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Plant-Based eCourse starts January 1st (get the bonus today)

December 13, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo 2 Comments

If you or someone you love is trying to transition to a plant-based diet I have a special message for you!

I have an ecourse that will teach you everything you need to know to adopt a plant-based lifestyle. The course is self-paced so you can take it on your own schedule but we start together on January 1st.

This course is great for people who are making those first plant-based steps but also for people who have been trying to make the transition to plant-based living but have struggled.

Plant-Based Basics

This eCourse is in it’s third year. It’s broken down into 5 modules (over 20 lessons) and will teach you everything you need to know about:

What to eat and what to avoid
Plant-Based shopping strategies
Meal Planning for your schedule and budget
Time savers
If supplements are necessary
Money savers
The best way to get protein
and so much more

You’ll also be able to connect with other people in our private Facebook group that are exactly where you are and others who have been where you are but are now thriving on a plant-based diet.

eCourse Success

You aren’t alone on your plant-based journey. The Plant-Based Basics eCourse isn’t just lessons. It’s a community of people who are on this journey with you. Read what Susan had to say.

I was able to stay more focused because I had constant reminders on Facebook and in the lessons to keep aiming me in the right direction. There was always someone to bounce off an idea and ask for support and suggestions. I lost 5 pounds over the course and really could have done more with a little more exercise.

I think the entire program was phenomenal! The simplicity yet thoroughness of the eCourse allowed even a novice Plant-Based person to educate themselves about why this lifestyle is better than the Standard American Diet and to implement steps to take to eat and be healthier.

The meal plans were great and included a variety of recipes to suit many different sorts of tastes. I found many recipes that I can incorporate into my meal rotations and I would do this eCourse again, just to solidify my knowledge and share with others. The fact that there was a group of us all doing the same thing meant for a great camaraderie. ~ Susan

Are You Ready?

UPDATE: This course enrollment is currently closed but will be reopening soon for for January 2020 enrollment. Get more information at Plant-Based Basics!

December 12, 2016 Plant-Based Meal Plan

December 12, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

As we get closer and closer to the holidays the food will get more and more tempting. The best way to combat cravings for unhealthy food is to have a plant-based meal plan, then actually cook and enjoy your meals.

I’ve got my plan, now I just have to make sure I cook and eat well. Plus, I always have a back up plan. This weekend I cut up veggies for easy snacks, I have healthy leftovers in the fridge and I include plenty of easy recipes in my meal plan that I can move up on the schedule when needed.

I also have a special deal coming to you tomorrow so make sure you check back here. In fact, you might want to set an alarm so you don’t miss it.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday

Overnight Oats

Bean Burritos made with Unfried Beans

“Beefy” Lentil and Veggie Soup in the Instant Pot (Stove top directions listed as well)

Tuesday

Yogurt and Granola

leftover soup

One-Pot Pizza Pasta

Wednesday

Breakfast Rice

Baked Potato

White Enchiladas with Cilantro Lime Rice

Thursday

Smoothie Bowl

leftovers

Enchilada Soup

Friday

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Soup and salad

Chickpea Nuggets, Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy and steamed broccoli.

This week is still business as usual for us at work and school. That doesn’t mean I’m not looking forward to Christmas and all the celebrations. If you are still planning your menu, I’ve got some ideas for you! Consider these for dinners, parties or cookie exchanges.

What are your holiday plans?

Chocolate Crunch Bites

December 7, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo 3 Comments

I love chocolate. Chocolate and peanut butter are even better!

If you know someone with food allergies peanuts can be deadly. There are several peanut butter alternatives that can be used instead. They have a taste and feel similar to peanut butter but no dangerous peanuts.

You can make this recipe with either peanut butter or a safe alternative!

This page contains affiliate links.

You are going to fall in love with these Chocolate Crunch Bites! My son said they taste like a Kit Kat but that wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to combine my favorite snacks into an easy treat with mega flavor.

Before I switched to a whole food plant-based diet my favorite cookies were the chocolate oatmeal no bakes. I think I took some inspiration from those days but I wanted to give them some crunch and some natural sweetness. Besides, that old recipe had a ton of butter, sugar, and milk. The ingredients in my Chocolate Crunch Bites make me much happier.

Use peanut butter or a peanut butter substitute, dairy-free chocolate chips, gluten-free pretzels, granola and dried fruit, all normal pantry staples for me. (All the links in the previous sentence are Amazon affiliate links). That is all!

I wouldn’t say they are healthy, but they are a fun and easy treat to take to parties or cookie exchanges. I’m thinking of giving some as gifts to my food allergy pals. You don’t have to save them for only people with food allergies though, they are so good, everyone will love them.

When it’s time to cook you will want to have all of your ingredients out and ready. I broke my pretzels with my hands but you could chop them with a knife. Measure them after you break them into small pieces, not before. I didn’t want them to get too small and turn to dust.

It’s also important if you are making these for someone with food allergies to make sure all your ingredients are safe.

I choose Enjoy Life mini chips, Glutino pretzels, and Made In Nature dried fruit. You can choose brands you love.

The dried fruit I used was actually a Super Berry blend that also had pepita seeds. You can pick what you love but dried cranberries or dried tart cherries are both winners.

If you have kids who like to help in the kitchen this is one of those recipes they can help with. When I say that, you know it’s a simple recipe because I’m not one of those people who invite the kids to cook with me.

I’ll let them stand on a chair on the other side of the counter and watch, sometimes. Usually, I’m shooing them away, but this recipe they can totally help with.

Chocolate Crunch Bites

Go ahead and make these easy and delicious Chocolate Crunch Bites. This no bake, allergy-friendly recipe will win your family over!

Chocolate Crunch Bites

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Author: Holly Yzquierdo

Recipe type: Dessert

Ingredients

½ cup creamy peanut butter or peanut butter alternative
1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1 cup gluten-free pretzels, broken into small pieces
1 cup your favorite granola
½ cup dried fruit

Instructions

Put ½ cup of peanut butter or alternative into a medium sauce pan on low heat. Use a silicone spatula to stir regularly.
Once it starts to melt, add the 1 cup of chocolate chips. Stir often and use the spatula to scrape the bottom. Don't walk away or it could burn. Keep stirring until all the lumps are gone.
Dump in the broken pretzels, granola, and dried fruit and stir well.
Remove pan from heat and scoop out in tablespoon size scoops and lay them on a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper.
Place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator to cool and harden. Allow at least an hour before eating. These can be left on the counter for a few hours but store in the refrigerator.

December 5, 2016 Plant-Based Meal Plan

December 5, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

Our calendar is getting full of Christmas parties and holiday get togethers. Do you want to know my trick for staying sane? I say no! I can’t accept every invitation that comes up; I’m too introverted for that. We carefully choose the things that we can attend based on our over all schedule and our normal routine.

Sometimes that means we have to miss things that are really important to us but when we over do it, we suffer. It’s a hard lesson to learn.

Another thing that really helps is to have a plan. Right now I’m focused on eating healthy. My dishes and laundry may pile up but my priority is cooking real food and eating at home.

By the way, in the My Plant-Based Family Facebook Group, several of us are keeping each other accountable by sharing our daily meals and/or workouts. Each day I start a new thread (post) for everyone to leave comments on for that day. Those of us who commit to sharing daily are able to encouage each other and offer motivation. It’s a great group! Join HERE!