My Plant-Based Family

Eating Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet recipes, On a Budget.

Recipes

Simple Veggie Sandwich

by 11 Comments

One of the things I miss from my pre-plant-based days is a really good deli sandwich.

There is no reason I can’t have a great sandwich. Meat and cheese don’t make the meal. Good bread, fresh veggies and condiments make the meal.

Veggie SandwichSimple Veggie Sandwich

There isn’t a set recipe, use the ingredients you love and have on hand. This is more of a template than a recipe anyway.

Ingredients

  • Good bread, you can also use wraps, naan, or lettuce wraps.
  • Condiments, I use spicy mustard and hummus. Guacamole is another good choice.
  • Greens, I used lettuce and chopped romaine. Use what you like.
  • Veggies, I used cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers. Artichokes, pickles and onions are good too.

Do

Build your sandwich in any way you desire. You may want to wrap it in parchment paper if you are on the go.

Veggie sandwiches tend to be pretty messy. I usually only eat these at home so I don’t make a huge mess.

Other great lunch meal include Veggie Wraps, Black Bean Mango Salad, Chick Pea Salad and Not So Tuna Salad.

Black Bean Mango Salad

by 13 Comments

As the weather warms up and cravings turn to lighter, more refreshing fare, there’s nothing quite like a vibrant salad to satisfy your appetite. Bursting with the tropical sweetness of ripe mangoes, the earthy richness of black beans, and the zesty freshness of lime, this Black Bean Mango Salad is a celebration of summer in every bite.

Black Bean Mango Salad is incredibly versatile. It can be served as a side dish, piled high on top of tacos or nachos, or enjoyed on its own as a light and refreshing meal. Whether you’re a devoted salad eater or someone looking for a new way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your routine, give this recipe a whirl.

Black Bean Mango Salad Vegan Gluten-Free Plant-Based

Easy Black Bean Mango Salad

Unlike most of the recipes you’ll find here on My Plant Based Family, this recipe is for a single serving. My kids would love most of the things in this salad, but if your kids are like mine, they don’t want it all mixed together. So this salad is just for me.

Even though this is for a single serving, I prefer to build two (or three or four) at a time to eat later in the week. The only real difference is you’ll want to store the diced mango separately because it can get a little slimy.

The measurements below can be adapted to your taste. I actually added a little more of everything for the salad I ate at home. This size was perfect for work. I don’t know about you but it takes me a long time to eat BIG salads. My lunch salads need to be a little average size.

Black Bean Mango Salad Vegan Gluten-Free

Costumization Ideas

Feel free to customize this Black Bean Mango Salad to suit your taste preferences too.

  • You can add diced jalapeño for a spicy kick or diced cucumber for added crunch.
  • If you prefer a sweeter salad, you can drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup to enhance the natural sweetness of the mangoes.
  • For a heartier meal, serve this salad on a bed of quinoa.
  • Experiment with different herbs and spices to create your own unique flavor profile. Fresh mint, basil, or parsley can add a refreshing twist, while smoked paprika or chili powder can add depth and complexity.

Black Bean Mango Salad Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup organic corn
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato (remove seeds)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (I prefer sweet onion or red onions)
  • 1/4 of a large mango (or half a small mango) diced.
  • diced jalapenos to taste
  • juice from half a lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1/2 avocado (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Layer Ingredients

Place lettuce in a large bowl then top with beans, corn, tomatoes, onion and mango*.

Step 2 – Customize and Stir

If using jalapenos and cilantro add now. Give the salad a good stir.

Step 3 – Give it a Squeeze

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and stir one more time.

*Notes: If you are packing an extra salad for another day, leave the mango, lime juice and avocado separate.

More Fresh Salad Recipes

If you like this salad, you’ll love these plant based recipes too:

Yield: 1 Serving

Black Bean Mango Salad

Black Bean Mango Salad Vegan Gluten-Free

Gluten-free, oil-free fresh flavors of summer. Treat yourself to this fresh Black Bean Mango Salad for one.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup organic corn
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato (remove seeds)
  • 1/4 cup diced onion (I prefer sweet onion or red onions)
  • 1/4 of a large mango (or half a small mango) diced
  • diced jalapenos to taste
  • juice from half a lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)
  • 1/2 avocado (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place lettuce in a large bowl then top with beans, corn, tomatoes, onion and mango.
  2. If using jalapenos and cilantro add now. Give the salad a good stir.
  3. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad and stir one more time.

Notes

If you are packing an extra salad for another day leave the mango, lime juice and avocado separate.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

by 7 Comments

For a girl that doesn’t eat meat, I really love barbecue sauce. Vegan barbecue is something I fully support. These BBQ Cauliflower Bites hit the spot. If you are looking for a plant-based version of BBQ Wings, give these a try.

Homemade vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites. Similar to vegan wings.

Years ago, friends and I would share boneless BBQ wings in our late night chats. We’d order a bunch of appetizers and catch up.

Just because I avoid chicken doesn’t mean I have to avoid barbecue sauce. Especially this Homemade BBQ Sauce.

Vegan Barbecue Wings

You can make these with or without the breading. I’m sharing a gluten-free breading for the cauliflower but you can make it with wheat flour or skip the breading all together.

Homemade vegan BBQ cauliflower bites. Similar to vegan wings.

BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 cup Gluten-Free flour blend
  • 1 cup unsweetened and unflavored plant milk (I use rice milk)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 recipe Homemade BBQ Sauce

Do

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Rinse cauliflower and cut into two-bite-sized pieces (about 2 inches or so).
  3. In a medium bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (except BBQ Sauce) together. I recommend adding the milk a little at a time because you may not need the whole cup. Stir with a whisk until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
  4. Put a handful of the cauliflower pieces into the batter then remove with a fork and place it on the cookie sheet.
  5. Once all of the cauliflower pieces have been dipped in batter and arranged on the cookie sheet bake for 15 minutes.
  6. After 15 minutes carefully remove the hot cauliflower and dip them into the BBQ Sauce. Put them back on the cookie sheet and bake for 5 more minutes.

Serve

These BBQ Cauliflower Bites are best served right out of the oven.

Vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites

Sweet and tangy vegan BBQ Cauliflower Bites are the wing substitute you need.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1 cup Gluten-Free flour blend
  • 1 cup unsweetened and unflavored plant milk (I use rice milk)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 recipe Homemade BBQ Sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Rinse cauliflower and cut into two-bite-sized pieces (about 2 inches or so).
  3. In a medium bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (except BBQ Sauce) together. I recommend adding the milk a little at a time because you may not need the whole cup. Stir with a whisk until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
  4. Put a handful of the cauliflower pieces into the batter then remove with a fork and place it on the cookie sheet.
  5. Once all of the cauliflower pieces have been dipped in batter and arranged on the cookie sheet bake for 15 minutes.
  6. After 15 minutes carefully remove the hot cauliflower and dip them into the BBQ Sauce. Put them back on the cookie sheet and bake for 5 more minutes.

Notes

These are best fresh from the oven and do not reheat well.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Main Dish Recipes

Need more barbecue ideas? Try these delicious recipes!

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

Vegan BBQ Sandwich

Grilled Portobello Burgers and Vegan Potato Salad

Grilled Portobello Burger

Incredible vegan and gluten-free avocado grillers

Avocado Grillers

What are your favorite things to barbecue? Don’t forget the sides like grilled corn, veggie kabob’s, potato salad and pasta salad!

Homemade BBQ Sauce

by 13 Comments

Summer is coming… for those of us in Phoenix it is right on our door step. In addition to the heat, summer brings on cookout season. If this is your first summer living a plant-based lifestyle you may be a little intimidated by all of the upcoming barbecue invitations. Don’t be, I’ve got you covered, right down to my Homemade BBQ Sauce!

Homemade Vegan Barbecue Sauce

This page contains affiliate links.

Today I’m going to share one of my secrets, Homemade BBQ Sauce.

I love barbecue sauce! Like, I really love it! I could eat it on almost anything.

Sweet and Tangy Vegan Barbecue Sauce

This Homemade BBQ Sauce is sweet and tangy. My husband said it tasted like candy but his palate is really sensitive to sweetness. Actually, at first you taste the sweet then the tangy hits.

This homemade barbecue sauce is perfect on baked potatoes, lentil BBQ or my Spaghetti Squash BBQ Sandwich, BBQ Chickpeas, tofu and more. The sauce is really versatile and you can change it up by using less sugar or more vinegar. You can also add Sriracha for a little more kick.

Simple Ingredients

A couple of years ago I started getting really sensitive to ingredients in processed foods. I can’t just grab a sauce off the shelf at the grocery store unless I want to chance a migraine.

This vegan barbecue sauce uses pantry staple ingredients that I always have on hand. These ingredients work for me. I love that I can get all the deliciousness of vegan barbecue without a headache.

No high fructose corn syrup in this sauce!

Quick and Easy

One of the best things about this DIY barbecue sauce is that it’s so quick and easy to make! Basically, you stir every thing together and let it heat up. You could just mix it but the flavors change as it simmers.

Homemade BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp molasses
  • 3 Tbsp No products found.
  • 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
  • 2 Tbsp No products found.
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (more or less) of brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water (add it a little at a time to obtain the right consistency)

Do

  1. Add all ingredients except water in a small sauce pan place on low heat.
  2. Stir often as you add each ingredient.
  3. Once everything except water is added taste and make any changes.
  4. Add water a little at a time while stirring until you reach the right consistency. You’ll probably need between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup.

Serve

Use this BBQ Sauce as you would a bottled sauce. If you have leftovers store in the refrigerator in an air tight container.

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

Forget store bought barbecue sauce, this DIY BBQ Sauce is vegan and delicious!

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

Ingredients

  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp molasses
  • 3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke
  • 2 Tbsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (more or less) of brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water (add it a little at a time to obtain the right consistency)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except water in a small sauce pan place on low heat.
  2. Stir often as you add each ingredient.
  3. Once everything except water is added taste and make any changes.
  4. Add water a little at a time while stirring until you reach the right consistency. You’ll probably need between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup.

Notes

You can add more brown sugar or maple syrup if you like a sweeter sauce. Add more heat by adding hot sauce like Sriracha.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this recipe?

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

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

Next I’ll share my Cauliflower BBQ Bites recipe!

Make sure you read the labels on all of your ingredients. Some versions may not be vegan or may contain gluten. Always read ingredients on packaged products to make sure they are safe for you.

This page contains affiliate links. 

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

by 83 Comments

This is the cheat code for easy, vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free Instant Pot Mexican Casserole! Use dry beans without soaking or cooking ahead of time. With the Instant Pot, you can achieve the same slow-cooked flavors and textures of a traditional casserole in a fraction of the time. No need to babysit the stove or wait hours for your meal to be ready.

Additionally, this vegan Mexican casserole is a fantastic way to pack in a variety of nutrient-rich ingredients. From protein-packed beans, every bite is bursting with goodness. The bold and zesty flavors work great as a main dish or side dish.

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

If you’ve tried my Crock Pot version or the Stove or Oven version, you know that this flavor combination is really good and really easy. Some people don’t like the texture of the rice when cooked in the Crock Pot. The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole comes out perfect every time; if you have a pressure cooker I challenge you to make this!

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

If your family is just starting to try plant-based living, this recipe is for you! You can enjoy it in a bowl topped with your favorite ingredients, wrapped in a tortilla, or with chips.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked brown rice
  • 1 cup uncooked dry beans (if you have trouble with beans not cooking enough, try soaking them first)
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste (or 1 8 oz can tomato sauce with slightly less water)
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Add Ingredients

Dump all of the ingredients into your pressure cooker and stir once or twice.

Step 2 – Pressure Cook

Close the lid and cook on manual for 28 minutes.

Step 3 – Release Pressure

Once done, allow the pressure to come down and open carefully. If you are in a hurry you can do a quick release.

Step 4 – Serve

This meal can be eaten alone or served with tortillas or chips and salsa. It travels well making it perfect for lunch boxes.

This photo shows what it looks like right out of the pressure cooker! It’s quite a bit darker than the Crock Pot and Stove Top versions.

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

A Note on Using Dry Beans

I’ve had feedback from some that their black beans are not soft enough after cooking. Most people do not have a problem. If this is the case for you, make sure you are using beans that are not old. Beans that have been in your pantry for a year will take longer to cook than fresh beans. (This is why I stopped buying giant bags of beans in bulk.)

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

Also, hard water could make the beans cook more slowly. If your beans could be older or if you have hard water, I recommend soaking the beans in warm water before cooking.

If using beans other than black beans make sure you are cooking this long enough. The rice takes 28 minutes to cook but some beans may take longer. Consult the Instant Pot cooking guides and cook it as long as necessary.

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

Customization Ideas for Mexican Casserole

Feel free to customize this vegan Mexican casserole with your favorite vegetables or beans. You can add diced zucchini, shredded carrots, or even cooked sweet potatoes for extra flavor and nutrients.

If you prefer a spicier dish, add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the mix.

Experiment with different seasoning blends to suit your taste preferences. Smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or taco seasoning can add depth and complexity to the flavor profile.

For added richness, you can stir in a dollop of vegan cream cheese or cashew cream before serving.

More Plant-Based Instant Pot Recipes

If you love your Instant Pot as much as I do, here are some other great recipes to try. They save me so much time!

You might also find this information helpful on How to Clean an Instant Pot.

Yield: 6 Servings

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot Mexican Casserole will amaze your family and impress your guests! This should be your go to plant-based recipe for your Instant Pot.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked brown rice
  • 1 cup uncooked dry beans
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 6 oz can of tomato paste (or 1 8 oz can tomato sauce with slightly less water)
  • 1 tsp garlic
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Dump all of the ingredients into your pressure cooker and stir once or twice.
  2. Close the lid and cook on manual for 28 minutes.
  3. Once done, allow the pressure to come down and open carefully. If you are in a hurry you can do a quick release.

Notes

  • This meal can be eaten alone or served with tortillas or chips and salsa. It travels well and we often take it in our lunches.
  • If your beans are older than one year, soak them before cooking.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo

Strawberry Lemonade

by 5 Comments

I love short cuts in the kitchen. If there is an easier way of doing things I want to know.

My kids have been asking for “Lemon Juice” which is their way of asking for lemonade. We never buy the store-bought stuff. Last week a kid in our neighborhood was selling lemons door to door and I bought three; I appreciate a boy trying to earn a little cash. A lot of our neighbors have citrus trees but we don’t.

We have a Blendtec. Why not just peel the lemons and blend away? This probably wouldn’t work with an inexpensive blender, but if you have a Blendtec or a Vitamix you’re in business.

I’ll give a quick note, this recipe has a lot of room for variation. Start slowly adding a little at a time because lemons are different sizes, have differing amounts of juice and varying levels of tartness.

Strawberry Lemonade

Lazy Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients

  • 1-3 lemons (I used one giant lemon) peeled with seeds removed
  • 1 cup of strawberries with stems/leaves removed
  • water
  • sugar or other sweetener

Do

  1. Put lemons, strawberries, 2 cups of water and 1/4 cup of sugar in your Blendtec.
  2. Blend until everything is liquefied.
  3. Add another 2 cups or water and 1/4 cup of sugar (if desired) and blend. Repeat this step until your lemonade has the perfect sweet/sour mix.

I used 6 total cups of water and 3/4 cup of sugar for the whole pitcher. My starting lemon was the size of a grapefruit.

This is so easy I call it Lazy Strawberry Lemonade but you could leave out the strawberries and just have Lazy Lemonade.

Yield: 6 Servings

Strawberry Lemonade

Strawberry Lemonade

This is so easy I call it Lazy Strawberry Lemonade!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1-3 lemons (I used one giant lemon) peeled with seeds removed
  • 1 cup of strawberries with stems/leaves removed
  • water
  • sugar or other sweetener

Instructions

  1. Put lemons, strawberries, 2 cups of water and 1/4 cup of sugar in your Blendtec.
  2. Blend until everything is liquefied.
  3. Add another 2 cups or water and 1/4 cup of sugar (if desired) and blend. Repeat this step until your lemonade has the perfect sweet/sour mix.

Notes

This recipe has a lot of room for variation. Start slowly adding a little at a time because lemons are different sizes, have differing amounts of juice and varying levels of tartness.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Heather Mayes