My Plant-Based Family

Feeding My Family a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet, On a Budget

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Gratituesday: Time with Friends

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For the past five years Tuesday mornings have been a day I would spend time with girlfriends at our weekly Bible study/group therapy sessions/brunch. Childcare is provided so we can just sit together and have a great time with out changing diapers, cleaning up messes, or any of the other things we normally do during that time period. This year I have only been able to attend a few times and I sure have missed it.  

I’m so grateful for the women I get to spend time with, the ladies who volunteer their time to love on our babies, and our church who provides a place for us to get together.

What do you do to keep your sanity during the hustle and bustle of a busy week? 

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Meal Plan Monday: How I Plan

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I sit here a fully admit I don’t know what we are eating this week. At the end of the week half of our household will be going on a trip to see family. I did not buy much at the grocery store because I did not want to leave a bunch of food that would go bad.

I thought that this would be a good opportunity to walk you through how I Meal Plan. First I take all of the food we have into consideration:

  • Carrots*
  • Potatoes*
  • A little Spinach
  • Sprouted grain bread
  • Oatmeal*
  • Cooked quinoa**
  • Cooked pinto beans**
  • Several vats of hummus
  • 7 cups of cooked chickpeas**
  • Fresh (but going downhill) Strawberries**
  • Several Gluten Free Cereals*

At the store I picked up:

  • Almond Milk
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Broccoli**
  • Freeze-dried Veggies I wanted to try (Bleck…not a fan!)*

Item with * will be fine when I return from traveling and do not need to be used immediately. Items with ** can be frozen and used another time. I have a well stocked pantry and freezer so I have other options available. When my fridge is empty I plan meals based on what produce is the best value while also balancing nutrition and taste.

The Meal Plan

Breakfast will be oatmeal, Breakfast Quinoa, cereal and smoothies.

Lunches will be leftovers, Nachos made with Pinto Beans, PB&J or AB&J, Not So Tuna Salad sandwiches or wraps, and my favorite Spinach, carrot and hummus Wrap.

Snacks will be hummus with fresh veggies, smoothies, chickpeas, and fruit with nut butter.  

Dinner will not be completely planned because I want to focus on using up everything the will not last while I travel. A few of the things that we may eat are:

  • Bean Burrtios
  • Quinoa Tacos
  • Veggie Soup with Chickpeas
  • Steamed Spinach with Chickpeas (I had this yesterday and it was tasty)
  • Nachos
  • Baked Potatoes
  • Potato and Broccoli Soup
Each evening I’ll decide what needs to be eaten and focus on that food type. Some things can be combined like the beans and quinoa to make nachos, or everything thrown together for soup. Most of these things are already cooked so I’ll just have to throw it together and warm it up, or throw it in a pot to simmer. 
 
I also try to eat several different colors of food throughout the day. If I feel like we are missing out on something I’ll make a smoothie because I can throw in spinach, blueberries, pineapple, mango, cherries, or strawberries and feel like we are covering all of or bases. We typically eat a lot of whole grains and carrots so we are rarely missing out on those. 
Do you Meal Plan? It saves me money and frustration each week, give it a try.

The Versatile Blogger Award

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A very big and appreciative Thank You goes goes out to Fine Frugality for nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award. Check out Fine Frugality for more information on all things frugal.

The Versatile Blogger Award is a great way to introduce different bloggers to each other and to promote quality blogs that awardees and their readers may not have discovered on their own. It’s a great way to reach out and of course, it’s an honor in itself to be recognized!

Once you have been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award, here’s what you do next:

  1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.
  2. In the same post, add The Versatile Blogger Award.
  3. In the same post, thank the blogger that nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
  4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
  5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
  6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Here are my 15 nominations. These are blogs that I find useful, brilliant, or just plain inspirational.

  1.  Spilled Milk and Wet Kisses
  2. An Unrefined Vegan
  3. In Pursuit of More
  4. Veggie Grettie
  5. Johnny Sized
  6. Silly Things My Kids Say
  7. Live and Learn Toss and Turn
  8. While Chasing Kids
  9. Kid Tested Firefighter Approved
  10. Luminous Vegans
  11. Tia Tofu
  12. Plants Only
  13. Shine Like Stars
  14. Vegan Bloggers Unite
  15. Heart Healthy Eats

Now for the random information. Some of these are even unknown by my closest buds.

  1. According to family tradition I am related to Lyndon B Johnson, Buddy Holly, and Patrick Swayze.
  2. I’d love to foster or adopt in the future.
  3. I haven’t had any form of cable or satellite television in over 10 years.
  4. I laugh like my mom and my big kids point it out every chance they get.
  5. I competed in Speech/Debate/Drama in high school and college.
  6. I never picked up my high school diploma because I would have had to go back to the school to get it.
  7. I’ve worked as a stock broker for Merrill Lynch.

There you have it, take a minute to check out some of my favorite blogs.

Breakfast Quinoa: Whole Grain Fruity Goodness

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If you believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day then you should give this dish a try. 

This crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

It is also easy to make and very versatile. I use quinoa to make burgers, Nachos, Tacos, faux sausage, etc. My husband likes to take it to the office for breakfast. 

Breakfast Quinoa

Ingredients (all except quinoa are optional)

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • diced fresh or dried fruit
  • nuts/seeds
  • agave or other sweetener
  • almond or other plant milk
  • cinnamon
Do
  1. Heat cooked quinoa in a small pan with a little plant milk or heat in microwave.
  2. Add fresh or dried fruit and any other toppings you like.
Serve
This is a really easy breakfast or snack. If you’re on the go it can be kept warm in a thermos or eaten cold (we like it warm). My husband likes his with raisins, cinnamon and a touch of agave. I like mine with fresh bananas, dried cranberries and raw pumpkin seeds. Today I used fresh strawberries because they were available. This can be made in advance and enjoyed all week.
My 1 year old devours this. The only problem is he is not very hand with a spoon yet so I have to assist him.  
Do you eat quinoa for breakfast? If so, how do you eat it?

 

Gratituesday: Easter

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This last weekend we celebrated Easter. As a kid I looked forward to an Easter basket filled with candy and small toys, a big meal and spending the day with family. 

How time has changed; this year there were no baskets, no toys, and no big family meal. I do not think those things are bad we just chose not to focus on them. Instead I want to focus on my Savior, Jesus.

I believe that Jesus is the son of God, that He died and rose from the grave and ascended to heaven as the scriptures foretold.

I believe that his life and death paid the penalty for my sin, something I could never deserve or pay on my own.

I believe He did this because of His great love for us.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

I am not offended if you choose a different path. I won’t debate my beliefs, but I will not waiver. I don’t live out my faith perfectly. I fail miserably sometimes all the time, but I am grateful that Jesus will not fail me.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onxhvivQYfI]

Meal Plan Monday: Scavenger Hunt

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Our schedules are returning to normal this week, our big kids are back at their mom’s house and (at least for now) we are healthy. I find myself paying extra attention to every little cough or sneeze, hoping it is nothing. 

Each week when I prepare our Meal Plan I take several factor into consideration; a few of them include:

  • What food we have on hand
  • What food is seasonal/better value
  • Our schedule
  • Likes/dislikes
  • Nutrition/variety

This week I’m also continuing my experiment on my 1 year old. It is not as ominous as it sound. He seems to have some allergies/sensitivities to several foods and it shows on his skin. He has reactions to rice, peanuts, and probably dairy although that has been removed from my diet since he was 9 month and he has never eaten it. My experiment is to see if gluten is also causing a problem. 

My normal grocery trip felt much more like a scavenger hunt, and not a fun one! Since I’m new to the whole gluten-free arena I wanted to find a few convenience foods that would be appropriate for a 15 month old. So I’m searching for vegan, rice-free, peanut free and gluten-free. I did not find much. If you have any idea’s for me please share!

 

On to the Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be Breakfast Quinoa, buckwheat pancakes, cereal and smoothies. I’m hoping to get more ideas, preferably things my 1 year can feed himself. 

Lunches will be leftovers, wraps, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, and veggie soup.

Snacks will be strawberries, hummus (we have a ton the big kids didn’t touch last week) with veggies and maybe tortilla chips, nachos, fruit with almond butter and smoothies.

Dinner

Monday: Baked Potatoes topped with steamed broccoli and spinach. I like to steam red bell pepper with the spinach for a unique flavor.

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Couscous with sauteed veggies (in a veggie broth). 

Thursday: A new Chickpea dish, I’m trying to decide between a few from Happy Herbivore.

Friday: Hopefully this will be a date night so I’ll just make something easy for the boys.

I’m attempting to have an easy week regarding meal prep. I’ll also be juicing for my husband. Everything I cooked last week was nutritious but we ate out a few too many times so this weeks focus will be on simplicity and nutrition. 

I always have good intentions when I make the Meal Plan but I rarely follow it. Life happens and plans change. Sometimes there are just too many leftovers to warrant cooking another meal. Other times I forget to prep/soak something (like Chickpeas). I often use snack time to make sure we are getting plenty of fruit and veggie variety. 

I will likely experiment with making some of my favorite baked goods gluten-free as well. 

Do you have any suggestions for me regarding vegan, gluten-free, rice-free, and peanut free food for a 1 year old? Thankfully he is a really good eater and loves veggies. He devoured my quinoa this morning.  The only veggie he doesn’t like (so far) is cucumber and I don’t like it either.