My Plant-Based Family

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

Meal Plan Monday

Meal Plan Monday: Cooking for the Weather

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Is it autumn in your town?

If so you may be dreaming of creamy soups and hot apple crisp. It’s not quite fall yet but it is below 100° for a few days and it’s rainy so I’m pretending. Yesterday I made soup and cookies.

So the beginning of the week I’ll keep living in denial of autumn bliss but by the end of the week I’ll be back to reality.

Weather is actually the biggest factor in my meal plans. When it is hot we eat more salads and cook on the stove or grill and when it’s cool I use the oven more.

Nutty Apple Cinnamon oatmeal

Meal Plan

Breakfast

Breakfast is usually quick and easy, as the weather cool down warm oatmeal and breakfast rice will take center stage. Fruit is usually added to every breakfast, or at least a mid morning snack.

Lunch

I’ve been enjoying baked potatoes  a lot lately. They are so easy that I’ll add them to most lunch options. I like to add a side salad or raw veggies to lunch also.

Snack

Usually fruit and veggies make up our daily snacks but if I get a chance to bake we may have muffins also.

  • Apples with sunbutter
  • Baby Oranges, a.k.a. Cuties
  • Carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers and hummus
  • Veggie Wraps (because sometimes I need MORE)
  • Cookies, yes I made sunbutter cookies.

Dinner

While dinner is usually the most “complicated” meal of the day at our house it’s usually pretty easy. I like to make extra for lunches. If I’m cooking one thing on the stove I might as well cook something else next to it to save time later.

I’ll save time by cooking a lot of potatoes today to use throughout the week. The same thing goes for anything with beans and some of the dishes with grains. I washed and sliced veggies yesterday for grab and go snacks. I may even make a few dishes today since I’m in a cooking mood.

Is it autumn yet in your area? Are you ready for pumpkin recipes?

 

Meal Plan Monday…September is Here

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Happy September and Happy Labor Day to my US readers!

We have had company on and off this summer but now we are attempting to get back into a routine. Regular homemade dinners are a big part of that.

We are also going to do a gluten-free experiment for our whole household. This week we will be finishing off any wheat/gluten based foods (although there isn’t much) so that next week we will be gluten-free. Feel free to join! If gluten isn’t an issue for you maybe you want to take that next step and remove dairy or oil from your diet.

Meal Plan

Breakfast Stir Fry

Breakfast

This week we will be taking a break from the processed side of breakfast and sticking to whole grains, fruit and greens. Yes you read that right. My husband enjoys raw spinach for breakfast so my kids do to.

 

Lunch

I’ve been testing out some new recipes at lunch lately. There is less pressure to make an awesome meal at lunch time.

  • Quinoa Veggie Wraps with a side of beans
  • Lentil Quinoa Veggie Salad (Recipe Coming Soon)
  • Veggie Sandwich made with hummus, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, and greens
  • Taco Salad
  • Enchilada Soup

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa 008

Snack

We usually stick to fruit and veggies but I like to surprise my kids with popcorn and other treats from time to time.

  • Apples with Sunbutter
  • Popcorn
  • Smoothies
  • Veggies with Hummus
  • Random Fruit

Quinoa-Lentil Tacos

Dinner

brownie 2

I plan to make these incredible Gluten-Free Brownies this week as well. If you haven’t tried them yet you have more self-control than I do! They are amazing!

Is your Meal Plan ready for the week? I was later than normal (I blame the holiday). 🙂

Do you have something you want to eliminate from your diet? Gluten, dairy, oil, etc. We’d love for you to join us! Leave a comment letting me now what you are removing and let us support each other!

Meal Plan Monday: Prepped and Ready to Go

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Feeding your family is hard work! I get it. Sometimes I wish I could just ignore the fact that we all need to eat, AGAIN and wish for a dinner fairy to magically churn out healthy meals and snacks. Unfortunately that isn’t going to happen.

This week I am a little more prepared. I spent some time yesterday chopping veggies, I bought hummus (I could have made it but I didn’t want any excuses) and today I’ll share my Meal Plan. I’m trying a few new things this week.

Meal Plan

breakfast tacos

Breakfast

I like a quick breakfast so I prefer something I can cook or reheat quickly.

Taco Potatoes

Lunch

I usually make lunches from dinner leftovers. You can do this by packing up your lunch when you are putting away dinner. Add a salad or a baked potato if you need something to make it more substantial.

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa 008

Snacks

Snacks are usually very simple, but still delicious!

  • Fruit (apples, plums, nectarines, peaches, grapes, blueberries and bananas are all on hand)
  • Hummus with Fresh Veggies (carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper strips are cut and ready for dipping)
  • Sunbutter and Banana Quesadillas (oh yes I did! Thank you Rudi’s gluten-free tortillas!)
  • Popcorn

Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole

Dinner

The weather is still warms but my taste buds are beginning to crave autumn flavors. I’ll try to balance my wants (hearty spicy foods) with my needs for fresh foods that don’t overheat my kitchen.

You may have noticed that I use a lot of the same ingredients in many of these recipes. I do that so I can save time by cooking larger portions one night so I can reheat and save time another night. Here are a few ways I do that with this Meal Plan.

  • I already have about 6 cups of lentils cooked. I’ll potentially use these in Breakfast Tacos, lunch quesadillas, bean and grain bowls, Lentil-Taco potatoes, Lentil-Quinoa Veggie salad, and chili.
  • I have 8 cups of cooked quinoa. I’ll likely use it in a couple of breakfasts, the bean and grain bowl, and the Lentil-Quinoa Veggie Salad
  • I’ll bake potatoes to use in the Breakfast Tacos, Lentil Taco Potatoes, to serve with chili and the leftovers will go in the Broccoli and Potato Soup.
  • Chopped veggies and fruit will make their way into the main dishes, salads, or become side dishes.

I’m hoping this weeks preparation will save time and keep us from getting take-out.

Has the weather cooled off in your area? Are you still making “summer” food or have you moved on to your favorite fall foods?

Meal Plan Monday and a Few Updates

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Are you on Twitter? I finally hopped on board and have made some great connections. You can follow me @MyPlantBasedFam.

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa HT1

I am guest blogging today at Herbivore Triathlete. Check out my latest recipe, Summer Berry Breakfast Quinoa!

I also noticed this morning that I didn’t have a Breakfast board on Pinterest and remedied that right away!So far it only has my recipes in it but I’ll be filling it with recipes from all of my blogging friends soon. If you have a favorite recipe you think I should add leave a link in the comments.

Our 14 year old son is visiting us for a few weeks so we may do a little more eating out than usual. I’m hoping I can make at least a few things to satisfy his junk food preferences while staying true to our plant-based ways.

Meal Plan

Breakfast

I’ve been having a lot of fun with my breakfast recipes lately. Maybe because it is still hot here in Arizona and I prefer to cook early.

Lunch

I’ll be keeping it simple with lunches this week and relying on quick and easy favorites.

  • Veggie Stuffed Pitas (I’m sooo craving this right now)
  • Veggie Burritos using black beans, Taco Quinoa, tomatoes, onion, lettuce and corn
  • GF Sunbutter sandwiches with fresh fruit (peaches and nectarines)
  • Veggie Sandwiches with spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, banana peppers and hummus
  • Gluten-free pasta with red sauce and salad or raw veggies

Snacks

We have a lot of fresh fruit this week, I mean more than normal. 🙂

  • Peaches and Nectarines
  • Grapes
  • Hummus and Veggies
  • Chips and salsa with guacamole

Dinner

Yes, I’m trying to keep it simple this week. I have 3 categories, breakfast, Mexican food and suedo-Italian with a soup thrown in for ease. I’m hoping this will keep our teenager happy and give me a little more free time.