My Plant-Based Family

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

Next Step Challenge

An Unrecipe: All Purpose Green Sauce

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If you have waaaaaaay too much zucchini or squash then pay attention!

Last week I cleaned, cut, and steamed a lot of too much broccoli, yellow summer squash and green zucchini. I ate it for several meals but my boys just were not interested. I had an idea, maybe I should make it into a sauce they could eat on pasta.

Vegan and Gluten Free All purpose Green Sauce

I started cooking some gluten-free spiral rice noodles (they were organic too, aren’t I fancy); then threw some steamed veggies into my Magic Bullet (a food processor or blender could easily be used) along with some nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, and salt then added some plant-milk to get it just right.

The end result was a delicious and somewhat spicy sauce that was the perfect consistency for pasta eating or pita dipping. I could also dip veggies in this sauce, as a matter of fact I think it would be a decent stand-in for a creamy spinach and artichoke dip. Oh, be next time I’ll add spinach and artichoke too.

When my 3-year-old asked me what I was making I raised my hands in the air like a referee signalling a touch down and said, “Special Green Sauce.” There was quite a bit of excitement in the air as I served up this green sauce on the spiral noodles. I cut one noodle in half and told my 3-year-old it was hot. He blew on it once then shoved it in his mouth and exclaimed, “Oh Thank You Mommy!!!” My 1-year-old like it too. He was two-fisting them into his mouth.

Check out more delicious recipes on my Recipe Page!

 

Gratituesday: Progress

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There are so many things I am grateful for today. There are two things that pale in comparison though.

First is the progress that my friend Amanda is making in her recovery. If you are just tuning in, a little over a week ago my 29 year old, super fit, health conscience friend who is a mother of 4 with one more one the way had a stroke. Yes I know it doesn’t seem possible. She would be the least likely person I would ever imagine to have something like this happen.

Yesterday I posted a quick update and said I wouldn’t be mentioning her all the time but when I think about what I am grateful for she is one of the top things I think about. Even in the last 24 hours or so she has made more progress, she was able to lift her left leg and eat real food. I saw her last night and she was smiling, laughing and talking so much better.

The second thing I am incredible grateful for is my husband. Yesterday we celebrated our 7th anniversary. My husband is such a great man who honors and supports me. I can’t imagine life without him. He is a great father to our boys and seeks to honor the Lord in all he does. He is a blessing to me.

What are you thankful for today?

Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Meal Plan Monday: A New Week

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Thank You to all of you who sent me kind words and to those of you who have been praying for my friend Amanda. I am happy to say that is is progressing and we (me, Amanda, her family and friends) are expecting a full recovery. Amanda’s hope is in God and it is Him who is giving her the strength to fight this battle and believe that she will overcome this!

She has progressed so much in a week. She is talking well, she has regained some feeling and use of her left side. She is still working at swallowing. I received a report earlier today that she was not in any pain, and I pray that has continued! She is also 14 weeks pregnant and the baby looks healthy and has a strong heart beat! I wanted to update all of you who have been so supportive this last week. I will try not to mention her here all the time so that I can respect their privacy but she definitely occupies my every thought.

Last Sunday night was one of those moments when your whole world changes. I hope I never lose this perspective of how precious life is and how quickly it can change.

Last week we ate out a few too many times although we are healthy options. Between Chipotle, Subway, Pita Jungle, and drive thru bean burrttios we were pretty well fed. Meals at home were rounded out by bowls of cereal, lots of fruit, Breakfast Stir Fry, oatmeal, quinoa, and baked potatoes. It wasn’t the healthiest week in our household but it wasn’t too bad either.

Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be oatmeal, Breakfast Quinoa, Cereal, and maybe a Breakfast Stir Fry.

Lunch will be leftovers, pancakes, Baked Potatoes, and veggie wraps.

Snacks will be smoothies, toast with almond butter and apple slices, fruit, and hummus with fresh veggies.

Dinner

Monday: This is Memorial day in the U.S. and also our anniversary so we are going to try a new vegan restaurant.

Tuesday: Grilled Portobello Burgers, Potato Salad, and more veggies.

Wednesday: Quinoa Tacos, with Unfried Black Beans, Fresh salsa and fruit salad. (If there is leftover quinoa and beans I may mix them together to make burgers).

Thursday: Not So Tuna Salad, spinach salad, and fresh fruit.

Friday: Date Night so I usually make something easy for the boys like baked sweet potatoes and fruit while my husband and I have something else.

I know I’m getting off pretty easy in the cooking department this week. Hey, you gotta take it when you can get it right! What about you? Do you have your Plant-Based Meal Plan ready for the week? I’d love to see it!

 

I’m Here, Kind Of…

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Hi friends,

I’ve been absent and will continue to be for a while. 

My dear friend Amanda had a stroke late Sunday night. Let me tell you about Amanda. She is in love with her husband and kids (4 with one on the way), she LOVES Jesus! Amanda is a runner, a homeschooler, and one of the most amazing women I’ve ever met. 

She will overcome this! She will preserver and be victorious! 

If you pray, please pray for her and her family. Can you imagine? I can’t get my head around it either. When something like this happens it makes us reexamine our priorities, and for now I’ll take a little blogging break and try to be there for my friend.

If you are moved to help and would like to send a gift card to this family email me or like My Plant-Based Family on Facebook and message me there. I’ll answer the Facebook messages a lot faster. 

Thank you friends,

Holly

Chocolate No-Bake Bites

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When I want a delicious chocolate treat I reach for these Chocolate No-Bake Bites. They are the perfect summer treat when it is too hot to turn on the oven.

Chocolate No Bake Bites

Years ago, I would make the most delicious chocolate no bake cookies. You know the ones, they have a ton of butter, milk, peanut butter and oats. Yeah, I loved those!

This version is much healthier for you although not necessarily a “health food.”

I almost always have all of the ingredients I need (thanks to my pantry staples). These can also be made allergy-friendly by using gluten-free oats and a peanut butter substitute like SoyNut Butter or SunButter.

Chocolate No-Bake Bites

Chocolate No-Bake Bites
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 banana
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter)
  • 1 cup oats (use gluten-free if needed) added ¼ cup at a time.
  • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
  1. Mix together cocoa, agave, and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl. This will take a little while to do but it will come together. Once these 3 ingredients are mixed together they look and taste like Hershey's syrup that we put on ice cream as a kid, it isn't quite as sweet but it is close.
  2. Mash in banana and stir.
  3. Mix in peanut butter, you can add another ¼ cup for a stronger PB taste.
  4. Stir in oats, ¼ cup at a time. If your mixture looks to dry don't use all the oats.
  5. Optional: add in the chocolate chips.
  6. Spoon onto a wax paper lined plate and place them in the freezer or far away from little hands that might dig in too early. You could smooth them into balls or flatten them into cookie shape if desired.

Chocolate No Bake Bites

I store these in the freezer and grab one or two out for an after dinner treat. I left a few on the counter and they did “set up” nicely but not as well as my old-fashioned dairy-filled version that is off-limits. My recipe made about 17 small bite sized cookies.

For more delicious desserts check out my Dessert Page!

This page contains affiliate links.

The Liebster Award

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I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award by Fine Frugality. If you haven’t stopped by Fine Frugality in a while you should. She has been very busy de-cluttering during the month of May (I know I need to do it too) and is pretty busy exercising her powers of frugality day in and out.

The Liebster, which means favorite in German, is a way to recognize your favorite blogs that have fewer than 200 followers. What a great way to get the word out about up and coming blogs!

When you receive the Liebster award, you are supposed to do the following:

  •  Choose five up and coming blogs to give the Liebster award to.  Blogs must have less than 200 followers.
  •  Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
  •  Post the award on your blog.
  •  List the bloggers you gave the award to with links to their sites.  Leave a comment on their blogs to let them know they’ve received the award.
  •  Share five random facts about yourself.

I am picking 5 blogs (with less than 200 followers) that I have recently discovered. If they are new to me they will be new to you too, right?

  1. Veggies Not Wedgies-Aly shares her family’s journey beginning a plant-based and gluten-free diet.
  2. 12for2012– This is unlike any blog I have read. This blog choronicles the bloggers attempt to learn 12 new things and do 12 charitable deeds this year.
  3. Vegan Sparkles – Rebecca post awesome recipes and witty repartee, she is a brilliant photographer as well.
  4. The Educated Life-Clara shares reflections as a busy wife, mom and Ph.D. student.
  5. Toxic Vegan-What can I say, she had me at Toxic Vegan. I love this authentic blog about good and not so good for you food.

I also have to share 5 random fact about myself.

  1. When carrying groceries into the house I’ve been kicking off my sandal and opening the door with my foot. (I’ll also headbutt the button to close the garage door).
  2. It drives me crazy to start a movie and not finish it, it doesn’t matter how horrible the movie is, I need closure.
  3. There is a 15 year age difference between me and my husband.
  4. I got certified to scuba dive when I was a teenager but only got to go a few times. It was never anywhere tropical, mostly lakes in Oklahoma.
  5. I am a horrible housekeeper, I have to invite people over regularly as an incentive to keep things tidy. Having two little Tarzan’s determined to work against my progress doesn’t help.