My Plant-Based Family

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

Meal Plans

Back to (Batch Cooking) School Meal Plan

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This is Back to School Month at My Plant-Based Family so naturally we will be focusing on quick dinners, fun lunch box ideas and easy recipes. Your children may not be back at school yet but these tips and ideas will help you get prepared.

Back to School Month

Today’s Plant-Based Meal Plan will focus on dinners. I’m giving you a sneak peeking into the way my brain works when it comes to planning meals. Specifically I’m going to show you how I batch cook to make the rest of the week easy-peasy.

Meal Plan Monday

Plant-Based Dinner Meal Plan

Easy Crock Pot Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is everyone’s favorite. I’ll Double the recipe.

Slow Cooker Potato Soup except I plan to add extra veggies like broccoli, carrots and celery along with some lentils.

Spaghetti (GF) and Lentil Marinara this recipe is used exclusively in my Custom Meal Plans. This is served with raw or steamed veggies.

Nachos with Unfired Black Beans and Quinoa-Lentil Taco’s.

Taco Potatoes using Quinoa-Lentil Taco’s.

Batch cooking a plant-based meal plan

What to Look For

Can you spot the trends in this Meal Plan? Which ingredients appear repeatedly?

  • Black Beans are used in the Mexican Casserole, Nachos and Taco Potatoes.
  • Lentils are used in the Soup, Lentil Marinara, Nachos and Taco Potatoes.
  • Potatoes are used in the Soup and the Taco Potatoes.
  • Quinoa is used in the Nachos and Taco Potatoes
  • Tomatoes are used in the Lentil Marinara, Nachos, and Taco Potatoes.

Using the same ingredients in multiple recipes is typical for me. It cuts down the grocery bill and the amount of time it takes me to cook. You see, I don’t start from scratch every day. I like to spend a few hours and get most of this food prepped.

How to Batch Cook the Meal Plan

Let’s take a look at how batch cooking works. This can be simplified even more if you use canned beans.

  1. Soak black beans overnight.
  2. Cook black beans, wash and bake potatoes, cook lentils and quinoa, and prep veggies. This all happens at the same time. The beans and potatoes take longest to cook so you would start them first. The quinoa and lentils don’t take long so you would start them next. Lastly wash and chop veggies to use in all of the recipe and for extra snacks throughout the week.
  3. Put ingredients for Potato Soup in the Crock Pot OR put them all in a large zip lock bag so it’s ready to dump in the Crock Pot.
  4. Once the beans are done you can make the Unfried Black Beans, Mexican Casserole and Taco Potatoes.

The End Result

Now each evening I only have to reheat dinner or do a little cooking. For example I prefer to cook the spaghetti for the Lentil Marinara right before we eat it. Pasta, especially gluten-free pasta isn’t as good reheated. I’ll also heat and assemble the nachos and Taco Potatoes right before eating. Most of the cooking is done for the week.

Remember to check out my Back to School with My Plant-Based Pinterest Board and last weeks Lunch Box Essentials post.

Quick and Easy Meal Plans for Back to School

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It’s Back to School month here at My Plant-Based Family! This month will focus on quick and easy meal plans. I recommend you double recipes so you can eat leftovers and save time cooking.

Back to School Month

In case you are just joining us all of the Meal Plans are plant-based meaning they do not contain animal products like meat or dairy, they are also allergy-friendly. Since food allergies vary widely it’s not possible to come up with an allergen-free menu. For each recipe that contains one of the Top 8 Allergens I’ll list substitutions that can be made. Most of my recipes are gluten and nut free although older recipes may container them.

I’ll be handling lunch ideas in a separate post so they won’t be included here.

Meal Plan for Back to School

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

I like to keep it simple on school mornings so we will be eating easy foods. Here is a hint, you can prepare breakfast the night before for a quick “heat and eat”.

You can also follow my Plant-Based Breakfast Pinterest Board for more delicious breakfast ideas or see my Breakfast Page.

Dinner

Have you seen my latest Pinterest Board? The Back to School with My Plant-Based Family is a community board, meaning you can add your own pins. All you have to do is follow all of my board on Pinterest and send me your email address and I’ll send you an invite. It’s a great opportunity for bloggers to expand their reach but also fun for anyone.

Are you staring school soon? We start this week!

This page contains affiliate links.

Meal Plan Monday: Guest Post from Bekky at Entering Vegan Territory

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During the month of July I welcome other bloggers to share their Meal Plans with you. Each Monday in July I plan to share a guest post. We have heard from Whitney J. Weiss at Bows, Blue & Boots and Jenn Seybestyen of Veggie Inspired Journeyl. 

plant-based meal plan

Today I’d like to introduce you to Bekky Yates of Entering Vegan Territory. Bekky lives in the UK. I think your mouth will be watering once you take a look at her meal plan.

 Meal Plan Your Way Into Vegan Territory

It may not be sexy, but when it comes to feeding a family there’s no denying that meal planning is the key to keeping your food bills in check and keeping your sanity in the kitchen – and meal planning is also a helpful tool in helping you stick to healthier food habits…

Omnivores interested in adopting a plant-based diet sometimes struggle to know where to start; here’s my answer: start with your meal plan. Most people, whether they usually meal plan or not, will have a repertoire of perhaps seven to ten meals that they eat in rotation, with a little seasonal variation. If you’re thinking of going plant-based but the idea of suddenly having to cook and prepare entirely new foods every day is just too daunting, then don’t do it – instead, start by adding just one plant-based meal to your meal plan. Choose a day when you have a bit more time and try out a vegan recipe. If it’s a success, make it again next week, and then again until you have it down pat. Then look for another new recipe and do the same. Even if you added just one vegan meal to your repertoire each month, you could be completely plant-based in around six months.

Of course, if you’re already plant-based, or if you’re just the kind of person who prefers to jump right in, you can leap feet first in to vegan territory by following my easy introductory meal-plan:

Breakfast

The Basics: Oats; fresh or frozen Fruit; some non-dairy Yoghurt & your preferred plant Milk (soya, almond, rice, oat or coconut – I recommend opting for one that is fortified with B12).

Nobody wants to have to think too hard about a week day breakfast: you can eat a delicious, nutritious breakfast every day simply by soaking some oats in a little plant milk and topping with non-dairy yoghurt and fresh fruit – try peaches, plums, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. Vary the fruit each day to mix things up. Follow me on Instagram if you need some visual inspiration…

If you prefer your cereal with some crunch, why not try making some Crunchy Cranberry-Almond Granola.

 

Monday

Lunch – mashed avocado & freshly ground black pepper on toast with a handful of cherry tomatoes.

Dinner – DIY Summer Rolls  (no cooking required, just the veg to chop… you’ll be amazed how filling these are!)

Snack – Raspberry Traybake (this can double as dessert if required, and/or it can also be frozen for use in packed lunches at a later date)

Raspberry tray break

Tuesday

Lunch – Simple Green Bean, Tomato, Basil & Black Olive Salad (can be made in advance if a pack-up is required)

Dinner – Roast Med Veg & Chickpea Harissa Couscous (or Quinoa)

TIME-SAVING TIPS: while you’ve got the oven on, roast some extra courgettes and red peppers to use in tomorrow’s lunch … AND if you’re making this with quinoa, make some extra for baking with – it will keep it in the fridge for a couple of days until you’re ready to use it.

Snack – Raspberry Traybake from yesterday, if there’s any left – or a piece of fruit.

Wednesday

Butterbean, walnut roast veg salad

Lunch – Butterbean, Walnut & Roast Med Veg Salad (can be made in advance if a pack-up is required)

Dinner – Lemony pan-fried courgettes with new potatoes, peas and vegan-friendly sausages – gently pan fry the courgettes in garlic and olive oil. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into the pan and cook until tender. Boil the new potatoes separately. When  cooked, drain and slice and add these to the courgette pan.

Snack Carrot-Quinoa Muffin (these can be frozen for use in packed lunches at a later date – but leave some out for tomorrow!)

Carrot Quinoa Muffin

Thursday

Lunch –Green Bean & Potato Salad dressed in Mustard (using the rest of the potatoes you cooked last night)

Dinner – Simple Vegetable Sushi

Veggie Sushi

Snack – Carrot-Quinoa Muffin (if there’s some left from yesterday!)

Friday

Lunch – 100% Plant-based Ocean Paté on toast, with cucumber

Ocean pate

Dinner – Sweet & Sour Stir Fry with rice

Snack – – a glass of Beetroot-Berry Juice Boost (or make a little into Pink Milk for the kids)

 

 

Bekky Yates started her website Entering Vegan Territory in April 2014 as a way of sharing all the new stuff she found herself learning after she and her family decided to go from veggie to vegan earlier that year. Having previously spent time living in France, Austria & Russia, she now lives in Leicestershire, England with her two gorgeous girls, where she works as a freelance translator and editor. When she’s not in the kitchen or dreaming up recipes Bekky likes to work up an appetite by going out running with friends. She loves being vegan and can’t wait to explore further into vegan territory in the years to come. Like her Facebook page Entering Vegan Territory or follow her on Instagram or Twitter.

 

 

Meal Plan Monday: Guest Post by Whitney of Bows, Boots & Blue

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During the month of July I welcome other bloggers to share their Meal Plans with you. Each Monday I’ll feature a guest post. 
 

plant-based meal plan

Today I’d like you to meet Whitney J. Weiss! She is a digital marketer and blogger at Bows, Boots & Blue. Whitney creates nut-free, plant-based recipes that are free from faux “food” products.

Despite being from Texas, I fully removed meat from my diet after experiencing an upset tummy. Through the years, I have discovered that the best way to feed my family and friends is by utilizing plants in a creative way that doesn’t necessarily “take the place” of meat. I strive to highlight vegetables in my cooking and have no formal training, so it’s something anyone can do even with limited tools and limited kitchen space. I have found some of my most obstinate eaters asking for my recipes, so I must be doing something right. I hope you enjoy my original recipes!

burrito bowl over quinoa

Breakfast:

  • Chilled morning quinoa bowl: avocado, quinoa, wilted spinach, red bell peppers or slightly spicy red peppers
  • Homemade granola
  • Steel cut oatmeal with seasonal fruit (currently, I’m eating my way through California peaches-unbelievable this time of year!)
  • Morning shake: blended spinach, kale, blueberries, strawberries, & rice milk

Curried Cauliflower Couscous salad

Lunch: I mostly rotate salad options, which I prep on Sundays, but every once in a while I crave sandwiches!

vegan butternut squash burger

Snacks: At my last office, they knew where the bag of carrots in the refrigerator belonged.

vegan purple kale pesto with gluten free pasta and squash

Dinner:

  • I love a quick taco dish- and sometimes throw it over quinoa instead of tortillas. Gobble up my drunken asparagus & oyster mushroom tacos.
  • I can’t get enough of summer squash! This purple kale pesto pasta bowl is hard to beat.
  • Bibimbap is a great, quick way to create a hearty plant-based meal with loads of flavor. (this recipe contains egg but it is optional and can be removed)
  • Do you have a butternut squash or sweet potato lying around? It will make for some great vegan butternut squash burger patties. Make extra quinoa and serve it over quinoa instead of buns!
  • My farrotto is a whole grain, vegan version of risotto that uses pureed squash instead of cream or butter! Leftover squash from burger night is perfect for this dish.

Bows Boots BlueWhitney J. Weiss is a digital marketer and blogger at Bows, Boots, & Blue. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Her expertise is in all aspects of search engine optimization, paid search, social media marketing, copywriting, copy editing, and blogging. Whitney has extensive experience creating digital campaigns and developing brand recognition from the concept up for travel technology, hotel brands, and lifestyle clients. In her spare time, she enjoys creating vegetarian recipes alongside her dog, Jules!

Calling all Plant-Based Bloggers…I want your Meal Plans

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Last July I asked bloggers to submit their meal plans to be featured on My Plant-Based Family. I’m doing it again this year!

mealplansubmissions

Who Can Submit?

Anyone with a blog, website, Facebook, Google+ or other community.

Why Participate?

The internet is a big place. There is a good chance that some of my readers have never heard of your community. This is a great way to increase your exposure and pick up new readers.  Those who participated last year are still getting clicks from their guest post.

Interested?

For more information read this document that covers all of the details.

Update: Only 1 spot left for July 21st publication date.

ebook

Meal Plan Monday: Summer Meal Routine

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Does your cooking style change in the summer? I like simple all year-long but in the summer I DO NOT want to spend time in the kitchen and I pretty much refuse to turn on the oven. I’ll occasionally make an exception, but rarely.

I also take advantage of batch cooking. For example I’ll cook a large pot of quinoa without any seasoning to be used for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. I double batch of Mexican Rice will find its way into burritos, salads and as a side dish. The Crock Pot comes in handy for beans to be used in most meals.

Meal Plan Monday! Vegan and gluten-free Meal plans!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

I’ve been embracing chia seeds at breakfast but most days are cold cereal. I’ll often sprinkle chia on whatever we are eating.

  • Chia porridge with maple syrup and fruit.
  • Toast with WOW Butter and apple slices.
  • Cereal and rice milk
  • Breakfast Rice with raisins and diced apples
  • Breakfast Quinoa with blueberries and chia seeds

Lunch

Batch cooking saves lunch time every day. Most of the time I don’t even reheat the food because my kids like leftovers cold.

Dinner

I’m all about ease and keeping the house cool these days. Most of these dishes are quickly mixed together for a meal. I cook large batches of foods, like Mexican Rice, to use in multiple dishes throughout the week.

My kids are eating lots of fruit and some veggies for snacks. The top picks this week are apples, blueberries, grapes, nectarines, apricots, cherries, plums, bell peppers, cucumbers and carrots.

My kids are allowed to eat fruit almost any time. If they still have a meal on the table they may have to eat it first but raw fruit and veggies between meals is the norm. We don’t often have chips, crackers, or other processed foods available.

What do meals look like in your house during the summer?