My Plant-Based Family

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

Menu Plan

What to Eat…Part 3

by 15 Comments

When I started eating a plant based diet it was important to be satisfied with my food. I could not eat this way and feel hungry all the time. I also don’t like bland food so I decided to make hearty and spicy dishes. I’m not the kind of girl who can eat a salad everyday for lunch. Typically I’ll have maybe one or two salads a week, in the summer when it is too hot to cook here in Arizona I eat more salads.

So if you a beginning to eat a plant based diet and you’re starving all the time you are doing it wrong. Eat more and eat more often. I often eat toast or a smoothie for a snack between meals. If you can chomp on baby carrots mid afternoon and be satisfied God bless you, but for the rest of us eat something else. Tomorrow I’ll share a yummy vegan muffin recipe that makes a great snack.

Today’s Meal Plan

Smoothie

Breakfast: Smoothie

Smoothies are make a great breakfast, they are easy, fast, and portable. Smoothies can be made with whatever you have on hand. No one in my house will refuse a smoothie.

Today’s Smoothie (My smoothies vary every time I make them)

Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp flax seeds
  • 1 cup Spinach
  • 2 peeled bananas
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup frozen cherries
  • 1 cup plant milk (I use rice milk)
Do
  1. Blend flax seeds in a blender.
  2. Add everything else and blend until smooth adding more liquid if necessary.
Serve

Serve this in a tall glass or insulated cup if your on the go. My smoothie made about 30 ounces so you can adjust the recipe accordingly.

When I have fresh fruit I use it instead of frozen but this time of year frozen is typically priced much better than fresh. I buy big bags of frozen berries at Costco. When strawberries and blueberries are in season I buy a lot and stock my freezer. Mango, pineapple and raspberries also make delicious smoothies. When I have orange juice I’ll add it instead of milk. Smoothies can hide veggies as well. The spinach in this smoothie is undetectable. Try adding kale, parsley, or chard instead.

Lunch: Baked Potato

I love a big baked potato. You may need to retrain your taste buds to enjoy a baked potato without butter, bacon, and sour cream. Before removing dairy from my diet I didn’t realize that I could enjoy a potato without it.  Earth Balance Spread is a great transition food that will help with that dairy addiction, they also have a soy free variety. Earth Balance tastes and looks like butter. You can substitute it for butter in any recipe as well.

Aside from Earth Balance Spread other toppings include steamed veggies like broccoli, vegan chili, salsa, nutritional yeast, and soups. Yesterday my husband had a baked potato for lunch topped with leftover Potato and Broccoli Soup. He said it was great and wanted to have it again next week.

Dinner: Chili

I just mentioned that Chili makes a great topping on a baked potato but it also taste great on it own. There are several vegan and vegetarian chili’s on the market but it is really easy to make it on your own. This never tastes exactly the same because it varies based on what ingredients I have and and how hot the pepper are.

Ingredients
  • 3 cans of beans OR about 6 cups of cooked beans
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes OR about 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can diced green chili’s OR your choice of fresh peppers
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup chili powder (add more to suit your taste, we use 1/2 cup)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin 
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt
  • pepper
Do
  1. Add beans, diced onion, tomatoes, peppers, and tomato sauce to a large sauce pan and cook until onions, peppers, and tomatoes are cooked.
  2. Add spices to suit your individual taste preferences. 
  3. Heat until extra liquid, if any, has cooked out. 
Serve

This chili is great on a cool day, it is hearty and filled with fiber. Cornbread or crackers make a great accompaniment. Chili also freezes well so make a big batch and save some for a rainy day.This chili is on my stove right now, I used pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans. Yum!

What to Eat

by 16 Comments

If your interested in a plant based diet you may be wondering what to eat, or thinking you will surely starve to death. Let me assure you that there is a lot of really good food out there so you will not starve. Each day this week I plan to share a sample meal plan. These meal plans will be easy to prepare with common ingredients that can be found at any grocery store. (With the exception of one ingredient in Nachos!) 

Today’s Menu Plan

Breakfast: Oatmeal

Oatmeal is easy to make, inexpensive, and really good for you. I like to make a large batch on the weekend and eat it throughout the week. I prefer steel cut oats or rolled oats cooked on the stove but if you only have time for instant you can still have a hearty healthy breakfast. Follow the package instructions as different types of oats need to be cooked for different lengths of time.

On the weekends I like to cook a large batch of oatmeal for quick breakfasts. I like to add a diced apples to the water as it starts to boil, then add the oats. Stir regularly as it cooks and add cinnamon. Raisins, dried cranberries, or other seasonal fruit will naturally sweeten your oatmeal and provide variety. I like to sweeten oatmeal with Stevia, agave or real maple syrup. In the past I would add a ton of white sugar to my oatmeal but that is not healthy and OATMEAL SHOULD NOT TASTE LIKE DESSERT! Nuts and seed provide a great topping with a little crunch. 

Lunch: Sandwich Wrap or Salad

Sandwich wraps are a quick and easy way to eat raw veggies. I usually prefer a wrap to a salad. Try to find a whole grain tortilla, pita, or some type of wrap. I like to add fat free hummus, lettuce, bell peppers, onions, beans and what ever veggies need to be used up. I’ll typically eat two wraps for lunch. If your more or a salad person eat that instead. Just eat enough that you are not hungry. Try adding avocado to your wrap or salad. Most salad dressing contain a lot of oil so try to find a fat free version, a fat free balsamic vinaigrette is a good choice. Tortilla chips and salsa can help you feel less deprived as well.

Dinner: Lentil Tacos with Beans and Mexican Rice 

Lentils are a tasty and inexpensive stand in for traditional ground beef in tacos.    Find out how to make lentil tacos here. If your short on time choose canned refried beans or pinto beans. Mexican Rice is healthy, delicious and filling. Cooking brown rice takes longer than cooking white rice so allow extra time to make this.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 6 oz of tomato sauce (use an 8 oz can and save the other two ounces)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic
  • cilantro (optional)
Do
  1. Add 1 cup of brown rice to a skillet on medium heat. I like to toast the rice a bit before adding water but if you are too impatient you can skip that part.
  2. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and the 6 ounces of tomato sauce. I’ve used the whole 8 ounces when I made this with white rice but the brown rice doesn’t need all of the tomato sauce.
  3. Add the salt and garlic.
  4. Stir everything well then put a lid on the pan. The rice will cook best with a lid on. The temperature can be turned down once it is boiling well. Start checking the rice at about 30 minutes but it may need to cook closer to 45 minutes. It is done when most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft. Remove from heat.
  5. Cilantro can be added on top of the rice after it is done cooking. Just sprinkle fresh cilantro on top of the rice and place lid back on skillet for a few minutes. 
Serve

This can be served as a side dish or as part of a burrito. I’ll often eat this rice with leftover beans and salsa. It is tasty in a wrap and reheats well.

 

Snacks/Dessert

When beginning a plant based diet there is no need to feel deprived. Fresh fruit makes a yummy snack. Apples, bananas, grapes, and oranges are inexpensive and easy to find. Baby carrots and other raw veggies easily portable when your on the go. Smoothies are tasty and can be made from a variety of fruits and veggies. We like Naked Juice when we are on the go. We buy them at Costco for the best deal. 

Coming this week…

Potato Soup
Apple Muffins