My Plant-Based Family

Eating Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet recipes, On a Budget.

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Healthy Cravings Recap for April

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Healthy Cravings banner

This month’s Healthy Cravings was one of my favorites. Two teams faced off in a Top Chef/Chopped style cooking challenge that was judged by Holistic Healthy and Fitness Coach, Danny Collier. You can read a recent interview here.

We didn’t have a lot of time so as Danny began speaking to the rest of the crowd and sharing his story the two teams got their first peek at the ingredients they could choose from. There were several types of cooked and canned beans, grains, fresh and frozen veggies, fruit and spices.

HC April (10)HC April (9)

HC April (8)

HC April (7)

The were given 20 minutes to prepare and entrée and either a dessert or a salad. Both teams went over time but check out what they created.

HC April (11)

The winning dish was this Jerk Veggie creation served over quinoa. It was delicious.

HC April (4)

Second place went to this asparagus salad served alongside black beans, faux cheese sauce and guacamole trio served with brown rice tortillas with a banana-date dessert. Here is a closer look at that salad, it had mixed greens, quinoa, and an assortment of veggies.

HC April (2)

I couldn’t have my guests doing all the cooking so I made a couple of Shepherd’s Pies and my highly sought after gluten-free brownies.

HC April (5)

brownie 2

Given the same ingredients what would you have made for the contest? I would have made Mexican food! I know big surprise!

Meal Plan Monday: Happy Earth Day

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Happy Earth Day and welcome to Meal Plan Monday!

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but there is a tab on the Menu labeled “Meal Plans” that has every meal plan from 2012 and 2013 archived. This may be exceptionally helpful for those of you interested in Plant-Based eating but aren’t quite sure what to actually eat. I plan our meals using seasonal produce to if you live in a different area you may need to make some substitutions.

I usually keep it simple, I don’t have a lot of time for difficult or exotic meals. I make those on some occasions but we strive to eat simply, whole, plant foods as much as possible. Most of our meals are gluten-free to accommodate my little man, others are easily adapted.

Meal Plan

Breakfast

Right now I’m craving pancakes so we may have those soon. More than likely it will be for lunch instead of breakfast but I wanted to put it in the Breakfast category. We are big oatmeal fans here. My boys love oatmeal; we usually eat it with chia seeds, walnuts, cinnamon and fruit. I also like savory breakfast and enjoy Breakfast Tacos or Breakfast Stir-frys. If we are in a big hurry we will eat toast with nut butter and fruit.

Lunch

While I prefer leftovers for lunch my boys prefer sandwiches. You’d think I was making them something really special; at least sandwiches are easy. We often have an assortment of beans and grains I can mix together for quick meals. My boys LOVE baked sweet potatoes. My husband takes the previous nights dinner to work for lunch. Right now I have leftover Taco Soup, Chinese food, Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole, and Shepherds Pie in single serve containers ready to go.

Snacks

My kids usually have mid morning and a mid afternoon snack. Most of the time it is fruit or a handful of walnuts although sometimes I’ll give them muffins or some other baked goods. They love smoothies but are equally as happy with raw spinach leaves dipped in homemade salad dressing.

Dinner

I plan dinners around our schedule and based on the price of seasonal foods. This week I bought a pineapple so it may be used in a pineapple salsa served on top of a Black Beans and Cilantro Rice Bowl or in a Chickpea-Quinoa Stir Fry or maybe even both. My kids would happily eat the whole pineapple in one sitting but I like to be more intentional so we can enjoy it at multiple meals. Easy Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is a family and reader favorite! I let my kids eat it in a bowl but I prefer it in a burrito with homemade pico de gallo and guacamole. It is easy to make and inexpensive because it uses pantry staples. Once my garden is producing I’ll be able to make the salsa without going to the store. I didn’t make the Portobello Steaks I had planned last week so I hope to make them this week. I’ll use this Mushroom Marinade and serve them with Dirty Mashed Potatoes and green beans. On a side note a friend gave me a giant bag of frozen organic green beans so let me know if you have any suggestions for them.

I’m still experimenting with a few new recipes too but I’ll keep those to my self for now. 🙂

What do you have planned this week? Any delicious meals?

 

Meal Plan Monday: Fully Stocked

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Quinoa-Lentil Tacos

This week my refrigerator and pantry are fully stocked. Even better, I have a variety or beans and grains already cooked and very little processed junk in the house. This makes meal planning easy, I could make any of our favorites fairly easily. The truth is, I like the challenge of making delicious meals when we only a few things left. When we are running low on our go-to ingredients my husband will want to go to the store to replace them but sometimes I try to wait it out just a little longer. Some of the best recipes are created out of scarcity, rather than plenty.

Breakfast Quinoa

Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will rely on potatoes. I have 5 large baked potatoes in the refrigerator. Breakfast Tacos or Burritos and Gluten-free Savory Breakfast Muffins both rely on potatoes and taste great as leftovers. We may have oatmeal or Breakfast Quinoa with fresh strawberries as well.

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Lunch will be a variety of Bean and Grain Bowls. Black Beans & Quinoa or Pinto Beans & Rice topped with salsa or a combination of fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers and avocado. Baked Potatoes topped with beans & greens and a little nutritional yeast can really hit the spot. All of these easy combinations that can be packed up and reheated at lunch time. Fully loaded salads, like this BBQ Chickpea Salad, are another good option if you have the time, it always takes me a long time to eat salads. When I put it in a wrap I can eat it much quicker. Sandwiches are also a quick and easy standby.

Snacks can be as simple as a hand full of walnuts and apple slices or slightly more time consuming like a yogurt (non-dairy) parfait. We also like green smoothies occasionally for snack. I am most satisfied by apples dipped in peanut butter, it gives me a jolt of energy, tastes great, and is quick and easy. I use almond butter for my youngest who has a peanut allergy.

Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole

Dinner is still a little up in the air this week. We have a dinner/celebration we are attending on Friday and I have the privilege of helping with a small part of it. There will be a few people attending with allergies or other food restrictions and I’m providing some of the food. I’m so excited! I’m still waiting on the final count.

On the home front, my husband has requested Broccoli and Brown Rice Casserole; this is an easy recipe and a family favorite (and we always have leftovers). To take advantage of this perfect grilling weather I’m thinking about Portobello Steaks (using this Mushroom Marinade), Dirty Mashed Potatoes, and green beans. Taco salad or burritos using Quinoa-Lentil Taco “Meat” along with fresh salsa, beans and avocado is one of my favorite combinations. I may even use fresh cilantro from my garden. The leftovers can be stuffed into peppers and baked or grilled. Lastly, I may make a pot of soup or chili before it is too hot; they all look so good I’m having a hard time deciding.  I usually make soup toward the end of the week when I want to use up random veggies and clear our the fridge.

I don’t normally write about dessert but this girl is in need of some chocolate. I also have a few dessert type recipes I’m experimenting with. I’ll share any progress on Facebook.

What are you eating this week? Are your supplies fully stocked? Any My Plant-Based Family recipes?

Breakfast Tacos

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breakfast tacos

I love Breakfast Tacos! Years ago the breakfast tacos I made were completely different from those I make today, but we enjoy them just as much if not more. These tacos are very versatile and can be adapted for even the pickiest eaters or omnivores in your household.

breakfast tacos

Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients

  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 1/2 a bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 a jalapeno (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1 handful of mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup cut cauliflower
  • 1 large baked potato, diced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt (or black salt), pepper, garlic, and turmeric to taste
  • tortillas of your choice, use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option

Do

  1. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms to a skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if veggies start to stick.
  2. Once veggies are beginning to soften stir in potatoes, quinoa, and beans.  They will now begin to stick.
  3. As soon as everything is incorporated and warm add nutritional yeast and spices.
  4. Spoon this into tortillas and serve.

Serve

I love to eat these Breakfast Tacos with salsa! This reheats very well and will keep several days when refrigerated. If you are using corn tortillas know that they are crumbly and will likely break. These can be layered in a casserole dish instead of rolled into the tortillas for a quicker option. I’ve also wrapped them in parchment paper to hold them together. I’ve served these to an omni group and they LOVED them.

If you are eating plant-based but having a hard time convincing your family this is an easy dish to adapt for them. Things like eggs or cheese are easily added but not really needed.

Are you a Breakfast Taco lover too?

Yield: 4 Servings

Breakfast Tacos

Vegan Breakfast Tacos

Plant based tacos for breakfast!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 an onion, diced
  • 1/2 a bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 a jalapeno (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1 handful of mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 cup cut cauliflower
  • 1 large baked potato, diced
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked beans, drained
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt (or black salt), pepper, garlic, and turmeric to taste
  • tortillas of your choice, use corn tortillas for a gluten-free option

Instructions

  1. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms to a skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, adding a little water if veggies start to stick.
  2. Once veggies are beginning to soften stir in potatoes, quinoa, and beans.  They will now begin to stick.
  3. As soon as everything is incorporated and warm add nutritional yeast and spices.
  4. Spoon this into tortillas and serve.

Notes

Great with salsa. Try layering in a casserole dish instead of rolling for a quicker option.

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see it! Tag us and use #MyPlantBasedFamily!

© Heather Mayes

Meal Plan Monday: Good Intentions

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Dried Beans

Like many of you I have good intentions to eat well. My intentions don’t always result in the best outcome though. I’ll get busy, or frustrated, or overwhelmed, or lazy and default to quick and easy instead of balanced and nutritious. You know what I’m talking about right? Please tell me I’m not alone in this. Some days seem hectic from start to finish. I’ve looked back over the course of a day to realize I’d eaten toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and cereal for dinner; yes, that is the kind of day I’m talking about.

I’ve discovered I feel best when I eat certain things foods. Beans, whole grains (like rice or oats), fruit, lightly steamed veggies, potatoes, salads, nut butters and let us not forget my daily cup of coffee. Sometimes I’ll try to abandon these foods in favor of “healthier” options; I usually fail to prepare and end up eating toast or cereal. Boo!

Those food that I love and feel great eating are the food I primarily ate when I first transitioned to a plant-based diet. I eat other foods too and try to have enough variety that I get all the nutrients I need.

This weeks meal plan will be pretty basic, believe it or not I have another busy week so I want to keep things simple. Healthy Cravings is this week and it looks to be a very FULL meeting! I’m looking forward to meeting several new ladies who are coming!

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Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be oatmeal most days. I did buy a box of gluten-free waffles to feed my boys an a particularly busy day. We enjoy baked sweet potatoes with a dash of cinnamon as well.

Lunch is usually leftovers and I wont be getting fancy this week. I sometimes cook pasta for my boys for lunch. We don’t eat much pasta as a family but I don’t mind them having it once a week or so. If you feed your kids (or yourself) pasta more often I’m not trying to condemn you; I just feel like it isn’t the most nutrient filled choice and we have to buy gluten-free pasta which gets expensive if we eat it too often. My new trick is giving my kids salad or just greens to snack on while I’m making their lunch, yes they eat salad. I will definitely be eating our fair share of almond butter sandwiches this week.

Snack will be fruit and smoothies. I’m already doing enough extra cooking this week for Healthy Cravings so I won’t be cooking snacks.

Dinner will be an assortment of many of the foods I mentioned earlier. Beans, baked potatoes, steam veggies, and grains. I think this Mexican Casserole will be a great choice because it uses brown rice and beans, plus it will serve us for two days worth of dinners. Broccoli & Cheese Baked Potatoes using the Faux Cheese Sauce will be a crowd pleaser too. We will probably have a big salad at least one night. Over the weekend we visited a U-Pick organic farm and brought home some greens, my kids got to do some of the picking. As previously mentioned Healthy Cravings is on Thursday so I’ll be serving Breakfast Tacos, Blueberry Muffins, Savory Breakfast Muffins, and an Oatmeal Bar to name a few.

A few fun things that are happening include:

What has been going on in your life worth celebrating? Go ahead, share with the class!

FAQ’s: Oats

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Occasionally I like to post questions here that I get asked through email or Facebook. Today I’ll be discussing oats. Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.
Nutty Apple Cinnamon oatmeal
Easy & Inexpensive
We typically buy whole grain rolled oats, occasionally I’ll buy steel cut oats. I no longer buy the instant oats. The rolled oats are less processed but can easily be whizzed through a food processor for an instant oat effect. It took a little while to get used to them but now they are my favorite. I felt like I was fueled longer when I ate the rolled opposed to the 1 minute instant. Still the instant are better than the little packages and most breakfast cereals. Oats are also inexpensive, I talk more about their cost efficiency here.
Quick
If time is of concern the rolled oats can be made pretty quickly too. I make them in the microwave most mornings. You need a big bowl, not a typically cereal/soup bowl. I use a serving bowl. I don’t measure but just pour in enough for a few servings including water then microwave for 2 minutes. I stir then cook 1 more minute. It is usually perfect. It may take some practice but it is quick, easy, and inexpensive. If you think microwaves are evil, which I understand, they can be easily cooked on the stove.
Healthy
One cup of cooked oatmeal contains 307 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams dietary fiber, and 11 grams of protein. When my family eats oatmeal we are less likely to make poor food choices a few hours later. My kids have evolved to favor oatmeal (even unsweetened) instead of cereal. They always ask for “sprinkles” which are really just chia seeds and walnuts.
The Gluten Issue
Oats are naturally gluten-free but are usually processed on the same equipment as grains that do contain gluten. Most oats are cross-contaminated with gluten. If you have a gluten sensitivity or allergy you can buy gluten-free oats that are processed and packaged in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Gluten-free oats will cost a lot more than oats that are from a regular facility.
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Do you eat oats or oatmeal? I can’t imagine an easier meal that is less expensive and healthier than oatmeal. At the next Healthy Cravings I’m going to have an Oatmeal Buffet with as many toppings and add-ins as I can imagine. What is your favorite way to eat oats?