My Plant-Based Family

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

Plant Based Diet

Meal Planning Week

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Meal Planning

I hereby declare this week as Meal Planning Week! You can expect our Meal Plan Monday (below), Tips to get you Meal Planning and all of your Meal Planning questions answers. Make sure to leave questions in the comments or email them to me. You can also follow my Plant-Based Meal Plans Board on Pinterest!

Meal PlanMonday

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

Let it be known, I don’t cook a big breakfast every morning. I’ll cook oatmeal or something else that is relatively quick but I like to keep it simple; anything that takes a long time is made the day before.

Lunch

We like leftovers for lunch or quick things like sandwiches. I don’t mind making noodle dishes for my kids because they don’t require a lot of time an attention (the noodles, my kids require a lot of time and attention).

  • Sunbutter Sandwiches with fruit
  • Leftover Faux Cheesy Broccoli and Rice Casserole
  • Baked Potatoes with side salads
  • Veggie Wrap and leftover soup
  • Bean and Grain Bowl

Dinner

I don’t mind spending some time in the kitchen preparing dinner. I’ll often cook extra food to eat at other meals, like many of the items on the Breakfast Menu.

I’ll save time this week by soaking the chickpeas and cooking them in bulk. I can easily add them to any dish including soups, salads and wraps to make them more filling.

Do you Meal Plan each week? If you have questions about Meal Planning I’d love to answer them! Just leave them below in the comments.

If you need more help check out my Custom Meal Plans, meal plans created with your specific preferences in mind.

Quinoa Recipe Roundup

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Last week at Healthy Cravings I talked all about Quinoa. I was making a list of recipes to send out to the participants when I realized I needed a Quinoa Pinterest Board. Now I’m able to save all of my quinoa recipes in one place.

Quinoa Recipes

I don’t want to miss out on your favorite recipes too! Leave a comment with your favorite recipes so I can Pin them!

My Favorite Quinoa Recipes

Quinoa-Lentil Tacos

1. Quinoa-Lentil Tacos are my favorite way to eat tacos! They taste great in crunchy taco shells or in a giant veggie filled burrito.

Quinoa seasoned for Tacos

2. Quinoa Taco “Meat” comes a close second. It is perfect for people who can’t eat lentils and is easy to mix up using leftover quinoa.

Quinoa-Squash Salad

3. Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad is a great salad for fall and winter. Seasonal veggies can be substituted once your squash is gone.

Lemony Quinoa wraps final 3

4. Light and Lemony Quinoa Salad is perfect for warm weather or anyone wanting a filling but not heavy meal. This is a great wrap to fuel your workout. I ditch the wrap and serve this in a bowl for my 2 year old. He is a veggie lover and loves quinoa.

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa HT1

5. Summer Berry Breakfast Quinoa can be made any time of year. I usually keep frozen berries in the freezer but when I’m out I just substitute diced apples. My boys beg for quinoa all the time. The 4 year old always means “breakfast quinoa” because he likes it sweetened.

6. Chickpea Quinoa Stir Fry was a family favorite, thanks in part to the fresh pineapple that really made it great. After we found out about my sons pineapple allergy we switched to nectarines or leaving pineapple on the side and adding it to the individual plates.

I also love to add quinoa to soups, stir fry’s and casseroles. Many people even add it to their smoothies. I have lots of other quinoa recipes in the works.

What are your favorite Plant-Based quinoa recipes? Leave a comment below so I can pin them to my new Quinoa Pinterest Board.

Meal Plan Monday: A Little Bit of Everything

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Plant-Based Meal Plan

I’ve been up to my ears in Meal Plans since I launched my Custom Meal Plan service last week. It is hard shifting back to OUR preferences when I’ve been thinking about other people’s meal plans. Some of the Meal Plans I’m designing are for families with omni members. Other plans are Plant-Based Meal Plans for people who have been eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) but are hoping to jump into a plant-based lifestyle.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

I like to keep breakfast simple. I have a lot of leftover cooked quinoa that can be made into a quick breakfast if I’m ever unprepared.

Lunch

My kids keep me busy during the day so I opt for quick lunches, or recipes I can get started and forget about for a while.

  • Baked Potatoes
  • Sunbutter and Jelly Sandwiches
  • Noodles, steamed veggies and marinara sauce
  • Veggie Wrap
  • Leftover Soup

Dinner

I spend the most time cooking dinner but I save time by cooking, at least part of it, in bulk. This week I’ll cook beans for the burritos and nachos early in the week. I may also cook enough rice for the burritos and stir fry on Tuesday.

I really wanted to make my Crock Pot Mexican Casserole this week and another secret recipe I’ve been perfecting but my Crock Pot broke this weekend! It’s so sad! I need to buy one but I’m fighting my frugalness. I’m not sure which will win out.

I’m also in the mood for muffins! If I take a break from my Custom Meal Plans I may whip up a batch or two.

Plant-Based Diet Ebook

Need Help with Your Meal Plan

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  New Custom Meal Plans

Custom Meal Plan

I’ve been posting Free Weekly Meal Plans for 2 years! That is a lot of Meal Plans (they are archived on the “Meal Plans” Page). These Meal Plans have been a huge help to readers just starting out on a plant-based diet. These Free Meal Plans will continue, at least for a while, so you can always look to them for inspiration.

If you need a bit more help with your Meal Plan my Custom Meal Plan service may be for you. I learn about your food preferences and restrictions through a questionnaire then create a 4 week Meal Plan just for you. Each plan includes a weekly menu, shopping list and prep sheet.

Custom Meal Plan

 

Why Use a Custom Meal Plan?

If you eat a specialty diet most meal plan services wont work for you. A Custom Meal Plan is created based on your preferences and goals. It takes the guess work out of what to buy, prep and cook. It’s an investment that will pay off.

You will save money by using our Shopping List, no more buying unnecessary ingredients. You’ll also save money because you won’t rely on fast food as often. The Meal Plan suggests uses for leftovers as well, which will result in less food waste.

If you live in an omni household the Meal Plans are exceptionally helpful. Meals will be designed to be plant-based but show how meat can be added after they are cooked. It’s a win-win.

If you have questions the answer may be on the Custom Meal Plans Page.

The Meal Plan are a lot of work so I can only accept a few orders at a time. Email me to request a questionnaire and I’ll give you an estimated delivery date. You will not be billed until the work begins.

The first 10 customers will receive a FREE copy of my new ebook The Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide: How to Cook Shop and Eat Well.

Do you like my Free Weekly Meal Plans? 

Join our Meal Planning conversation on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook Page.

Got Energy? Tips and a Giveaway

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Got Energy

Sometimes I need more energy. I’m guessing you do too!

Admittedly, I have more energy now than I did in my Standard American Diet (SAD) days.

I’ve noticed trends in my energy levels based on activity and food consumption. For example, when I over-eat I feel like a slug and I don’t want to move. That rarely happens anymore. Baked Potatoes are a great food for me. I feel energetic, satisfied and still light enough to move. I’ve learned I don’t tolerate wheat well and it makes me feel cloudy and fatigued. I used to get order a veggie sandwich from a near by sandwich shop; while it was delicious, it didn’t fuel my body well. If you can eat wheat it may be a good choice for you. I love eating Bean, Grain & Veggie Bowls.

My husband usually has a baked sweet potato and a bucket o’ broccoli (raw) for lunch everyday. He feels fantastic! I know that some people react differently to foods so there isn’t a one-size fits all.

Here are a few tips!

1. Get Dressed First Thing in the Morning!

I love lounging around in my pajamas as much as the next girl but it almost guarantees I get nothing done. I need real clothes and shoes on to be productive.

2. Avoid Processed, Empty Calories

When I’m feeling tired or blah my instinct is to reach for a sweet treat or caffeine. Eating and drinking just enough empty calories every few hours to keep you functioning but not thriving is not the way to live.  I remember when I was about 12 years old, I would consume nothing but soda and candy bars for days at a time. My standard lunch was chips and soda. Even on my worst day now, I can see how far I’ve come from that junk food lifestyle.

3.  Eat Nutritious Food!

As mentioned above, I feel great when eating beans and grains, baked potatoes, hearty veggie wraps and soups. I like steamed broccoli but I enjoy it more accompanying potatoes or rice. I like make bowls filled with a variety of plants: potatoes, beans, grains, tomatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, peppers, spinach and anything else available. This week we have cucumbers and squash to add to our rotation.  All of these foods are nutrient dense and can be mixed and matched for a number of unique meals.

I’ve recently experimented with ENERGYbits®. They are made from 100% organically grown spirulina algae. 30 bits are considered a serving. I tried chewing one up before realizing they are much better swallowed whole. Each bit has just 1 calorie but they are loaded with 40 nutrients have the highest concentration of protein in the world (64%).

I used them as a meal replacement and felt like I had more energy, great mental clarity and no digestive issues. ENERGYbits are not a supplement, they are food; spirulina algae is the only ingredient. 

I was given a free sample to try and I’m giving away a sample to a reader! ENERGYbits are only available at ENERGYbits.com, and Jonathan (their Brand Manager) has shared with me that he’d be happy to connect anyone with a current ambassador to share a discount on a bag of bits – you can email him at jlevitt@energybits.com

This giveaway is open to US reader only, the winner will be contacted via email.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meal Plan Monday: Back in the Swing of Things

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Meal Plan Monday

Have you missed my Plant-Based Meal Plans over the last few weeks? The holidays are over, school has started, and it’s time to get back in the swing of things, that includes meal planning.

When I create a Meal Plan I focus on meeting our nutritional needs, including our food restrictions (due to allergies) while staying on budget. I also have to make sure I plan for enough meals to keep us fed but not so many that I’m stuck in the kitchen all the time. It’s a balancing act that I figure out each week. I typically plan for 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches and 5 Dinners and use leftovers as needed. This week I’m hosting Healthy Cravings and teaching a cooking class so I’ll plan for “easier” items on my Meal Plan.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

I use Meal Plans as a guideline. I don’t stress about getting everything made. On any given day we may change our minds and move things around. We may decide to make pancakes or nachos. Using a Meal Plan also helps me make sure I have the ingredients I need for the week and prep anything that takes a little extra time.

Do you Meal Plan?

Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide