My Plant-Based Family

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

Main Dish Recipes

Secret Ingredient Vegan BBQ Sandwich

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Shhh…I have a secret.

Any guesses?

Spaghetti Squash is the secret ingredient in my BBQ Sandwich. I know, you thought I was going to use jack fruit like lots of other bloggers. While I hear it is delicious I’ve never seen it or tried it. I’m all about easy to find, inexpensive ingredients. Of course if I ever see jack fruit in the store I’ll be sure to try it too!

Vegan BBQ Sandwich...You'll never guess the secret ingredient!

We have tried, and I mean really tried to enjoy Spaghetti Squash. I recently took a poll on Facebook to find out how everyone else makes it and it seemed like most people saute theirs butter or oil. While neither of those appeal to me I decided to try a little saute myself, except I’m using Barbecue Sauce.

Vegan BBQ Sandwich...You'll never guess the secret ingredient

Vegan BBQ Sandwich

Ingredients

Do

  1. Prepare Spaghetti Squash as mentioned HERE.
  2. Carefully remove squash from the Crock Pot and allow to cool slightly.
  3. Use a fork to rake out the spaghetti squash and put it in a small skillet.
  4. Pour you favorite barbecue sauce over the squash and mix well.
  5. All the sauce to mix well with the squash then scoop it onto buns.

Serve

These BBQ Sandwiches are perfect for a pot luck. You could even return the BBQ Spaghetti Squash to the Crock Pot for transport and to keep it warm. Serve leftover on top of baked potatoes. We enjoyed these sandwiches with pasta salad. I’ll share that recipe soon!

While Spaghetti Squash will never be our family’s favorite thing to eat this recipe is certainly our favorite way to eat it so far. My 3 year old loved it the most. He finished his in record time.

Do you like Spaghetti Squash? 

If you are taking this to a pot luck I recommend taking Potato Salad! Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas!

The Easiest Way to Cook Spaghetti Squash

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If you like Spaghetti Squash I may be your new best friend! Why? Because I’m about to tell you the EASIEST way to cook Spaghetti Squash. Want more good news…you don’t need the oven.

I kid you not! The easiest way to cook spaghetti squash is in the Crock-Pot!

Before I discovered how easy it was to cook Spaghetti Squash in the Crock Pot I hated to cook it. For one thing, it is always really hard for me to cut the squash in half length-wise and every recipe I’d ever seen told me to do it that way. Second, I don’t like to use the oven unless it’s winter because it heats up my house. Third, every recipe told me to use oil and that is a no-no in my house.

The Easiest Way to Make Spaghetti Squash

The Spaghetti Squash doesn’t really NEED to be sautéed (it’s already cooked) but in an informal poll I did on Facebook everyone who LOVED Spaghetti Squash sautéed it after roasting.

I’ll admit I like it better that way too. My FAVORITE way to use Spaghetti Squash is in my Vegan BBQ Sandwiches!

I’ve got a few more easy Crock Pot Recipes! Try my Easy Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole or my Cheezy Crock Pot Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole. They are both family and reader favorites.

Quinoa-Lentil Salad…A Salad that Fills You Up

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Are you looking to add more salads to your menu? I can help you with that! This Quinoa-Lentil Salad will fill you up AND taste great! If you don’t have quinoa you can substitute cooked brown rice. 

Quinoa Lentil Salad also contains lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.

Have you noticed how some salads leaving you feeling hungry an hour after you finish eating? That won’t happen with this salad. The quinoa and lentils will fill you up! 

I prefer to cook the quinoa and lentils ahead of time and toss this together in a few minutes. If you still need to cook your quinoa and lentils don’t worry, it only takes about 20 minutes. You can chop veggies while you wait. I add various veggies depending on what I have on hand but this is my basic recipe.

Quinoa and lentils on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes and cucumbers.

Quinoa-Lentil Salad

This recipe is designed for one but you can easily make as many bowls as you like. It’s a great meal prep salad but I recommend using grape tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes for the make ahead version.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cooked lentils (seasoned with a little garlic and onion powder)
  • 1/2 cup cook quinoa (or substitute cooked brown rice)
  • 2-3 cups mixed greens or your favorite lettuce
  • 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup diced cucumbers
  • 1/8 cup diced red onions

Do

  1. If desired, heat (seasoned) lentils and quinoa.
  2. Fill a large bowl or plate with greens/lettuce/
  3. Dump lentils and quinoa over greens, then top with diced veggies.

Serve

I love this salad with equal parts lemon juice and red wine vinegar (1 Tbsp each) but it is also delicious with my other oil-free dressings. Try the popular Sweet & Tangy Salad Dressing or the new Creamy Italian Salad Dressing that my pickiest kid eats with a spoon!

For more salad inspiration check out my Salad Board on Pinterest! I’ll be adding lots of new salads and oil-free salad dressings this summer. You don’t want to miss them!

Yield: 1

Quinoa-Lentil Salad

Quinoa Lentil Salad also contains lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.

This Quinoa Lentil Salad is very filling and great any time of year. In the winter serve it with warm quinoa and lentils and in the summer you can keep them cold.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cooked lentils (seasoned with a little garlic and onion powder)
  • 1/2 cup cook quinoa (or substitute cooked brown rice)
  • 2-3 cups mixed greens or your favorite lettuce
  • 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup diced cucumbers
  • 1/8 cup diced red onions

Instructions

  1. If desired, heat (seasoned) lentils and quinoa.
  2. Fill a large bowl or plate with lettuce.
  3. Dump lentils and quinoa over greens, then top with diced veggies.

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© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Salads & Wraps

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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© 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!

Vegan and Gluten-Free Taco Muffins

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I love Tacos! There, I said it. I’m willing to bet that you love tacos too. What I don’t like is the mess my kids make every time they eat them. These Vegan and Gluten-Free Taco Muffins may just be the solution we’ve all be looking for.

If you’ve ever tried my Lentil Tacos then you will see where I’m going with these delicious, hearty muffins. Before you start doubting Taco Muffins let me ask you, have you ever had meat loaf or a faux beanie loaf? Taco Muffins are not that far of a stretch. You can even use a mini loaf or a full loaf pan but I haven’t tried it, yet.

Vegan Taco Muffins

I want to make sure you understand from the beginning that these are savory, taco flavored muffins. My teenage son that I was just being clever and had quite a shock when he took the first bite. I don’t know what he was expecting but he couldn’t stop eating them. My 3 year old devoured most of them over 2 days. I had to cut him off. I got a couple and put one in the freezer to experiment.

taco muffins gluten free and vegan

Taco Muffins (gluten-free and vegan)

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Brown Rice Flour
  • 1/2 cup Potato Flour
  • 1/2 cup Tapioca Flour
  • 1 tsp xanthum gum
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp each of garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder and cumin
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plant milk
  • 1/2 to 1 cup water
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • Lentil Mix (1 1/2 cup cooked lentils; 1 tsp each of garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder; and 1/2 tsp cumin)

Do

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and prepare muffin pan. I spray with a light coat of spray oil.
  2. In a small/medium bowl make Lentil Mix by combining lentils and spices together then set aside.
  3. In a large bowl mix flours, xanthum gum, spices, baking soda and baking powder and mix.
  4. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup mix liquids.
  5. Pour liquids into dry ingredients and stir with a sturdy spoon. Add more liquid as needed. Mine was clumpy so I used a potato masher to help.
  6. Spoon in a small amount of batter into muffin tin, just enough to cover the bottom.
  7. Then dump the Lentil Mix into the remaining batter in the mixing bowl and stir well. Continue filling muffin cups.
  8. Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve these muffins while slightly warm, or straight out of the fridge if you have leftovers. They are equally good the next day and don’t need anything added. These are perfect for lunch boxes or to take to soccer games.

I haven’t tried making wheat versions yet but it’s not my list. I think you could also use a gluten-free flour mix if you don’t have these flours available.

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Bean and Potato Burritos using Oil-Free Skillet Potatoes

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Even before we transitioned to a plant-based diet our family loved Bean and Potato Burritos. My husband has told stories about going on field trips as a small child and his “packed lunch” was a Bean and Potato Burrito. Some of the other kids would want to trade their white bread sandwiches.

I don’t know how my mother-in-law made her Bean and Potato Burritos but I’m pretty sure they were not oil free, in fact they probably contained lard.

Bean and Potato Burrtios

Skillet Potatoes (Oil-Free, Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 10 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 onion, diced (I like to add extra onion powder too)
  • 3-5 garlic cloves minced, OR garlic powder to taste
  • salt and pepper are optional, add them after cooking to you taste
  • 1/2 cup or water or veggie broth (more if needed)

Do

  1. Put diced potatoes, diced onion and garlic in a large skillet and add about 1/2 cup of water or veggie broth.
  2. Begin cooking over medium heat and cover with a lid. Stir regularly, potatoes will likely stick to the pan.
  3. Cook for 20-30 minutes adding more liquid as necessary.

Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your skillet, amount of potatoes and the size of the potatoes. If you don’t use a non-stick pan ( I don’t) you will want to keep plenty of liquid in the pan to keep the potatoes from sticking and burning.

Serve

The potatoes are great in burritos or as a side dish. I also like to eat them in a bowl for a quick snack. To make Bean and Potato Burritos follow the instructions below. The potatoes are very soft and are perfect for small children, or kids who have lost a few baby teeth and need soft foods.

Bean and Potato Burritos (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Use the Oil-Free Skillet Potatoes detailed above along with the recipe for Unfried Pinto Beans (or Unfried Black Beans if you prefer). Choose your favorite tortilla, I used  Food For Life’s Black Rice Tortillas.

Layer Unfried Beans, Skillet Potatoes and any other toppings like fresh salsa or just diced tomatoes into a warm tortilla.

These Bean and Potato Burritos are perfect for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner and travel well. I eat them warm or room temperature. I think I’ll make a batch for our next road trip too.

The Food For Life Black Rice Tortillas are vegan, gluten-free and yeast-free. I’ve also used them for Veggie Rollups for my boys. Like most tortillas that are vegan and gluten-free they are a little on the rigid side. This can be helped by heating them in a moist paper towel. I wrapped my boys rollups in plastic wrap to help them keep it from unraveling.

FTC Disclaimer: I received the Food For Life Black Rice Tortillas for free but was under no obligation to review them.