My Plant-Based Family

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

Holly Yzquierdo

Plant-Based Meal Plan

by Leave a Comment

After a really busy week, last weekend was just what we needed. We baked Banana Bread and Apple Oatmeal Muffins, I did some cooking for the week and we even got to rest. We have another busy week ahead but thankfully we have our plant-based meal plan ready to go.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

I’m very excited to share my new Apple Oatmeal Muffins with you! They are so good! My husband even said they may have dethroned my Banana Bread as the best muffin recipe. I’ll share them this week!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

In addition to our planned meals, we eat a lot of fruit and veggies. We pretty much always have apples, bananas, carrots and broccoli ready to eat.

Plant-Based Breakfast

Oatmeal has been the breakfast of choice lately! It’s easy, inexpensive and delicious so definitely a winner! Instant Pot Oatmeal is perfect for making multiple servings. Overnight Oats is a great option for making ahead. Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats is a clear favorite on Pinterest.

I was thinking of putting together a list of my favorite breakfasts that aren’t oatmeal or oat related. Let me know if you are interested in seeing that list.

Plant-Based Lunch

Most of our lunches are leftovers. I cook my One Pot Broccoli and Rice recipe weekly so my husband can take it to work for lunch. I like to have another soup, casserole, or other dish that reheats well to go with it. This week, we also have baked Sweet Potatoes that I make in my Instant Pot.

Plant-Based Dinner

Monday: Broccoli Potato Soup will be perfect this week. It’s pure comfort food! Our temps will finally be dipping below 100 degrees so we will pretend it’s actually fall in Arizona.

Tuesday: Lentil Tacos, Mexican Rice and Refried Beans make a huge meal with delicious leftovers we can enjoy for days.

Wednesday: Tostadas are the easiest meal ever, especially when I have leftover refried beans. I usually get everything out and tell my kids to make their own. If they need help I’m happy to help, especially spreading the beans, but they add their own veggies.

Thursday: Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is another favorite soup! It’s perfect for fall, even “pretend fall” that we have in Arizona.

Friday: Pizza Pasta is an easy version of pizza night, plus everyone can be in charge of their own toppings. My kids love olives but I don’t, so having separate toppings keeps everyone happy. We also have salad and veggies with the pasta. I like to put raw veggies on the counter when I’m cooking dinner, then we will all snack on them while we wait for dinner to get ready. It’s a great way to get extra veggies in.

What are you eating this week?

Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding

by 3 Comments

Breakfast, dessert or snack? You decide! Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding satisfies your sweet craving while providing nutritional benefits.

Chia pudding has evolved into a versatile dish that can showcase various flavors. Vanilla coconut is the clear favorite at my house. The combination of comforting vanilla and exotic coconut transports me to a tropical paradise with every spoonful.

Is Chia Pudding Actually Good for You?

Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. When combined with the goodness of coconut milk, it becomes a well-rounded treat while fulfilling my sweet tooth. You can incorporate more nutrients with the addition of fruits, nuts and seeds too.

There are lots of ways to tailor this recipe to suit everyone’s tastes. Not into coconut? Swap out the coconut milk for almond milk.

Would you rather have a fruity dessert? Your favorite fruits will complement the chia pudding perfectly. How about chocolate chia overnight oats or strawberry chia pudding? There are so many variations of this recipe to try!

How to Make Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding

This recipe makes one serving.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds 
  • ½ cup Coconut Milk (other plant-based milk can be used instead) 
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup 
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 
  • 1 Tablespoon Shredded Coconut 

Instructions

Step 1 – Add Ingredients

Add all the ingredients together in a bowl or jar (should hold at least one cup). 

Step 2 – Set

Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then stir again and place in the refrigerator.  

Step 3 – Refrigerate

Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.  

Step 4 – Add Toppings

Enjoy topped with additional shredded coconut, nuts, or fresh fruit. 

Serving Suggestions

Whether you opt for a classic bowl presentation or layer fresh fruits in a glass, chia pudding can be as pretty as it tastes. Try these delicious variations:

Fresh Fruit Toppings

Garnishing your vanilla coconut chia pudding with a medley of fresh fruits not only adds visual appeal but also introduces additional flavors and textures. Berries, mango slices, or kiwi chunks are popular choices that complement the pudding’s sweetness.

Nuts and Seeds

For those who enjoy a bit of crunch in their desserts, consider adding a sprinkle of chopped nuts or seeds. Almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds provide a delightful contrast to the creamy texture of the pudding.

Sweet Treat

Elevate your vanilla coconut chia pudding by drizzling a touch of maple syrup, or agave nectar. This not only enhances the sweetness but also adds a layer of sophistication to the overall presentation.

Storage

Chia pudding will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It’s a great option for meal prep!

More Plant Based Recipes Using Chia Seeds or Oats

Don’t miss these yummy ways to enjoy chia seeds and/or oats for breakfast, dessert or a snack:

Yield: 1 Serving

Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding

Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding

Your family will love this Vanilla Coconut Chia Pudding. Add your favorite fruit, coconut flakes, nuts or seeds. It makes a great breakfast, dessert or snack.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
  • ½ cup Coconut Milk (other plant-based milk can be used instead)
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon Shredded Coconut

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients together in a bowl or jar (should hold at least one cup). 
  2. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then stir again and place in the refrigerator.  
  3. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours.  
  4. Enjoy topped with additional shredded coconut, nuts, or fresh fruit. 

Notes

Keep in an airtight container in the referigerator for up to 5 days

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Recipes

Plant-Based Meal Plan

by 1 Comment

Wow! Moving is not for the weak. We moved one month ago and while we’ve made a lot of progress and are mostly unpacked, there are still quite a few things we need to do. Thankfully we are settled in enough to make good food and a plant-based meal plan.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

This page contains affiliate links.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Over the weekend I did some batch cooking! We have Chickpea Rice Soup, One Pot Broccoli and Rice and Banana Bread ready for the week.

We also have a lot of salad options ready. Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots and more. Believe it or not, my kids love salads, as long as they get some choice in what goes in them. I think that’s perfectly reasonable. Take a look at our salad dressings!

Plant-Based Breakfast

My kids have started to ask for oatmeal again! I love it when they are on an oatmeal kick because I have so many great oatmeal options. My pickiest eater is even starting to like nuts. Yesterday he ate a handful of walnuts and asked for coconut! This is huge for this kid.

This week we will be including Instant Pot Oatmeal, Overnight Oats (I may even share a new recipe), Oil-Free Pumpkin Granola and Banana Bread! We will also include fruit with breakfast and other meals.

Plant-Based Lunch

Most of our lunches are leftovers. Thankfully, our Chickpea Rice Soup and One Pot Broccoli Rice Casserole is already put in our favorite lunch size Pyrex containers and ready for the week. Me and the kids have also planned to take salads in our lunch this week. I’m thinking of a Black Bean Mango Salad! The boys will just fill up their favorite ingredients along with other things that are easy to pack like fruit, pretzels, and sandwiches. I bought an insulated stainless steel thermos and an OmieBox so they could take hot soups and pastas too.

Plant-Based Dinner

Monday: Tostadas and Mexican Rice are a really easy week night meal! Especially if you already have refried beans cooked in your instant pot or buy canned beans. Plus, they are so simple but everyone  loves them. I buy the pre-made shells to make it even easier but if you are wanting the healthiest option possible, you will want to buy oil-free soft corn tortillas and bake them yourself.

Tuesday: Tofu Scramble and pancakes are a fun week night meal. If we get pressed for time I’ll ditch the pancakes and make potatoes in my Instant Pot while the scramble is cooking. Since my boys don’t enjoy all the peppers and onions in their scramble like I do, I may cook those in a separate skillet.

Wednesday: Pasta nights are a weekly occurrence for us! We may have my Instant Pot Pasta or Pizza Pasta depending on what everyone is in the mood for. We will pair it with salad or raw veggies. My kids prefer raw veggies to cooked veggies but you could choose your favorite.

Thursday: Veggie Pad Thai is one of my favorite recipes. It reheats really well so this is perfect for late in the week when the lunch leftovers are running low. My kids don’t like this one as much, I have no idea why except that they don’t like meals where everything is mixed together.

Friday: Dinner Out! I don’t know what we will have yet but I don’t expect to cook. If we decided to stay in we will probably enjoy some of the leftovers.

I bought the Mealthy Crisp Lid on Prime Day and we moved about a week later so I haven’t tried it yet. I hope to try it, now that it’s unpacked, in the next week! If you have one I’d love to hear what you think.

What are you eating this week?

Plant-Based Meal Plan

by Leave a Comment

I’m back with a new plant-based meal plan. Since I lasted shared mid July, we have successfully sold our house and downsized into a new one. My kitchen is unpacked and I’m ready to start cooking.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

This page contains affiliate links. 

I was just putting my grocery list together for pickup tomorrow morning. Do you use grocery pickup? It’s so easy.

Since my boys have started school, breakfasts will be quick and easy. My husband and I will be having leftovers for lunch, especially with the delicious meals we have planned.

Plant-Based Breakfast

As much as I’d love to make Tofu Scramble for breakfast, we usually stick to quicker foods on school days. Although, Tofu Scrambles reheat really well. Most days we will have cereal with rice milk, toast with fruit or bagels. I may make my Peanut Butter Overnight Oats to have available for breakfast or a mid day snack! My husband usually sticks to fruit and veggies. There’s always a chance I’ll make us smoothies to accompany our breakfast or oatmeal if we need something heartier.

Plant-Based Lunch

I love eating leftovers for lunch. Some things are better than others. Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s dinners are going to make fantastic leftovers! On day’s we don’t have leftovers I may make a big salad or a sandwich. I can make a quick and easy Chickpea Noodle Soup or Plant-Based Mediterranean Bowl in a pinch.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday: Pasta with veggies and side salad. I’ve got a great Sweet and Tangy Salad Dressing to go with it. This meal is a winner because we can all pick and choose our own veggies to some extent. One kid loves raw carrots, the other raw broccoli and they both like salad with balsamic vinegar.

Tuesday: Tofu Stir Fry with rice or noodles. I’ll admit that this one is for me. I’ve been craving Asian flavors for weeks. I’m not sure what sauce I’ll use yet so send me your recommendations!

Wednesday: Mexican Casserole. So easy and so good! I have several recipes but I’m sure I’ll use my Instant Pot version for this one. This will make great leftovers for lunch too.

Thursday: Instant Pot Baked Potatoes with steamed broccoli and maybe Creamy Brown Gravy. I love potatoes! This is one of the easiest things to make in the Instant Pot. I usually have my 10 year old make these for me. I’ll take over when it comes to steaming veggies and making gravy.

Friday: Plant-Based Nachos with Refried Beans, dairy-free queso and plenty of salsa. Since Mango is plentiful now I may make my Mango Salsa too! Don’t forget jalapenos!

What are you eating this week? On Prime Day I bought the Mealthy Crisp Lid but we packed it as soon as it came in. I may give it a try this week. If you’ve been wanting to try air frying but don’t want to deal with the space an air fryer requires, take a look at the Mealthy Crisp Lid.

Prime Day Deals

by 1 Comment

Amazon Prime Day, next to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s the time to checkout all the deals on Amazon. When I have a planned purchase, I try to watch for deals. Since we are moving soon I don’t have a lot of things I need, we are in “get rid of everything” mode.

If you’ve been wanting an Instant Pot, Air Fryer or new kitchen gadget, keep an eye on Amazon over the next two days. I’ll also be updating my Amazon Prime Day Deals Page as new deals are published.

I’m an Amazon affiliate so I make a small commission when you purchase products using my link. This doesn’t cost you anything.

The first thing you need to do to take advantage of Amazon Prime Day is sign up for the membership. If you aren’t sure if you really need it, Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial!

The Mealthy CrispLid is something you are sure to hear about! It’s like an air fryer lid you can attach to your pressure cooker!

You know I love my Instant Pot! This is the 9 in 1 Instant Pot! It’s an incredible deal! I’ve never seen this model for such a good price!

This high tech version comes with an Echo Dot!

I love my Blendtec blender! It’s never let me down! If you’ve been wanting a high powered blender then check out this deal.

I don’t have this brand Air Fryer but it looks really close to the one I have, plus its a great deal!

We bought this lunch box last year and love it! You put the whole thing in the freezer and it keeps your lunch cold for hours!

This is the lunch box I want to get this year. I’m holding out to see if I can find a better deal but my son really wants this one because it can keep soups nice and hot.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

by 1 Comment

I used to look forward to summer because it meant the kids were home and we weren’t as busy. This summer, that is not the case. We have appointment after appointment. I definitely spend less time cooking and encourage the kids to make their own meals when possible. They make a lot of toast!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Plant-Based Meal Plan

I’m going to continue this new style of posting the meal plan. Instead of planning every breakfast, lunch and dinner, I share a few breakfast ideas, a few lunch ideas then week night dinners. This has been working well and is easier since we usually repeat breakfasts and lunch anyway.

Plant-Based Breakfast

This week is less hectic than last week so I expect oatmeal to make another appearance. I’ll have time to make Instant Pot Oatmeal but I will also prepare a few Peanut Butter Overnight Oats jars. These little jars are perfect for quick and easy breakfast or a delicious snack. Plus, they are a great little package of fiber.

Plant-Based Lunch

Over the weekend I prepped ingredients for my Mediterranean Bowls. They are so good and so easy! My husband still has Broccoli and Rice Casserole to take to lunch from when I made it last week. Check out my Instagram Story Highlights to see me make it, start to finish. We’ll also have Veggie Sandwiches or pita sandwiches and other leftovers.

Plant-Based Dinner

Monday: Broccoli Potato Soup is so easy and so good. Everyone in the house will eat it. Another thing I love about this soup is that it reheats so well. I used to make a version of this in the Crock Pot but now I usually stick to this Instant Pot version.

Tuesday: Tofu Kabobs with Oil-Free Fried Rice is a favorite that I don’t make often enough.  I love the sweetness of the pineapple with the savory flavor or the tamari (or soy sauce if you can have gluten). You can use your favorite sauce.

Wednesday: Tostadas are one of the easiest  meals you can make and totally underrated. You can make your own beans, here’s my favorite recipe, or use canned. These are completely kid friendly because it’s basically a big chip with beans on top and a little lettuce and tomato.

Thursday: Fiesta Pasta is an old recipe where I use my faux cheese sauce as a pasta sauce. It’s kinda like a mac and cheese with beans, tomatoes and corn. If your family doesn’t go for things being mixed together like this you may want to skip it. The good new is you can spice it up with green chilies, taco seasoning or salsa. The recipe is pretty mild as written but there is always room to adapt it to your family.

Friday: Beefy Lentil and Veggie Soup is so hearty! It’s pure comfort food. You can make it on the stove or in your Instant Pot.

What are you eating a lot of right now? Any My Plant-Based Family recipes?