My Plant-Based Family

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

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Creamy Tomato Soup: Never Eat Condensed Soup Again!

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Sometimes I create a recipe that is so good we are completely surprised. I’m a pretty good cook, but I don’t expect to be able to recreate some foods, especially with all of the food sensitivities in our house.

Unlike the big name condensed soups (you know who I’m talking about) that use tomato paste, corn syrup, wheat and plenty of chemicals, this recipe uses only real vegetables. I am in love with this vegan, gluten-free, and sodium-free Creamy Tomato Soup. I have a feeling you will probably love it too.creamy tomato soup It is perfect for spring and summer time when you can get garden fresh tomatoes AND it doesn’t require the use of a stove! I made this with the help of my Crock-Pot and my Blendtec! Easiest. Soup. Ever! If you are not in the mood for a warm soup you can also drink this cold! creamy tomato soup

Creamy Tomato Soup

Vegan and Gluten-Free

Ingredients

  • 9 tomatoes (these were vine ripened tomatoes and between Roma and Beefsteak tomatoes in size)
  • 1 large onion
  • 3 ribs of celery
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 to 2 cups of water

Do

  1. Wash all produce well and remove and discard any leafy ends.
  2. Put all veggies in a Crock-Pot. Veggies can be cut if needed. I cut the celery, carrots and onions so they would fit better but left the tomatoes whole. My Crock-Pot was almost overflowing.
  3. Cook on low all day.
  4. Allow to cool slightly then blend in a Blendtec or high-powered blender. I let mine cool all the way. Don’t burn yourself. 🙂
  5. Add salt if needed.

Serve The soup is perfect as is or with a light dusting of salt. You could eat it with crackers, toast or a grilled Faux Cheesy Snack. I also love it cold! It’s a perfect quick snack that I can drink easily in a cup when I’m on the go and it tastes a lot like V-8.

A few months ago we bought a Blendtec and have been loving it! It has made a lot of new recipes possible like my Green Chili White Bean Dip and my Creamy Italian Salad Dressing. I recently became a Blendtec affiliate! Did you know you can get $100 Off + Free Shipping on Blendtec Factory Recertified Blenders? 

TIP! I store this soup in a pitcher so I can easily pour it into a bowl or a cup and it takes up less room in the fridge than a bowl.

Do you love Tomato Soup? Next time I’m going to make a spicy version!

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Is it summer yet? Plant-Based Meal Plan

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I recently polled the fans on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page. Most of us are dealing with warm temperatures so these Meal Plans will be moving toward lighter recipes fit for summer. For those of you in cooler climates, sorry! It will warm up soon. You can think about me this summer when your weather is beautiful and I’m melting in the Arizona desert.

Meal Planning Help is on the Way

For any of you local readers I’ll be having some classes this summer including a Meal Planning Class. If you are interested be sure to send me an email myplantbasedfamily@gmail.com and I’ll send you all of the information as it becomes available.

Until then you can read some Meal Planning tips (Part 1 and Part 2).

Meal Plan

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

We often fall into the cereal trap when we aren’t properly prepared. We eat a LOT of EnviroKidz Cereal (the peanut-free varieties) because they are safe for my little guy who has a lot of food allergies.

Lunch

I don’t mind combining a few things at lunch time but I don’t typically cook a full meal. Batch cooking helps me have a few things prepared that can be mixed and matched like quinoa, potatoes, beans, and veggies.

Dinner

I often cook extra at dinner so the leftovers can be used for lunches.

Do you have Meal Planning questions? Join the My Plant-Based Family Facebook Group and ask away!

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Quick and Easy Veggie Pad Thai

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Veggie Pad Thai has become a regular feature on our Meal Plan. My recipe is not traditional but it is quick, easy and delicious. Sometimes I’ll chop tons of veggies but in a pinch I’ll just grab a bag of frozen veggies from the freezer and have this dish on the table in about 20 minutes or less.

Veggie Pad Thai

I was inspired to make this by Lindsey S. Nixon because everyone was always going crazy for the Happy Herbivore Pad Thai recipe. We tried it and it was good but we changed it up based on the ingredients we always have on hand and that suit our food allergies/intolerance’s.

Veggie Pad Thai

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I usually start the boiling water first. Read the instructions on your noodles. Some types need to be boiled, some need to be soaked first. 

Then I prep all the veggies. Once they start to saute, I’ll toss the noodles in the water. The brown rice noodles I use need to boil for about 7 minutes. 

I saute the veggies, adding a little water when needed to keep them from sticking to the pan. I use this method instead of using oil. As the veggies cook I work on the sauce. This recipe comes together so quickly because everything is happening at once. 

Veggie Pad Thai

By the time the noodles are done, and the sauce is made, the veggies are almost done. I put them all in my biggest skillet to mix together. The residue heat from the skillet helps the sauce melt and mix will with the noodles and veggies. 

This version easily serves 4 (because of all the veggies) but we usually serve 2 kids and 3 adults.

Veggie Pad Thai
Yield: 3 servings

Veggie Pad Thai

Veggie Pad Thai

This plant-based Veggie Pad Thai recipe is not traditional but it is quick, easy and delicious. Use whatever veggies you have on hand or grab a bag of frozen stir fry veggies.

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

Ingredients

  • 1 box Annie Chun’s Brown Rice Noodle, Pad Thai plus water
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1 sliced bell pepper
  • (optional) 2-4 cups shredded cabbage
  • 1/4 cup Tamari (Gluten Free Soy Sauce) or Braggs Aminos (both are gluten-free)
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter or alternative like Sun Butter
  • 1/4 cup water for sauce
  • (optional) a touch of agave or maple syrup
  • (optional) Tapatio Hot Sauce or Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce

Instructions

  1. Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot. Pour Noodles into boiling water and set timer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Pour stir fry veggies into a skillet and cook until they are tender-crisp.
  3. As veggies and noodles cook, mix Tamari (soy sauce) and nut/seed butter together. I like to slightly heat the nut/seed butter to make it easier. Then stir in water.
  4. Drain noodles and pour into veggies. Pour sauce over noodles and veggies and stir well.

Notes

Adapt this recipe to suit your dietary preferences or to use up whatever you have on hand. This recipe feeds 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids.

Store recipe in an air tight container and reheat in the microwave until warm.

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Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Main Dish Recipes

Veggie Pad Thai

Vegan, Gluten-free, Nut-free, with soy-free option

Ingredients

Do

  1. Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Pour stir fry veggies into a skillet and cook until they are tender-crisp.
  3. Pour Noodles into boiling water and set timer for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. As veggies and noodles cook, mix Tamari (soy sauce) and nut/seed butter together. I like to slightly heat the nut/seed butter to make it easier. Then stir in water.
  5. Drain noodles and pour into veggies. Pour sauce over noodles and veggies and stir well.

Serve

I love adding bell peppers, squash, asparagus, and any other seasonal veggies that are available.

Since I’m always feeding kids and people with various food allergies I usually make things “middle of the road” and this recipe is no exception. My husband and teen pour lots of hot sauce on their.

We used to avoid peanuts due to allergies and would make this with sunflower seed butter. Now, my son is not longer allergic to peanuts and use peanut better. 

If you need to make this soy free try Organic Vegan Coconut Aminos.

If you are looking for more Quick and Easy Meals try my One-Pot Pizza Pasta!

An Easy New Way to find Recipes

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I’ve had this on my wish list for a while but I’m happy to say I finally have a working Visual Recipe Index. If you aren’t sure what that is it is just a Recipe Page with pictures. Instead of scrolling through the list, now you can scroll through pictures.

Recipe index

I think this new feature will make you life easier. Once it is complete it will make my life easier as well. For now I’m mostly done but I still have some kinks to work out. You may find posts that don’t belong or missing pictures but I assure you I am working on it.

It has been a big job going back through every old recipe post but I’m hoping to have it completely finished this week. I’m also building mini-collections. If you want a Soup recipe or a side dish it will be easier than ever to find what you are looking for.

VRI2

To access the Visual Recipe Index hover over Recipes on the menu above, then move down and click on Visual Recipe Index (Green Arrow). You can also choose from a mini-collection like Salads and Wraps (Yellow Arrow).

VRI

 

I hope you love it as mush as I do! I still have more mini-collections to build but those will show up thought the week!

If you have questions feel free to ask!

Another great way to find recipes is to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

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Today is Cinco de Mayo. For most of you that is just an excuse to eat Mexican food, you know that I don’t need an excuse to eat Mexican food. It’s pretty much on the menu daily at our casa. It takes a lot of thought to branch out into anything else for me.

Today I’m going to forgo the normal Meal Plan and share 7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas! This is for those of you who haven’t planned and have NO TIME! Go ahead and admit it, embrace it even.

Each of these ideas can be ready in less than 30 minutes, some much less. If you are exhausted, frustrated or feel like running away from home then these recipes are for you.

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

Let’s begin the countdown with the recipes taking the longest time to the recipes taking the least amount of time. Remember they are all quick, taking less than 30 minutes.  [Read more…] about 7 Quick and Easy Mexican Food Ideas

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing (Oil-Free)

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Are you looking for a good Oil-Free Salad Dressing? Look no further! This quick and easy Creamy Italian Salad Dressing is made with mostly pantry staples.

If you are like me you need a good salad dressing and probably avoid the store-bought stuff because either loaded with oil, sugar, or loads of chemicals.

Oil-Free Salad Dressing

This oil-free salad dressing uses:

  • white beans
  • spices
  • lemon juice
  • water

My Sweet and Tangy Salad Dressing was such a big hit that I wanted to branch out. It was good but a little thin. I wanted a creamy salad dressing.

Most creamy dressings contain oil and even the healthy dressings contain nuts, often cashews. If you have to limit nut or avoid them all together, those dressings are not an option. I’ve never been a fan of the idea of eating hundreds of calories of salad dressing in just a few spoonfuls.

Oil-Free Salad Dressing

If you are looking for a salad dressing that is frugal, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, oil-free and easy to make with pantry staples, then you need to try this salad dressing.

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing (Oil-Free, Low-Fat)

Yield: 2 cups

Oil-Free Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

Oil-Free Salad Dressing

The budget-friendly, dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, oil-free salad dressing is easy to make with pantry staples!

Enjoy it on salad, wraps and even served warm on pasta!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1½ cup cooked white beans, drain and rinse if using canned (I cooked great Northern beans)
  • ½ cup (to 1 cup) water
  • 2-3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Warm beans slightly then place in a blender or food processor (I used my Blendtec).
  2. Pour in ½ cup water.
  3. Squeeze juice from lemon into a small dish, remove any seeds then pour juice into dressing. Start with 2 tbsp of lemon juice and add one more tablespoon of juice if needed.
  4. Dump in the rest of the spices then blend/process well.
  5. Scrap sides of container and add more water if necessary.
  6. Dressing should come out creamy and smooth. More water and spices can be added to meet your preferences.

Notes

This recipe makes about 2 cups of salad dressing. Since it's low fat, you can eat as much as you want.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Sauces, Dips, and Salad Dressings

This salad dressing can be enjoyed on salad, in wraps and even served warm on pasta (gluten-free pasta for us). Last night we served in on a garden salad to accompany our Minestrone Soup.

Since this salad dressing uses beans I recommend you enjoy it within 5 days. Don’t worry you will come up with plenty of ways to use and this recipe makes approximately  2 cups. My 5 year old ate more than his fair share on salad then asked for more to eat with a spoon.

If you need a salad dressing with a longer shelf life try my Oil-Free Sweet and Tangy Salad Dressing. Or, if you want a salad dressing that’s bursting with flavor you need to try my Oil-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.