My Plant-Based Family

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

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Meal Plan Monday: Cold Weather Recipes to Keep Warm

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Plant-Based Meal Plan for NovemberThis Plant-Based Meal Plan is full of warm recipes that are perfect for cold weather. Of course I still add a few salads in here an there.

Recently my boys (age 2 and 4) wanted a snack. I excitedly asked, “want some lettuce” and to my surprise they said yes. Ever since I’ve been offering them lettuce for snack. The 4 year old prefers “crunchy” lettuce.  It just goes to show that if you keep offering your family healthy choices eventually they will eat them.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

Lunch

  • Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa with Baked Potato and Salad
  • Gluten-Free Veggie Wraps with warm Roasted Veggies
  • Sunbutter Sandwiches with sliced fruit
  • Black Bean Quesadillas and Mexican Rice
  • Leftover soup or noodles

Snacks

Dinner

This weekend I’ll have a booth at the FITT for Life Expo in Florence, Arizona. It’s a free event for the whole family.

Favorite Plant-Based Freezer Foods

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Favorite Plant-Based Freezer Foods

 

Favorite Plant-Based Freezer Foods

There are several foods that I always keep in my freezer. Freezing food can save time and money when done right. I’m not talking about frozen veggies but I try to keep those handy also. Here is my list of my favorite plant-based freezer food.

Cooked Whole Beans

I buy and cook dry beans in bulk then freeze them in individual or family size portions. When I’m out of beans I’m tempted to use canned, which may be ok but they are more expensive and often high in sodium and sometimes weird ingredients. If you’ve never bought and cooked dry beans is really easy, check out my How to Cook Dry Beans Guide.

Once your beans are cooked and cooled just chose a container, I sometimes use freezer bags or plastic container (I have little boys so I’m not ready to convert to glass), label and store. I’ve successfully stored several varieties of whole beans, including lentils. You can drain them or freeze them in the liquid, which ever you prefer.

Cooked beans can be added to a number of dishes or eaten plain. Next time you plan to cook beans just double it and freeze half.

Unfried Beans

If you have tried my Unfried Black Beans or Unfried Pinto Beans you know they are life changing! They also freeze really well, even more life changing. These are perfect for Nachos or Burritos (which are also great to freeze).

Grains

I often cook grains in bulk and sometimes it ends up being way more than we can eat. Simply choose a container, label and freeze. Some grains may lose their texture slightly. I prefer to use frozen grains in soups or casseroles because they usually need more liquid. Most of the time I freeze rice or quinoa since they are both gluten-free.

Muffins and Breads

Do you ever have company come over and need a snack for a crowd? Maybe you are doing to a birthday party and need an allergy-friendly treat for you little one. Freezing Breads and Muffins are the perfect solution. If you need gluten-free baked goods I recommend Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins (with or without chocolate chips), Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, or Gluten-Free Apple Muffins.

If gluten isn’t an issue you simply must try my recipe for Worlds Best Banana Bread, this delicious Pumpkin Bread or my Blueberry Muffins.

Soups and Chili

I always try to save at least one serving of soup or chili but I love them so much it is hard to resist finishing it all. I usually store these in wide mouth containers so I can easily dump them in a pot to defrost. I don’t think I’ve tried freezing soups with noodles but I’ve been successful with several different veggie based soups including Potato & Broccoli Soup, Green Chili, Cilantro & Lime Soup, Enchilada Soup and Taco Soup. Chili also freezes really well. Try freezing it in individual portions so you can grab it quickly for lunch. Simply let it defrost throughout the morning then heat at lunch time.

Mashed Potatoes

One year we made way to many mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving but I learned a valuable lesson, Mashed Potatoes freeze really well. I prefer to store them in a containers that can easily be dumped into a bowl for defrosting. You could even whip up a big batch before the holidays to save time, just don’t forget to defrost the day before.

Chocolate Mousse

Although it’s a little too cool for frozen treats I can’t help but mention how delicious Chocolate Mousse is frozen. It’s perfect in Popsicle molds or even in a shallow dish.

What is your favorite plant-based freeze food?

The Cheapest Plant-Based Meal Plan Ever

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The Cheapest Plant-Based Meal Plan Ever

Is it too expensive to eat a Plant-Based Diet? This Meal Plan will show you exactly how cheap a Plant-Based Diet can be.

This isn’t the healthiest Meal Plan I’ve ever created; but it is a nutritious Meal Plan for those lean times when you really have to watch your budget.

I’ll assume you have some spices and other pantry staples. This Meal Plan will feed a family of 4 for less than $55 a week. Food prices vary by area but these meals use ingredients that are generally inexpensive, seasonal (for Fall) and available in most places. If someone in your family has food allergies you may need to make a few substitutions. For example, if you can’t tolerate gluten I recommend you skip the bread, pancakes and oats since the specialty (gluten-free) versions will cost more.  I have had good experiences with a gluten-free pancake mix from Walmart called Maple Grove Farms Pancake and Waffle Mix.

The Cheapest Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

If you have a wheat allergy I recommend you remove the oatmeal and pancakes from the Meal Plan and replace them with Baked Potatoes and Veggie Breakfast Stir-Frys.

  • Oatmeal with Apples
  • Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Sliced Bananas
  • Overnight Oats
  • Breakfast Rice with Diced Apples
  • Pancakes
  • Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Bananas
  • Pancakes with Baked Apples

Lunch

Cook extra for dinner each evening so you have enough leftovers for lunch. Eating out for lunch is a big budget buster.

  • Bean and Grain Bowl
  • Baked Potatoes with Leftover Chili
  • Potato Soup with a side salad
  • Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches
  • Taco Salad
  • Bean and Rice Burritos or Bowls

Snacks

Stick with fresh fruit and veggies, processed foods are expensive. If you need a snack that is a little more filling try leftover soup or baked potato.

  • Carrot Sticks
  • Apple Slices and Peanut Butter
  • Orange Slices
  • Bake Potatoes

Dinner

These dinners are perfect for cool Fall weather. If you are missing an ingredient just substitute something else.

Here is the Free Printable Shopping List for The Cheapest Plant-Base Meal Plan Ever (Fall Edition). You may spend less than $55 if you already have some items available. I even included what I consider to be luxury items like tortillas and bread, if you omit them you could spend less than $50. I looked at store advertisements and asked around to determine prices. If something on the list is expensive fresh consider buying the frozen version. I also have some duplicate items like “frozen veggies” just to make sure you have enough available. If your family dislikes something on the list just omit it and work around it. We don’t eat a lot of oranges at our house but they are fairly inexpensive in our area now so I included them.

 

Plant-Based Tostadas

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Raise your hands if you love a good Tostada! Plant-Based Tostadas are an easy and family friendly recipe you need to add to your meal plan!

Plant-Based Tostadas are a fun and easy meal idea. Kids love tostadas and they are healthy too.

 

Plant-Based Tostadas

I rediscovered the Tostada when we learned my son had a wheat/gluten allergy. Tostadas are made with corn tortillas (but always read your labels) so they were safe for him.

Tostadas are:

  • Easy to make
  • Customizable
  • Allergy-friendly
  • Inexpensive
  • Delicious
  • Kid’s love them

Plant-Based Tostadas

We are always changing up our Plant-Based Tostadas! Sure we need a crispy tortilla and beans but sometimes we used Instant Pot Refried Beans and other times we use Refried Black Beans. Lettuce and tomatoes are usual staples but sometimes we add Pico de Gallo, when the garden is growing we will make Oven Roasted Salsa. A fun addition is Mango Salsa!

Basically, anything goes and you can use what you have! 

Plant-Based Tostadas

Ingredients

  • Soft Corn Tortillas (or buy the crispy tostada tortillas)
  • Unfried Pinto or Unfried Black Beans (store-bought refried beans can be used but read the label)
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Dice Tomato
  • Salsa (optional)

Do

  1. If using soft corn tortillas, preheat oven to 350° and place tortillas on cookie sheet (I use parchment paper on my cookie sheet).
  2. Bake tortillas for 15 minutes then remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes until you can handle them. They may not feel crisp but they will get crispier as they cool. Leftover tortillas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
  3. Spread beans onto tortillas. I prefer the Unfried Black Beans. Top with lettuce, tomato and any other toppings you prefer.

Serve

These are great as an afternoon snack but also good for lunch or dinner. If serving as a meal I highly recommend making Mexican Rice. Tostadas are so simple that many kids could assemble them without much help and would be a fun party food.

Plant-Based Tostadas

 

How do you top your tostadas? 

Plant-Based Tostadas

Plant-Based Tostadas

Plant-Based Tostadas are an easy and family-friendly recipe you need to add to your plant-based meal plan!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Soft Corn Tortillas (or buy the crispy tostada tortillas)
  • Oil-Free Refried Beans
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Diced Tomato
  • Salsa, peppers, your favorite toppings (optional)

Instructions

  1. If using soft corn tortillas, preheat oven to 350° and place tortillas on cookie sheet (I use parchment paper on my cookie sheet).
  2. Bake tortillas for 15 minutes then remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes until you can handle them. They may not feel crisp but they will get crispier as they cool. Leftover tortillas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
  3. Spread beans onto tortillas in a thick layer.
  4. Add lettuce, tomato, and any other topping you will enjoy.

Notes

You can use canned beans to save time. One 15 ounce can of fat free refried beans is enough for about 4 people or 8 tostadas. You may been to add some water to the canned beans to get them smooth enough to spread.

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see it! Tag us and use #MyPlantBasedFamily!

© Holly Yzquierdo
 

Meal Plan Monday: Loads of Beans

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mealplan10-14-13

Do you ever get over run with leftovers? We do! We have a lot of leftover beans from last weeks Healthy Cravings. By the way, if you are in the Mesa/Gilbert/Phoenix you should be coming to Healthy Cravings!

The first few days of the Meal Plan will focus on using up the leftover beans and leftover veggies. We didn’t even do a real grocery shop this weekend. I want to work towards an empty refrigerator this week.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

We have been relying on cereal quite a bit lately but I will not succumb to guilt. Cereal may not be the best choice but it can work for a decent breakfast. 

Lunch

I love eating leftovers for lunch because I don’t like to spend a lot of time cooking lunch. I don’t mind passive cooking like tossing things into a pan or the oven though.

Snacks

We stick to fruit and veggies for most snacks. It helps us make good choices and lower our grocery budget since we eat seasonal produce. Occasionally I’ll make something special, especially when I’m trying new recipes.

Dinner

As mentioned before we have a lot of beans that are already cooked; pinto beans, Unfried Black Beans, lentil and chickpeas. Since these are all cooked it will save me a lot of cooking time this week. I may put some of them in the freezer if it looks like we wont use them in time.

We have a lot going on this week so I fully expect us to be eating out as well. I’m hoping to avoid running to the store so I’ll swap out ingredients and work with what I have.

Do you use these Meal Plans for inspiration? I’d love to hear what you think!

The Easy Mexican Casserole Just Got Easier

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Could it be? You bet! The Easy Mexican Rice & Bean Casserole just got a lot easier!

crockpotmexicancasserole

I assumed the Mexican Rice and Black Bean Casserole would be easy to adapt for the slow cooker and I was right. In fact, it tastes better than the oven and stove top versions. I made it twice last week! [Read more…] about The Easy Mexican Casserole Just Got Easier