My Plant-Based Family

Eating Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet recipes, On a Budget.

Archives for March 2013

Savory Breakfast Muffins

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I love the simplicity of grabbing a muffin or two on the way out the door. My problem with most muffins is that they are basically a sweet treat with little substance to fuel my day. If you feel the same way allow me to introduce you to a new friend of mine, Savory Breakfast Muffins.

Savory Breakfast Muffin

This recipe has a whole wheat and a gluten-free option and can easily be adapted to accommodate your favorite flavors or dietary needs. Use 2 cups of whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour instead of the gluten-free flours and xanthum gum. I’ve also used a premade baking mix but I prefer to mix my own flours, it will taste great if you choose that route.

These muffins have been enjoyed by over a dozen people. In my most recent batch I substituted 1 tsp of crushed red pepper instead of the jalapeno for an even spicier result. I also marinate the mushrooms in equal parts (1-2 Tbsp) of liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and Braggs Liquid Aminos. If you are avoiding soy you can use equal parts of liquid smoke and water, just read your labels. The marinated mushrooms lead many people to think these contain meat. Don’t let the long ingredient list intimidate you, this is well worth it.

Savory Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp xanthum gum
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup baked potato, diced
  • 1/4 cup onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
  • 1/4 cup jalapeno, diced (or 1 tsp crushed red pepper)
  • 1 3/4 cup rice milk (if making whole wheat version start with 1 cup milk and increase as needed)

Do

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly spray muffin pan.
  2. In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients, then add the veggies, lastly the plant milk.
  3. Stir until well mixed adding more milk if necessary.
  4. Scoop batter into muffin pan, I like to fill them most of the way up.
  5. Bake for 24 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from muffin pan.

Serve

This recipe makes 10 muffins. I’ve served this at Healthy Cravings and at a women’s bible study. They are easy to eat on the go, are not messy (crumbly) and taste great warmed or at room temperature. If you are serving brunch and need a dish that can be made ahead these are perfect. I plan to make this recipe in a loaf pan soon.

This recipe was shared at Gluten-Free Fridays hosted at Vegetarian Mamma.

Meal Plan Monday: I’m Feeling Inspired

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Portobello Fajita's

I’m not sure of the exact catalyst but I’m inspired. After a long spell of feeling a little blah in the kitchen I’m ready do a little more cooking and some better eating. I also have a lot of new projects and recipe ideas in the works.

Normally I love to brag about the weather here in Arizona but after seeing pictures on Facebook from friends across the country who are covered in snow I can only sigh for you. I got my first sun burn of the year this weekend but if it is any consolation my electricity bill will be quadrupled in a few months when the temperature is over 100° for months. If you want to come visit me now is the time, hurry space is limited.

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be a little different this week. We are still eating the leftovers from Healthy Cravings. I’ll post a recap soon but we are still working on Breakfast Burritos, oatmeal, and Breakfast Quinoa.

Lunch will hopefully be leftovers if I plan well. I also like soup and sandwich (or even salad) combo’s for lunch. These may be a good option for anyone taking a lunch to work. Burritos are easy to transport as well and we just happen to have Mexican Bean and Rice Casserole that is fantastic wrapped in a tortilla or put on top of a baked potato. My boys prefer sandwiches and get incredibly happy anytime bread is involved. They seem to be a little pickier lately but I’m hoping it passes soon.

Snacks are usually fruit or even fruit parfaits but I’m working on a few new recipes that will probably make an appearance here, oatmeal raisin cookies are in the lineup. I’m sure the majority of our snacks will be apples and oranges.

Dinner is where my excitement lies. I bought a pack of avocados and I am dreaming of all the ways to use them. I’m also planning to start using the grill again, oh yes, it is time. Portobello Fajitas paired with Mexican Rice and Unfried Beans are a great combination and worthy of company although we don’t have any coming. A few of the new things I’m working on include Grilled Avocado and Veggie Wraps with black beans and cilantro-lime rice. I also have a new sauce recipe that received a great review from my husband last night. I’m still tweaking it but we will have it again on Baked Potatoes and Steamed Broccoli or maybe over a rice dish.

For more dinner ideas check out the Recipe Page.

Are you experiencing grilling weather or soup weather? No matter where you are I hope you are feeling inspired to cook and eat well!

A Guest Post by Dustin Rudolph, the Plant-Based Pharmacist

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PursueAHealthyYou(Final)

It isn’t often that I run across another website or blog that shares my philosophy on health and eating. When I first discovered Pursue A Healthy You I read one page after another trying to find something I didn’t agree with but I never could. It was a welcomed relief.  It is now my pleasure to present this guest post from Dustin Rudolph, Pharm.D.

A Pharmacist’s Prescription For Optimal Health

It was the year 1987, I had just made the life-changing career decision of wanting to become a pharmacist. The world was a spectacular place to be in! The average cost of a new house was only $92,000, gas was a whopping 89 cents per gallon, The Simpsons had just made their TV debut, and U2’s newly released album The Joshua Tree was topping the charts. It was also a big year for the pharmaceutical industry. Prozac, one of the biggest blockbuster drugs ever, had just been released into the U.S. market. As for me personally, I found myself spending my days amongst a bunch of 4th graders, not because I was teaching them, but because I was one of them. You’re probably thinking “Fourth grader? Career decision making? Pharmacist? Right!” It may sound crazy for such a young man to make such a big life decision, but that was me. I’ve always been a highly motivated individual, persistent about planning life’s journey with every step I take. I’m still that way today, to a fault some would even say.

Anyway, back when I was ten years old I had wanted to become a pharmacist for three main reasons…

A) I wanted to help people.

B) It was a good paying job with a bright future.

C) I liked science and math.

Not a bad combination for the aspiring dreams of a small town, All-American boy with the prospect of success gleaming in his eyes. My parents were very supportive. I’m sure they were a bit surprised, however. Not every 10 year old comes up with such grand ideas at that stage in life. Most young boys are busy playing little league or off riding their dirt bike, complaining about doing chores because ‘work’ isn’t in their vocabulary yet. But I was focused on the future for some odd reason, and my focus only grew stronger as I made my way through middle and high school. I was determined to be a pharmacist one day and nothing was going to stop me.

In pharmacy school I learned everything you would ever want to know about medications. I learned about over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and even natural and herbal medications. There was a pill for everything. I was going to be the person to pass them out. I couldn’t wait for the day of being able to “dispense miracles” with each prescription as it passed through my careful and calculated inspection.

After graduating, my energy and enthusiasm carried me through to my first job behind the counter of a retail pharmacy. I was fired up and ready to go. I wanted nothing more than to get out there and “hit the ground running” as they say. It was the beginning of the 21st century and there were sick people, lots of sick people, that needed my help. As the years passed (currently 11 and counting), I’ve had the pleasure of working in many different pharmacy settings—big box retailers, small and medium size hospitals, and even a busy grocery store setting. I’ve learned a lot, seen a lot, and even met some pretty interesting people over the years. I’d never thought you’d actually have to explain to a patient to take the wrapper off before inserting a suppository. Oh, what world we live in! Most of what I’ve learned as a pharmacist, however, is how I fit into this gigantic web of a healthcare system we have. I started out thinking I’d be the miracle healer, but have since realized this isn’t the case in most circumstances, unfortunately.

So, how did I come to this conclusion and what changed my mind since getting out of pharmacy school? It goes a little like this…

A little over four years ago my eyes were opened to a whole new world. I learned what it really meant to bring others back to an optimal state of health. Not just temporary health, but long term health, where individuals thrive as the years and decades go by. This new world was opened to me when I became aware of the healing powers of a whole foods, plant-based diet. I had read The China Study by the highly respected Dr. T. Colin Campbell of Cornell University. As it turned out, food is the best medicine you can give a human being when facing a chronic illness. I was shocked to learn of this approach provided by Dr. Campbell in his book. No one had ever mentioned this during pharmacy school. Yet, I believe now that it should be the first thing taught to all aspiring healthcare practitioners and the primary point emphasized in the treatment of chronic diseases. Food is why we are in this healthcare crisis, and food is also the way out of it. When I finally grasped this concept, my life (and my professional career) forever changed. The idea of food as medicine now serves as the basis of my message to others in their quest for optimal health.

“Fixing” the American healthcare crisis starts with addressing the root cause of chronic diseases. I can tell you firsthand from seeing thousands of patients over many years that more pills do not equal more health. Don’t get me wrong, I have helped many patients get back on track by offering them a pill, but this approach typically only provides temporary relief and is not a long term solution. The reason is because medications target the symptoms of disease and not the cause in most cases. The true solution to our healthcare woes are found in a healthy diet, regular exercise, and positive lifestyle choices which aim to target the root cause of these chronic illnesses. This is the message I hope will be carried forward as we enter into the coming years with our current healthcare crisis.

I feel very blessed to have had, and to continue to have, the opportunity to serve others in their time of need when it comes to their health. I’ve accomplished exactly what I set out to do in 4th grade… A) I’ve helped people, B) I’ve made a lot of money, and C) I’ve used science and math to accomplish both. What I didn’t realize when I was only ten years old was that…

A)  Helping others is one of the most rewarding and joyful experiences in life. The bigger the positive impact you have on others the more joy it will bring to you.

B)  The accumulation of money means so little in the grand scheme of things. Life is about giving unto others, spreading love and happiness in all that we aim to do.

C)  Science and math, when used in it’s simplest forms (i.e. plant-based nutrition), can transform the health and lives of others like nothing else, especially where medicine falls short of this.

Adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet is the best thing you could ever do for yourself. It will bring about vibrant health, lessen the carbon footprint on the world we live in, and increase the welfare of all living creatures living on this planet. It is truly a win-win-win situation. With that being said, I’m going to ask of you something that no pharmacist has ever asked of you before – please put me out of business by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet. You will eliminate and/or reduce the need for medications and live a disease free life in the process. Nothing would give this pharmacist more pleasure than to hear that story from you, if or when you decide to make it happen.

Plant Based Pharmacist

Dustin Rudolph, Pharm.D. (aka The Plant-Based Pharmacist) currently practices as a clinical hospital pharmacist. He spends much of his spare time educating others on the benefits of adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet and a healthy lifestyle in order to end the chronic disease epidemic. For more information check out his website at www.PursueAHealthyYou.com or his blog at http://pursueahealthyyou.blogspot.com.

Breakfast Tacos

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breakfast tacos

I love Breakfast Tacos! Years ago the breakfast tacos I made were completely different from those I make today, but we enjoy them just as much if not more. These tacos are very versatile and can be adapted for even the pickiest eaters or omnivores in your household.

breakfast tacos

Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients

  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 1/2 a bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 a jalapeno (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1 handful of mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup cut cauliflower
  • 1 large baked potato, diced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt (or black salt), pepper, garlic, and turmeric to taste
  • tortillas of your choice, use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option

Do

  1. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms to a skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if veggies start to stick.
  2. Once veggies are beginning to soften stir in potatoes, quinoa, and beans.  They will now begin to stick.
  3. As soon as everything is incorporated and warm add nutritional yeast and spices.
  4. Spoon this into tortillas and serve.

Serve

I love to eat these Breakfast Tacos with salsa! This reheats very well and will keep several days when refrigerated. If you are using corn tortillas know that they are crumbly and will likely break. These can be layered in a casserole dish instead of rolled into the tortillas for a quicker option. I’ve also wrapped them in parchment paper to hold them together. I’ve served these to an omni group and they LOVED them.

If you are eating plant-based but having a hard time convincing your family this is an easy dish to adapt for them. Things like eggs or cheese are easily added but not really needed.

Are you a Breakfast Taco lover too?

Yield: 4 Servings

Breakfast Tacos

Vegan Breakfast Tacos

Plant based tacos for breakfast!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 1/2 a bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 a jalapeno (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1 handful of mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup cut cauliflower
  • 1 large baked potato, diced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt (or black salt), pepper, garlic, and turmeric to taste
  • tortillas of your choice, use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option

Instructions

  1. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms to a skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if veggies start to stick.
  2. Once veggies are beginning to soften stir in potatoes, quinoa, and beans.  They will now begin to stick.
  3. As soon as everything is incorporated and warm add nutritional yeast and spices.
  4. Spoon this into tortillas and serve.

Notes

Great with salsa. Try layering in a casserole dish instead of rolling for a quicker option.

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see it! Tag us and use #MyPlantBasedFamily!

© Heather Mayes

Meal Plan Monday: Good Intentions

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Dried Beans

Like many of you I have good intentions to eat well. My intentions don’t always result in the best outcome though. I’ll get busy, or frustrated, or overwhelmed, or lazy and default to quick and easy instead of balanced and nutritious. You know what I’m talking about right? Please tell me I’m not alone in this. Some days seem hectic from start to finish. I’ve looked back over the course of a day to realize I’d eaten toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and cereal for dinner; yes, that is the kind of day I’m talking about.

I’ve discovered I feel best when I eat certain things foods. Beans, whole grains (like rice or oats), fruit, lightly steamed veggies, potatoes, salads, nut butters and let us not forget my daily cup of coffee. Sometimes I’ll try to abandon these foods in favor of “healthier” options; I usually fail to prepare and end up eating toast or cereal. Boo!

Those food that I love and feel great eating are the food I primarily ate when I first transitioned to a plant-based diet. I eat other foods too and try to have enough variety that I get all the nutrients I need.

This weeks meal plan will be pretty basic, believe it or not I have another busy week so I want to keep things simple. Healthy Cravings is this week and it looks to be a very FULL meeting! I’m looking forward to meeting several new ladies who are coming!

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Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be oatmeal most days. I did buy a box of gluten-free waffles to feed my boys an a particularly busy day. We enjoy baked sweet potatoes with a dash of cinnamon as well.

Lunch is usually leftovers and I wont be getting fancy this week. I sometimes cook pasta for my boys for lunch. We don’t eat much pasta as a family but I don’t mind them having it once a week or so. If you feed your kids (or yourself) pasta more often I’m not trying to condemn you; I just feel like it isn’t the most nutrient filled choice and we have to buy gluten-free pasta which gets expensive if we eat it too often. My new trick is giving my kids salad or just greens to snack on while I’m making their lunch, yes they eat salad. I will definitely be eating our fair share of almond butter sandwiches this week.

Snack will be fruit and smoothies. I’m already doing enough extra cooking this week for Healthy Cravings so I won’t be cooking snacks.

Dinner will be an assortment of many of the foods I mentioned earlier. Beans, baked potatoes, steam veggies, and grains. I think this Mexican Casserole will be a great choice because it uses brown rice and beans, plus it will serve us for two days worth of dinners. Broccoli & Cheese Baked Potatoes using the Faux Cheese Sauce will be a crowd pleaser too. We will probably have a big salad at least one night. Over the weekend we visited a U-Pick organic farm and brought home some greens, my kids got to do some of the picking. As previously mentioned Healthy Cravings is on Thursday so I’ll be serving Breakfast Tacos, Blueberry Muffins, Savory Breakfast Muffins, and an Oatmeal Bar to name a few.

A few fun things that are happening include:

What has been going on in your life worth celebrating? Go ahead, share with the class!

Meal Plan Monday: When Time is Short

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French Bread Pizza

We have a lot of things scheduled this week and I may be adding a few more. Our busyness is nothing compared to the craziness we experienced when our big kids were younger and lived with us, especially once we added a baby to the mix. They were all very active in sports and played on three different teams that each practiced twice a week, of course none of the practice locations were near each other or our house. We survived that season of life, you may be there now. I know we will return to it in a few years.

Our little boys love sports. Sometimes I start thinking how much fun it would be to start them playing. I day-dream for a moment them I’m taken back to the craziness of it all and decide to wait, at least a little bit longer.

Your kids may not be busy with sports but there are still plenty of lessons, groups, friends, birthday parties, and let us not forget those projects that are usually forgotten until the night before. That doesn’t include the things parents have going on, work, meetings, ministry, housework, cooking, yard work, and projects that are usually forgotten until the night before. Does any of this sound familiar?

In honor of all of those crazy schedules out there this meal plan will focus on mostly easy and quick meals. If you have to pull through a drive thru for bean burritos I wont judge; and if you happen to get a soda it will be our secret.

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be simple, as it should be, cold cereal, nut butter toast, or oatmeal. Have you tried making oatmeal overnight in the crock pot? The enticing smell may make waking up a little easier in the morning.

Lunch is usually leftovers for my husband and I, my boys like some leftovers but they still get excited over sandwiches, they are little weirdies. You can always take sandwiches to a new level; layer your favorite veggies between two pieces of bread and use humus or avocado for the spread. You still get your veggie but enjoy the portability of a sandwich. Likewise a make a wrap and cover in plastic wrap to keep it all together. When I’m short on time (pretty much everyday) I can eat a sandwich or wrap much quicker than a salad. If you need more volume/calories to keep you fueled add a baked potato or cup of beans as a side. I like eating a baked potato with beans or even leftover soup poured on top.

Snack is simple too, you can’t get much simpler than apples, oranges, or bananas. If your kids are younger you may need to peel or cut them up but it can be done ahead of time. My 2 year old loves raw veggies especially with hummus as a dip. His favorite veggie right now is bell pepper. You may think your kids would never eat raw veggies, so did I, but if it is offered regularly you’d be surprised. If your kids will need some extra fuel before heading to practice give them a nut butter sandwich (or a half) or an apple with nut butter. Granola bars can be a quick snack while on the go too, I keep some in the car at all times.

Dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. Sure, a prep day is helpful but not always available. We had many nights of the kids eating sack dinners on the way to church or other ball games. Don’t stress, ok maybe that isn’t possible, how about just do the best you can. Here are a few suggestions that may work for you.

  • Cook a big pot of beans and a big pot of rice or use canned beans and cooked packaged rice for easy Bean & Grain Bowls adding veggies to customize each meal.
  • Slow Cooker Potato Soup is extremely easy and oh so good. Make a double (or triple) batch.
  • Burritos or Nachos using Unfried Beans if you have the time but if you don’t use canned vegetarian refried beans.
  • Try bagel or french loaf pizzas and let the kids customize their portion. While they are heating up in the oven serve a garden salad or raw veggies with hummus. If everyone is at the table they will probably nibble on the veggies.

These options may cost a little more if you use canned or other convince products. I keep them stocked in my pantry but try to use them as a last resort. When you have time cooking beans and grains and freezing them can be a big time and money saver down the road. I cooked a big pot of beans today. I hope to make bean burritos for the freezer.

Are you in a busy season of life? Do you have any tips to share or favorite meals that work well on a busy night?