Meal Prep Ideas & Quick Meals.
KickboxDiva
Posts: 142 Member
I've gathered my fave go to meals in one place so I don't have to worry about what to make or get stuck in a rut. I'll copy it here if it's not too long. I'd love to see your "go to" meals.
PROTEIN HACKS- Quinoa chips, lentil pasta, bone broth soup, add Greek yogurt when possible. I like to use Horizons Organic Mozzarella cheese instead of low fat or fat free when possible. The macros and taste are better and it melts. Use Worcestershire sauce (WS) to flavor your meat anytime you want a beefier taste. 5 calories and Tastes great. Always have precooked ground turkey in the freezer. When you have no prep meals you can throw something together quick with that. If not mentioned specifically just add vegetables that seem to go with the dish that you like. Get into the habit of either adding a big salad, veggie, or green drinks daily. I don’t love the texture of precooked chicken but it works. Keep bags of frozen veggies on hand. Having brown rice precooked helps to quickly prep and you can freeze if necessary but it will last days in the fridge. Don’t use chip and bread meals daily as they are a lower fiber option and usually served with cheese so higher fat. Hit 25 fiber minimum daily.
Precooked Chicken Meals.
There are 4 ways I cook chicken depending on my mood and time available. Salt and Pepper, Ms. Dash or your favorite seasonings on each one- keep the seasonings basic for multiple dishes. You can use a rotisserie chicken too but I think it’s higher in fat.
• Crockpot. Place frozen chicken in a crockpot. Cook until done and tender. Drain Juices off. I like to use frozen chicken with a sodium solution so it taste better.
• Grill.
• Bake Raw defrosted chicken at 450 for 20 mins. Spray w olive oil and season both sides. Flip at 10 mins.
• Slice into strips or nuggets, season, and pan sauté with a bit of EVOO or Spray.
Whichever method you use chop chicken into smaller portions and either refrigerate to use daily or prep with your choice of meal.
Meals that come together quick.
• Plain chicken -served with any starch (rice, potato, sweet potato, cooked pasta) and any vegetable of your choice. (May use a small amount of sauces to make your plain chicken have different tastes. BBQ, Honey Mustard, Teriyaki ect. )
• Sweet and Sour Chicken- Reheat chicken in pan with low sugar apricot preserves and a squeeze of ketchup. Serve over rice. I add snap peas to this dish
• Italian- warm chicken in skillet with spaghetti sauce and extra Italian seasonings if desired. Can serve with cooked wheat pasta
• Pasta – sauté chicken with grape tomatoes, spinach and serve plain or over wheat pasta.
• Tacos- Chop chicken, warm in pan with salsa and cumin or taco seasonings. Serve in warmed corn tortilla or low carb flour with taco fixings
• Soup- add chicken, and choice of veggies (onion, corn, chopped carrots, tomatoes) with salsa and broth. (Best to use bone broth to boost protein and joint health) add seasonings and if desired rice or chips.
• Soup- Chicken Lime Soup Chop chicken, add broth (bone broth is best) add corn, taco seasoning, fresh cilantro and lots of lime. (eat at once or add lime in when served)
• Salad- Easy- chicken, dressing, salad fixings.
• Burrito or Nachos- Low carb tortilla, Fat free beans, season chicken like tacos, add toppings. Or use Chips and make nachos.
• Pizza - Low carb high fiber pizza wrap. Add sauce, chicken, low fat cheese, ect. Spray bottom of crust so it will crisp. Bake at high temp and finish off with a quick broil to melt top.
• Stir fry- sauté chicken with onion peppers squash ect. Low sodium Soy sauce over brown rice
• Chicken salad- Chop chicken. Add green onion, grapes, Greek yogurt MS dash. Can add a bit of low fat mayo if desired. Serve over salad or with bread.
• Greek Chicken Tacos- Warm 2 corn tortillas or low carb flour. Chop chicken, green onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes, Blend: Greek yogurt. with dill, cucumber, lemon/lime salt to make sauce. Serve with light feta cheese
• Caprese Salad- Chop chicken, grape tomatoes, 1 cucumber, parsley, EVOO, Balsamic, salt and pepper. Add mozzarella balls (16 is 2 oz) and or avocado. (divide in 2 servings and add cheese, chicken, avocado last in equal parts to 2 servings)
• Philly Chicken and Cheese Sandwich- sauté onions and peppers until tender in evoo and add chopped chicken, season. Mix in 1-2 wedges of laughing cow soft cheese or fat free cream cheese. Serve over toasted ciabatta or hoagie roll with low fat pepper jack or Swiss cheese. (look at calories on the rolls. I’ve found a 100 calorie difference in brands and sizes. )
• Quesadillas- Chop chicken add low fat cheese, and optional sautéed onion & pepper. Spray pan and using low carb tortilla fold in half. Serve with fiesta ranch mix and or avocado.
• Chicken stir-fry rice- EVOO in pan, add any veggie until soft then onion- add cold cooked rice and reheat, add chopped chicken, egg, might need to use a little water if it sticks to pan to avoid too much oil. Serve w soy sauce.
• Italian Nachos - Using Simply 7 Quinoa chips. Layer Chicken, banana peppers, black olives, diced tomatoes, low fat turkey sausage. Mozzarella cheese and drizzle lightly w lite alfredo sauce. Broil. Watch closely for burn.
Meal Prep with cooked ground turkey meat.
• Ground Turkey, Brown Rice, Salsa, Veggie
• Turkey, Rice (Quinoa , Wheat Couscous) veg & broth for soup, beans?. Add salsa & seasonings for Mexican flavor. Add in a wedge of laughing cow cheese to make creamier.
• Stew- Or add tomatoes instead of salsa & use either pasta or potato. Corn or green beans. WS
• Pizza- Just like chicken
• Tacos , Nachos, Burritos- Just like chicken recipe
• Taco Salad- Season meat and add large salad. Use rice and corn if desired. Salsa mixed with Greek yogurt for dressing or yogurt mixed with avocado and seasonings. Or hidden valley fiesta.
• Stroganoff- Reheat meat w frozen onion & fresh mushrooms. WS May add a scoop of cream of mushroom soup or not depending on macros available. Serve w wheat pasta & ff sour /Greek Y
• Turkey and frozen veggies only for lower carb choice.
• Spaghetti- low sugar sauce and wheat pasta. (Or try lentil pasta for 2x the protein)
• “7 layer dip” Heat meat and season with Ms Dash fiesta or taco seasoning, also season beans. In a single serving dish layer fat free refried beans, seasoned meat, chopped tomato, pepper, low or fat free cheese, yogurt mixed with fiesta ranch, black olives, lettuce, green onions. Eat with serving of baked tortilla chips.
• Philly Turkey and Cheese Sandwich- sauté onions and peppers until tender in evoo and add precooked turkey, season. Use WS. Mix in wedges of laughing cow soft cheese or fat free cream cheese. Serve over toasted ciabatta or hoagie roll with low fat pepper jack or Swiss cheese.
• Chili- Serve with beans, seasonings, tomato sauce, frozen onion, garlic, corn, Italian season,WS.
• Thai Beef- Serve over warm rice. (Recipe calls for coconut rice for best flavor combo) look for precooked in Asian aisle. In pan reheat meat, (mix 1T fish sauce, soy sauce, 1 packet of truvia) <-Enough seasoning for a pound of meat so adjust for single servings . Put sauce on meat. Mix in and add fresh basil and squeeze of lime. Can add chili’s for heat.
• Dirty Rice- Reheat meat with frozen blend (celery, onion, pepper) add creole seasonings parsley and garlic mix in rice.
• Hash- Reheat meat with pepper & salt, add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion to taste. Add in left over potato diced or fresh hash browns. Cook through. Serve w ketchup.
• Greek nachos- Over pita chips, Chips made of baked La Tortilla or Josephs pita- Season meat with cumin, onion, or premixed Greek seasoning. Make sauce of yogurt, feta, dill, lemon juice, optional mint. Add chopped tomatoes and cucumber. More light feta if calories allow. (look for Cavenders Greek salt free seasoning)
• Middle Eastern Spicy- see full meal on Pinterest Meal Prep Board. Saute onion garlic ginger in evoo, Mix together coriander, cumin, cardamom, caraway, and turmeric with enough water to make a paste. Put in onion mix and cook 2 mins. ) remove all and add meat to pan then add the petite dice tomatoes and seasoned onions and simmer until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are well-softened. Add Baharat seasoning and cook 2-3 minutes, then add the chopped mint and cilantro and turn off heat. Serve the spice meat over couscous, rice, or quinoa
•
Other quick and easy meals
• Crepes/Pancakes. ¼ c blended oats. 1 egg white 1 egg vanilla salt 4oz Greek yogurt. May add 1/3scoop 10grams protein powder (used isopure zero carb for macros below) and have good taste still. Serve with sf syrup. Natural honey, or Polaner SF w Fiber Jam. **fave snack. (W no toppings 240cal 16cb/5ft/32pt/1fiber/5sugar)
• Migas- 1egg, egg white, splash of ff milk, salt. 2 corn tortillas, spray pan with pam, tear and warm tortillas adding a splash of water if needed to soften. Add in egg mixture. Serve with salsa and optional cheese, warm salsa,
• Huevos Ranchera- Warm ff refried beans with salsa and taco seasonings. Spray pan and crisp 2 corn tortillas. Layer tortillas, spread w beans, top with sunny side up egg, avocado, and top with salsa that has been warmed and reduced in skillet.
• Pot Roast
• Meatballs- 16-20oz ground 97% turkey, in a blender or food processer mix onion, garlic, small amount of carrot & zucchini. Mix into meat. May add ground oatmeal or a small amount of bread (higher carb count but more authentic taste) Using high fiber 100 calorie English muffins is a good choice. About 3 full muffins will be good for one container of turkey. Roll into balls and pan brown, then layer either on a cookie sheet to cook thru or low heat in a Dutch oven with a lid. (better option for tender meatballs but may crumble some)
•
PROTEIN HACKS- Quinoa chips, lentil pasta, bone broth soup, add Greek yogurt when possible. I like to use Horizons Organic Mozzarella cheese instead of low fat or fat free when possible. The macros and taste are better and it melts. Use Worcestershire sauce (WS) to flavor your meat anytime you want a beefier taste. 5 calories and Tastes great. Always have precooked ground turkey in the freezer. When you have no prep meals you can throw something together quick with that. If not mentioned specifically just add vegetables that seem to go with the dish that you like. Get into the habit of either adding a big salad, veggie, or green drinks daily. I don’t love the texture of precooked chicken but it works. Keep bags of frozen veggies on hand. Having brown rice precooked helps to quickly prep and you can freeze if necessary but it will last days in the fridge. Don’t use chip and bread meals daily as they are a lower fiber option and usually served with cheese so higher fat. Hit 25 fiber minimum daily.
Precooked Chicken Meals.
There are 4 ways I cook chicken depending on my mood and time available. Salt and Pepper, Ms. Dash or your favorite seasonings on each one- keep the seasonings basic for multiple dishes. You can use a rotisserie chicken too but I think it’s higher in fat.
• Crockpot. Place frozen chicken in a crockpot. Cook until done and tender. Drain Juices off. I like to use frozen chicken with a sodium solution so it taste better.
• Grill.
• Bake Raw defrosted chicken at 450 for 20 mins. Spray w olive oil and season both sides. Flip at 10 mins.
• Slice into strips or nuggets, season, and pan sauté with a bit of EVOO or Spray.
Whichever method you use chop chicken into smaller portions and either refrigerate to use daily or prep with your choice of meal.
Meals that come together quick.
• Plain chicken -served with any starch (rice, potato, sweet potato, cooked pasta) and any vegetable of your choice. (May use a small amount of sauces to make your plain chicken have different tastes. BBQ, Honey Mustard, Teriyaki ect. )
• Sweet and Sour Chicken- Reheat chicken in pan with low sugar apricot preserves and a squeeze of ketchup. Serve over rice. I add snap peas to this dish
• Italian- warm chicken in skillet with spaghetti sauce and extra Italian seasonings if desired. Can serve with cooked wheat pasta
• Pasta – sauté chicken with grape tomatoes, spinach and serve plain or over wheat pasta.
• Tacos- Chop chicken, warm in pan with salsa and cumin or taco seasonings. Serve in warmed corn tortilla or low carb flour with taco fixings
• Soup- add chicken, and choice of veggies (onion, corn, chopped carrots, tomatoes) with salsa and broth. (Best to use bone broth to boost protein and joint health) add seasonings and if desired rice or chips.
• Soup- Chicken Lime Soup Chop chicken, add broth (bone broth is best) add corn, taco seasoning, fresh cilantro and lots of lime. (eat at once or add lime in when served)
• Salad- Easy- chicken, dressing, salad fixings.
• Burrito or Nachos- Low carb tortilla, Fat free beans, season chicken like tacos, add toppings. Or use Chips and make nachos.
• Pizza - Low carb high fiber pizza wrap. Add sauce, chicken, low fat cheese, ect. Spray bottom of crust so it will crisp. Bake at high temp and finish off with a quick broil to melt top.
• Stir fry- sauté chicken with onion peppers squash ect. Low sodium Soy sauce over brown rice
• Chicken salad- Chop chicken. Add green onion, grapes, Greek yogurt MS dash. Can add a bit of low fat mayo if desired. Serve over salad or with bread.
• Greek Chicken Tacos- Warm 2 corn tortillas or low carb flour. Chop chicken, green onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes, Blend: Greek yogurt. with dill, cucumber, lemon/lime salt to make sauce. Serve with light feta cheese
• Caprese Salad- Chop chicken, grape tomatoes, 1 cucumber, parsley, EVOO, Balsamic, salt and pepper. Add mozzarella balls (16 is 2 oz) and or avocado. (divide in 2 servings and add cheese, chicken, avocado last in equal parts to 2 servings)
• Philly Chicken and Cheese Sandwich- sauté onions and peppers until tender in evoo and add chopped chicken, season. Mix in 1-2 wedges of laughing cow soft cheese or fat free cream cheese. Serve over toasted ciabatta or hoagie roll with low fat pepper jack or Swiss cheese. (look at calories on the rolls. I’ve found a 100 calorie difference in brands and sizes. )
• Quesadillas- Chop chicken add low fat cheese, and optional sautéed onion & pepper. Spray pan and using low carb tortilla fold in half. Serve with fiesta ranch mix and or avocado.
• Chicken stir-fry rice- EVOO in pan, add any veggie until soft then onion- add cold cooked rice and reheat, add chopped chicken, egg, might need to use a little water if it sticks to pan to avoid too much oil. Serve w soy sauce.
• Italian Nachos - Using Simply 7 Quinoa chips. Layer Chicken, banana peppers, black olives, diced tomatoes, low fat turkey sausage. Mozzarella cheese and drizzle lightly w lite alfredo sauce. Broil. Watch closely for burn.
Meal Prep with cooked ground turkey meat.
• Ground Turkey, Brown Rice, Salsa, Veggie
• Turkey, Rice (Quinoa , Wheat Couscous) veg & broth for soup, beans?. Add salsa & seasonings for Mexican flavor. Add in a wedge of laughing cow cheese to make creamier.
• Stew- Or add tomatoes instead of salsa & use either pasta or potato. Corn or green beans. WS
• Pizza- Just like chicken
• Tacos , Nachos, Burritos- Just like chicken recipe
• Taco Salad- Season meat and add large salad. Use rice and corn if desired. Salsa mixed with Greek yogurt for dressing or yogurt mixed with avocado and seasonings. Or hidden valley fiesta.
• Stroganoff- Reheat meat w frozen onion & fresh mushrooms. WS May add a scoop of cream of mushroom soup or not depending on macros available. Serve w wheat pasta & ff sour /Greek Y
• Turkey and frozen veggies only for lower carb choice.
• Spaghetti- low sugar sauce and wheat pasta. (Or try lentil pasta for 2x the protein)
• “7 layer dip” Heat meat and season with Ms Dash fiesta or taco seasoning, also season beans. In a single serving dish layer fat free refried beans, seasoned meat, chopped tomato, pepper, low or fat free cheese, yogurt mixed with fiesta ranch, black olives, lettuce, green onions. Eat with serving of baked tortilla chips.
• Philly Turkey and Cheese Sandwich- sauté onions and peppers until tender in evoo and add precooked turkey, season. Use WS. Mix in wedges of laughing cow soft cheese or fat free cream cheese. Serve over toasted ciabatta or hoagie roll with low fat pepper jack or Swiss cheese.
• Chili- Serve with beans, seasonings, tomato sauce, frozen onion, garlic, corn, Italian season,WS.
• Thai Beef- Serve over warm rice. (Recipe calls for coconut rice for best flavor combo) look for precooked in Asian aisle. In pan reheat meat, (mix 1T fish sauce, soy sauce, 1 packet of truvia) <-Enough seasoning for a pound of meat so adjust for single servings . Put sauce on meat. Mix in and add fresh basil and squeeze of lime. Can add chili’s for heat.
• Dirty Rice- Reheat meat with frozen blend (celery, onion, pepper) add creole seasonings parsley and garlic mix in rice.
• Hash- Reheat meat with pepper & salt, add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion to taste. Add in left over potato diced or fresh hash browns. Cook through. Serve w ketchup.
• Greek nachos- Over pita chips, Chips made of baked La Tortilla or Josephs pita- Season meat with cumin, onion, or premixed Greek seasoning. Make sauce of yogurt, feta, dill, lemon juice, optional mint. Add chopped tomatoes and cucumber. More light feta if calories allow. (look for Cavenders Greek salt free seasoning)
• Middle Eastern Spicy- see full meal on Pinterest Meal Prep Board. Saute onion garlic ginger in evoo, Mix together coriander, cumin, cardamom, caraway, and turmeric with enough water to make a paste. Put in onion mix and cook 2 mins. ) remove all and add meat to pan then add the petite dice tomatoes and seasoned onions and simmer until the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are well-softened. Add Baharat seasoning and cook 2-3 minutes, then add the chopped mint and cilantro and turn off heat. Serve the spice meat over couscous, rice, or quinoa
•
Other quick and easy meals
• Crepes/Pancakes. ¼ c blended oats. 1 egg white 1 egg vanilla salt 4oz Greek yogurt. May add 1/3scoop 10grams protein powder (used isopure zero carb for macros below) and have good taste still. Serve with sf syrup. Natural honey, or Polaner SF w Fiber Jam. **fave snack. (W no toppings 240cal 16cb/5ft/32pt/1fiber/5sugar)
• Migas- 1egg, egg white, splash of ff milk, salt. 2 corn tortillas, spray pan with pam, tear and warm tortillas adding a splash of water if needed to soften. Add in egg mixture. Serve with salsa and optional cheese, warm salsa,
• Huevos Ranchera- Warm ff refried beans with salsa and taco seasonings. Spray pan and crisp 2 corn tortillas. Layer tortillas, spread w beans, top with sunny side up egg, avocado, and top with salsa that has been warmed and reduced in skillet.
• Pot Roast
• Meatballs- 16-20oz ground 97% turkey, in a blender or food processer mix onion, garlic, small amount of carrot & zucchini. Mix into meat. May add ground oatmeal or a small amount of bread (higher carb count but more authentic taste) Using high fiber 100 calorie English muffins is a good choice. About 3 full muffins will be good for one container of turkey. Roll into balls and pan brown, then layer either on a cookie sheet to cook thru or low heat in a Dutch oven with a lid. (better option for tender meatballs but may crumble some)
•
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Replies
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Thank you....some good ideas!0
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Here are some of my go-to meals:
Greek yogurt with peanut/almond butter, honey, and fruit
Omelette with lots of veggies
Scrambled eggs with veggies
Egg on English muffin with cheese and spinach (cook egg in microwave for 1 minute)
Slow cooker meals:
Chicken or pork with salsa (green, red, whatever)
Pork with maple syrup, mustard, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder
Kalua pork (Nom Nom Paleo's recipe)
Beef with italian seasonings
One-pot meals - cook ahead and freeze:
White chicken chili (I use Eat Live Run's recipe without the cream)
Traditional chili
Turkey & Pinto Bean Stew
Chicken meals:
Drizzle in pesto
Cajun spices
Tex-mex spices - serve over a salad with greek yogurt
Sauteed with lemon and garlic
Peanut butter sauce -- PB, soy sauce, rice vinegar. Can use PB2 if you'd like. Great with stirfry- I often will add tofu too.
Salmon meals:
Bake with miso
Bake with lemon, serve with a sour cream/dill/caper mixture on the top
Bake with honey/soy sauce/rice vinegar/garlic/siraccha sauce
Favorite veggies:
Roast anything - including frozen veggies. One of my favorites is roasted okra.
Spaghetti squash bake
Zucchini bake
(Skip the extra spices if you are short on ingredients)
Sauteed kale with lemon, garlic, salt
Sauteed kale with soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar
Raw kale salad
I like cooking ahead on the weekends, so a lot of my recipes take some time but last in the fridge for awhile.
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Any one have any favorite veggie recipes? I'm always on the lookout for those.0
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@KickboxDiva I'd love to see your Pinterest prep board!0
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javengreen wrote: »Any one have any favorite veggie recipes? I'm always on the lookout for those.
My favorite way to cook veggies is by roasting them in oil, salt and pepper. Super simple but is tasty no matter the veg. Easy to add mushrooms and onion for extra flavor too. I also like cooking them up in pasta sauce with or instead of pasta with meatballs or chicken.0 -
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Steamed veggies are good. We have a family favorite where we cut up and steam several different veggies (ex. potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and onions). Put a little of each on a microwave-safe plate, dot with butter and place a few slices of cheese on top. Microwave on high till cheese melts.
I've seen fajita mixes in the local grocery. Those would probably work well in stir-fries, too. Sometimes we hard-cook some eggs, which make for good snacks (or use in something else).
But, because the price of eggs has skyrocketed here recently, I've been trying tofu. Not so bad--since it's rather bland, it doesn't overpower what you put it in.0 -
bump
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Please add me:)0
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Great info
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Thanks for all the great ideas! My favorite way to make veggies is to roast them in the oven. I use a little olive oil, a little garlic flavored oil and then add fresh garlic, seasoned salt and pepper. Such great flavor and easy too. My favorite combo lately is carrots, parsnips and red onion.0
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Great ideas...following.0
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primalsarah wrote: »javengreen wrote: »Any one have any favorite veggie recipes? I'm always on the lookout for those.
My favorite way to cook veggies is by roasting them in oil, salt and pepper. Super simple but is tasty no matter the veg. Easy to add mushrooms and onion for extra flavor too. I also like cooking them up in pasta sauce with or instead of pasta with meatballs or chicken.
You can also sprinkle on sone parmesan cheese with it too.
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javengreen wrote: »Any one have any favorite veggie recipes? I'm always on the lookout for those.
Roasted Carrots:
whole carrots skinned and cut into wedges (baby carrots work, but aren't as pretty)
1.5 tbs oil ( i use coconut)
1.5 tsp honey
1 tbs red wine vinegar
roast in 400 degree oven for about 25 mins.
Bonus: crumbled feta on top is delicious
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One of favorite vegetables are sweet potatoes. I dice and toss w a bit of melted coconut oil, low sugar craisins, salt, cinnamon, sliced almonds. Just a small amount of all those garnishes goes a long way. Roast until soft and slightly browned. So yummy!0
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