My Plant-Based Family

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

Holly Yzquierdo

Breakfast Cookies

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Yep, we are having cookies for breakfast. These aren’t ordinary cookies, they are Breakfast Cookies and full of fiber and healthy ingredients.

I specifically made these Breakfast Cookies with my preferences in mind. So often, moms will put others needs ahead of their own but when it comes to eating healthy it’s important to take care of yourself.

Plant-Based Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies that are allergy-friendly and delicious. These cookies are a great choice for breakfast on the go.

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Breakfast Cookies aren’t a new idea. People have been making them for years. I wanted my Breakfast Cookies to contain ingredients that I would put in my oatmeal. I’m not looking for a junk food breakfast here. On the contrary, I’m looking for a plant-based, whole food breakfast that is also allergy-friendly and portable for breakfast on the go. 

This Breakfast Cookie recipe contains my three favorite seeds, raw pepitas, hemp hearts and chia seeds. I love seeds! They are a great source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. One of the things I love about these cookies is that even though they have seeds the seeds aren’t super noticeable when you’re eating them.

I make a gel with water and the chia seeds. After I let it sit to congeal I toss the raisins in the water too. It may seem strange but our raisins get so dry. We buy them in bulk and after a while, they get really dry and a little on the hard side. That doesn’t bother my family but I like my raisins to be a little more plump. I usually soak my raisins in warm water for a few minutes before using them. If you are using golden raisins they probably don’t need to be soaked.

To keep it allergy-friendly I use gluten-free oats and a peanut butter alternative. You could use peanut butter or some other nut butter if you prefer. The oats give it substance and the nut/seed butter gives it flavor and acts as the other binder.

You may notice slight vanilla and cinnamon flavors as well. I skipped the chocolate for two reasons. First, I’m going to be eating these on the go and I don’t want little chocolate chips falling out and melting in my car or on my clothes in the super hot Arizona sun. Second, if I ate chocolate for breakfast it would be hard for me not to indulge in sweets all day.

These Breakfast Cookies just have a touch of sweetness but taste much less sweet than your standard store-bought granola bar. I’ve been relying on those a lot lately and I’m trying to get away from it. They are delicious but the “good” ones are pretty expensive for every day.

Plant-Based Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies that are allergy-friendly and delicious. These cookies are a great choice for breakfast on the go.

Breakfast Cookies

I recommend you enjoy these Breakfast Cookies with a cup of coffee. If you decide to share with your kids they may want a cup of plant-based milk.

Yield: 12

Breakfast Cookies

Breakfast Cookies

These Breakfast Cookies are perfect for breakfast or snack on the go! These lightly sweetened cookies are full of healthy ingredients your family will love. 

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • ¼ cup raisins
  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats pulsed in a blender
  • ½ cup peanut butter alternative
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp raw pepitas
  • 1 Tbsp hemp hearts
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Pour 2 tsp chia seeds into warm water and give a gentle stir. Add in raisins if they are dry. Let sit at least 5 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl add the rolled oats and the pulsed rolled oats.
  4. Dump the Soy Nut Butter into the oats and stir well. I have best results "stabbing" the clumps with a wooden spoon.
  5. Pour in the chia seed/raisin water and maple syrup then stir well to incorporate everything.
  6. Sprinkle the remaining seeds, cinnamon and vanilla in the bowl then stir a final time.
  7. Use a spoon to scoop out a ball of dough slightly larger that a ping pong ball. Use wet hands to roll it into a ball then flatten it into a disk. The dough will not spread so the size will be the same after baking. You should have about 12 cookies.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool before eating. Store in air tight container and enjoy within 3-4 days.

Notes

You can substitute your favorite ingredients. Choose cranberries instead of raisins, pick your favorite nut or seen butter, and change up the spices to suit your preferences.

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Category: Breakfast
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Overnight Oats

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I want to eat a healthy breakfast but some days I don’t have the time to cook. Overnight Oats are a healthy option for busy mornings.

Plant-Based Overnight Oats

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You know I love my Instant Pot Oatmeal but Overnight Oats are even faster. Just spend a few minutes before bed and a few minutes in the morning for an easy breakfast.

I use old fashioned oats. Bob’s Red Mill oats is our brand of choice. But if you need gluten-free I recommend GF Harvest Oats! Their manufacturing process is as good as it gets for keep gluten out of the picture.

We use Rice Dream for most of our cooking. My kids love the vanilla but I prefer the regular unsweetened. I like that it’s shelf stable so I can keep a few in my pantry and not worry about running out without a backup. I have 3 cartons in my pantry right now!

Plant-Based Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats are also perfect for travel! Just bring a bowl or jar with the oats pre-measured. Then pick up some plant milk and fruit at your destination. Easy peasy!

Ingredients

  • ½ cup oats (I used old-fashioned oats)
  • ½ cup plant milk
  • ½ banana, diced very small
  • ¼ cup chopped strawberries
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • sweeten to taste with maple syrup
  • blueberries

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, maple syrup and milk, mix until combined.
  2. Allow to sit in the fridge overnight.
  3. Dice the bananas and slice the strawberries.
  4. Mix the banana with the overnight oats, then add the strawberries and top with blueberries.
Plant-Based Overnight Oats

I love bananas and add them to almost all my overnight oats because they are so sweet. I’m really focused on cutting down my sugar intake. Bananas add the sweetness I want. Sometimes I’ll add a touch of maple syrup too.

If strawberries, bananas and blueberries aren’t your thing try raisins or peaches or diced apples.

Sometimes I’ll get a little “fancy” and add fresh ginger or hemp seeds. Really, you can add whatever you like. The fruit is completely optional.

Plant-Based Overnight Oats

For more information on oatmeal and to see my favorite oatmeal picks check out my Ultimate Oatmeal Guide.

Check out more delicious breakfast recipes on my Breakfast Page!

Yield: 1 Serving

Overnight Oats

Plant-Based Overnight Oats

Plant-Based Overnight Oats are the perfect vegan breakfast for busy mornings.

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

Ingredients

  • ½ cup oats (I used old-fashioned oats)
  • ½ cup plant milk
  • ½ banana, diced very small
  • ¼ cup chopped strawberries
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • sweeten to taste with maple syrup
  • blueberries

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, maple syrup and milk, mix until combined.
  2. Allow to sit in the fridge overnight.
  3. Dice the bananas and slice the strawberries.
  4. Mix the banana with the overnight oats, then add the strawberries and top with blueberries.

Did you make this recipe?

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© Heather Mayes

Last Week of School Meal Plan

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This week, our plant-based meal plan will use quinoa, various pasta and potatoes multiple times. Why? Quinoa, pasta and potatoes all cook quickly. Well, the potatoes cook quickly in my Instant Pot.

We have a busy week and it’s the last week of school. I’m sure it will take us a few weeks to get into the swing of things with our new schedule. I’m even taking a little break next week so you won’t be seeing me around.

Wondering what to eat on a Plant-Based Diet? Look no further than the weekly Plant-Based Meal Plans at MyPlantBasedFamily.com. Each week you'll find a brand new meal plan for allergy-friendly, whole foods that won't break the budget.

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Herb Gardening with Kids

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Herb gardening with kids is a great way to introduce your children to a new hobby. They love playing in the dirt already, why not make it even more fun by letting them grow their own plants? Not only is herb gardening entertaining for kids, but it can be full of educational moments and character building opportunities too!

7 Tips to Herb Gardening with Kids

7 Tips for Herb Gardening with Kids

Start small

You don’t want to overwhelm your child (or yourself) with a large herb garden right off the bat. Stick with 3-5 herbs for this first time gardening. If it’s too time consuming, he may feel like it’s a chore and quickly become disinterested in caring for the plants.

Choose easy to grow herbs

Kids shouldn’t have to work too hard on their herb garden. Remember, this is supposed to be a fun hobby! You can begin with a “pizza garden,” which consists of the herbs that are typically used when making pizza. This includes oregano, basil, and parsley.

What better way to celebrate your child’s gardening success than with a pizza using his own herbs?!

Purchase gardening tools for kids

Don’t just hand over the gardening tools you have used for years. Get the kids excited by giving them their own trowel, watering can, and hand rake. Teach them how to use the tools correctly to take proper care of his herb garden.

Get them to use all five senses

As they tend to the herb garden, let them really explore the plants (and dirt). As they sprout, kids can smell the herb and see if he can tell the difference between each. If you grow spearmint, your child can even chew the leaves for a minty taste!

Let it be fun, while educational

While herb gardening is definitely a learning experience, you want the kids to have fun too. The key is for the garden to be full of teaching moments. Teachable moments when herb gardening include looking up different herbs to learn how to properly care for them and comparing two or more herbs. Don’t forget learning about bugs!

Praise hard work

As your kids continue to grow their own herbs, be sure to show how proud you are of their commitment to the garden. Their self-esteem will be boosted when they realize the plants are actually growing successfully.

Let the child be in charge

It can be easy for parents to take over a project such as herb gardening (as I raise my hand), especially when the child starts to slack on watering and other tasks. However, gardening can teach your children responsibility and the need to nurture and take care of plants. Letting them see the effects of any neglect, including the herbs starting to wilt or die, is a great moment for teaching responsibility.

I hope you are encouraged to try herb gardening with your kids. Besides, it’s easier than getting a pet and a great family project that will test all of your patience.

If it’s not an option you can at least enjoy these fun little Dirt Cups on Instagram!

May 9, 2016 Weekly Meal Plan

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As the weather warms up I move away from comfort foods and include more veggies in my weekly meal plan. Don’t get me wrong, I still love one pot meals and hearty dinners but my veggie intake always increases in the summer.

I add more veggies in two main ways, stir frys and veggies with hummus.

My favorite stir fry right now is this Pineapple Chickpea Quinoa Stir Fry. It hits the spot and tastes even better than I expect every time. After our weekend shopping trip I plan to make Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus soon.

My Plant-Based Family meal plan that is perfect for starting a plant-based diet.

If you remember last week I changed up the format of the meal plans a bit to help make them easier to follow.

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Easy Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas

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Mother’s Day is coming up Sunday. Will you be showering you mom with gifts or really good food?

I never plan a big Mother’s Day celebration because I don’t want to spend the day working to “celebrate” me. Of course, a girl has to eat and restaurants are always busy on Mother’s Day. Might as well enjoy good food (and some gifts).

I’m a big fan of Mother’s Day brunch. I love breakfast foods and I don’t always take the time to make them.

Easy ideas for a plant-based (vegan) Mother's Day Brunch.

Easy Mother’s Day Brunch Menu

Since it is Mother’s Day I’m going to give you ideas for EASY brunch ideas. First, I have a tip for you. Every brunch seems better if you have a big, pretty bowl of fruit. This time of year I love strawberries, cantaloupe, cuties (because they separate so easy), grapes, blueberries and anything else that strikes your fancy.

Muffins and Sweet Breads

Start with some easy muffins or sweet breads. Choose one or two recipes depending on how much you need. These can be made the day before. I prefer:

Oatmeal Bar or Pancakes

Make a big pot of oatmeal and have an assortment of fruit, seeds and nuts to mix in. I love making Steel Cut Oats in my Instant Pot. You can prepare everything the day before and then easily make the oatmeal right before brunch.

If oatmeal is more of an everyday food instead of a “special” food have pancakes instead. You can use many of the same toppings or if you want a decadent option add Enjoy Life chocolate chips. We have a big electric griddle that makes cooking a bunch of pancakes really easy.

Savory

Everything can’t be sweet. I love having Breakfast Tacos or Breakfast Hash. You can make them mild or with a little kick. Sometimes I’ll do a tofu scramble when I’m out of tortillas. Usually the tacos win.

Serve with coffee and you have a Mother’s Day brunch that dreams are made of, especially if I don’t have to do the dishes.

Of course, gifts are always a nice touch!

Instant Pot

Today you can get a great deal on the Instant Pot at Amazon. This is a great starter model and it’s a screaming deal. You should get one for all of the mom’s in your life. But really, my husband loves cooking in our Instant Pot so really anyone who needs a gift would love it.

Vegan Baking

There is only a few days left sign up for the Healthy Vegan Baking eCourse. Lucie did an amazing job creating this course that will tell you everything you need to know about healthy plant-based (and allergy-friendly) baking. After this weekend enrollment closes so sign up! It makes a great Mother’s Day gift.

If you are looking for something more personal you can always write your mom (or wife) a letter or clean the house, acts of service are sweet gifts. Of course, a Fitbit isn’t bad either.

Easy ideas for a plant-based (vegan) Mother's Day Brunch.

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