My Plant-Based Family

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

Recipes

One-Pot Pizza Pasta (Gluten-free and Vegan)

by 16 Comments

This gluten-free and plant-based Pizza Pasta is just what you need for a quick and easy dinner!

Who loves pizza? Let’s see a show of hands!

We love pizza too but if you are trying to eat gluten-free it’s a little tough. Gluten-Free Pizzas are expensive and usually tiny. It is difficult to find one without egg and dairy too. I could make my own GF crust but I live in Arizona where the high temperatures are still over 100° so I’m not really interested in turning on the oven. What’s a girl to do?

Easy and delicious gluten-free and plant-based Pizza Pasta!

I could make my own gluten-free crust but I live in Arizona where the high temperatures are still over 100° so I’m not really interested in turning on the oven. What’s a girl to do?

How about add all of our favorite pizza toppings to pasta instead!

Pizza Pasta Ingredients

One-Pot Pizza Pasta

Ingredients

  • 1 package (16 oz) Gluten-Free Noodles (you can use wheat noodles)
  • 1 diced bell pepper
  • 2 diced roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 c diced onion
  • 4 diced baby Portobello mushrooms (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups cooked lentils (optional)
  • 1 jar pasta sauce
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • Your favorite ingredients

Do

  1. Bring water to boil and add noodles. Cook according to package directions.
  2. As noodles begin to cook chop all veggies and set aside.
  3. Add veggies to boiling noodles half way through their cooking time and cover with a lid.
  4. Once noodles and veggies are soft, drain well then add lentils (optional), sauce, and nutritional yeast (optional) then stir well.

Serve

Serve the dish along side a green salad and Sweet & Tandy Oil-Free Salad Dressing! This is an easy dish to make and reheats well.

If it is still warm where you live try these try these Chocolate No-Bake Bites!

Easy and delicious gluten-free and plant-based Pizza Pasta! Don't stress about dinner!

What is your favorite Pizza topping?

Oil-Free Blueberry Vinaigrette

by 7 Comments

Are you passionate about blueberries? If so, I have a recipe for you! This Oil-Free Blueberry Vinaigrette is a game changer. It is quick and easy to make with no added junk! You hear that? Guilt-Free!

Blueberry Vinaigrette

Oil-Free Blueberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1/8 tsp onion powder
  • dash of black pepper

Do

  1. Add all ingredients to a blender/food processor (I used my Magic Bullet) and whiz until smooth.
  2. Allow to rest for a few minutes to congeal.

Serve

This Oil-Free Blueberry Vinaigrette salad dressing is amazing on spinach and mixed greens. I paired it with red onions and blueberries for an amazing salad that even my kids loved. Freshly sliced nectarine are a fun addition too (I forgot to add them before I took the picture).

For more variety try my Sweet & Tangy Oil-Free Salad Dressing! It’s popular on Pinterest and one reader with a restricted diet said it was “life changing” I can’t think of a better compliment.

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

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I’m back! I apologize to those of you who experienced some problem assessing this site over the last few days. I transferred to a self-hosted site and there have been a few issues. I’m very excited about all of the things I have planned, including more Back to School recipes. (just a few more kinks to work out)

I admit, Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal throws me for a loop. Breakfast isn’t supposed to be full of chocolate-y goodness, right? I prefer this for dessert buy you can eat it for breakfast and I wont say a word!

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal (single serving)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup frozen pitted cherries
  • 1 Tbsp. vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 tsp chia or hemp seeds (optional)

Do

  1. Mix oats and water together and cook according to package directions.
  2. Roughly chop frozen cherries and mix into cooked oatmeal along with chocolate chips.
  3. If preferred, add maple syrup and chia or hemp seeds.

Serve

This decadent oatmeal is pretty intense. Chocolate lovers will swoon but if you aren’t ready for that much chocolate in the morning feel free to cut back or leave it out.

 

graphics by Melodee Fiske
graphics by Melodee Fiske

 

Stay tuned for more Back to School recipes!

 

 

Faux Cheezy Black Bean Quesadillas (Gluten-Free)

by 4 Comments

backtoschool1 copyGraphics by Melodee Fiske

Looking for something for your kiddos lunch box? Look no further!

quesadillas Forget the boring sandwich and give these babies a try!

Faux Cheezy Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients

Do

  1. Spread beans on half of tortilla then add cheese sauce on top of beans.
  2. Fold in half then heat on griddle or in a skillet until brown.
  3. Cut into easy to hold triangles

Serve

We Loved these quesadillas! I served them with Mexican spiced quinoa, salsa, guacamole, and coconut milk plain yogurt. They are the perfect size for a lunch box and can be eaten quickly.

lunchbox copyGraphics by Melodee Fiske

What’s in your kid’s lunch box?

Unfried Black Beans

by 19 Comments

I am soooo over refried beans! Who needs to add extra fat to beans anyway? Certainly not me! I have won over many people with my Unfried Beans made with pinto beans but they are a little to garlic-y for my husband so I decided to lighten up on the spices a bit. Also my 2 year old son (the one with multiple food allergies) has reactions to pinto beans but so far has been doing well with black beans.

This recipe is perfect for lunch boxes too! Use these beans in a burrito or as a delicious dip! My son loves taking beans and chips for lunch. I pair it with some red grapes and carrot sticks for a healthy lunch. See more of my Back to School posts here.

unfried black beans

Unfried Black Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked black beans
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt (optional)
  • 1/8 to 1/4 cup water (only as needed, the Blendtec may require more water)

Do

  1. Put beans and spices in food processor or Blendtec. Process 15 to 20 seconds.
  2. Scrape down the sides as needed and process until beans are smooth, add water as needed.

Serve

These beans are incredible by themselves but I love them with Mexican Rice or wrapped up in a tortilla.

Tip: If you only have canned beans drain and rinse them, then make as instructed. Most cans only contain about 1 1/2 cups of beans so you may want to ease up on the spices and omit the salt entirely.

Coming tomorrow…Faux Cheezy Black Bean Quesadillas!

What is your favorite way to eat beans?

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Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad {Wrap}

by 3 Comments

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?