Author Archives: Holly @ My Plant-Based Family

Adventures in Allergies

Allergies, Life with Kids, Uncategorized May 17, 2013 Comments: 14

Last week we got the results back from my 2 year old’s IgG. An IgG tests for food sensitivities, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Here is our story.

black and white 2

Even as a newborn, our son had bad skin. We were extremely careful with any products that he might come into contact with like laundry detergent, baby creams, etc. but still his poor little skin was covered in eczema from head to toe. Once he was old enough to scratch himself his skin would bleed from the constant scratching. People were always commenting on his skin and I tried to keep him covered to avoid more self-inflicted damage.

Our pediatrician told me to eliminate dairy to see if it helped but we didn’t notice any big changes. Her solution was to cover him in hydrocortisone twice a day. Once he got a little older (I think around 3 months) he was old enough for this whole body oil that is only to be used in the more severe cases of eczema and only for a short amount of time. That had me a little worried but it helped, some. Our doctor told me he would have to use the hydrocortisone forever.

We changed to a plant-based diet when he was 10 months old. He was mostly breastfed but ate fruit, veggies, and some grains. Some times his skin got better, other times it was a lot worse. Additionally, he would get horrible diaper rashes that took a long time to heal.

Go Nuts

We don’t know of any family history of food allergies so the pediatrician gave the go ahead for nuts around 12 months. He loved peanut butter and ate it regularly for a while then I noticed he would begin to cry and his mouth and hands would turn red and he would also scratch at his neck when he ate peanut butter. I mentioned this to the pediatrician. She said I could try almonds and almond milk. He didn’t appear to have a reaction.

She never recommended allergy testing. She encouraged me to give him eggs and ”soft meat like hotdogs.” I kid you not! Our pediatrician recommended hotdogs, she knew we were eating plant-based. That is when I fired our pediatrician, there were other issues too, but the hotdog recommendation was just too much.

Removing Wheat

When he was 17 months old I got the idea to remove gluten/wheat from his diet. His skin began clearing up, not completely but the difference was undeniable. After a few weeks of this we went on a road trip. We didn’t have a lot of healthy food options and let him eat some bread or tortillas. Boom! His skin was inflamed from head to toe and wait for it… here comes that nasty diaper rash.

Wheat/gluten were definitely (at least part) of the problem. Once we removed gluten from his diet his skin was mostly clear with a few problem areas like behind the knees and the inside creases of the elbow.

We had no idea what was causing the other skin problems. We also noticed that his tummy was almost always sticking out and very hard. He was a pooping machine, 4-5 times just in the morning was normal. I knew there was a problem but I didn’t know what. It seemed like something was affecting his gut.

The Wakeup Call

In February I ran across this blog post by Jennifer at It’s an Itchy Little World. She recounts her son’s anaphylaxis experience. If you don’t do anything else today read this story. I knew I needed to get him tested. I researched different tests, different doctors and finally settled on a Naturopathic doctor that was close by. My husband took our son in to get the blood draw, I’m not good with anything involving blood and pass out from it regularly. I know, I’m cool like that.

This was the first time I realized my sons reaction to peanuts could get worse. I also considered all of the other symptoms and what they could be doing to his body.

The Results

I’m not sure if all test results are broken down like this; ours are classified into 0, 1,2 and 3s. The zeros mean he has no allergy/intolerance, the 1s are a slight allergy/intolerance, 2s are a moderate allergy/intolerance, and 3s are severe. Please note that this is not an “official” interpretation of the test just the best way I can relate. Our doctor told us to focus on removing the 2s and the 3s. She was concerned that he showed so many intolerances.

Ones

  • Asparagus
  • Banana
  • Barley
  • Lima Beans
  • Pinto Beans
  • Bran
  • Cantaloupe
  • Carrots
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • Grapefruit
  • Mustard
  • Green Peas
  • Rye
  • Watermelon

Twos

  • Cottage Cheese
  • Egg Whites
  • Gluten
  • Malt
  • Wheat
  • Yogurt

Threes

  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Egg Yolk
  • Oats
  • Peanuts
  • Pineapple
  • Sesame
  • Walnuts

Our Reactions

We sat in the office looking over the results. My husband would say the foods our son is allergic to, then shake his head. I think he wanted to cry. I was ok, confident even. After all, I’m the one my friends call when they have food or allergy questions. I cook for people with allergies ALL THE TIME. It hadn’t really sunk in yet.

I asked the doctor if there was anything we needed to consider since we eat plant-based and he would no longer be eating nuts. She wasn’t concerned, knowing we feed him well, but recommended EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) and to continue the probiotic we had already started. I asked her about cow’s milk, it came back as a 0 but cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt all showed a sensitivity. She thought it probably had something to do with the fact that he hasn’t really been exposed to cows milk. It as .001 from being in allergy range and I will continue to avoid it. She was shocked that wheat and gluten still registered as 2s since he hasn’t had it in a very long time. We talked about his reaction to peanuts and she prescribed an Epi Pen.

My husband got up early the next morning and read all the labels in the pantry. Later that morning I walked in the pantry and instead of being a happy place I felt like it was a potential minefield. It is full of wheat, peanut butter, lots of nuts, lots of grains, lots of beans, etc.

Later in the day we were all running errands. My husband stayed in our car with the boys while I ran in to get a few things, including some quick snacks our son could eat. It wasn’t our normal Sprout’s, it was packed and I suddenly felt the entire weight of all of these restrictions. Every box I picked up, every package contained an offending ingredient. Now I wanted to cry, if there had been a comfy place I would have curled up and had a good sob. Thankfully I found a few things that would work for a while and made my way over to the EFAs. I didn’t know what I was looking for. I got help from a super-duper employee that pointed me in the right direction and helped me find plant-based (vegan) EFAs.

Eating

I’m still wrapping my head around all of this. When it’s time to eat I can’t grab walnuts, a banana or a granola bar, even hummus (sesame) and carrots could be a problem. His typical and favorite breakfast was oatmeal with walnuts and almond milk; lunch was almond butter on gluten-free (but contained egg) bread, with banana, and dinner usually contains beans.

One Week

It’s been a week since we received this news. Since removing all of the 2 and 3 and mostly removing the 1s my sons tummy is noticeably smaller and softer. I never knew he had creases, it was always to bloated. Unfortunately he has been crankier. I attribute it to a little detox and to him being hungry. Most of his favorites are on the list above. He isn’t enjoying his new options. He is also scratching more. I’m hoping this resolves soon.

Thankful

As I reflect on all of this I’m incredibly thankful that he as been as healthy as he has been. I’m thankful that he hasn’t had a severe anaphylactic reaction. I thank God for protecting him and leading us to get the testing done. I’m also thankful that I am, at least somewhat, equipped to handle this.

If you have read all of this thank you for sharing in our journey. This will still be a plant-based adventure for us, now just a little more allergy friendly.

If you have blogs, recipes or other resources that would be helpful please share them. I love the community I’ve found online and the way we journey together. Also, I’m new at this, if I say something ignorant or offensive please forgive me. Send me an email to let me know and I’ll try to correct myself. We also have a lot of other exciting things going on that I’ll share some other time. We appreciate your prayers!

Extended Family May…week 3

The Extended Family, Uncategorized May 16, 2013 Comments: 4

Are you interested in hearing from REAL people who have made the switch from the Standard American Diet (SAD) to a plant-based diet? If so, you are in the right place. This week we check in with a few members for the Extended Family who have been on this journey for a while and are doing a great job.

Brittany Jan pic
Brittany

Cook out/BBQ season is upon us. How will you handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?

I will ACCEPT them! I love BBQ’s and I find that not only are they based around food, but they are a very social event as well. I bring food with me everywhere I go, so it’s easy for me to bring food with me to BBQ’s. I will usually bring my own veggie burger, and most BBQ’s have veggie friendly sides!

Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?

My family is 100% supportive of my choices, and most of them are eager to try the recipes I make. Having a supportive family is amazing.

How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?

While my family is supportive, I get plenty of criticism from non family members and people who are confused about my choices. I used to get really defensive and angry. Now I just make sure I have the right information to back up my choices and most of the time this leaves inquiring people dumbfounded and then THEY get defensive about their choices. I don’t judge others for what they eat, but they seem to think because I am a vegan that I am cursing their names in my head for eating meat. It makes me laugh actually.

- – -

Suzanne jan pic

Suzanne & Carlos

Cook out/BBQ season is upon us. How will you handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?

Whenever our family is invited to a barbecue or an event where food is served, I always bring a dish of something substantial that we would eat. My favorite go-to dish is a combination of black beans, corn, mango, quinoa, cilantro and salsa topped with guacamole.

Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?

When we first started eating plant-based, my parents were concerned that we, especially our children, were not going to be getting enough nutrients. Fast forward three years later and both of my parents are predominantly plant-based! My brother is another story!  Every month, he asks me to mention my carnivorous little brother in this blog, so here is a big shout-out to Greg Wright of Euless, TX!  Just this week he sent a slide show of bacon to my email. He teases me about not eating meat, but it is all in good fun.  I send him articles about the benefits of a plant-based diet in an effort to bring him over from the dark side, but he is pretty stubborn and has yet to budge!

We have a few friends who eat mostly plant-based so we get support from them. We have other friends who eat mostly paleo and they tend to look down on our dietary habits, when leads us to the third question….

How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?

Sometimes when paleo people find out we don’t eat meat, they have this look on their faces like we have no clue about what is healthy. I’m sorry, but how is eating pork rinds healthier than eating quinoa?  It’s not!  We know that, so we don’t let it get to us. Everyone has a right to eat the way they think is best, but we have done our research and know that plant-based eating is the healthiest way to eat! We don’t let the negativity of others get to us.

- – -

It is nice to hear we are not alone. How do you handle BBQs or other invitations? We usually attend everything we are invited too; if we are over-scheduled we may decline. I have failed to take food to events in the past and regretted it as I sat there hungry with hungry kids.

We’ve noticed that even when people are trying to accommodate us they usually don’t really understand what we do and don’t eat. I always get good reviews from the food I take to share.

Do you have a favorite food you take along to BBQs or other events?

“My Beef With Meat” an Interview with Rip Esselstyn & Engine 2 Recipes

Recipes, Uncategorized May 14, 2013 Comments: 6

My Beef with Meat comes out today! I haven’t read it yet but I can hardly wait to. Engine 2 is a trusted brand for whole, plant-based nutrition and education.

I discovered Engine 2 at the beginning of my plant-based journey. After seeing Rip on Forks Over Knives I went into a Barnes & Noble and parked myself in a comfy seat and started reading The Engine 2 Diet. It was such an easy and informative read. My Beef with Meat is said to be a definitive guide to convincing everyone that plant-based eating is the way to go. I will be buying it!

August 2011

August 2011

When we first transitioned to a plant-based diet we had no idea what we were doing. I’m sure you can relate too. We wanted to eat food that would nourish and fuel our bodies. We didn’t know how to shop or cook for health. As we searched we were bombarded with vegan foods that were far from healthy. Engine 2 was an easy to understand, reliable source of information. Rip’s Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue was eye opening; goodbye Earth Balance, you’ll be missed.

Our Journey

Me and my sweetheart Feb 2012

After February 2012

Since changing our diet I found relief from chronic bladder problems including a possible interstitial cystitis diagnosis and lost weight, you can read more about my story here. My husband’s story is truly inspirational. He has lost over 50 pounds and no longer needs medication for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, acid reflux, and seasonal allergies.

- – -

Let’s chat with Rip

Why did you write this book?

I’ve discovered that there is a HUGE disconnect between what people think is healthy and what
medical science knows to be healthy; for example, people have been bamboozled into believing
that olive oil, Greek yogurt, chicken, and fish are healthy. Many people think the diet of the day
is salmon, low fat dairy, and olive oil, washed down with a glass of red wine and a Lipitor pill for
good measure. This is how confused, distracted, and off-course we have gotten–because this is
NOT a good diet!

This book explains to plant eaters and meat eaters alike why a whole food, plant-strong diet
rocks on a jillion different levels, hence the subtitle: The Healthiest Argument for Eating a
Plant-Strong Diet. The primary driving force behind the book was to delve deeper into the major
myths that keep surfacing about eating plants, such as: “You won’t get enough protein”, “You
won’t get enough calcium”, “Eating plants is too expensive”, “Real men (and women) eat
meat”, “Olive oil is heart-healthy”, and “Moderation in everything.”
The book shows how wrong each of these myths is. It gives the reader real science, not fad-diet
talk. One of the titles we thought about was “How to Win an Argument with a Meat-eater” and
believe me, after reading this book, you will never lose another argument with a carnivore
again.

By the way, once you’ve won the argument, you can start cooking up any one of the 140 lipsmacking,
rib-sticking outrageously good recipes to prove your point with food as well as with
words.

There are some controversial things you tackle in this book, like The Paleo Diet. Why did you decide to address that specific diet?

The two big dueling diets right now are paleo and planteo. I believe that the paleo diet is just a
good gimmick. The paleo people have taken the South Beach/Atkins diets and put a little spin
on it. There are some positives with paleo, such as no refined or processed foods, and no dairy
products. But any diet that promotes animal products with saturated fats, and animal protein
isn’t promoting health. The consensus among the researchers who have studied the diets of
humans in paleo times have said that at least 80 percent of their food was plant-based. Yes,
they ate some animals, but we’ve evolved since then, we’re smarter; we do not need, want, or
get healthy from animal products. Back in the day, you would do anything you could to get
calories into your body–it was a matter of survival. But in this day and age, you can go down
the street to any grocery store and get all that you need without resorting to animal flesh.
An interesting article in US News & World Report in 2011 reviewed many different popular diets
and decided that the one people should avoid is the paleo diet.
What about the people who say that they get results from a paleo diet? That’s because the
Standard American Diet (SAD) is such an abomination you will get good results when switching to
any diet that is even remotely healthier. If you want to get to the next step, cut out the meat!

Do your kids like eating this way?

My kids, Kole and Sophie, do not like eating this way–they LOVE eating this way! They have no interest in eating anything from animals. If they find out that cake and ice-cream offered to them has things like eggs, butter or milk they politely decline. Kole and Sophie love mangoes, grapefruit, brown rice, baked tofu, peanut butter on whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, cheese-less whole grain pizza and banana ice-cream. Kole was hungry, and I told him I’d give him anything he wanted. Guess what he asked for…. he asked for broccoli!

What else do you have a beef with?

The huge disconnect with what people think is healthy and what we actually know to be healthy. This creates confusion and distraction. The answer is so incredibly simple. Eat more whole plant-based foods!

I have a beef with dairy.

I have a beef with processed/refined foods.

I have a beef with the Mediterranean diet.

I have a beef with drinking your calories.

I have a beef with olive oil and ALL other extracted oils.

I have a beef with supplements.

I have a beef with the belief that carbs are the devil.

I have a beef with the myth that soy is evil.

I have a beef with “everything in moderation.”

But — I have no beef with plants!

- – -

Engine 2 was kind enough to include a couple of recipes!

photo courtesy of Engine 2 Diet

Banana Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tablespoon vanilla

¾ cup natural chunky peanut butter

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 cups old fashioned oats

½ cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt (optional)

½ cup non-dairy chocolate chips or raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper

3. Mix bananas, vanilla, peanut butter and maple syrup into a creamy consistency in a large bowl

4. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder and salt

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until they are well combined -the batter should be slightly sticky. 

6. Fold in the chocolate chips or raisins

7. Place rounded, heaping tablespoon-sized balls of the batter onto an ungreased baking sheet

8. Bake for 15-18 minutes

9. Gobble these up while they are still warm

©Engine2Diet

- – -

Photo courtesy of Engine 2 Diet

Polenta Pizza

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 20 minutes, Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3-4 cups water (depending on your brand of polenta)

1 cup polenta

16 oz. E2 approved tomato sauce

2 cups fresh spinach

3 large tomatoes, sliced

1 cup pineapple, cubed

½ cup roasted red peppers

2 cloves garlic, crushed

(Other favorite pizza toppings: mushrooms, arugala, asparagus, or olives)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Prepare pizza stone by sprinkling with corn meal or lining a pan with parchment paper

3. To boiling water, add polenta and whisk until mixture thickens and there are no clumps

(instructions for preparing polenta vary from brand to brand -check the specific preparation

instructions for your type of polenta)

4. Pour polenta mixture onto pizza stone or pan and flatten into desired crust shapes: round pizza,

square pizza, mini-pizzas, elephant pizza, fire-hydrant pizza

5. Precook the polenta crusts for 10 minutes

6. Remove crusts from oven, add sauce, toppings and sprinkle with nutritional yeast

7. Return to oven and cook in oven for 10 minutes

8. Slice into generous portions and serve warm.

©Engine2Diet

Meal Plan Monday: A Whole New World

Life with Kids, Meal Plan Monday May 13, 2013 Comments: 8

If you think this is your typical Meal Plan Monday you would be wrong, very wrong.

Last Friday we got the results back for my 2 year olds allergy test. I’ll give more details another time because there are way too many to discuss today. Meal Planning is now more important that ever, I have to be prepared, especially while I get a handle on all of these changes.

faux cheese and pico

Breakfast

I usually opt for quick meals in the morning. Most of these will be made ahead of time.

Lunch

We like quick lunches too!

  • Sunbutter and fruit sandwiches
  • Gluten-free noodles with red sauce or faux cheese sauce
  • Baked Potatoes with steamed broccoli
  • Gluten-free Pasta & Veggie Salad

Snacks

  • Smoothies
  • Apples with Sunbutter
  • Tortilla Chips with salsa, guacamole and faux cheese sauce
  • gluten-free muffins

Dinner

Have you noticed any of our typical staples missing?

shepherd pie VVP

Speaking of missing, if you missed this weekends Virtual Vegan Potluck check it out. I “brought” this Lentil based Shepherd’s Pie that is gluten-free, soy-free and vegan. It also happens to be delicious!

 

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie for the Virtual Vegan Potluck

Recipes, Uncategorized May 10, 2013 Comments: 17

shepherd pie VVP

Today I’m taking part in the Virtual Vegan Potluck. I’ve participated before, “bringing” Gluten-Free Apple Muffins and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins (with or without chocolate chips.) Now I’m branching out a bit with a main dish, trust me you will LOVE it!

You can start at the beginning of the potluck at Vegan Bloggers Unite or simply pick the category that most interests you. There are 169 bloggers participating so it may take a while to make your way through. The potluck was designed so you can seamlessly click from one blog to the next.

This Shepherd’s Pie has a lot of steps and a lot of ingredients but it is EASY to make. It has gotten rave reviews at several venues, even the Omni’s love it. It is a great holiday meal and perfect for a potluck. My toddler could not get enough.

shepherd's pie

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

Potato Layer

  • 4 large potatoes
  • up to 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • up to 1/2 cup plant milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Lentil Layer

  • 2 cups cooked Lentils
  • 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Veggie/Sauce Layer

  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1/4 cup onions, diced
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup green beans (I used frozen)
  • 1/2 cup green peas (I used frozen)
  • 2 Tbsp Brown Rice Flour (I use brown rice flour for a GF version, you can use wheat flour)
  • 1 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 cup Rice Milk
  • Optional onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Do

Potato Layer

  1. Scrub, peel, and cut potatoes into large chunks.
  2. Cover with water and bring to a boil, cook potatoes until they are very soft.
  3. Drain potatoes and mash with a potato masher.
  4. Add salt and pepper, nutritional yeast and about half of the milk. Continue to mash or (whip) until everything is mixed, add more plant milk, nutritional yeast and salt as necessary to get the flavor just right. (Depending on the size of your potatoes this might not be enough seasoning)
  5. Set aside.

Lentil Layer

  1. Place cooked lentils in a pie pan, stirring in Liquid Smoke if desired.
  2. Spread lentils and pack them down into a smooth bottom layer.

Veggie/Sauce Layer

  1. Cook carrots, celery, and onions in a skillet, adding small amounts of water when veggies begin to stick.
  2. As the veggies begin to soften add mushrooms, green beans and peas.
  3. Once all veggies are soft, sprinkle in flour and nutritional yeast then give it a quick stir.
  4. Add 1/2 cup of the plant milk and lightly stir. Keep your eye on this and add more plant milk as it thickens, continuing to stir.
  5. Add garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to your preference.
  6. Once the sauce is like a thick gravy pour the veggie/sauce over the lentils.

Spoon potatoes over Veggie/Sauce Layer and smooth out. Put in the oven and broil for 10 minutes. Check often to make sure the top is browning and not burning.

- – -

This dish is great for a potluck, a family holiday dinner or to take to a family who needs a little bit of blessing. It reheats beautifully and could be frozen for a future meal.

I hope you ENJOY!

If you want to make your way through the potluck you can got back to On the Path to Zen or forward to Veghotpot to check out what they brought.

I hope you take some time to make your way through the potluck.

Extended Family May…week 2

The Extended Family, Uncategorized May 9, 2013 Leave a comment

Today we check in with the Extended Family to find out how they will handle potluck and BBQ invitations this summer.

Erica B Bio pic

Erica & B

 

Cook out/BBQ season is upon us. How will you handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?

When we are invited places, I try to plan ahead and find out what will be there.  I bring dishes that we can eat and I usually get good reviews.

Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?

My friends are AWESOME!  I know I am SO lucky but every single one of my friends have been super supportive.  They are always so accommodating when they host events and have food our family can eat.  I am so thankful for them.  We don’t live near any family so if they think I’m crazy, they keep it to themselves.  haha

How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?

I really haven’t had to deal with any negativity.  I get the stray “I could never eat so many veggies”  ”I could never give up meat/cheese/whatever”   Other than that people have kept quiet if they disagree with our eating choices.   I am pretty used to being the odd man out with the choices I make for myself and kids (cloth diapering, vaccinations, etc.).  I think most people see how healthy and happy we are and who can argue with that??  :)

- – -

 

Cook out/BBQ season is upon us. How will you handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?

I attend every single one and just eat what I can! I’m always sure to bring a delicious vegetarian or vegan dish so we have at least one thing to eat. But honestly, it’s hasn’t been an issue for me in a very, very long time. Ultimately, I live in a healthy state and I have a lot of health conscious and veggie-friendly friends. They have long been aware of my diet – and now that of my family’s – and accommodate us without any problem. Veggie burgers are so widely available that it’s not an issue to add them to the menu, and ultimately, we are rarely the only one who opts for them anymore!

Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?

My dad, the hunter, is probably the only person who gives us a hard time on occasion. Though health-conscious in his own way, he’s a die-hard meat-eater. He lives across the country so we only see him a few times a year, but I still have ribs sitting in my freezer that he insisted on buying during his visit last summer. He just doesn’t get that they won’t get eaten! Ironically, his wife has recently gone vegetarian after being faced with cholesterol medication and then watching “Forks over Knives.” My father-in-law is another critic, but he’s overweight with health issues and we only have to see him a few times a year as well. My sister is a long-time vegetarian, as well as my brother’s girlfriend. My mom is so proud and still astounded at the array of fresh healthy food my daughter eats, and always trying new veggie recipes on us. My mother-in-law is healthy and always respectful. She came to stay with us for three weeks last summer and ate as we did the whole time. Ultimately, I find folks are intrigued by new foods or old foods prepared in a new way; it often leads to an “a-ha” moment for them!

How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?

I explain to them why it’s better for our bodies, the planet and the care of animals. Many times, people just aren’t informed. Unfortunately, the majority of America is so far removed from their food system that they don’t understand just how out-of-control it has gotten with factory farmed animals, not to mention the produce that is teeming with chemicals, picked by underpaid, ill-treated farm workers and trucked from thousands of miles away. It’s estimated our current food system contributes nearly 1/3 of all carbon emissions! I let them know it’s easy to be an unhealthy, junk food vegetarian or vegan, but to do it right is to embrace a variety of healthy whole foods, shun the processed stuff and choose local and organic whenever possible. It’s difficult to argue with the health benefits of that. Like with anything, education is key. As part of that, I share healthy dishes wherever I go!

Meal Plan Monday: Back to Mexican Food (What we thought of the purchased meal plan)

Frugal, Meal Plan Monday, Uncategorized May 6, 2013 Comments: 6

brownies, garden HC grilled avocado 160 (45)

My adoration of Mexican food has been greatly documented here! We enjoy it a few times a week, except last week. I had purchased a meal plan from Happy Herbivore as an experiment. I love her recipes and her cooking style is very similar to mine so I thought I’d give it a try.

Happy Herbivore Meal Plan Review

I knew going in that there was no Mexican food, she actually lists many of the recipes so you know what you are getting before you purchase it. The Happy Herbivore Meal Plans include a calendar with each meal planned out, a complete shopping list, and instructions for every recipe. It is very easy to follow. There are individual and family meal plans available for a low price.

What I liked

I thought the $5 price was reasonable, especially for busy people who don’t have time to sit and plan. The shopping was easy because everything was on the list. We were able to try new things we wouldn’t have picked on our own. The meal plan is mostly gluten and soy free but can easily be adapted and gives instructions for those substitutions. As already mentioned these plans are very easy to follow and takes most of the work out of preparing for dinner, of course you still have to shop and cook.

What I didn’t like

We had a few problems with the meal plan. First, it was too much food for us. I don’t cook a new dish for every meal. Second, I also spent about twice as much as I typically would. That really surprised me, I think it is because I bought wraps/crackers that I wouldn’t normally buy often. Also, the list included produce that was more expensive than I would typically choose, like frozen mango. Third, some of the recipes just weren’t our thing. If you follow me on Facebook, you heard that we had a bad experience with the Red Lentil Dal, BLECK! My kids weren’t very receptive to most of the dinner recipes, we gave them small amounts to try then ended up making them something else.

The Verdict

To be fair, we still have a lot of those groceries left because I didn’t follow the meal plan exactly. You could pick and choose which recipes work for your family. This weeks meal plan has plenty of Mexican food. I think the Happy Herbivore Meal Plans are a good idea for a lot of people, especially if you are open to trying a lot of different types of recipes and wanting to maintain a low calorie diet. If you are new to plant-based eating and want a no fuss plan for eating healthy then give these a try.

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Our Meal Plan

This week I’ll be getting back to normal, sort of. This is Healthy Cravings week so my cooking schedule will be a little different. On the plus side, it is a potluck so I don’t have to do all of the cooking. I’ve had smaller than normal RSVPs so I think the potluck part is a little intimidating for some.

You’ll notice that I don’t plan all of our meals. I try to cook large enough amounts that we have leftovers and my kids will often eat sandwiches for lunch. Sometimes I pull out a variety of raw veggies and salad dressing and we call that a meal. This work for our family better than a highly structured plan.

Breakfast Quinoa

Breakfast

I don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen in the mornings so we will likely eat:

 

Lunch

We often eat leftovers for lunch, most of these dishes are easily built with leftover ingredients.

  • Veggie Wraps with greens, bell peppers, sliced carrots, and cucumbers
  • Black Bean and Quinoa Bowl with avocado
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • Taco Salad

Snacks

We regularly have morning and afternoon snacks depending on our schedule. I try to focus on fruit and veggies most of the time. The kids love anything they can dip.

grilled avocado 160 (47)

Dinner

Is there one type of food you eat over all the others? Have you purchased a Meal Plan? Tell us about your experience!

Extended Family May Edition…week 1

The Extended Family, Uncategorized May 2, 2013 Comments: 8

When the month of May arrives we see warmer weather (in some places), more BBQs/cookouts, and if you are plant-based you may see a little more awkwardness when getting invitations for food centered get together’s. This month the Extended Family will tell you how they handle those situations.

Chris and Kara

Christopher & Kara

Cook out/BBQ season is upon us. How will you handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?
Same as always. We will still attend and bring along our own food.
Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?
Yes and no. We have gotten past negative comments since it has been close to a year now. I have a feeling they still think we are a little strange! = )
How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?
We don’t take it personally. We don’t receive a whole lot of negative feedback. Most people want to know why we started eating this way. Once we tell  them they seem supportive and even interested.
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Emily Pic
Emily & Tony
How will we handle invitations to neighborhood or family events?
Well, we will probably bring a “healthy” side dish to such BBQ events and when it comes to family, they are doing pretty well having lots of options available and are making healthy decisions as well so when we get invitations we will be glad to join our friends and family.  We will eat whatever we feel comfortable eating and if that means we grab something when we get home then so be it…and honestly if it means we eat “meat” once in a while this summer then that maybe the case…but we are doing pretty good going plant-based and have not bought meat since we started in November.
Are your family/friends supportive of your dietary choices?
Most friends/family have become more supportive of our dietary choices….we are still trying to figure it all out but it is neat to see those around me making better food choices and becoming more educated as well.
How do you handle negativity from others about your diet?
I probably either try to educate them or if it comes down to it then I may have to ignore some of their opinions.  Most people are so ingrained that you have to eat meat and dairy that it is hard for them to even consider anything else….so it takes patience.  I didn’t decide completely overnight to change my diet…it took learning about our food and the harmful things allowed in our food to help make the switch…so just being knowledgeable and being able to explain to others the benefits is the best we can do.

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How do you handle invites to “meat” centered events?

Salad Dressing (oil-free)

Frugal, Life with Kids, Recipes, Uncategorized April 30, 2013 Comments: 11

salad dressing

Some people wonder how I get my kids to mounds of greens, let me introduce you to my sweet and tangy secret.

I make this salad dressing with pantry staples so it’s inexpensive and lasts a long time. It is also oil-free, gluten-free and vegan.

salad dressing

Holly’s House Dressing

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp agave nectar
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/8 tsp dried paprika
  • 1/4 tsp dried dill
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (optional)
  • 2 oz water

Do

Add all ingredients to a jar and shake well OR put all ingredients in a blender (I used a Magic Bullet) and whizz.

Serve

I love this dressing on a big salad or a wrap. It is also fantastic in noodle or grain salads. My boys (2 and 4) LOVE it. They beg for salad and salad dressing. It is very thin but still makes a great dip. The spices settle at the bottom of the jar so shake before pouring and refrigerate.

Do you have a favorite salad dressing?

This recipe was shared at Gluten-Free Friday hosted by Vegetarian Mamma!

Meal Plan Monday: Did You Plan?

Meal Plan Monday, Uncategorized April 29, 2013 Comments: 11

Confession time, I didn’t Meal Plan. This week I wanted to try something different so I bought a Meal Plan. We just started it so I’m not going to share all the details until I can objectively report back.

This is the first time I’ve bought a Meal Plan online. So far I’ve spent way more time on it than I would my own Meal Plan. I have a friend who buys meal plans online regularly and likes it.

Do you create your own meal plan each week/month or do you buy one? I regularly get referrals from Meal Planning and Recipe sites but I’ve never tried one until now. I hope to report back next week and let you know what we thought about this particular Meal Plan.

In the mean time I’d love to hear about your Meal Planning experience. If you really need some ideas check out the Meal Planning tab or the Recipe tab at the top of the page.

Until then I’ll share a few pictures of things we’ve been eating. Most of these photos are pretty rough but the food sure tasted delicious.

 

Shepherds Pie for the Virtual Vegan Potluck

Shepherds Pie for the Virtual Vegan Potluck

 

Mexican Casserole with homemade Pico

Mexican Casserole with Homemade Pico

 

Holly's House Italian

Holly’s House Italian

 

My 2 year olds fingers steal my Taco Salad

My 2 year olds fingers steal my Taco Salad

 

Grilled Portobello Steaks, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy.

Grilled Portobello Steaks, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy.

 

 

 

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