My Plant-Based Family

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

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Meal Plan Monday: The Week Before Christmas

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Meal Plan

Christmas is quickly approaching and like you I still have a lot to do. Realistically, I always have a lot do. I plan to cook large portions this week, but only a few meals so I can focus on other things. Thankfully, many of our favorite recipes are great as leftovers. I’m also trying some new recipes and new combinations of recipes we make often. This week’s Meal Plan will focus on simplicity.

Meal Plan

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

 

I haven’t been planning our snacks but my kids usually have apples and I’ve been having way too much dark chocolate. We also have hummus and veggies too. Since it’s cold I sometimes have coffee, chai, or hot apple cider. I’ve also recently made my incredible Gluten-Free Brownies and a new GF Apple dessert recipe.

I also need to offer congratulations to Stacey P. who won the Vegan Cheesecake Kit from Follow Your Heart!

I will take a break from blogging next week so I can spend more time with my family. If you aren’t ready for the holiday’s yet check out my Gift Guides. You can read about helping others through World Vision, Handy Kitchen Gear, Luxury Kitchen Items, Personal Gifts & Books, my Snack Guide or how to throw a Plant-Based Party.

Are you ready?

 

Plant-Based Holiday Party Planning Guide

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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

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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.

Hearty Lentil & Barley Stew

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Baby it’s cold outside! Don’t worry, this Hearty Lentil & Barely Stew will warm you right up.

Lentil Barley Stew

This stew contains gluten but you can use rice or quinoa in its place for a gluten-free option. The potatoes, carrots and celery along with the lentils and barley will provide plenty of fuel for shoveling snow or chasing your kids.

Hearty Lentil & Barley Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Dry Veggie Broth Mix
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 small potatoes (with skin on), chopped
  • 1/4 cup dry (uncooked) barley
  • 3/4 cup cooked lentils (or 2/3 uncooked)

Do

  1. Add all of the ingredients to a pot and cook over medium heat.
  2. Cook until barley is soft, maybe up to 45 minutes. Add more water water if necessary.

Serve

This is delicious with crusty bread and a side salad.

What is your favorite winter stew?

Meal Plan Monday: Processed Food

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Meal Plan Monday

I prefer to eat food that is on the unprocessed side of the spectrum, you know me, rice and beans are my thing. Sometimes we lean on processed foods to get through the week. Since most of our diet is unprocessed I don’t mind deviating from normal, on occasion. This week we have a lot of time away from home, a Christmas party, company, plus your general chaos that we enjoy on a daily basis.

I feel I must offer a disclaimer that while we will be eating more processed food this week it wont be your Standard American Diet (SAD) processed food. Additionally if any of us were fighting disease we would steer clear of highly processed food when possible. The processed items we will enjoy are “sometimes” foods in our house and not typical fare and will be carefully screened for allergens and scary ingredients.

Meal Plan

Breakfast

My kids will be eating a lot of cereal this week. I wont feel guilty about it. They may have oatmeal and an oat-free/gluten-free hot cereal mix as well. Unfortunately I’ll probably survive on coffee, granola bars, EnergyBits, and anything else I can grab quickly. I know, that was inspirational right. I may grab toast and fruit too if that helps.

Lunch

Leftovers and sandwiches will be king this week.

  • Tostadas
  • Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
  • Veggie Sandwich with hummus, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and anything else available
  • Baked Potatoes with leftover veggies or soup on top
  • Bean & Grain Bowl Salad , think beans, rice, lettuce, corn, tomatoes, and anything else available.

Dinners

We have a few dinners that are out of the house this week. I’m hoping to make the most of the days I can cook and make them delicious.

  • Gluten-Free Mushroom Stroganoff  (yes, vegan)
  • Gluten-Free Veggie Pizza
  • Cheezy Broccoli & Rice Bake, this can also be a side dish on another night
  • Veggie Burgers (straight from the freezer section) with Baked Potatoes or Potato Wedges

I’m also hoping to make some muffins or Brownies because we may have some drop in guests.

Where do you sit on the processed/unprocessed fence? While I try to avoid processed foods most of the time I think they can have a place in a healthy diet. I typically view processed items as a “sometimes” or special occasion food. Personally, I can’t imagine life without Enjoy Life Brand products, they make shopping for my son (and all of his allergies/sensitivities) doable and delicious!

Speaking of delicious, I have to tell you about a great deal!

Sarah at Gazing In has a new ebook available at Amazon, Sweet Treats Done Naturally. Trust me, you need this book! She is also giving away FREE copies of 3 of her other ebooks this week.

December 9th get Naturally Fabulous Vegan Cupcakes

December 11th get The Natural Barista Latte Syrups and Drinks

December 13th get Oatmeal on the Go

I’ve read and love Oatmeal on the Go and The natural Barista and I just bought my copy of Naturally Fabulous Vegan Cupcakes. I can’t wait start reading it!

My Favorite Plant-Based Soups

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Yes, the weather outside is frightful! I’ve been seeing pictures of snow-covered yards and freezing temperatures. Thankfully Arizona isn’t too cold but since I’m spoiled with warm weather it is noticeably chilly. Besides staying indoors under a warm blanket, soups are my favorite way to warm up. Enjoy this collection of my favorite plant-based soups in no particular order.

Plant-Based Soups

Plant-Based  & Gluten-Free Soups

Chickpea Noodle Soup is the perfect replacement for old-fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s warm, comforting and delicious. The Dry Veggie Broth Mix is the key to richness of the soup.

Enchilada Soup is a remake of an old family favorite that was full of unhealthy ingredients. This version is full of beans, grains and veggies and my favorite Mexican spices. This recipe is a great way to impress friends with a warm, healthy soup.

Taco Soup is similar to Enchilada Soup but leaves out the grains and relies on pantry staples. It is easy and delicious. Both the Taco Soup and the Enchilada Soup are extremely versatile, simply remove ingredients you don’t have and add ingredients that are available.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup is the easiest soup I make. You basically wash and cut a few veggies, add water and spices then wait. You can add more veggies and more seasoning if desired. This recipe is intentionally mild in flavor, perfect to taking to a friend.

Green Chili, Cilantro & Lime Soup is a slightly spicy soup with a complex flavor. The green chilies, cilantro, lime along with the Dry Veggie Broth Mix, create a perfectly balanced flavor that the rice and black beans compliment. If you like a South of the Border inspired flavor that isn’t tomato based then this recipe is for you.

Minestrone Soup is a classic vegetable soup that really hits the spot. I’ve served this at events and everyone wants more. It is a little labor intensive if you use fresh veggies but definitely worth it. I used gluten-free noodles so it would be gluten-free. Even though this is one of my earlier recipes I still keep coming back to it.

Check out my Recipe Page for more warm, comforting recipes like Lentil Shepherd’s Pie, this incredible Gluten-Free, Vegan Lasagna or the Crock Pot version of my Mexican Casserole.