My Plant-Based Family

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

Uncategorized

Win a Copy of my e-book!

by 2 Comments

The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide

Today Amber from Adventures in Mindful Living is hosting a giveaway for my new ebook, The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide! If you’ve been holding off on buying your own copy I encourage you to click on over to read Amber’s review and enter the giveaway.

If you are looking for a way to get yourself started in a healthy direction this year then this is the e-book for you to buy!  It is reasonably priced and very user friendly. A clear table of contents makes finding what you need or you are interested in very easy. –Amber at Adventures in Mindful Living

I regularly participate in a link up party at Adventures in Mindful Living. If you are a blogger you should link up too! If you are not a blogger check out all of the great blogs that link up.

Thanks Amber for hosting the giveaway! Good luck to everyone who enters!

Plant-Based Diet Ebook

Got Energy? Tips and a Giveaway

by 17 Comments

Got Energy

Sometimes I need more energy. I’m guessing you do too!

Admittedly, I have more energy now than I did in my Standard American Diet (SAD) days.

I’ve noticed trends in my energy levels based on activity and food consumption. For example, when I over-eat I feel like a slug and I don’t want to move. That rarely happens anymore. Baked Potatoes are a great food for me. I feel energetic, satisfied and still light enough to move. I’ve learned I don’t tolerate wheat well and it makes me feel cloudy and fatigued. I used to get order a veggie sandwich from a near by sandwich shop; while it was delicious, it didn’t fuel my body well. If you can eat wheat it may be a good choice for you. I love eating Bean, Grain & Veggie Bowls.

My husband usually has a baked sweet potato and a bucket o’ broccoli (raw) for lunch everyday. He feels fantastic! I know that some people react differently to foods so there isn’t a one-size fits all.

Here are a few tips!

1. Get Dressed First Thing in the Morning!

I love lounging around in my pajamas as much as the next girl but it almost guarantees I get nothing done. I need real clothes and shoes on to be productive.

2. Avoid Processed, Empty Calories

When I’m feeling tired or blah my instinct is to reach for a sweet treat or caffeine. Eating and drinking just enough empty calories every few hours to keep you functioning but not thriving is not the way to live.  I remember when I was about 12 years old, I would consume nothing but soda and candy bars for days at a time. My standard lunch was chips and soda. Even on my worst day now, I can see how far I’ve come from that junk food lifestyle.

3.  Eat Nutritious Food!

As mentioned above, I feel great when eating beans and grains, baked potatoes, hearty veggie wraps and soups. I like steamed broccoli but I enjoy it more accompanying potatoes or rice. I like make bowls filled with a variety of plants: potatoes, beans, grains, tomatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, peppers, spinach and anything else available. This week we have cucumbers and squash to add to our rotation.  All of these foods are nutrient dense and can be mixed and matched for a number of unique meals.

I’ve recently experimented with ENERGYbits®. They are made from 100% organically grown spirulina algae. 30 bits are considered a serving. I tried chewing one up before realizing they are much better swallowed whole. Each bit has just 1 calorie but they are loaded with 40 nutrients have the highest concentration of protein in the world (64%).

I used them as a meal replacement and felt like I had more energy, great mental clarity and no digestive issues. ENERGYbits are not a supplement, they are food; spirulina algae is the only ingredient. 

I was given a free sample to try and I’m giving away a sample to a reader! ENERGYbits are only available at ENERGYbits.com, and Jonathan (their Brand Manager) has shared with me that he’d be happy to connect anyone with a current ambassador to share a discount on a bag of bits – you can email him at jlevitt@energybits.com

This giveaway is open to US reader only, the winner will be contacted via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide

by 16 Comments

UPDATE: This book has been updated! Get the latest information HERE!

Happy New Year! If your New Year’s resolution is to get healthy you’ve come to the right place! Yesterday I launched my new ebook, The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide: How to Cook, Shop and Eat Well.

The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide Ebook
If you are new to a plant-based diet you NEED this ebook. It’s a quick and easy read that will teach you what your really need to know to transition to a plant-based lifestyle. Learn how to read labels, shop for healthy food, plan and cook healthy meals and so much more.

Resources like Forks Over Knives and The China Study teach you why you should eat a plant-based diet. The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide teaches you how. This ebook teaches you the basics of a whole food, no-oil plant-based diet. Need help getting your family to eat healthier? Check out the chapter Transitioning The Family that contains tips for getting kids to eat well and dealing with unhappy family members.

I also include some of my “Reader Favorite” recipes to help you get started on your plant-based journey.

Resolutions or not, isn’t it about time you take the plant-based plunge? Take advantage of the discount before it’s too late!

Attention Bloggers! If you are interested in becoming an affiliate send an email to myplantbasedfamily {at} gmail {dot} com for information on how you can make money selling The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide. 

Happy Herbivore Light and Lean Giveaway

by 54 Comments

Today is my birthday! To help me celebrate my birthday and ring in the New Year I’m giving away a copy of Happy Herbivore Light and Lean to one lucky reader (in the US or Canada). If you don’t see the Rafflecopter Widget below follow the Rafflecopter link.
I have been a fan of the Happy Herbivore Cookbooks since I began my plant-based journey. I own them all but this one is my favorite. It’s closer to my style of eating. In addition to the giveaway, I’ll also be sharing a little Q&A with Lindsey S Nixon and a recipe for Breakfast Tacos.
Holly: What advice do you give families when only 1 member is plant-based and the others are not interested?
Lindsey: Win them over with food. Show, don’t tell. Lead by example.
Holly: I struggle when it comes to finding and sticking to an exercise routine, any thoughts?
Lindsey: Exercise is great, but not required. I have found with my life—and as a personal trainer, diet matters more than anything else.
Holly: You just started a cooking show that has been very popular. Can you tell us what to expect from that?
Lindsey: It’s a live cooking show == so each week is a surprise!
Holly: If you could only eat 5 foods for a week, what would you eat?
Lindsey: Kale. Potatoes. Mango. More kale. More potatoes. Mustard. Hot sauce.
HH Breakfast Tacos

Breakfast Tacos

Makes 3

Soy-free, Gluten-free, Budget

 I’m always looking for ways to slip more vegetables into my diet (particularly at breakfast) and these tacos hit the nail on the head: greens, beans, and sweet potatoes before lunch? I can feel good about that! Bonus: They are really filling and leave me satisfied for hours. I tend to make these tacos for breakfast when I have leftover cooked greens and sweet potatoes from the day before.

3 corn tortillas
1 sweet potato, cooked
½ c cooked black beans
½ c cooked greens (e.g., steamed kale or collards)
2 green onions, sliced
hot sauce
salsa (optional)
nutritional yeast (optional)
guacamole (optional)

Warm corn tortillas if they’ve been in your fridge. I like to heat each side over a low flame for 10–15 seconds on my gas stove, but a few seconds in the microwave covered with a damp paper towel also works. Mash sweet potato with a fork (you can mix in spices like ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne if you like, or even a basic fajita or taco seasoning with a splash of nondairy milk) and spread into the center of the tortilla. Top with beans, greens, and green onions, plus hot sauce, salsa, nutritional yeast, and guacamole as desired (I overflow my tacos so they are really filled). Enjoy!

Chef’s Note Make a “taco bar” and serve these for brunch when you have a big crowd.

Tofu Scramble (pg. 35) is another great filling option

Per taco
Calories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Fat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3g
Carbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29.1g
Fiber. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.6g
Sugars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3g
Protein. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.2g
WW Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own. This page uses affiliate links.

Plant-Based Holiday Party Planning Guide

by 1 Comment

Party Planning Guide

Plant-Based Party Planning Guide

Are you hosting (or attending) a Christmas or New Year’s Eve Party? We’ve already been to one Christmas Party this year and will likely attend others. For years we hosted a large Christmas party and would usually have around 70 people squeezed into our house for a few hours. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. After our babies were born we took a break from hosting such large events. I’m hoping we can return to them in a few years when our kids need a little less supervision.

If you are attending a party you have it pretty easy, you can just bring a dish to share and be done. If you are like me, you want your dish to be a show stopper and as allergy-friendly as possible. The list below will give you some ideas.

If you are hosting a party I’ve found an Open-House Style Dessert and Appetizer/Hors d’oeuvre Party to be the easiest and most fun to host. If you are hosting a Dinner I highly recommend you check out my Thanksgiving Dinner Meal Plan! It work’s great for Christmas as well and you can still add a few of the ideas below.

The great thing about a Dessert and Appetizer/Hors d’oeuvre Party is that you can ask everyone to bring a treat to share to cut down on work. We never specified what people should bring and ended up with a great assortment every year.

My guests were welcome, but not required, to bring a treat. As I made my preparations I would plan enough treats to feed everyone, even if no one brought a dish. I would only plan foods that could be left room temperature for a few hours, unless you are using a crock-pot. I also liked to have a good mix of sweet and savory foods to choose from.

Sweet Treats

  • Gluten-Free Brownies
  • Fresh Fruit Parfaits (make them in small “shot glass sized” cups and keep extras refrigerated until needed)
  • Cupcakes with crushed candy canes on top
  • Chocolate Mousse with fresh fruit (I recommend you nest the chocolate mousse bowl in a bigger bowl filled with ice)
  • Cookies, lots and lots of cookies! I would make dozens of sugar cookies, chocolate chips cookies, no-bakes, and peanut butter.
  • Chocolate Covered Pretzels. Glutino makes great GF pretzels, just pick a great dairy-free chocolate to melt.
  • Peppermint Black Bean Brownies
  • Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes

Savory Snacks

  • A Nacho Bar featuring Chips, Salsa, Guacamole, Faux Cheeze Sauce (in crock-pot), and maybe Quinoa-Lentil Taco Meat
  • Hummus and Veggies
  • Savory CHICKpea Salad with Crackers or on mini-sandwiches, you can add spicy pepper and tomatoes for a spicier dish
  • Spring Rolls
  • Tortilla Rollups, use vegan cream cheese and finely chopped veggies
  • Baked Potato Wedges with assorted dipping sauce
  • Stuffed Mushrooms or Stuffed Shells
  • Popcorn
  • Trail Mix

Many people will be holding a plate with one hand and eating with the other. I try to stick to foods that can be eaten without utensils when possible.

Drinks

  • Water and Fruit Infused Water
  • Sparkling Water with Lime Wedges, Cucumbers or other fruit
  • Coffee (chose decaf if you are making a lot at once and choose flavored creamers) Check out Sarah’s ebook The Natural Barista for some great ideas.
  • Punch or lemonade
  • Hot Chocolate or Hot Apple Cider with fun additions like candy canes, cinnamon sticks, etc.

I recommend setting up a Drink Station so most of the spills are confined to one area, hopefully near the sink. I buy small cups because many will be filled to the top then forgotten completely. Placing a few makers near the Drink Station will help. I also strategically place a few dish towels and a roll of paper towels to handle spills. Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider can be kept warm in a crock pot but you will need cups appropriate for hot beverages.

Comfort Tips

  • Turn your thermostat a few degrees cooler than normal, the extra body heat will warm things up.
  • Set up name tags near the front door and ask everyone to wear one. This will cut down on awkward moments when you forget your neighbors name.
  • Have your spouse, older child or close friend check the restroom periodically for spills, low supplies or anything else that needs attention.
  • Let your guest know if children are welcome at the party. If so, try to have a special seating/eating area for them. Many will need to sit down to eat. Put away any fragile items that may be intriguing to little fingers.
  • If your dining table is used as a serving table remove the chairs and move them to another area. We forgot one year and lots of people sat (and sat their kids) at the serving table and no one else could get to the food, and the kids helped themselves. You could also use the table for dining and chose another area for serving.
  • Move furniture around to create plenty of sitting and standing room.
  • Turn OFF the TV if it is in the main area. If you play music make sure it is low enough that no one has to compete with it to talk.
  • Have food refills available to grab easily. For example, I would have cookies on a plate wrapped up but ready to go and one veggie tray assembled with veggie refills in individual containers.
  • Have extra tongs or serving utensils handy.
  • If serving allergy-friendly treats label them and consider placing them away from foods that could cross-contaminate them.

Do you have a recipe or tip to share? Finish this sentence, It’s  not a party without ____________!

Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheesecake Kit Giveaway

by 41 Comments

When we made the transition to a plant-based diet there were a few things I just assumed I’d never eat again, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese were all at the top of the list because we normally ate those weekly.

I’ve adapted well to going without dairy; but every now and again it is really nice to have a vegan option that reminds me of the old days. One company that makes those family favorite recipes possible again is Follow Your Heart.

I love having dairy-free options to enjoy. My boys call the shreds “pretend cheese” and keep asking for pretend cheese toast. We’ve poured the Vegan Gourmet Sour Cream and the Vegan Gourmet Shreds into our Bean and Grain Bowl Salads and WOW!

I’m making recipes all week using Follow Your Heart ingredients.

Follow Your Heart Giveaway

Follow Your Heart has generously sponsored a giveaway for My Plant-Based Family readers. The winner will receive a Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheesecake Kit. The kit has everything needed to create a delicious gluten-free and vegan cheesecake.

The kit contains:
  – Mini Heart-shaped Springform Pan
  – Follow Your Heart® Vegan Gourmet® Cream Cheese
  – Follow Your Heart® Vegan Gourmet® Sour Cream
  – Vanilla Extract
  – Cheesecake Filling Bag: Sugar + Cornstarch (exact measure)
  – Margarine (non-hydrogenated & non-dairy)
  – Gluten-Free Crust Mix: Vegan & Gluten-Free Crumbs + Sugar (exact measure)
  – Spatula

 Truly this sound like the easiest cheesecake ever! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway begins December 11th and ends December 15th and is open to US residents only.

 

FTC Disclaimer: I received free products from Follow Your Heart to review. All opinions are my own.