lemons and 3 or 4 garlic cloves. This also make a great marinade for chicken cooked on a grill!