My Plant-Based Family

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

Holly Yzquierdo

Plant-Based Meal Plan

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Are you ready for a new Plant-Based Meal Plan? Me too!

The weather in Arizona has been crazy, over half the state is covered in snow! That is unusual for us. While it’s warmed up a bit, it’s still pretty cold; warm, comforting recipes are the only cure we have until the weather comes around.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

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My big kids, who are adults, live in much colder places than we do. I still call them the big kids and probably always will, even after our little kids are grown too. Last week, I was talking to my daughter about dinner ideas. She got an Instant Pot for Christmas and we brainstormed some recipes for her and her husband to make. That conversation had me thinking about these recipes.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

We typically stick to easy breakfasts during the week. Quick and easy oatmeal, Instant Pot Oatmeal or Instant Pot Breakfast Rice require very little hands on time and can be started ahead of time and eaten once you are ready.

Lunch

We usually have leftovers or something really easy for lunch. Leftover soup is one of my favorite lunches because it tastes just as good as something I made fresh but doesn’t take as much time away from my work schedule.

Leftover beans and rice with salsa is another favorite. You could wrap it in a tortilla, or scoop it with chips if you are in to that sort of thing. I’ve been having a lot of chips and salsa lately.

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup may just be the perfect plant-based soup! Veggies, beans, broth and pasta create a hearty and healthy soup!

Dinner

Lately, my aim is to cook meals that can be eaten multiple times, either the next night, or for lunch the next day. I’m also trying to cook them in 30 minutes or less. Some meals may take more time cooking, but if my hands-on time is short, I don’t mind a longer cooking time, especially if it’s in my Instant Pot and I can be busy doing something else.

Monday

Veggie Pad Thai: I’ve been craving this Veggie Pad Thai for weeks but haven’t had a chance to make it. My daughter who lives across the country is even planning to make it this week!

Tuesday

Chipotle Black Bean Chili: This was a new recipe last week and I can tell you that we love it! It’s too spicy for my kids but I’ve eaten some every day since making it. It has black beans, quinoa and a good mix of veggies. Enjoy it on a baked potato, with tortillas or on it’s own. My mom loved it too.

Wednesday

Minestrone Soup: If my family had to pick one soup that everyone loved, it has be Minestrone Soup. I’ll save time by making it in the Instant Pot but you can easily make it on the stove.

Thursday

Chili Fries: Don’t worry, these are a healthy version of chili fries. I’ll use the leftover Chipotle Black Bean Chili and serve them over potatoes wedges I cook in my Air Fryer. Since the chili will only need to be reheated, I’ll only have to cook the potatoes. If I run short on time, I’ll cook “baked” potatoes in my Instant Pot instead.

Friday

Chickpea Noodle Soup: This is another soup my family loves. They can’t get enough of it and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the Dry Veggie Broth Mix that I use. You could use your favorite broth but if you have nutritional yeast and some basic spices, you can make your own.

These recipes rely on ingredients I normally keep stocked in my fridge and pantry. The only item that isn’t a regular is the chipotle peppers in the chili but since I’m in love with that new recipe, I’m pretty sure I’m going to keep those stocked.

Instant Pot Chickpea and Rice Soup

Family Friendly Plant-Based Recipes

All of these recipes except the chili are family friendly. The chili is spicy and my kids don’t like spicy. If you have teens or kids who love spicy food, they would probably like it.

The thing is, family friendly is really in the eye of the beholder. One of my sons loves fruit and veggies, the other not so much. On the night when we have the Chili Fries, they will just have the fries with a side of something else.

On Minestrone Soup night, one of my kids will pick through the veggies in the soup and only eat some of them. I’m ok with that. I sometimes skip foods I don’t like too.

When there are meals they truly don’t like, I have them fix themselves something like a sandwich or oatmeal. I’ll pull out some veggies or fruit to accompany their choice.

If you need help getting your kids to eat healthy foods, I’ve got some tips!

Do you follow a meal plan every week? Do you need help making a weekly meal plan or do you prefer to wing it?

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

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Nothing beats a bowl of hot chili when it’s cold outside!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My Texas Style Chili will always have my heart but sometimes I like to mix it up with different recipes. This recipe uses more ingredients but also has a more complex flavor. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, quinoa, and cinnamon all in one dish, you know you are getting something unexpected.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

This recipe is easy to dump in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot after some quick chopping and measuring spices. I use canned beans and tomatoes for ease. If you aren’t a fan of spicy, you may want to reduce or omit the chipotle peppers. They give it a great flavor but it’s spicy!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Like all my recipes, you can easily change-up the ingredients based on your likes and dislikes, or what you have in your pantry!

Ingredients:

  • ½ of a 7 oz. can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn
  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it!)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

 

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Directions:

  1. Place everything up through broth in slow-cooker or Instant Pot. Add in half of the chopped cilantro. (Save the other half of cilantro for garnishing).
  2. If you are cooking in a slow cooker, dump the tomatoes in and give it a stir. If you are using the Instant Pot, set the tomatoes aside for a minute and stir well. Then add the tomatoes, just dump them on top but don’t stir. Sometimes tomatoes and tomato sauces can cause Instant Pot recipes to burn or stick. Leaving the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients will keep that from happening.
  3. If using a slow cooker, cover with the lid then cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours. If using an Instant Pot, close the lid and close the vent. Cook on high, pressing Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model) and adjust the time to 10 minutes. I prefer letting the Instant Pot version NPR (natural pressure release) for at least 10 minutes after it’s done.
  4. Stir well and remove the cinnamon stick.
  5. Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro or add your favorite toppings.

Chili Topping Ideas

There are so many great toppings you can add to chili. My favorites are tortilla chips to give it a little crunch and avocado to help tame the spiciness. Other great ideas are:

  • Cilantro
  • Diced avocados
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Lime wedges
  • Hot sauce
  • Diced green onion
  • Tortilla chips

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My mom is visiting and loved this chili too. You don’t know my mom but that is saying something. She lives in Oklahoma where she raises horses, dogs, and cattle. She let all her Facebook friends know she ate vegan chili and liked it!

I think it’s safe to say for meat loving friends and family will love it too!

Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

This interesting plant-based chili recipe is perfect for fall. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, quinoa, and cinnamon all in one dish, you know you are getting something unexpected.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ of a 7 oz. can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn
  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it!)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Place everything up through broth in your Instant Pot. Add in half of the chopped cilantro. (Save the other half of cilantro for garnishing).

2. Set the tomatoes aside for a minute and stir well. Then add the tomatoes, just dump them on top but don’t stir. Sometimes tomatoes and tomato sauces can cause Instant Pot recipes to burn or stick. Leaving the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients will keep that from happening.

3. Close the lid on your Instant Pot and close the vent. Cook on high, pressing Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model) and adjust the time to 10 minutes. I prefer letting the Instant Pot version NPR (natural pressure release) for at least 10 minutes after it’s done.

4. Stir well and remove the cinnamon stick.

5. Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro or add your favorite toppings.

Notes

This recipe has a nice little kick thanks to the adobe peppers. This recipe is suitable for people who like spicy food, children may not enjoy the heat of this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Soups, Stews, & Chili
Don’t forget to pin this recipe and add it to your meal plan! You can follow my Instant Pot board on Pinterest too!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Plant-Based Valentine’s Day Meal Ideas

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Are you making a special plant-based Valentine’s Day meal?

I got an email from a reader who wanted to know what I suggested for a special Valentine’s Day meal. Her husband asked if she could make a plant-based meal, even though he isn’t plant-based. Sounds like a sweetheart!

Veggie Pad Thai

I used to suggest big fancy meals but these days I’m all about keeping it simple. My recommendation was Veggie Pad Thai! I know, it’s not a traditional choice but it’s easy to make, cooks quickly, and is easy to adapt based on what you like.

My husband loves the Veggie Pad Thai. I do a mix of both of our favorite veggies and give him more of the mushrooms while I take more of the peppers. He likes to drizzle Sriracha on top.

Just because it’s Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you need to put yourself out to make a meal. Spending less time in the kitchen so you can spend more time with your family seems like a win to me.

I know that some of you are over the top kind of people. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean that you love creating big elaborate meals for your family. That is awesome! Go for it!

If Pad Thai isn’t your thing, I’ve got a few other recipes for you. You can check out my post from 5 years ago (yes, I’ve been blogging that long) when my kids were little!

Chickpea Nuggets are vegan, gluten-free, and a fun kid food. They are easy to make and delicious.

More Plant-Based Valentine’s Day Ideas

If I had plenty of time and energy, I’d plan a kid friendly meal of Chickpea Nuggets, Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy and veggies. I’d probably have a veggie tray or big salad too.

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Something you may not have heard yet, my Chickpea Nugget recipe is included in Ocean Robbins new book, The 31 Day Food Revolution! I’m so excited to read this book. You should check it out if you are looking for new reading material.

Plant-Based Dessert

Of course, we can’t forget about dessert. If there was any time to have desserts it’s random mid-week holidays, err, I mean Valentine’s Day. HA HA, just kidding. You don’t have to convince me to have dessert.

Banana Muffins with Chocolate Plant-Based Valentine's day

You can tell from my dessert page that I love chocolate. My husband never really liked chocolate but he has come around a bit. He still won’t eat a lot but he enjoys it in small amounts. With that in mind, big desserts are out, but smaller desserts like chocolate covered strawberries made with Enjoy Life Foods chocolate are totally in.

Another option we love is making my Banana Bread into muffins and putting chocolate chips (or chunks) in half of them.

What is your idea of a perfect plant-based Valentine’s Day meal? Do you like simple, elaborate, family friendly or romantic?

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

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Oatmeal is our typical quick and easy breakfast but when I’m in the mood for something a little different I choose Breakfast Rice.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

I like my Breakfast Rice with the same type of flavors as my oatmeal, apples, cinnamon, chia seed and a bit of maple syrup.

Short grain brown rice is my favorite tasting rice. It’s got a slightly nutty flavor and stays bulkier than quick cooking rice. I feel like it’s more filling but you could switch it up and try your favorite type of rice, you will need to adjust the cooking time though.

Since short grain brown rice takes longer to cook than many other types of rice, I like to cook it in my Instant Pot. The best thing about the Instant Pot is being able to get everything started and walk away until its done. No need to stand and watch or stir throughout the cooking time. Just set it and come back when its ready.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

This recipe does double duty though because I cook the rice plain, then add the other ingredients after the rice is cooked. I’ve made it the other way and cooked it all together but this way, I can have a batch of cooked brown rice for later, if I double the recipe. Also, when you add the apples and raisins before cooking, they get too soft for my preference. I like my apples and raisins uncooked.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

This Breakfast Rice also tastes excellent the next day. I heat it up quickly in the microwave but you could reheat it in on the stove or in the Instant Pot. The only thing I do when I reheat it is add more liquid, usually rice milk but any plant-based milk would work. The rice will absorb any extra liquid when you store it.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

My boys love their Breakfast Rice swimming in rice milk. They always add a lot of extra milk to their oatmeal too.

There are many other options besides apples and raisins. Dried cranberries, blueberries, ginger, nutmeg, pears, pretty much anything you can imagine.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice milk
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit
  • maple syrup to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, optional

Do

  1. Pour brown rice and water into your Instant Pot. Press manual and adjust time to 22 minutes.
  2. Once done, allow your pot to come to (NPR) natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure.
  3. If you doubled your recipe to have brown rice for dinner, take it out and set aside now. If not, skip this step.
  4. Pour in your milk, cinnamon, diced apples, and raisins. Stir together.
  5. Top with maple syrup to taste and chia seeds.

Serve

This breakfast is perfect for people who want a warm, hearty breakfast that will keep them full all morning. If you have more time you can try the Stove Top Version of Breakfast Rice! It’s even creamier!

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Have you tried Breakfast Rice? What do you think? Share your favorite additions to this dish!

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Elevate your mornings with our Instant Pot Breakfast Rice recipe, a delightful blend of rice, and sweet fruits cooked to perfection in a fraction of the time. This nourishing dish is the perfect way to start your day with a comforting and satisfying meal that's both delicious and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice milk
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit
  • maple syrup to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, optional

Instructions

  1. Pour brown rice and water into your Instant Pot. Press manual and adjust time to 22 minutes.
  2. Once done, allow your pot to come to (NPR) natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure.
  3. If you doubled your recipe to have brown rice for dinner, take it out and set aside now. If not, skip this step.
  4. Pour in your milk, cinnamon, diced apples, and raisins. Stir together.
  5. Top with maple syrup to taste and chia seeds.

Notes

There are many other options besides apples and raisins. Dried cranberries, blueberries, ginger, nutmeg, pears, pretty much anything you can imagine.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo

Family Update

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It’s been over a year since I’ve been actively blogging or creating recipes. As you may know, my son was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2018 after months of unexplained medical issues that no one could diagnose.

Steven the Brave
Steven the Brave Dec 2018 after getting home from 11 day hospital stay.

Leukemia is not caused by lifestyle choices. It was not caused by anything we did and nothing could have been done to prevent it. There are different types of leukemia and the type our son has, has a 90% survival rate with traditional treatment.

Steven the Brave
Steven back in the hospital. This was after a week in the ICU. He spent another two weeks in the hospital on this visit.

Steven the Brave with Nurse Kate
Steven would help his nurses draw labs.

Cancer Treatment

Over the last year, he has handled his treatment really well. There have been ups and downs, with many complications. We’ve lost track of how many hospital stays he has had, almost always for over a week, sometimes almost a month.

He is in remission but has 3 years of chemo to go. Since leukemia is a blood cancer, treatment lasts for years. He takes daily oral chemo and monthly IV chemo.

Chemo is brutal. He still deals with nausea, fatigue, neuropathy, dizziness and pain. More than that, it takes a toll on the whole family. It’s the hardest thing we’ve ever faced and it’s not over.

We tried to keep everyone up to date at Steven the Brave’s Facebook page.

Steven the Brave with pup
Steven loved visiting with Therapy Dogs at the hospital. It was always a highlight.

New Normal

We are slowly trying to find a semblance of “normal” life. It’s a new normal, nothing like the life we lived before but we choose to move forward.

Our son is allowed to go back to school and is no longer confined to our home, doctors offices and the hospital. He can walk again! No need for a wheelchair or a walker. Our work schedules have mostly gone back to normal.

My hope is that I can pick up where I left off blogging; creating new recipes and helpful tips that new and established plant-based eaters will love. I had also been working on several projects that I hope to finish up soon.

Steven the Brave

What are your Plant-Based Needs

As I get started again, I really want to hear from you! What can I do to help you be more successful with plant-based eating? Do you need quick recipes, family-friendly recipes, meal plans, snacks, or something else entirely? 

 

My Son Has Cancer

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I was hoping to write this post after getting a good report next week but I feel like I can’t wait.

If you’ve been here for a while you may know that last summer my son started having pain in his feet. During fall, the pain got worse until he couldn’t stand or walk. Even after a hospital stay we didn’t know what caused it.

Last month we learned that he has leukemia. He was handling treatment well until this weekend. We had to rush him to the ER and he is still in ICU.

As you can imagine this is really hard. We are exhausted and spend every moment trying to take care of our son. We’ve had a lot of people reach out and help and we are forever grateful.

I don’t know when I’ll return to creating recipes. My weekly newsletter is on a bit of a break too. You are welcome to follow along on our journey on my sons Facebook page. I’ll get a website up soon so I can update there.

If you want to help you can pray! We need it! A friend set up a fundraising page too if you’d like to help with the finances. We’ve missed weeks of work and will appreciate anything you feel led to do.