2 weeks until 50, Another Busy Week, with Little Time to Prep. Easter Weekend 2026

I work Monday through Friday, so the weekend is when I try to do a little food prep to

make the week easier.

This weekend is Easter, and we’ll be at my mom’s for dinner, so I’m keeping my food

prep very simple and realistic.

This is what I’m making for the week.

First, I’m making a big pot of cabbage and white bean soup. This is one of those

meals that is very inexpensive,

very filling, and even my husband will eat it, even though he isn’t plant-based. I make

a big pot so we can eat

it for a few days for lunches or quick dinners after work.

Simple Cabbage & White Bean Soup:

1 onion, chopped

3–4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large carrot, sliced

1 large celery stalk, sliced

1/2 head green cabbage, chopped

2 cans white beans (cannellini or great northern), drained

1 carton low-sodium vegetable broth

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Salt & pepper

Splash of lemon juice or vinegar at the end

Directions:

Sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and celery in a little water or broth until softened. Add

cabbage and cook down for a few minutes.

Add beans, broth, water, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer about 20–30 minutes until everything is soft.

Finish with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to brighten it up.

I’m also making my “untuna” chickpea salad for sandwiches for the week. That’s an

easy lunch to pack for work and it holds up well in the fridge for a few days. If you'd like my recipe for this as well, email me, and I would be happy to share!

I still have cashew cheese sauce left, so I’m going to use that to make macaroni one

night. I’m also making a pasta with fat-free, sugar-free pasta sauce and adding a lot of mushrooms, garlic, and spinach to it so it’s more filling and has more vegetables in it.

Breakfast this week is very simple: muesli cereal with soy milk, blueberries, and

ground flaxseed. If I can find good fresh berries I’ll use those, otherwise I keep frozen wild blueberries in the freezer because they’re picked at peak freshness and are very high in antioxidants.

On my workout days, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I’ll have a protein shake,

which helps with recovery and soreness.

This is what plant-based eating looks like for me in a normal, busy work week. It’s not

fancy meals every night.

It’s soup, pasta, chickpea salad sandwiches, simple breakfasts, and repeating meals

so I don’t have to cook every night after work.

If you’re working full-time and trying to eat healthier, don’t overcomplicate it. Make a

big pot of soup, cook a starch, make a bean dish, prep a breakfast, and you’ve got most of your week covered.

Easter is also this weekend and will be heading to my mom's with my boys after my husband leaves for his next trip to London for work.

Mom is also plant based, so she will be making our food, with the exception of Brussel Sprouts I plan to make. We are going to good together! My oldest son, Benny, wants to cook for grandpa and his little brother since they are meat eaters. He will grill and make his delicious potatoes that are most definitely Vegan friendly.

Happy Easter!