My Plant-Based Family

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

nutritional yeast

Faux Cheese Sauce

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faux cheese and pico

When we first switched to a plant-based diet, faux cheese sauce became a very important part of our arsenal. We ate a lot of Mexican food (we still do) but it wasn’t the same without all of the cheese we used to add. After a few months we no longer craved the cheese, or faux cheese and rarely made it. It was just an extra step that we usually forgot.

I love making faux cheese sauce for plant-based newbies. They are usually really missing their dairy and this really hits the spot. We don’t love it by itself but it’s great as part of the dish, I also don’t like tomatoes much by them selves but love salsa and tomato based sauces.

Faux Cheese Sauce

Faux Cheese Sauce (Gluten-Free and Vegan)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c Nutritional Yeast
  • 2 Tbsp rice flour* (wheat flour can be used instead)
  • 1/4 tsp tumeric
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin**
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder**
  • 1 c plant milk (I use rice or unsweetened almond milk)

*For a thicker sauce add extra flour.**These are optional but best used for a Mexican inspired flavor.

Do

  1. In a medium sauce pan add all dry ingredients and place on medium heat.
  2. Stir with a wisk as dry ingredients are heated and begin to toast. Don’t let them burn!
  3. Once they are warmed and begin to be very fragrant (again, not burnt) add the plant milk and wisk often.
  4. Once sauce becomes thick remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

Serve

I like this drizzled over potatoes, broccoli, mixed into a casserole, or best yet on nachos. Unlike other recipes I’ve tried this one stays pretty fluid and is versatile enough to use in a number of different recipes. I’ll have more recipes coming using this sauce next month. 🙂

Enchilada Soup

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Back in the days before I transitioned to a plant-based diet I made a really savory Chicken Enchilada Soup. It was soooo good. People would come from miles around, OK my friend Sarah would drive a few miles to eat this soup. I love this soup!!!

Plant-Based gluten-free Enchilada Soup.

The problem was it contained a ton of not so healthy ingredients. I was determined to make it healthy without compromising the flavor. 

Enchilada Soup

Enchilada Soup
 
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Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
  • 6 cups veggie broth
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cups cooked beans (I use 1 can black beans and 1 can pinto beans)
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes (canned our fine)
  • 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic (or 1 tsp. garlic powder)
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 1 cup organic corn
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • salt, pepper and nutrional yeast to taste (optional)
Instructions
  1. Bring veggie broth to a simmer in a large pot.
  2. Add onions, cooked beans, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, corn and rice.
  3. Add tomato sauce and let simmer.
  4. Let this cook until onions are translucent and flavors have had a chance to meld. I like to let it simmer for an hour or so.
  5. Season with chili powder, cumin and any other seasonings.

This is especially good with crushed tortilla chips and nutritional yeast added to the individual bowl. If you like to use a faux sour cream add a dollop to your bowl. Try not to eat right out of the pot when you’re putting leftovers away. That is just bad manners. This made enough soup for maybe 6 bowls, but you will want seconds. Double (or triple) the recipe for a large family.  

This soup is very forgiving. If you are missing an ingredient go ahead and made it. I make it all the time but when I’m out of corn or green chilies it still tastes great. 

My husband kept going on and on about how great this soup is, how it reminds him of soup his mom made when he was a kid, how amazing I am; OK I threw that last part in there but it is not uncommon for him to say that. 

Enchilada Soup

Don’t  you just want to dive in that bowl and swim around? Well you would if you tasted it. 

If you love this soup be sure to try it’s grain-free counterpart, Taco Soup!

What to Eat…Part 2

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Are you starving yet? If so try to add more whole grains into your day. Brown rice, quinoa, couscous, etc. will help you feel full longer and provide much needed protein. Yes, you can get all the protein  you need on a plant based diet.

Today’s Meal Plan

Bagel with Apple and Peanut Butter

Breakfast: Whole Grain Bagel or Toast

This is a quick breakfast that is easy to make. You may be wondering why I’m tempting you with a bagel and toast if you can’t have cream cheese or butter. Nut butters provide a delicious spread for bagels and toast. You don’t have to get bored with peanut butter, you can try almond butter, or cashew butter. One of my favorite treats is to top toast with almond butter and a sliced apple.

Nachos

Lunch: Nachos

If you have any leftovers from last nights dinner put them together for an Epic dish of Nachos. Your Nachos will look so good that it will make your coworkers jealous. Store beans, rice, and lentil taco filling in a microwave safe container. Heat it up then add salsa and guacamole. Eat it with your favorite tortilla chips. I know what your thinking, “you can’t have Nachos without cheese!”

This faux-cheese sauce is non-dairy and taste great. The linked recipe is for Mac and Cheese so disregard the noodles, otherwise follow the recipe as stated. I don’t have the miso the recipe calls for so I always leave it out. You may be wondering “what is nutritional yeast and where do I get it?” Click here to find out more about nutritional yeast. I found it at my local Fresh & Easy store in the baking section. Nutritional yeast taste great sprinkled on baked potatoes.

If your concerned that this is not real cheese just think back to all of the other times you ate fake cheese, cheese in a can or Velveeta anyone? This faux-cheese sauce is good for you unlike those I just mentioned. You can also by cheese made from plant milk.

Broccoli Potato Soup

Soup photo by Melodee Fiske of mlfotography. 

Dinner: Potato and Broccoli Soup

This soup is a great way to warm up on a cool day. You can use any veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds potatoes
  • 1/2 a onion, diced
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 sliced carrot
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 chopped crown of broccoli
  • salt
  • pepper
  • garlic powder
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup plant milk
Do
  1. Scrub and chop potatoes. Place them in a pan of water and bring to a boil. You can also use vegetable broth for a heartier flavor.
  2. Add diced onion, carrot and the bay leaf (you will remove the bay leaf before serving).
  3. Once carrots and potatoes become tender add broccoli and spices to taste.
  4. The soup is ready to eat as is. For a more savory soup add 1/4 cup of plant milk and 1 Tbsp of nutritional yeast.
Serve

This soup is great with a whole grain dinner roll and a side salad.