Meal prep shouldn't mean eating the same meal over and over again. Keep your taste buds happy with these simple (and variable) meal-prep tips.

Nothing looks less appealing than 30 Tupperware containers, all filled with chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes—especially when the only seasoning you've used on them is salt and pepper. Of course, prepping the exact same meal over and over again takes little thought, and it can be a whole lot faster to make a dozen copies of the same thing when you're short on time.

You may be surprised to learn that it doesn't take that much effort to vary the way you cook or the seasonings you use to make each meal different. And you'll be delighted to learn that one of the best ways to stay on your meal plan is to make each meal unique, interesting, and tasty.

Here are some suggestions to help you improve the variety of the meals you prepare ahead of time.

1. Stock Up On Ingredients

If you don't have a variety of ingredients on hand come meal-prep time, you're going to have a hard time whipping up a slew of tasty meals. The trick, of course, is to avoid buying ingredients that you just let go to waste. That's why the founder of Kitchen Karate, Casey Moulton, swears by shopping with a numbering system, rather than with recipes.

Essentially, Moulton figures out how many total servings of proteins, produce, and grains he needs for the number of meals he'll be prepping. From there he shops until he meets his number requirements, rather than shopping for specific food items. This frees him up to mix and match a wide variety of produce, proteins, and grains, as long as he's purchasing the correct total number of servings.

"With meats," Moulton says, "I make sure to get land, sea, and air. With vegetables and fruits, I make sure to get every color of the rainbow."

Once you've got a nice mix of ingredients on hand, it's much easier to vary your meals.

"There are only so many fresh ingredients available to you in the grocery store," Moulton says. "If you want to have different meals all the time, you need to get creative with your cooking."

2. Mix Up Your Seasonings

Even when ingredients are similar, you can make different meals just by adjusting the seasonings to give each meal a different flavor profile. Beef sliced fajita-style and flavored with cayenne, cilantro, cumin, jalapeno, and lime has a different zing than a steak prepared with jerk seasoning and topped with tropical fruits. If you're cooking up a batch of chicken breasts, don't season them all the same way. Pull out your spices and get clever with your flavorings.

Moulton says "the starting five" seasonings are salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil, and onions, but then you can mix and match based on the type of cuisine you want to eat. He offers the following top 10 seasonings of the 10 most popular world cuisines to help get your creativity flowing:

Caribbean

·       Coconut milk/flakes

·       Coriander

·       Curry

·       Hot sauce

·       Jerk

·       Lime

·       Oregano

·       Red pepper flakes

·       Rum

·       Tropical fruits

Italian

·       Balsamic

·       Basil

·       Fennel seeds

·       Oregano

·       Cheese (hard, grated)

·       Red pepper flakes

·       Red wine

·       Rosemary

·       Thyme

·       Tomato

Mexican

·       Avocado

·       Cayenne

·       Cheese (soft, shredded)

·       Chipotle

·       Cilantro

·       Cumin

·       Jalapeno

·       Lime

·       Oregano

·       Tomato

Chinese

·       Chinese five spice

·       Chinese chili sauce

·       Cilantro

·       Ginger

·       Oyster sauce

·       Rice vinegar

·       Sesame oil

·       Sesame seed

·       Soy sauce

·       White pepper

French

·       Butter

·       Capers

·       Dijon mustard

·       Herbes de Provence

·       Marjoram

·       Rosemary

·       Sage

·       Tarragon

·       Truffle oil

·       White wine

Thai

·       Basil

·       Chili powder

·       Cilantro

·       Coconut milk

·       Curry

·       Fish sauce

·       Lemongrass

·       Mint

·       Peanuts/oil

·       Sriracha sauce

Indian

·       Cardamom

·       Coriander

·       Cumin

·       Curry

·       Garam masala

·       Ginger

·       Mint

·       Red pepper flakes

·       Turmeric

·       Yogurt

German

·       Allspice

·       Beer

·       Caraway seed

·       Cinnamon

·       Dill

·       Horseradish

·       Mustard powder

·       Sauerkraut

·       Sour cream

·       White pepper

Middle Eastern

·       Cardamom

·       Cinnamon

·       Coriander

·       Cumin

·       Lemon

·       Mint

·       Parsley

·       Red pepper flakes

·       Tomato

·       Yogurt

Moroccan

·       Cilantro

·       Cinnamon

·       Cumin

·       Ginger

·       Lemon

·       Olive

·       Paprika

·       Pistachio

·       Raisin

·       Turmeric

3. Cook Your Ingredients In Different Ways

Baked chicken tastes different than grilled chicken, which tastes different than roasted chicken, which tastes different than pan-fried chicken. If you're setting an afternoon aside to do all your cooking, go ahead and fire up a couple different cooking stations so you can prep your food in several ways. Fire up the grill and the oven, and maybe even prepare a pan for sautéing.

Moulton says the same approach works for vegetables. "Tomatoes are a great example," he says. "Raw tomato tastes and feels different than stewed tomatoes, which taste different than stewed and blended tomatoes."

Go ahead and steam some broccoli, but try roasting it, too. You can accomplish both tasks at the same time, but the results will taste substantially different. If you're baking some chicken, put a tray of broccoli florets with olive oil and seasoning in there too. All you need to get started are recipes designed to make prepping easy!

4. Piece Together Your Meals A La Carte

If you approach meal prep with an "a la carte" mindset, rather than a recipe mindset, all you have to do is prep individual ingredients, then piece them together in different ways.

Say you've cooked two servings of chicken, two servings of beef, and two servings of salmon. You've also prepared two servings of steamed asparagus, a serving of roasted Brussels sprouts, a baked sweet potato, and two servings of sautéed peppers and onions. You also have a variety of fresh, washed carrots, celery, berries, and citrus fruits on hand.

With this wide variety of separate ingredients, you can easily mix-and-match your prepared foods to create slightly different meals. It's a surprisingly simple and effective way to keep your prepped meals interesting and your taste buds happy!

Source:4 Quick Ways 

What's the point of working out hard and being consistent if you can't find ways to enjoy your favorite treats every now and then? That's my goal—to keep creating delicious recipes that will inspire you to make the most of your favorite foods.

If you love pancakes and waffles, these recipes will help you indulge in this treat, and feel good about it, too.

1. Dymatize Vanilla Protein Pancakes

I created this particular flapjack stack as an homage to my love of donuts. By using vanilla protein powder as the base and topping it off with the You Fresh Naturals Jelly Donut Muscle Butter, I satisfied my donut craving—and got a nice serving of protein at the same time.

2. Dymatize Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Vanilla protein powder complements the pumpkin nicely, and the pumpkin spice birthday cake topping adds another awesome layer of flavor.

3. Dymatize Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Mug Cake

The sponginess of this mug cake is what I like best. The Death by Chocolate drizzle complements the mug cake's texture and enhances its flavor to make this an irresistible breakfast dish.

4. Dymatize Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles

Waffles need love, too, so what better way to show them love than applying my "stack 'em high" technique to them. Protein waffles are just too delicious to be left off my page.

5. Ghoulish Dymatize Vanilla And Ube Protein Pancakes

This pancake recipe, which uses sponge cakes made with purple yam, or "ube," is something I've always wanted to try. I'm happy with how it turned out, love the color, and can't wait to try it again.

6. Dymatize Banana Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes

Recreate your childhood with this classic combination of banana and peanut butter.

 Source:BodyBouuilding.

Use Tea Tree Oil To Get Rid Of Acne In 4 Days

Acne, which is known as acne vulgaris, is a very common but stubborn skin problem that affects both and women alike. We can rather say that it is one such skin problem that gives nightmares to the suffering person as it makes the affected area look ugly and unattractive by leaving behind unsightly scars.

But here, tea tree oil, which is obtained by the steam distillation of melaleuca leaves, comes to your rescue! Let’s read on to know how tea tree oil is effective to treat acne.

What Makes Tea Tree Oil Effective for Acne Treatment

As per the researches, tea tree oil treats acne with fewer side effects than benzoyl peroxide (mostly used in acne creams). There are many properties in tea tree oil that make this essential oil effective to treat acne.

It is Antibacterial: Tea tree oil contains a property called terpenes, which has bacteria-fighting abilities. So tea tree oil application kills the acne-causing bacteria propionibacterium acnes and at the same time controls the further growth of it.

It Soothes the Skin: Loaded with disinfecting and soothing properties, tea tree oil offers a better treatment for acne. The oil penetrates deep into the skin and disinfects the pores, and dries out the blackheads and whiteheads.

Maintains the Natural Oil of the Skin: Unlike the other available treatments for acne, tea tree oil application does not remove the natural oil from the skin.

It Balances the Oil Secretion of the Glands: It controls the appearances of acne on the skin by checking the oil production of the sebum glands.

Removes Dead Skin Cells: The application of the tea tree oil on the skin removes the dead skin cells

How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Acne Removal

Tea tree oil can be used directly as well as with other ingredients like aloe vera, honey, yogurt, egg white, etc., to increase its effectiveness for acne treatment. Let’s learn a few of these remedies to treat acne.

1. Direct Application of Tea Tree Oil on Acne

Ensure to use pure tea tree oil to apply it directly on the skin as it is natural as well as free from harmful chemicals.

Things you need:

• Pure Tea Tree Oil – few Drops

• Sterile Cotton Swabs – 2

• A  Clean Towel

Steps to Follow:

1. Clean your face with water and pat dry with a towel.

2. Soak a cotton swab in tea tree oil and apply it on the acne.

3. Let it be on the skin for few hours.

4. Use this remedy twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening to get rid of acne completely.

Note: For some people, tea tree oil may cause irritation on the skin by making it red or inflamed. So to avoid such situation do a patch test before the application. Take pure tea tree oil on a cotton swab and apply it on your forearm and let it be there for few hours. If your skin does not show any irritation, then you can use tea tree oil for sure.

2. Tea Tree Oil Astringent Rinse

You can prepare a tea tree oil astringent rinse to keep acne at the bay. This rinse will kill the bacteria and make your skin acne free with its regular use.

Things you need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 4 drops

• Water – 1 cup

Steps to Follow:

1. Take 1 cup of water and 4 drops of tea tree oil to it.

2. Mix the oil properly and rinse the acne affected area with this rinse.

3. Use this rinse at least once in a day to treat the acne issue.

3. Tea Tree Oil with Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera is widely used to treat various skin conditions like cuts, burns, irritation, inflamed skin, etc. Loaded with anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties, the use of aloe vera can soothe the irritated skin affected by acne. Apart from that its antiseptic properties check the growth of the bacteria that clog the skin pores and cause acne.

Things You Need:

• Aloe Vera Gel – 2 to 3 tsp

• Tea Tree Oil – 2 drops

• A Small Bowl

Steps to Follow:

1. Take 2 to 3 tsp of aloe vera gel in a small bowl.

2. Add 2 drops of tea tree oil to it and mix well.

3. Apply this mix to the acne-affected area and leave for overnight.

4. Rinse well with water and follow this remedy every night before going to bed.

5. Regular use of this process will give you desired results.

4. Tea Tree Oil, Yogurt and Honey

Yogurt contains an alpha hydroxyl acid called lactic acid that dissolves the dead skin cells, which clog the pores and cause bacteria, one of the main causes of acne.  The exfoliation capacity of the lactic acid also soothes the skin and fades the acne scars. Additionally, the healthy bacterial cultures of yogurt kill the acne-causing bacteria when applied topically.

Honey treats the acne issues effectively with its skin hydrating properties. Its antifungal and antibacterial properties kill the acne-causing the bacteria. It also reduces the redness and inflammation of the skin. The anti-inflammatory properties of honey offer a soothing effect to the skin.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 2 to 3 drops

• Yogurt – 1 tbsp

• Honey – 1 tbsp

• Warm Water – as per the requirement

• A  Regular Moisturizer

• A Small Bowl

Steps to Follow:

1. In a small bowl take 2 to 3 drops of tea tree oil.

2. Add 1 tbsp each of yogurt and honey to it.

3. Mix all the ingredients well and apply the mixture to the acne affected area.

4. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes to dry properly.

5. Rinse the area with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel.

6. Apply your regular moisturizer to the skin to avoid dryness of the skin.

7. Follow this process once in a day to get rid of acne completely and get a radiant skin.

5. Tea Tree Oil and Witch Hazel

Witch Hazel contains a property called tannin, which offers astringent and antioxidant effects to the skin. So its use keeps the acne at bay by cleansing and toning the acne-prone skin properly. Its application also balances the pH level of the skin, which further controls the appearance of acne.

Its disinfectant properties reduce the bacteria as well as growth of acne on the skin. Its anti-inflammatory effects reduce the redness and irritation of the acne-affected skin. And the most important thing is that it controls the production of sebum on the skin, one of the main causes of acne.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil –  4 to 5 drops

• Witch Hazel Oil – 30 to 40 drops

• Cotton Swab – 1

• A  Small Bowl

Steps to Follow

1. Take tea tree and witch hazel oil in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Soak the cotton swab in the mixed oil and apply it on the acne-affected     area.

3. Use this remedy once or twice a day to get rid of acne.

Note: Do not overuse this remedy as it may dry out your skin. Stay away from sun rays after applying this mixed oil on your skin as the UV rays may worsen the condition.

6. Tea Tree and Olive Oil

Like jojoba oil, olive oil also contains antibacterial properties. The extra virgin olive oil also works as a powerful antioxidant. Apart from that its anti-inflammatory properties reduce the skin irritation, inflammation and redness. It application offers a soothing effect to the skin.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 2 to 3 drops

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil  – 2 tbsp

• A Small Bowl

• A  Clean Towel

Steps to Follow

1. In a small bowl take the tea tree oil and mix the extra virgin olive oil in it.

2. Apply this mixed oil on your skin and leave for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Rinse your face with lukewarm water.

4. Pat dry your skin with a clean towel.

5. Follow this process once in a day to treat acne and its symptoms.

7. Tea Tree Oil and Egg White Mask

The mild astringent properties of egg white tone the skin well, which controls the further acne breakout. And at the same time when egg white dries on the skin it removes the dirt as well as the excess oil from the skin pores, one of the main causes of acne.

Things you need:

• Egg – 1

• Tea Tree Oil – 4 drops

• Lukewarm Water – as per the requirement

• A Small Bowl

Steps to Follow:

1. Take 1 egg and separate the white portion from the yolk in a bowl.

2. Add 4 drops of tea tree oil to it and whisk well to prepare a mask.

3. Apply the mask on the acne affected area and leave for 15 minutes.

4. Wash thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry your skin with a clean towel.

5. Use this remedy only once in a week.

8. Tea Tree Oil, Jojoba Oil and Tomato Mask

Containing a number of compounds with antioxidant properties like tocopherols, jojoba oil protects the skin from the effects of free radicals.  The vitamin E content in it supports the skin health. Also, its antibacterial nature kills the bacteria Propionibacterium acne that cause acne. It is also non-toxic and non-allergenic.

As it does not make the skin oily and does not clog the pores as well, its use does not form blackheads and whiteheads on the skin. Loaded with skin healing properties, its use soothes the inflamed, irritated and itchy skin caused by acne.

Tomatoes contain a good amount of antioxidant properties that keep the skin healthy. Apart from that tomato juice contains acidic properties, which tighten the pores. So its application prevents the leaking of oil to the skin that causes acne. It also contains Vitamins C, A, B, E and K, which promote healthy skin.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 3 to 5 drops

• Jojoba Oil – 1 tsp

• Medium-sized Tomato – 1/2

• Warm Water – as per the requirement

• A Small Bowl

Steps to Follow:

1. Take ½ a tomato and cut it into small pieces.

2. In a blender add the tomato pieces, tea tree and jojoba oil, and blend the ingredients well to make a paste.

3. Apply the paste on the acne and leave for 10 to 15 minutes to dry properly.

4. Rinse well with warm water.

5. Use this remedy once in a day to get the desired results against acne.

Note: To use jojoba oil for acne, buy only pure, cold-pressed jojoba oil. Avoid using too much of jojoba oil on the acne-affected skin as it may worsen the condition.

9. Tea Tree Oil and Green Clay Mask

Green clay treats the acne by absorbing the toxins, irritants and sebum from the skin.  Its application on the acne affected skin also kills the bacteria.  Apart from that its use exfoliates the dead skin cells and removes the blackheads.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 3 to 4 drops

• Green Clay Powder – 2 tbsp

• Warm Water – as per the requirement

• A Small Bowl

Steps to Follow:

1. Take tree oil and green clay powder in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Add the required amount of water to the mixture to make a smooth paste.

3. Apply the paste on your acne with the help of your fingertips.

4. Leave it on your face for 20 to 25 minutes or till the paste dries out completely.

5. Rinse your face with warm water and then pat dry your face with a clean towel.

6. Use this remedy 3 to 4 times a week to get rid of acne.

10. Tea Tree Oil, Olive Oil, Honey and Sugar Scrub

You have read the effectiveness of tea tree oil, olive oil and honey earlier. So why not making a scrub by using all these ingredients to make a scrub for acne? Here, one extra ingredient we need to add to it and that is sugar.

Things You Need

• Tea Tree Oil – 10 to 12 drops

• Olive Oil – ¼ cup

• Sugar – ½ cup

• Honey – 1 tbsp

• Lukewarm Water – as per the requirement

• A Medium-sized Bowl

Steps to Follow

1. Take all the ingredients in the bowl and mix well.

2. Apply the mixture on the acne-affected area and massage in circular motions for 5 minutes.

3. Rinse the area well with lukewarm water and pat dry.

4. Repeating this remedy regularly will give you desired results against acne.

5. You can also make this scrub in bulk and store it for further use.

11. Tea Tree Oil and Coconut Oil Massage

Coconut oil contains two acids named as capric and lauric acid, which work as disinfectants on the acne. It also contains Vitamin E that keeps the skin healthy by maintaining the proper functioning of the sebum glands and clearing the blockage. Its anti-inflammatory properties soothe the skin irritation.

Things You Need:

• Tea Tree Oil – 1 tsp

• Coconut Oil – 9 tsp

• Hot Water – 1 bowl

• A Clean Towel

Steps to Follow

1. Soak the face towel in hot water and then squeeze out the excess water.

2. Cover the acne-affected area with this towel to give a steaming effect. It will open up the skin pores.

3. Mix the tea tree oil with coconut oil and apply it on the affected area.

4. Massage the area in circular motions for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Leave for few minutes so that the oil will get absorbed by the skin properly.

6. Do not wash your face immediately.

7. Use this remedy twice a day to get effective results against acne.

Additional Tips

• Use 100% pure tea tree oil to prepare the remedies as it does not contain any preservative that may harm your skin.

• You can also use tea tree oil gel for acne. Apply it twice a day to get rid of acne completely.

• You can add few drops of tea tree oil to your bathwater to treat acne on the chest, back and other parts of the body.

• You can also add tea tree oil to your moisturizer for additional benefits.

• Apply tea tree oil topically. Do not consume tea tree oil orally as it may cause severe side effects.

• Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children should refrain from using it.

After using all these tea tree oil home remedies for acne, if the condition still persists, then it is time to see a dermatologist to confirm whether it is due to some other health issues.

It is Antifungal: The antifungal properties of tea tree oil kills the bacteria and checks the further spreading of the acne-causing bacteria.