My Plant-Based Family

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

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EasyLunchboxes Giveaway

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I am so excited about the giveaway today! Last year about this time I purchased the EasyLunchbox system for my boys to use. After a year I can tell you, I couldn’t be happier with the purchase.

Easy Lunchboxes giveaway

The EasyLunchBox containers are durable, easy to use and clean, and affordable.

Take a look at my favorite features:

  • Dishwasher safe top AND bottom rack
  • Microwave safe
  • Easy for my kids to open (my youngest was 3 last year)
  • Divided containers
  • Fits into an amazing lunch bag (more info below)

Lunch Box Ideas

My only regret about last year’s lunch box buy is at first I chose a different insulated bag foolishly thinking it would be better than the EasyLunchbox bag. During the first week of school the inside seem of the other (non-EasyLunchbox bag) ripped on the bottom seams. In addition to that it did not retain it’s shape. I quickly ordered an EasyLunchBox bag (affiliate link).

insulated lunch bags

Later this month I’ll share more lunch box tips but don’t miss out on all of the great tips from last year. Read about my favorite Lunch Box Essentials and these 5 Tips to Simplify Your Lunch Box Routine that has a free printable! Also, follow me on Instagram because I post pictures regularly of our lunches!

EasyLunchboxes Giveaway

This week you have a chance to win your very own EasyLunchbox system!

This giveaway is open to US residents only. One winner will be chosen and will win one set of EasyLunchboxes container and one lunch bag.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You don’t have to wait until the giveaway is over to get an EasyLunchBox system. Purchase them from the EasyLunchboxes website or get free shipping on Amazon for the containers, lunch bag and mini dippers.

This page contains affiliate links. 

3 Back to School Tips

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Back to School

Going back to school after summer vacation can be very stressful for both kids and parents. Even if you kids have been in daycare all summer there is still a big transition. In addition to all of your other duties now you have to worry about home work, after school activities, making sure everyone has everything they need when you leave the house in the morning.

Did I sign that folder and the other billion papers the school sent home?

3 Back to School Tips

Back to School Tips

Truthfully, getting started is probably the hardest part. I’ve been handling this back to school dance for over 10 years (remember I have older kids) and have some great back to school tips to make it a little easier for you.

1. Establish New Routines

By the time the first report card comes home you won’t think twice about your daily routine but as school is starting it can get overwhelming. Talk through everything that needs to be done in the morning before you leave for school, after school and at bed time then make lists. Reserve the list for things that are non-negotiable. Then every day you can ask your child, is the morning list done, after school list, bed time list instead of asking about each specific item on the list.

Our morning list would say:

  • Eat Breakfast
  • Get Dressed (with shoes on)
  • Brush Teeth
  • Get Lunch
  • Get Backpack

Your list might be bigger or smaller. We’ve got little boys, they just want to watch cartoons and play. If they get their list done they will have free time. When our older kids lived at home their morning list included morning chores and making their own lunches.

Come up with appropriate list for after school that may include cleaning out lunch boxes or doing homework. You may want them to pick out their clothes for the next day or that may be on their bed time list. It’s a good idea to put things like “find shoes” or “put backpack away” on the bed time list.

Don’t assume that older kids won’t benefit from lists. I don’t know how many calls I’ve gotten from our older kids saying they forgot their lunch, P.E. uniform, homework, etc. When they ask if they can hang out with friends ask them if they have completed their list.

2. Plan Easy Meals

During seasons of change I find it best to stick to simple meals. It’s OK to try new recipes but keep it simple; Lasagna is probably too ambitious but spaghetti is perfect. You may find your kids ravenously hungry or uninterested for a while. They are probably goofing off a lot during lunch and wanting to eat a big snack after school and ignore dinner or they skip snack and are STARVING at dinner time.

If you have Crock Pot meals or Instant Pot meals to rely on that may make it easier. Soup, pasta and casseroles are easy meals at our house but sometimes we end up with sandwiches and cereal. Between working full-time, running a business on the side and being a wife and mommy cereal can be a life saver.

3. Work Ahead and in Batches

I don’t know about you but I feel like I’m running behind a lot of the time. I have to be very intentional about working ahead. You can get your kids help by preparing a week’s worth of snack on the weekend to use during the week. I will buy large bags pretzels and place them in individual containers for the week.. Then each morning I can send my son to the pantry to grab the snack for that day.

You can also do this with you kids clothes for the week. Pick out a full set of clothes for every day so your child can grab their clothes and get dressed on their own. You can even add hair accessories if you do that sort of thing. You can hang the whole outfit on hangers or buy one of these hanging dividers. This can be a great reminder if you child needs to take money on Wednesday for popcorn, just put it with the clothes for that day.

I also like to prepare a few days of lunch ahead of time. I’ll make lunches for up to three days so I can just grab and go. You can do this trick with dinners too. If you are really in the groove make a few dinners ahead or even individual meals.

Do you have a tip to add? What do feel like needs to be done to make the transition back to school a little easier? Don’t forget to follow my Back to School Pinterest Board for more inspiration.

This page contains affiliate links. 

Big Plans, After the Break

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After the Break

Breaks are important.

I make a concerted effort to take a little break from blogging every year. I think it is great for creativity and it’s nice to spend that time doing something else.

Today begins my two-week blogging break.

To make up for my absence I want to let you know what you have to look forward to when I get back.

1. Back to School

Each August I focus on all things Back to School — from lunch box packing tips, the best snacks, easy dinner ideas, healthy breakfasts for crazy mornings, well you get the idea. This year August isn’t long enough for everything I have planned so it is stretching into September! You won’t want to miss it.

2. The Giveaways

I have 8 weeks of giveaways planned from some of my favorite products. It’s going to be EPIC!

The list includes:

Plus more! I’ll fill you in after all of the details are finalized. If you have a great plant-based, allergy-friendly product that you’d like to include send me an email at myplantbasedfamily@gmail.com with all of the details. There are a few sponsorship opportunities available.

3. The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide

Many of you have read my ebook the Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide: How to Cook, Shop and Eat Well

Coming soon (TBA) you’ll be able to get my book in print. I’ll share more details later.

 

So imagine this time as the calm before the storm. It may seem a little quiet but BIG things are going on behind the scenes. I’m creating, writing, photographing, eating and getting ready for the whirlwind that is back to school.  I may have a few other secret projects too.

Will you miss me? I’ll still be on social media so you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. I’ll be back soon with great back to school tips and tricks, incredible giveaways and more!

Once a Week Cooking

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Once a Week Cooking for vegan, plant-based, gluten-free foodies

Sometimes it’s nice to go a whole week without cooking. Sure, some people do that all the time, they just eat take out or fast food. I’m talking about a whole week eating homemade, plant-based food without having to cook it everyday. It’s possible if you do Once a Week Cooking.

I’ve shared this before, in fact it’s regularly one of my top pins.

Once a Week Cooking

If you want to try Once a Week Cooking I recommend that you plan meals that will reheat well, serve you for more than one meal and give yourself several hours to get the cooking done.

I’ve selected several recipes that meet this criteria, they are on this week’s meal plan.

You can adapt this to suit your time and dietary constraints.

What to Cook

Plan to start with the items that will take the longest too cook or that you need for other meals. If you are cooking beans you will probably want to start with those. If you are using canned or already have beans cooked you can move on. I already had beans and rice cooked when I started, we usually have beans and rice cooked at all times.

I also use multiple cooking options, for instance I cook beans in my Instant Pot, the casserole in my Crock Pot, most other things on my stove and the lasagna in my oven. The sweet potatoes can be made in the Instant Pot, Crock Pot or the oven.

Steps to Getting it All Done

1. Cook beans and rice. Either ahead or start here.

2. Get the Crock Pot going with the casserole.

3. Start cooking the lentils, quinoa and Mexican Rice on the stove.

4. Start preparing ingredients for the Lasagna. (The lasagna takes a long time so you can save time by eliminating this).

5. Wash and bake sweet potatoes.

6. Chop veggies and make the soup. (Beans and rice must be cooked in order to make the soup.)

7. Prepare additional veggies for salad.

Overwhelmed?

You can simplify this with a few modifications. This was more than enough food for us this week.

1. Cook fewer foods.

Instead cooking black beans and lentils just cook one and use it in place of both. Instead of cooking plain brown rice, Mexican Rice and quinoa choose one, but make sure you cook enough for all of your meals.

2. Have Foods Prepped.

You may be wondering, isn’t’ the purpose of once a week cooking to only cook once? Yes, however some foods like beans and grains take a while to cook. If you do this ahead of time you can knock an hour or more off of your cooking time.

3. Skip Difficult Recipes.

The lasagna recipe I made isn’t really difficult but it is a multi-step recipe that takes a lot of time. Replace it with a pasta dish instead and you’ll save a lot of time.

Do you batch cook or do once a week cooking? I’m considering creating a short batch cooking eCourse if there is enough interest.

Need Help With Your Photos?

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I know I can use all of the help I can get!

I discovered a great deal and I wanted to pass it on to you. The people who produce the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle have created The Ultimate Digital Photography Bundle! My photos have come a long way but they aren’t as good as I’d like them to me. Sometimes I’ll take 80 photos and none of them will really stand out as a great photo.

When I heard about this new bundle I was so excited because I’m ready to take my food pictures to the next level.

I’d also like to learn to take good pictures of my kids. I have few decent pictures of them but this bundle will give me the tools to capture great photos for my blog and for my family.

The Ultimate Digital Photography Bundle (Beginner’s Edition) contains a curated collection of ebooks and video training guides to help you become a better photographer. I’m sticking with this beginner’s version but there are more advanced versions available.

For months I’ve been eyeing Tasty Food Photography from Pinch of Yum! You can buy it on their site for $29. You can also buy Eat Pretty Things from Eat Your Beets for $29. Or you can get the bundle that includes both plus so much more for $37!

All the resources have been provided by professional, world-renowned photographers who are experts in teaching others – even complete beginners. You won’t need to switch up to a more expensive camera to make full use of the bundle (even if you just use your iPhone for photographs)! You can learn everything in little chunks – whenever you have a spare moment.

Click here to see the full range of ebooks and training courses included in The Ultimate Photography Bundle (Beginner’s Edition).

There’s even better news! They’re also throwing in a FREE copy of FX Photo Studio Pro software from MacPhun (which provides stunning filters and photography effects) worth $29.99!

Click here to buy The Ultimate Digital Photography Bundle (Beginner’s Edition) for just $37.

I have a lot of blogger friends that take the most amazing photos. I make amazing food but I know this bundle will help my photos look as delicious as they taste.

If you are beyond the beginner edition you can also check out the Intermediate Edition or the Advanced/Pro Edition.

This page contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase I make a percentage at no extra cost to you. 

1st Meal Plan of Summer

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A gluten-free Plant-Based (vegan) Meal Plan

Last week I mentioned that school was almost out. It’s officially summer vacation in our house. One of the best parts of summer is the incredible produce. We’ve been eating cantaloupe, nectarines and lots of salads. Check out my Instagram for photos.

My husband has been taking over more of the cooking duties. I LOVE IT! The last meal I made ended up being big fail. I’ll try it again another day. We ate it but it wasn’t good. His meals on the other hand have been wonderful.

He’s been using my Instant Pot a lot for beans and grains. I’m going to show him how to make oatmeal in it next. Did any of you use Jill Nussinow 3 minute pressure cooker steel cut oats method? I pretty much live on it for breakfasts now.

My backup breakfast has been cereal for the kids and is still toast with fruit for me.

We’ve been eating more salads for lunch lately. I prefer them with beans and grains because I feel more satisfied.

Dinner Meal Plan

We did a good job prepping this week so we have quite a bit of cooked black beans, brown rice, cilantro-lime brown rice, and lots of fruit and veggies.

I’ve got meetings a couple of nights this week (after work). One is to help a family transition to a plant-based diet and the other is to help someone launch a blog. That means I won’t be home to cook. We will rely on our leftovers those nights.

Jim will be cooking the Crock Pot Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole this week. Here is the Instant Pot version of that recipe.

We will use some of the cooked black beans to make these Quesadillas. The will go great with the cilantro lime rice (see the quinoa version here).

Pizza Pasta or Fiesta Pasta are both quick and easy meals if we need another meal this week.

I don’t think we will need any more food than that. If so we will add a few baked potatoes or an easy soup like Potato Kale Soup. I really want to make these cookies from one of my blogging pals.

What are you eating this week? Do you have anything prepped yet?