My Plant-Based Family

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

Tips for Plant-Based Living

Plant-Based Taco Bar

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Back when we did potlucks, a Taco Bar was always a favorite! It’s easy, everyone can make their own, and almost everyone loves tacos. A Plant-Based Taco Bar is also really versatile because all the ingredients can be mixed and matched! Tacos, burritos, taco salads, choose your own adventure.

Plant-Based Taco Bar

Whether you are feeding a crowd (whenever we get to do that again) or your family, give the Taco Bar a try!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to make it super complicated. You don’t have to have all of these options or toppings. Just in case you need it, I’m giving you permission to simplify this and do the easiest version with ingredients you already have!

Vegan Taco Meat

We choose whole food versions of taco filling. My absolute favorite is my Instant Pot Lentil Taco filling. The stove top version is really good too!

I also have a version that combines Quinoa and Lentils or a version with just quinoa.

Tortillas

Our tortilla choice varies but we usually have corn tortillas for the adults and flour tortillas for the kids. Sometimes we will use lettuce wraps or tortilla chips. We mix and match based on what we are in the mood for and what’s available.

Plant-Based Taco Bar

Taco Toppings

This is where the fun begins. You can use whatever you like but my favorite taco toppings for a Taco Bar include:

  • Lettuce
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Sliced Jalapenos
  • Corn
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Salsa (red and green)
  • Avocado or Guacamole
  • Black Beans (whole)
  • Pinto Beans (whole)
  • Cilantro
  • Lime

Some people like pickled onions and dairy-free cheese but we aren’t into that. I have used vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt for a little extra tang!

Oil-Free Refried Beans

Side Dishes for a Taco Bar

I don’t think you really need side dishes when it comes to a taco bar but since I love these I’ll mention them. Plus, they go perfectly with tacos!

Mexican Rice is so easy to make. Cook it in the Instant Pot or stove top. Refried Beans are easy too, just a little time consuming to make from dry beans but don’t let that stop you. I actually prefer to follow this recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans (oil-free of course)!

What are your must have Vegan Taco Bar options? I’d love to hear if you use the same basics or if you have other options we haven’t thought of!

By the way! I just started a Youtube Channel! I’d love it if you would subscribe! Just CLICK HERE to check it out!

20 Oil-Free Hummus Recipes

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Do you love hummus? I do! If you are following a whole food, plant-based diet oil-free hummus is the way to go.

Oil-Free hummus recipes

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For those of us who don’t use added oils in our cooking, it can be difficult to find a brand of store bought hummus without oil. Sure, there are a few brands but they are usually at specialty stores and they are expensive.

Thankfully, making hummus is really easy. I recommend using a food processor or high powered blender to get a smooth hummus.

Oil-free hummus may not be traditional but you can make hummus without oil. It’s not a deal breaker. Oil-free hummus is a great way to enjoy all your favorite raw veggies. I don’t know about you, but I can eat way more veggies when I have a delicious dip.

Choosing Chickpeas

For me, chickpeas are the most important part of hummus. You can use canned chickpeas or cook chickpeas yourself. The benefit of making them yourself is that you control the whole process. The best creamy hummus is made from chickpeas that are cooked until they are soft. I like to cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot.

My favorite chickpeas are No products found.. Yes, you can taste the difference! Yes, it’s worth the price. Palouse Brand chickpeas are non-GMO. They even come with a tracking code so you can track them back to the field they were grown in.

If you aren’t completely addicted to hummus maybe you haven’t found the right recipe yet.

If you are looking for an oil-free hummus recipe, check out this list!

20+ Oil-Free Hummus Recipes

Are you looking for an oil-free hummus? We have you covered! This extensive list of oil-free hummus recipes include everything from classic flavors to creative recipes.

Image for Sun-dried Tomato Basil Hummus
Photo Credit: www.plantbasedcooking.com

Sun-dried Tomato Basil Hummus

This is a perfect holiday or special occasion appetizer but so simple you’ll want to use it for weekly snacking.

Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes

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I love chickpeas! They are a versatile plant-based staple in our house. I have a whole bag in my pantry and several cans, it’s one food I don’t want to run out of. If you aren’t in love with chickpeas, you should check out my Favorite Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes!

Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes

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In case you don’t know, Chickpeas and Garbanzo Beans are the same thing. You may see the terms used interchangeably. 

You can buy chickpeas at most grocery stores in the dried bean area or the canned bean area. I prefer to buy chickpeas in bulk. My favorites are the Palouse Brand. You can taste the difference. The chickpeas are Non-GMO Project Verified,  non-irradiated, USA Grown and field traced so you’ll be able to find out the exact field they were grown in. 

No products found.

When I buy dried chickpeas, I usually cook them in my Instant Pot. It’s quicker and easier than cooking them on the stove.

Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes

I always have canned chickpeas in my pantry. They taste delicious when made into dips, added to salads, and mixed into stir-fry’s. You can even transform them into something else entirely like my Chickpea Nuggets.

Even the liquid you get when cooking chickpeas, aquafaba, can be turned into a whipped consistency like meringue. 

Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes

Love Chickpeas? If you do, you'll love this list of Plant-Based Chickpea Recipes! These are some of our favorite plant-based recipes!

Do you like chickpeas? Do you eat them whole or make hummus?

Plant-Based Recipes Kids Can Make

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Instead of our normal weekly plant-based meal plan, I thought I’d switch it up and share Plant-Based Recipes Kids Can Make! Many of us are home with our kids more than ever. If your kids are like mine, they love to help cook.

Plant-Based Recipes Kids can make

Part of our new routine includes me cooking with my boys a couple of times a week. It gives us a chance to have one on one time and helps build their cooking confidence. 

Part of building their confidence means I’m not constantly correcting them. That’s why I choose recipes that don’t have to be exact. The measurements can be a little off and they still turn our great. 

I definitely oversee the cooking and chopping but I do my best to let them do it themselves. 

 

Plant-Based Recipes Kids Can Make

Do you kids love cooking? Try these plant-based recipes kids can make!

 

When it comes to cooking with kids, keep it as simple as possible. Instead of focusing on everything being perfect, focus on creating a good experience for both of you.

If your kid is inexperienced in the kitchen or really young, it’s best not to try to cook together when you are in a hurry. That will just lead to a stressful experience for both of you.

The benefit of cooking with your kids is more than giving them confidence and making memories together. It’s also creating an expectation that food is made at home and not just in restaurants. More important than that, your kids will be more willing to eat food they help make. It’s not “weird” if they make it!

One day, your kids will be able to make meals for the whole family without any help! We aren’t there yet but my kids do often get meals for themselves. 

What are your favorite recipes to make with your kids?

Plant-Based Basics is Open

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If you are new to eating a plant-based diet or if you need a little motivation to start again, you will be happy to hear that Plant-Based Basics is open for enrollment. 

Plant-Based Basics is a course to help you transition to a plant-based diet. It’s designed for people who are new to plant-based eating. You can sign up here! 

Plant-Based Basics Plant-Based Course

What You’ll Learn

You’ll learn everything you need to know to start eating a plant-based diet. There are about 20 lessons that are delivered over a month. You’ll also get weekly plant-based meal plans that include a shopping list, and you’ll be a part of an exclusive Facebook group with a weekly Q&A. 

How Much Time Does it Take

Don’t worry if you have a busy schedule, each lesson is only about 5 minutes long. We cut to the chase! If you can find about 25 minutes a week for the lessons, you’ll learn what to eat, how to shop, time saving tips, money saving strategies and more! 

The course only last 4 weeks. That doesn’t sound like a lot of time but we will make the most of it. 

Plant-Based Basics plant-Based Course

Why Plant-Based Basics

There are a lot of doctors, dietitians, and bloggers with plant-based courses and resources. I have nothing bad to say about any of them. What makes Plant-Based Basics different is that we are regular people who went plant-based for health. We both work full time, we have kids that keep us busy, and have to figure out how to make plant-based eating a priority with limited time and resources. 

Course enrollment is only open until January 4, 2020. That means we will have a small community going through the course together. If you have questions or need someone to bounce ideas off, we’re here for you.

What’s Changed

Plant-Based Basics has recently undergone an overhaul! We kept our favorite parts, updated lessons that were out of date, and threw out some that weren’t really relevant. We have completely new Plant-Based Meal Plans with recipes that I’ve never shared publicly. 

Plant-Based Basics has it’s own site! You can log in from your computer, tablet or smart phone to view lessons, download PDFs, or listen to audio of the lessons.  

Sign up at Plant-Based Basics!

The Best Plant-Based Cookbooks

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If you are new to eating a plant-based diet or just looking for some new recipes, a new plant-based cookbook may be a good thing to add to your wish list! Today, I’m going to share a list of the Best Plant-Based Cookbooks! Ok, it’s totally my opinion but these are the books I have on my shelf or hope to add soon!

Best Plant-Based Cookbooks

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The Best Plant-Based Cookbooks

I believe this list of plant-based cookbooks has something for everyone! Most of the authors mentioned have websites where you can do a little research to see if the recipes are your style before purchasing. 

Budget-Friendly Recipes

I’ve always been a fan of Toni Okamoto! I’m pretty sure we would get along great if we ever met in real life and we would definitely enjoy the same foods. I love how she makes plant-based eating attainable for people on a budget. Eating plant-based does not have to be expensive and Toni proves that and gives you quick recipes to help you get going.

If easy and budget friendly plant-based recipes are what you are looking for, try Plant-Based on a Budget. 

Family-Friendly Recipes

Are you looking for recipes your whole family will eat? Then look no further than The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook. Jenn Sebestyen knows how to make delicious plant-based meals that her family love! I’ve been a fan of Jenn for years and know you will be too! 

Instant Pot Recipes

 

I have recommended this book many times and will continue to do so. If you are looking for plant-based recipes for your Instant Pot then buy The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot! Kathy Hester is a genius! Her vegan queso is life changing and the recipe is in this book!

Plant-Based Newbies

 

I don’t know as much about Gabriel Miller’s new cookbook, the Plant-Based Diet for Beginners, but I’ve seen a lot of excitement about it, and well, it’s contagious! This book is SOS free (salt, oil and sugar free) for people who are avoiding those. I think this book would be helpful to anyone new to plant-based eating but especially young men who could benefit from a former athletes perspective.

 The Most Flavorful

If I had to choose one word to describe Vegan Richa’s Everyday Kitchen it would be FLAVOR! Richa Hingle is known for her amazing recipes and flavors from all over the world. She is passionate about making vegan recipes easy and delicious but admits that many recipes have a long list of spices to create that amazing flavor. Richa provides plenty of substitutions for allergy or dietary needs, FYI some recipes do include oil.

Air Fryer Recipes

I purchased the Vegan Air Fryer by JL Fields in 2017! I really wanted to tackle foods like crispy french fries without the oil! If you have an air fryer and are wondering what to do with it, get JL’s book. 

The Most Variety

 

No list of plant-based cookbooks is complete without mentioning The Forks Over Knives Cookbook written by Del Sroufe. I bought this book in 2012, about a year after I went plant-based. It’s the ultimate plant-based cookbook with over 300 recipes. There is a lot of variety in this book and something for everyone. 

There is no way I could include every book in this list! There are so many good ones! I hope this list has something for everyone! 

If you have a favorite plant-based cookbook, let me know! Maybe I’ll add it to the list!

If you are looking for more book recommendations, check out my list of my The Best Plant-Based Diet Books.