My Plant-Based Family

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

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New Babies

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We do not have a new baby and we are not expecting! I do have a lot of friends with new babies though. I can easily be transplanted back to those days.

Exhausted, helpless, hungry, cranky, and that was just me. 🙂

I still remember the first time my son really spit up. I thought something was wrong and we needed to take him to the Emergency Room. It was all over me,the baby, the couch, and the floor. My husband, who already had 3 kids, assured me our son was fine and that much spit up/vomit was normal. Poor little guy also had horrible gas pains, the word colic was thrown around a bit too. He also had very sensitive skin and the worse cradle cap I’ve ever seen. Our pediatrician advised me to eliminate dairy from my diet to help with the gas and the skin issues. I hate to say it but I didn’t completely eliminate dairy although I did cut back.

I had several friends who took their newborn’s to a chiropractor. I thought it sounded ridiculous but when my son was about 1 month old I decided to try it. We went to Hill Chiropractic and immediately felt like we made the right decision. Dr. Hill explained to me how traumatic birth is for some babies, for many it’s their first neck injury. If you are in a car accident and injure your neck you may experience pain in more places than one. That could be similar to what a baby experiences. My son received an exam and an adjustment. I was taught a few massage techniques I could do on my son’s tummy to help with his gassiness. If I remember right we went back 1 week later. Our son’s tummy troubles and sleeping dramatically improved.

We had learned our lesson. When our next son was born I called to set up an appointment from the hospital. He was adjusted a few days after he was born and we never had the same digestive issues. My friend Heather at Cultivated Lives recently shared about her daughter’s experience with allergies and colic. Part of her story mentions chiropractic care.

I’ve also taken my son’s to the chiropractor when they had colds or diarrhea that wouldn’t clear up. Many times we choose chiropractic treatments instead of antibiotics for ear infections. All of this took place before we switched to a plant-based diet. I can only imagine how much healthier my kids would have been if they had been eating healthy instead of the Standard American Diet.

I’m thankful that our chiropractor now has a free kid’s day once a month. My boys love going. They went last week and have been asking to go back everyday.

Do you or your kids visit the chiropractor? We have had good and not so good experiences with them but love the office we use now.

Is Food the Answer?

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I think it really depends on the question. A lot of people turn to food to meet their emotional needs but does it really help? When I’m having a challenging day I often think a quick trip to Starbucks or a chocolate treat will make everything better but it won’t. I look to coffee, chocolate, soda or fast food to feel better. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous?

I’m not saying I’ll never eat those things but I should think about my motivation. I’ve said to myself, “I know this ________ will not change my situation but I’m choosing to eat it anyway.” I’m not sure if that is any better, I hope the fact that I’m not completely deluding myself makes it at least slightly more favorable.

If the question is “how can I get healthy/lose weight/reverse a medical condition?” then I believe food is the answer. We have been poisoning ourselves for generations and seeing disease overcome us. Many individuals think changing their diet is far too drastic but view heart bypass surgery as a regular or unavoidable part of life. There is a problem here. Surgeries like getting tubes in children’s ears could be completely unneccessary with a simple diet change. Asthma suffers find relief and give up their inhalers; diabetics are able to eliminate the need for medication.

I think back to 1 year ago when I was still transitioning to a plant-based diet. I was still having some bladder problems and getting frustrated that I wasn’t symptom free. It’s been one year since I last had a urinary tract infection; in 2011 I had 7 UTI’s. You can read more about my story here. My husband will be sharing more of his story soon as well.

I think most of us have a really messed up view of food. We don’t look at it as a way to nourish and fuel our bodies but as entertainment. I’m guilty of this as well. I’m much more objective when it comes to my kids. My 3 year old will say he is hungry, I’ll offer him an apple but he isn’t hungry for an apple, he “want’s something kind of new and different.” I am rarely “hungry” for a salad but if I was truly hungry I’d eat one. Instead I’ll grab something else, usually something less healthy.

So back to the question, “is food the answer?” No, food will not meet an emotional need in a healthy way. Yes, the food you eat may be killing you. Yes, eating a whole food, plant-based diet can help you overcome your health issues and live a fulfilling (and delicious) life.

Just so we are clear, I do love Starbucks, chocolate, and other goodies. I enjoy them occasionally and I don’t feel guilty. Yes, sometimes I want to turn to them to make me feel better but I know those things won’t bring me life or health. When I have a desperate longing and start looking for a fix I’m better off praying and asking God to meet that need than drowning it in sugar.

Meal Plan Monday: Eating Well When Short on Time

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Yesterday was such a busy day I didn’t get to post my meal plan. I attended a Christmas Party with my husband at a nice Italian restaurant. They brought special food for my husband and I so we were able to enjoy salad, dinner and dessert without animal products. 🙂

We have been so busy lately that I don’t have a lot of time to cook. Honestly, I do have time (usually). I just prioritize poorly. I know you know what I’m talking about because YOU do the same thing. Go ahead and admit it.

This week I’m going to (attempt) to pay closer attention to how long it actually takes to prepare meals. I’ll report back on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page. A little note, if you already like my page but don’t see regular posts you may need to add it to your interest list. 🙂

Meal Plan

Breakfast is always easy; oatmeal, granola, cereal, toast with nut butter (or seed butter), and fruit. My husband usually eats fruit but he eat several pieces, he loves smoothies too. Oatmeal is my favorite right now, packed with flax and chia seeds, dried fruit and cinnamon.

Lunch is often leftovers that can be quickly assembled. This Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is great reheated. Veggie Stuffed Pita with hummus is my favorite lunch. Sometimes my boys get a parfait for lunch. I start with 3/4 cup of non-dairy yogurt, about 1 Tbsp of chia seeds, 2ish Tbsp ground flax seeds, 1/4 cup walnuts, some granola if we have it and dried or diced fruit. Almond butter sandwiches on gluten-free bread make a regular appearance too.

Snacks are often fruit sometimes with almond butter, smoothies, or veggies with hummus. Sometimes something like chips and salsa (and guacamole) are just what I need.

Dinner Time! We eat dinner together as a family, have I mentioned that before? It’s important to us to have that time together. It doesn’t always work but it is the norm. Last night we had salad and pasta at a Christmas party. Later in the week I’ll be making dinner for another family so I plan to make the Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole and take some tortillas and guacamole. Today or tomorrow I plan to make BBQ Chickpea Salad and Three Bean Chili. We still have some cooked black-eyed peas and quinoa that are ready to eat.

To save time I plan to use my slow cooker some this week and eat more big salads; also cooking double batches of things like rice and beans to save time on other days. I’ll also use my microwave to quickly steam veggies and “bake” potatoes. I try to keep cooked beans frozen in 2 cup portions for easy meals.

What are your tips to save time in the kitchen?

Meal Plan Monday: Eat to Live

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I had a nice week off to spend with my family and friends and I hope you did too. During Thanksgiving weekend I read Eat to Live by Dr. Fuhrman. My husband had read/listened to it multiple times and had been trying to incorporate Dr. Fuhrman’s plan for a while. I’m sure it was difficult for him since I had not yet read the book.

Now that I have read the book I’ll be trying to incorporate it into our diet. I’m sure I wont do it perfectly, especially since we have little kids who need to eat a little differently but I can strive toward it. 🙂

If you haven’t read Eat to Live I will say that it is a must read, but you may want to spread it out and not read it all in one weekend because it is a lot to take in. I’ll share more about what I learned another day.

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be a combination of oatmeal, Breakfast Quinoa, fruit, and smoothies. Today’s oatmeal contained oats, chia seeds, ground flax, and cranberries.

Lunches should be a big salad but I usually prefer them stuffed in a pita or leftover soup. My soups and salads will be made up of a variety of beans, celery, carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. My kids will eat plenty of PB and almond butter sandwiches.

Snacks will be veggies and hummus, muffins and yogurt parfaits for the boys, smoothies, and fruit with almond butter.

Dinner will be big salads and hearty soups. I also hope to remake and post the recipe for an incredible Mexican Casserole I made a few weeks ago. It was easy and delicious. I’m not a big cauliflower fan but I’m thinking of trying cauliflower rice I’ve seen on numerous blogs. I’m also craving the flavors in my Enchilada and Taco Soups and I have a big fat avocado that is slowly ripening. I may pair it with Spicy Black Bean Soup.

Most of the meals this week will be quick since they use fresh veggies but I need to make another batch of my Veggie Broth Mix. I got dried mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes to add to the mix like Somer at Vedged Out recommended in the comments. She had made a version and added them with great results. Then Sarah at Gazing In made her version and I just had to expand my base mix and add the mushrooms and tomatoes.

I also plan to make some quinoa this week for a little whole grain variety.

Have you read Eat to Live? If so, do you follow it?

October Healthy Cravings Recap

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Last week I had a great time at my Healthy Cravings group. I kept it much simpler than in September but it worked out well.

I made Chili and Taco Soup. My friend Cara brought over her Vitamix demonstrated making a soup for everyone.

is always a crowd pleaser so I made a batch with chocolate chips and a loaf without. I also made the Pumpkin Cupcakes I shared yesterday. I frosted some with Chocolate Mousse and they disappeared! I always send leftovers home with the ladies who attend. One of the ladies told me when she woke up the next morning all of the banana bread and pumpkin cupcakes she took home were gone and no one would admit to eating them! She also mentioned that her husband really like the Taco Soup.

November’s Healthy Cravings is on the 8th!

 

Almond Dream Dessert Bites Review

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For the record no one asked me to do this review. Recently I was checking out the freezer section at my local Sprout’s when I saw these little yummy looking bites. I picked them up, looked over them, then put them back. The lady next to me said, “those are really good.” She told me how she will often have three pieces (serving size is 15) after dinner for a nice little treat.

I decided to try them. When I got home and got the groceries put away you better believe I tore into that little container. I ate one and it was heaven. Yes, I’m sure I could have eaten the whole container but I did not. After all these are not a health food, but sometimes you need something a little on the junk food side.

Since these are made with almond milk they are non-dairy but they don’t taste different from the normal treats I grew up eating. It kind of reminded me of Snickers ice cream bars.

All in all I loved it. These probably wont make it into my shopping cart every week because I try not to eat this type of dessert often. These are perfect for an occasional treat and very tasty. I think they will make the perfect after dinner taste of chocolate that often crave.

Have you tried these Almond Dream Dessert Bites? What did you think about them?