My Plant-Based Family

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

Recipes

Summer Berry Breakfast Quinoa

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I shared this recipe over at Herbivore Triathlete on Monday but I didn’t want anyone to miss it so I thought I should share it here too.

Summer Berry breakfast quinoa HT1

Summer Berry Breakfast Quinoa (1 serving)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • ¼ tsp vanilla
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp rice milk
  • ½ cup assorted berries (we like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and black berries)
  • A generous shake of chia and hemp seeds (we call these sprinkles)
  • Stevia or maple syrup (optional)

Do

  1. Gently mix quinoa (warm or cold) with vanilla, rice milk, berries, and seeds.
  2. If desired, use a little stevia or maple syrup to sweeten the breakfast quinoa.

Serve

My kids were suspicious of Breakfast Quinoa in the beginning but now love it and ask for it daily. They prefer it cold, I like it warm. Walnuts make a great addition but sadly we are now a nut-free household.

 Do you eat quinoa for breakfast?

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad {Wrap}

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Do you need a lite meal that doesn’t make you feel overheated and sluggish?

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad Wraps final 1

This Quinoa Salad is infused with lemon and full of crisp cucumber and bell pepper. The quinoa and chickpeas give this salad plenty of fuel that make it perfect for a side dish, a topping on a leafy green salad, or in a wrap. I add a few more calories by adding hummus to my wrap and giving the quinoa something to stick to.

Lemony Quinoa wraps final 3

Lite & Lemony Quinoa Salad {Wrap}

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 to 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cup diced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • juice and zest from 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Do

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Chill before eating to allow flavors time to mingle.

Serve

This versatile dish can be served on a green salad for protein filled meal, as a side dish at a potluck, or as part of a wrap. I like to spread hummus on a tortilla, fill it with raw spinach, then add the Quinoa Salad.

What is your favorite quinoa salad?

Blueberry Oatmeal

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blueberry oatmeal 2

Fresh Blueberries are popping up in my Meal Plans. We eat them for snacks, mixed in our breakfasts and I’m even creating a Blueberry Vinaigrette that my kids adore. My absolute favorite way to eat blueberries is in this oatmeal. Make sure you buy Certified Gluten-Free Oats of gluten is an issue for you.

Blueberry Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats and Water
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup of blueberries per person
  • Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla per person
  • 1/4 tsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 tsp hemp seeds
  • a few Tbsp almonds or walnuts (optional)

Do

  1. Cook oatmeal according to package directions.
  2. Allow oatmeal to cool for a few minutes then stir in blueberries, a generous shake of cinnamon, vanilla and seeds.

Serve

This is perfect for breakfast or brunch but taste so good I’ve considered it for dessert. 🙂 I don’t measure anything out when I make it so feel free to increase or decrease ingredients to suit your taste. If you are missing an ingredient don’t fret, just skip it or substitute something else. Missing blueberries try raspberries or strawberries; no seeds, just toss in a few nuts for crunch.

What is your favorite way to eat oatmeal?

Father’s Day Meal Ideas (and unsolicited and possibly offensive advice)

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Grilled Portobello Steaks, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy.
Grilled Portobello Steaks, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, green beans, and mushroom gravy.

Do you have a great man in your life that you are celebrating this weekend? I hope you do! My dad and step-dad live several states away so I wont get to spend time with them but I’m hoping for an afternoon phone call. The card is in the mail Dad! 🙂

I will get to spend time with my husband, he is a wonderful man and father and I’m honored to have him in my life. I have no idea what we will be eating that day, I haven’t asked him yet but if you are wrestling with what to cook I’ll offer a few ideas I’m kicking around (that I know my husband loves).

fathersdaymealideas

Grilled Portobello Steaks (using this Mushroom Marinade) are a “manly” meal and loved by Omni’s as well as Herbivores. I like to pair it with Mashed Potatoes, green veggies and mushroom gravy.

Mexican Casserole with homemade Pico
Mexican Casserole with homemade Pico

If you’ve read this blog for any time at all you know we LOVE Mexican food. Seriously, LOVE is an understatement. Nothing (food related) makes my husband happier than homemade pico de gallo and guacamole. They pair well with Portobello Fajita’s, Easy Mexican Brown Rice and Bean Casserole, or Quinoa-Lentil Tacos. Avocado Grillers is another favorite!

grilled avocado 160 (47)

What If?

Maybe your husband isn’t interested in Vegan/Plant-based options, do you want to know what I’d do? Choose to honor him! Maybe you fight about food everyday, maybe it has been a big problem between you two? On Father’s Day put that aside, you don’t have to cook ribs or a big slab of meat to honor him. Maybe you take him to a restaurant of his choice or pick up take out to eat at home.

This next part is very important. Don’t say anything negative about the food, don’t make a big deal about it, if something needs to be said just say, “I love you more that your food choices and I want to honor you today and thank you for all you do for our family and all that you are as a man.” That is it. When tomorrow comes don’t rub it in his face either.

Sorry

I know many ethical vegans read this blog so I do want to apologize if this offended you. I try to stay away from offending anyone, no matter their beliefs but I feel very strongly that relationships are more important. Many families are caught in a huge struggle and eating choices are at the center of it. It is sad; for Father’s Day let’s remove that from the equation and just love each other.

If you just cannot bring yourself to serve or buy meat and the man in your life wants it maybe he would be happy with a faux meat option. If push came to shove I’d make my husband a Father’s Day meal of his choice but he knows I don’t want to cook or buy meat so he won’t ask me to. I know, he’s a keeper!

What are your Father’s Day plans?

Taco Salad Saves the Day

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I don’t know about you but growing up Taco Salad was a deep-fried tortilla, greasy ground beef, a little iceberg lettuce, and your typical tomatoes, cheese and sour cream. Bleck!

It is time to toss that artery-clogging “salad” out with a Plant-Based transformation!

This Plant-Based Taco Salad is a family favorite. Choose your favorite ingredients and customize your taco salad to your tastes.

This Taco Salad is healthy, plentiful in fiber, protein, and phytochemicals and just plain delicious! It is also easily customizable to accommodate various allergies or taste preferences.

Taco Salad

Ingredients

  • Lettuce ( prefer a mix of greens and romaine)
  • Cooked Beans (I use pinto, black beans or Taco Lentils)
  • Cooked Grains (I use leftover Mexican Rice, quinoa or Quinoa Tacos)
  • Cooked Corn (I just buy organic frozen corn)
  • Pico de Gallo or salsa
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Lime Juice
  • Crispy Corn Tortillas* or Tortilla chips (Optional)

Do

  1. Layer all ingredients into a large bowl (I use a serving bowl for me) except the tortillas/chips.
  2. Toss the salad so everything is well mixed and add a few chips for crunch.

*To make Crispy Corn Tortillas use soft corn tortillas, sprinkle with life and seasonings of your choice. Cut tortillas into thin strips and bake for about 10 minutes at 350° or until crisp.

This Plant-Based Taco Salad is a family favorite. Choose your favorite ingredients and customize your taco salad to your tastes.

Serve

This is an easy “buffet night” dish. It can be made quickly with leftovers or canned/packaged ingredients. If you are traveling with this for a potluck add the salsa, avocado and lime juice just before serving.

 

What is your favorite way to eat Taco Salad?

Meal Plan Monday: Slow Cooker Time

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Calling all Slow Cooker Experts! Despite the heat, I love Arizona. This time a year I do a lot less cooking and a lot more assembling. I’m hoping to use my crock pot more so please fill me in on your favorite slow cooker recipes! All oven cooking will be reserved for the morning before it gets too hot. large fruit bowl

Meal Plan Monday

Breakfast

  • Overnight Oats (for me, not my son)
  • GF Cereal with Rice Milk
  • Toast and fruit
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • GF Pancakes

Lunch

  • Veggie and Hummus Sandwich
  • Sunbutter and Jelly Sandwich
  • Quinoa and Steamed Veggies with Happy Herbivore Brown Gravy (adapted to be GF)
  • Taco Salad
  • Leftovers

Snacks

My kids usually have a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon snack.

Dinner

Salad and GF Pasta

I have to bring snacks to a meeting this week so I’m planning fresh fruit, veggies with hummus and the Best (Gluten-Free) Brownies in the Whole Wide World. This is the only time I plan to use the oven this week. If I’m feeling extra industrious I may bake some Gluten-Free Cherry Muffins too.

We have a few busy evenings this week but thankfully I already have some leftovers ready for quick meals.

What are your favorite slow cooker recipes?