My Plant-Based Family

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

Holly Yzquierdo

Meal Plan Monday with Teresa of Healthier Living

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This month I’m skipping my Meal Plans and featuring other bloggers (and Facebook page managers) and sharing their Meal Plans. So far we have heard from Lisa of The Vegan Pact , Alison of Plant-Strong New England (a Facebook page), and Poppy of Poppy’s Patisserie | Bunny Kitchen! Today we are going to hear from Teresa. She’s a co-admin (with her friend Diane) for a Facebook community group called Healthier Living. This group focus’ on healthy tips for every area of your life. Healthier recipes, Healthier cleaning methods, and many more ideas for Healthier Living!

Join me in welcoming Teresa as she shares her story and Meal Plan.

In January 2009 my friend, Jennifer Taylor, sent me a recipe for “power smoothie.”  I was immediately hooked on the vegan/plant strong lifestyle and have not looked back since.

I am very grateful for the convenience of having instant communication and connection via the Internet. Because of Facebook and e-mail, Jennifer has provided me and my family numerous recipes, tips, encouragement and recommendations of authors and various recipe books.  She even allowed me to borrow the DVD, “Kitchen Rescue” by Rip Esselstyn…this was huge eye-opener.  Coincidentally, or as I like to call a God intervention, our local Whole Foods hosted Rip as a guest while promoting (and viewing) “Forks Over Knives” (another huge eye-opener) and a book signing of his Engine 2, 28 day Challenge.  This promotion was in conjunction with Whole Foods own 28 day challenge using Rip’s book and recipes.  I was ready for this challenge and totally immersed myself into the “plant strong” way of life…no meat, no dairy, no oil.

I like to categorize the vegan/plant strong lifestyle as conscious eating, not a diet or dieting, and it’s much easier than most people think. Vegan is simply taking control and making choices of what you fuel your body with. Giving up my old “favorite foods” was exchanged for eating more consciously because I know it’s good for my body, soul and mind

I’d like to say that my daughters, ages 8 and 11 have embraced the vegan lifestyle as much as my husband and I have alas, I cannot. They aren’t yet huge fans and most of the time will not even try the delicious foods I cook. I have not given up. I feel they are learning by seeing how we eat.  Perhaps this “teaching by doing” will help them embrace this lifestyle in their later years. What I have noticed is they are not eating as much of what some call the “Western Civilization Diet” and are more closely aligned with a vegetarian lifestyle most of the time. Baby steps for them, for sure.

Interestingly, my husband, who is an avid weight lifter, has taken on this new lifestyle with me and can, without a doubt, say he feels absolutely awful and out-of-sorts when he strays from the vegan/plant strong way of life. He says he can’t wait to detox and get back on the wagon which is a strong statement coming from someone who believed in the “meat at every meal” mantra.

This has been such an enjoyable learning curve. I am altogether better for this lifelong, lifestyle change and give all my thanks to Jennifer Taylor.  Without Jenn, I truly believe I’d still be putting zero thought into eating and consuming whatever I want only to see the scale continually increase and my overall health gradually decrease.

 Meal Plan (family of 4)

(all photos by Teresa)

Day 1
Breakfast: Rips Big Bowl~ Engine 2

rips big bowl

Day 1
Lunch: Engine 2 Basics Open Faced Sandwich

sammy

Day 1

Snack: Cucumber Tomato Salad ~ Food Network

cucumber salad

Day 1

Dinner: Pasta Primavera ~ Engine2

pasta

Day 1

Dessert: Engine 2 Diet Chocolate Chunk Cookies

cookies
Day 2

Breakfast: Power Smoothie ~ Taylor Made Wellness

This amazing smoothie is what got me started on my wellness journey. I was instantly hooked into being more healthy and more aware of what I was eating/drinking!! Let me introduce you to the Power Smoothie, recipe from my dear friend Jennifer Taylor from Taylor Made Wellness!!

~Thank you Jenn for this great recipe and great healthy tips/information! It’s 100% worth sharing:

Most of you have had a fruit smoothie and that is a great healthy way to start the day. Trouble is, the fruit digests quickly and people need a bit more substance to get them through the morning. Usually they add protein powder or something like that but green smoothies are a healthy way to get the protein in as well as some vegetables. Did you know that dark green leafy veggies are about 35% protein? Well they are!

The color of this smoothie throws some people. I suggest if you are one of those wimps, I mean people, that you put the smoothie in a colored cup with a lid so you don’t have to look at it. You won’t taste the greens at all, I promise. If you are making this for kids, the colored cup is a great idea. Unless you have kids who are into Ironman and then you can tell them that he drinks Green Smoothies and to watch the movie to see it.

Ok, here’s the recipe:
Power Smoothie

1 cup of water or soy milk or almond milk
1 clementine, peeled
1/2 cup fresh pineapple
1 banana (it’s even better if you freeze the banana after you peel it, makes the smoothie creamier, but it doesn’t have to be frozen.)
1 cup frozen berries strawberries are great, if you are trying to fool kids use blueberries as it turns it purple.
1 TB ground flax seed otherwise known as flax meal
2 big handfuls of baby spinach (it’s important to use baby spinach.)

Add water or liquid, clementine, pineapple, flax, banana and spinach and blend until creamy. Then add the frozen fruit gradually if using a blender. If you are lucky enough to have a vita mix, you can throw it all in together.

**** If you are ready for a hardcore green smoothie, add 2 or 3 leaves of dark flat kale as well. Enjoy!

green smoothie

Day 2

Lunch: Grilled Cheeze ~ Adapted from Everyday Happy Herbivore

grilled cheez

Day 2

Snack: Watermelon

watermelon

Day 2

Dinner:  Raise the Roof Sweet Potato-Vegetable Lasagna ~ Engine 2

 lasagna

Day 2

Dessert: Chocolate Mug Cake ~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

chocolate mug cake

Day 3

Breakfast: French Toast ~ Engine 2

 french toast

Day 3

Lunch: Lemon Basil Pasta ~Everyday Happy Herbivore

lemon basil pasta

Day 3

Snack: Starfruit, Clementine and Blueberries

fruit

Day 3

Dinner: Veggie Pizza (whole wheat pizza crust, low sodium, fat free tomato and basil pasta sauce, baby spinach, tomato, orange bell pepper, sun dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper and nutritional yeast seasoning to top it off)

 pizza

Day 3

Dessert: Carrot Cake Cupcakes ~ The Happy Herbivore

cupcakes

Day 4

Breakfast: Lemon Cornmeal Pancakes ~ Engine 2

lemon cornmeal pancakes

Day 4
Lunch: Rice Salad with Fennel, Orange and Chickpeas ~ Forks Over Knives Cookbook

rice salad

Day 4

Snack: Hannah’s Fruit Kabobs

fruit kabobs

Day 4
Dinner: Red Red Stew ~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

red stew

Day 4

Dessert: Banana Frosty ~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

shake

Day 5

Breakfast: French Toast Muffins ~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

french toast muffins

Day 5

Lunch: Garden Tomato and Basil Soup ~ Easy Family Recipes

garden soup

Day 5

Snack: Palm Trees: Kiwi, Banana and Clementine

more fruit

Day 5

Dinner: NOLA Gumbo~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

gumbo

Day 5

Dessert: Cinnamon Bun Smoothie ~ Everyday Happy Herbivore

 cinnamon bun smoothie

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Stop by Teresa’s Healthier Living Page on Facebook and tell her Holly sent you!

 

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad {Wrap}

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Do you need a lite meal that doesn’t make you feel overheated and sluggish?

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad Wraps final 1

This Quinoa Salad is infused with lemon and full of crisp cucumber and bell pepper. The quinoa and chickpeas give this salad plenty of fuel that make it perfect for a side dish, a topping on a leafy green salad, or in a wrap. I add a few more calories by adding hummus to my wrap and giving the quinoa something to stick to.

Lemony Quinoa wraps final 3

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad {Wrap}

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 to 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • juice and zest from 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Do

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Chill before eating to allow flavors time to mingle.

Serve

This versatile dish can be served on a green salad for protein filled meal, as a side dish at a potluck, or as part of a wrap. I like to spread hummus on a tortilla, fill it with raw spinach, then add the Quinoa Salad.

What is your favorite quinoa salad?

On the Road Again part 2

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This is the second part of a series on eating well while traveling. Today’s segment will revolve around eating well while on the go (restaurants). Last time I discussed Eating Well in the Car (packing food). In later segments I’ll discuss eating well in hotels, etc.

Do you struggle to eat well while traveling? It can be difficult but it isn’t impossible even while navigating multiple food allergies and eating a plant-based diet.

Eating Well on the Road Part 2

As you know we pack plenty of food when we travel but we still supplement by eating at restaurants throughout our journey. The following are healthy (or at least healthier) choices you can find along the way. I won’t be listing any Vegan restaurants but will focus on establishments that are easy to find and widely known.

Chipotle: My Happy Place! Chipotle has an amazing burrito bowl that can be ordered with black beans, brown rice, your choice of salsa, and guacamole. You could also get a salad or burrito, both are delicious! I frequent my local Chipotle so often I usually get free drinks.

Taco Bell: I know, not known as the healthiest option but their beans and rice are both vegan. I usually opt for a burrito without cheese and add rice. They also have a Cantina Bowl just that is customizable but avoid the dressing (it contains dairy).

Subway: Who says you need meat on a sub sandwich? I order the veggie delight with avocado. You could also try a salad or a wrap if a sub isn’t your thing.

Wendy’s: I know this is a burger joint but it has some workable options. I like to order the baked potato, some locations have guacamole I use to top my potato. They also have salads that can be made without meat and apple dippers.

Starbucks: Do I really need to say anything here? I order my coffee with soy milk instead of dairy and leave off whip cream. Thanks to a friend who works at Starbuck’s I now know you can order the oatmeal with soy milk also. I once picked up a veggie and hummus pita at an airport but I don’t know if those are found everywhere.

Pizza: I love a good veggie pizza without cheese. My son can’t have gluten so we only get pizza when we find pizza place’s with a gluten-free crust. You may want to do a little research before choosing a restaurant to find out what is the crust.

We’ve also eaten at “regular” restaurants and found things that work for us. Chips and salsa (and guacamole) are usually acceptable. Most restaurants offer salads and baked potatoes. Most vegetables are made with butter or oil so inquire about their preparation.

We found a great restaurant that worked for us on our last trip. I’ll share more about that another time when I offer suggestions for finding hidden gems while traveling. Do you have a favorite and maybe even unexpected restaurant I should mention? Email them to me or leave them in the comments.

Where do you eat while on a trip? Is there a special spot that shouldn’t be missed?

Meal Plan Monday with Poppy’s Patisserie | Bunny Kitchen

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During the month of July I’m taking a break from sharing our Meal Plans but never fear, I’m featuring other bloggers and sharing their Meal Plans. So far we have heard from Lisa of The Vegan Pact and Alison of Plant-Strong New England (a Facebook page). Today I’m thrilled to introduce Poppy of Poppy’s Patisserie | Bunny Kitchen!

Poppy.

Hi, I’m Poppy and I write Poppy’s Patisserie | Bunny Kitchen. I’m a 20-something vegan, studying in Kent, UK, for a degree in Animal Management.

I have three major passions; animals; world development/poverty, equality with a special interest in street children; and food/cooking/veganism. I have been a vegetarian for around 16 years and am well into my second year of veganism with absolutely no intention of turning back. Had I known as a 6 year old child turning vegetarian what I know now, I would have been vegan all along.

My blog is where I practice and share my passion for food and connect with vegans, vegetarians, cooks and bloggers from all over the world.

Most days I am cooking for just myself or myself and my partner, Matthew. Around once a week I will also be cooking for guests – family or friends. Of the people I cook for, I am the only person with food restrictions and will cook vegan for my diners. I often make meals and freeze the leftovers or use them in a different dish the next day.

I try to make things in advance and freeze them for days when I don’t have much time to cook. I especially like to freeze breakfast items as this is the meal I’m most likely not to have time with yet enjoy a varied breakfast throughout the week and something exciting to get me energized for the day. I stock the freezer with breakfast muffins and crumpets and even chia jam which defrosts in minutes in smaller quantities and keeps it’s lovely jammy consistency.

As well as my main meals, I snack on fruit between meals such as apples, bananas and berries or nibble on crudites and houmous. 

Meal Plan by Poppy’s Patisserie | Bunny Kitchen

vegan meatballs

Day 1:

Breakfast: Raw Strawberry Chia Jam (v, gluten free) on whole grain toast.

Lunch: Sweet Potato & Lentil Salad (v)

Dinner: Herbed Vegan ‘Meat’balls and Spaghetti (v)

Estimated calories: 1376

banana muffins

Day 2:

Breakfast: Caramel Banana Muffins (v,gluten free option)

Lunch: Butternut and Sweet Potato Soup (v) with 2 slices of whole grain bread

Dinner: Lentil and Beetroot Burgers with Creamy Pepper Sauce (v) with pitta bread

Treat: Hazelnut Hot Chocolate (v)

Estimated calories: 1281

HAZELNUT HOT CHOCOLATE

Day 3:

Breakfast: Crumpets (v)

Lunch: Garlicky Bean Salad with Chunky Croutons (v)

Dinner: Indian Spiced Vegetable Stew (v,gluten free)

Estimated calories: 1227

tomato coconut soup

Day 4:

Breakfast: Lemon Poppy Seed Bread (v)

Lunch:Tomato and Coconut Soup (v)

Dinner: Smoked Tofu Carbonara Pasta (v)

Estimated calories: 1406

mediterranean sandwich

Day 5:

Breakfast: Maple Pecan Quinoa Crunch Granola (v) with non dairy milk

Lunch: Baked Mediterranean Sandwich (v)

Dinner: Squash and Fennel Lasagne (v) with salad

Estimated calories: 1482

SPROUTED SEED AND RADISH SANDWICH

Day 6:

Breakfast: Sticky Banana Buns (v)

Lunch: Sprouted Seeds and Radish Salad Sandwich (v)

Dinner: Spinach and Leek Quinoa stuffed mushrooms (v,gluten free) with crushed onion new potatoes

Estimated calories: 1112

HARISSA AND SESAME QUINOA BALLS

Day 7:

Breakfast: Vegan Vanilla French Toast (v)

Lunch: Moroccan Harissa Quinoa Balls and Griddled Asparagus Salad with Creamy Harissa Dressing (v)

Dinner: Almond Feta and Caraway Baked Cabbage Parcels (v,gluten free) and boiled new potatoes

Dessert: Beetroot and Avocado Chocolate Cake (v)

Estimated calories: 1394

BEETROOT AND AVOCADO CHOCOLATE CAKE

I’m sure you have already checked out at least a few recipes but don’t forget to follow Poppy on Twitter: @poppypatisserie and Pinterest!

Meal Plan Monday with Alison from Plant Strong New England

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Most Monday’s I post of Meal Plan detailing what we will be eating for the week. During July I’ll be featuring other bloggers and Plant-Based eaters and sharing their Meal Plan’s. I’m excited to “meet” other like minded people and get a glimpse of what’s going on in their kitchens.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Alison, she created a Facebook Page called Plant Strong New England. She offers daily insight into her diet, helpful links, recipe and book recommendations and even shares her struggles eating plant-based. Plant Strong New England is a great reference for those in the New England area but helpful for anyone interested in eating healthier.

My name is Alison and I became plant based April 2012.  By day I am a cook at a middle school, by night I try to convert my family to plant based eating, not always successfully! My husband grudgingly tries the food as long as I supplement him along the way with (eek!) steaks and such.  My oldest son (20) wants no part of it.  My youngest son (18) will usually eat what I am making.  My daughter (23) is gluten free and pretty picky so she is hit and miss! My other daughter (also 23) lives on her own and is 90% plant strong.  I admit I am a gleeful follower of the Happy Herbivore and sometimes Engine 2.

Meal Plan

Breakfast: Usually cereal, muffins (such as Happy Herbivore Apple Crisp Muffins), quick breads (such as Happy Herbivore Blueberry Coffee Cake) or whole grain toast w/natural peanut butter.

Lunch: Wraps, pizza, large salads.  For example this week I had HH Yam Falafels  topped with tofu sour cream; pizza topped w/kale and “cheese” sauce, a large salad w/leftover falafel and an avocado; leftover pizza.

Dinner: Kind of the same as lunches lol.  This week was: Engine 2 LOL Loaf w/mashed potatoes and peas; Taco pizza w/salad; Spring rolls w/veg on side; and a Veg Jambalaya w/brown rice. I have also been making a lot of veg chili lately which I serve over shredded romaine and top w/tofu sour cream.

Snacks: Hummus w/FF pretzels or rice crackers; fruit; black bean brownies or other “treats”

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Don’t forget to check out Plant Strong New England on Facebook. You can also follow Alison on Twitter and on Pinterest.

Are you in New England?

On the Road Again

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This is the first part of a series on eating well while traveling. Today segment will revolve around eating well while in the car. In other segments I’ll discuss eating well in hotels, restaurants, etc.

Do you struggle to eat well while traveling? It can be difficult but it isn’t impossible even while navigating multiple food allergies and eating a plant-based diet.

Eating Well on the Road Part 1

With proper planning you can eat well while on the road. I’m not saying that you have to eat 100% healthy, we tend to buy special snacks for road trips but you don’t have to hit every drive-thru and gas station for food along the way.

I highly recommend a cooler or two if you have the room. We typically have a small cooler and a box for non-perishable snacks that we can easily reach. I also like to keep small cups that can be filled and refilled to pass back to my kids.

Fresh Fruit and Veggies

It may sound boring but fresh fruit and veggies can help with the car ride munchies. I prefer to buy pre-sliced or bite-sized options when possible. On our most recent road trip we packed blueberries, cherries (only for adults because the pits are choking hazards), apples, oranges, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and broccoli. Carrots and bananas are other easy options but my little guy can’t handle those right now. I was too busy to slice up cucumbers and bell peppers but those would have been great options.

Sandwiches

Don’t underestimate the power of sandwiches. If you are traveling 100s of miles without real food a sandwich can be your best friend. We used to freeze sandwiches before a trip and let them thaw as we traveled. Now I usually just make them right before we leave. This time I used GF bread for my 2 year old and whole wheat bread for the rest of us along with sunflower seed butter with jelly. You could make a good ol PB&J if you prefer.

If you are already packing sliced veggies you might as well pack some tortillas too. With tortillas you can make a quick wrap. I’ve seen (but haven’t tried) small packages of hummus that is doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

Snack Attack

We are snackers when we travel. We alternate between sweet and salty often. I’m not condoning this behavior I’m just admitting it. To keep us from buying Doritos and Little Debbie’s I made sure we had a full box of “healthier” snacks. I had applesauce pouches, every variety of granola bar I could find, air popped pop corn, fruit strips, lollipops, tortilla chips, roasted chickpeas and dried fruit. I’m sure there were other snacks as well but these are the ones I remember. Normally I’d throw in some chocolate too but I didn’t want it to melt.

Drinks

We also drink a lot while we travel. I always carry a reusable water bottle (it isn’t pretty but I need my water) for me and my boys. I also bought a large pack of water bottles because I’m quite the water snob and can’t handle yucky tasting water. We also brought a few Zevia Soda’s in case we needed an extra boost. My husband loves them but I still haven’t found a flavor I love yet. Of course coffee is highly sought after by me so we packed a coffee creamer in our cooler.

Do you have a favorite food to eat in the car (or on a long plane ride)? In the coming weeks I’ll offer tips for eating well in the hotel and how to search for restaurants that will cater to your needs.