My Plant-Based Family

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

Vegan Chili

July 24, 2017 Plant-Based Meal Plan

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I’ve been loving big salads lately! When it’s hot and I don’t want to cook, I love having meals I can build without heating up the kitchen. Sometimes that means using my Instant Pot, other times I reach for canned beans, but lately, it’s big, beautiful salads.

This week, I’m planning to keep it simple. I made a big pot of soup this weekend and have plenty of fresh produce. I’m also planning to make lentil tacos with all the fixins!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

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Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday

Overnight Oats

Soup and Salad

Lentil Tacos with Mexican Rice

Tuesday

Toast with peanut butter (or alternative) and fresh strawberries

Bean Burrito

Black Bean and Mango Salad

Wednesday

Instant Pot Oatmeal with blueberries

Leftover Black Bean and Mango Salad

Veggie Pad Thai

Thursday

Breakfast Hash and fresh fruit

Veggie Wrap with Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

Hawaiian Tofu Kabobs and Quinoa

Friday

Chia Porridge

Soup and Salad

Pizza Pasta

This Dry Veggie Broth Mix is a life changer!

I have a few other things I make a lot, they help me keep things simple and take my recipes to the next level! The Dry Veggie Broth Mix is easy to make and can be used to make a delicious broth. I always tell people this recipe is life changing and I’ve heard amazing reviews! Give it a try!

The other things I make a lot are delicious salad dressings! If you are looking for some tasty, oil-free dressing for your salad I have some recommendations.

My Sweet and Tangy Salad Dressing is exactly how it sounds, sweet and tangy. A pinch of xantham gum or ground flax will thicken it up.

My Creamy Italian Salad Dressing is thick and creamy. It’s low fat and made without nuts or seeds so eat as much as you want. You can try it on pasta too!

During the summer, we also love my Blueberry Vinaigrette and Raspberry Vinaigrette.

What are you eating this week? Leave a comment or tag My Plant-Based Family on social media!

Meal Plan Monday: It’s Almost Christmas

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Salad and GF Pasta

Right now I’m sitting on my couch eating chocolate chip cookies. Shh! Don’t tell anyone.

We’ve had more than our fair share of Christmas parties over the last few weeks. Our overly busy schedule has resulted in quite a bit of takeout too. Last week I failed to make a Meal Plan and we definitely paid for it.

nachos (1)

Meal Plan

Breakfast is usually oatmeal with ground flax, chia seeds, walnuts, and maple syrup. I love it! It’s my favorite breakfast right now and my boys love it too. Some mornings we have a quick bowl of cereal or toast with almond butter instead.

Lunch is usually leftovers. I typically have beans and grains already cooked and waiting in the fridge. I pair them with some veggies for an easy lunch. My husband usually has a huge salad for lunch or leftovers with a generous helping of steamed broccoli.

Snacks are usually fruit, green smoothies, and lately chips and salsa. Some friends made us a big batch of delicious homemade salsa. 🙂

Dinner will be eaten out a couple of times this week. I also plan to make Nachos one night, put that salsa to good use! I still have some leftover Chili and baked potatoes from the weekend. I’ve been craving marinara sauce so we may have gluten-free pasta, we don’t eat pasta very often so it will be a treat for the kids. I usually serve it with a giant salad. I’m considering making Brown Rice and Broccoli Casserole if we start to run low on leftovers; I doubt that will happen because it’s pretty full of Mexican food leftovers from a party I co-hosted on Sunday evening. 🙂

I also hope to do a little baking this week. I bought some fresh cranberries for a loaf of cranberry bread. I may even attempt a gluten-free version. I’ve also been playing around with a new chocolate mousse recipe that I’m very excited about.

What are you eating this week? Do you find it’s more difficult to stay on track during the holidays and how so you combat the craziness?

 

 

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

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Ok, it isn’t exactly frightful here in Arizona but I am cold. Give me 100° F and I am alright, 60° F and we might have a problem. Truthfully, I am thankful to live in such a warm climate; since I am acclimated I spend the “winter” bundled up in sweatshirts (I don’t have a warm coat, it’s Arizona after all).

Chances are you live somewhere much colder; this week’s high is 72° F and the low is 36° F. So if you really need to warm up may I offer you a few suggestions?

The Best Chili Ever

This Very Vegan Chili is Texas style and very satisfying. I eat it plain or as a Baked Potato topping.

taco soupMake a double batch of this Taco Soup because you will not be able to stop eating it. It’s easily customizable and perfect to serve guests. If the Taco Soup had a cousin it would be this Enchilada Soup.

Minestrone SoupIf you are craving a bowl full of veggie goodness then look no further. This Minestrone Soup is truly amazing. You will love it and love me. 🙂 It is easily made gluten-free by using rice pasta.

Potato Soup

If you’d like to pull out a slow cooker and let dinner make itself you must try this Potato Soup. Feel free to add other veggies as well.

Do you have a favorite soup to keep you warm in the winter? If not try any one of these easy, frugal, gluten-free soups. They are all full of fiber that will keep you full and fueled. You wont be sorry. If you decided to name you next child after me I’ll understand. 🙂

Eating Well

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Last weekend I hopped in the car and drove 1 1/2 hours north through the mountains and arrived in a considerably cooler Payson, AZ for a women’s retreat. I don’t know about you but anytime I travel I get a little nervous about what I’m going to eat.

A few months before the retreat the organizer sent an email asking if anyone had any dietary requirements. I did my best to explain mine but told them I could bring my own food so they wouldn’t have to worry about it. I admit I was a bit nervous at that point. As the weeks went on I’d get emails asking if I could eat this or that. They even sent me a copy of the regular menu and asked about adapting it. I didn’t know it at the time but one of my friends who is also plant-based (and gluten-free) had a meeting to discuss our menu.

The food was awesome. I couldn’t finish my meal regularly because there was so much good food for me to eat. Those who follow me on Facebook got a sneak peek at what I was eating.

Dessert was so good that I never got a picture because those amazing little truffles just kind of hopped in my mouth and into my tummy. I didn’t take my camera so I was doing my best to try to take pictures with my phone. Most of the time I’d start eating then remember to take a picture. Oh well.

When I arrived there was an amazing vegan chili waiting for me. It tasted a lot like my chili. That made me happy! 🙂 We were off to a good start.

The next morning I had brown rice with peanut butter, raisins, maple syrup, and I think almonds. Lunch was a deluxe salad bar with everything you can imagine plus an incredible vegan pear vinaigrette (pictured at the top). Dinner that evening was gluten-free pasta and broccoli.

The last morning there was oatmeal but it was almost gone when I went to breakfast. I didn’t want them to have to cook more but then I heard the words “special granola” they had made it just for the vegans and gluten-free ladies. It was delicious! I want the recipe! They also made us special smoothies that we could barely finish. We were so full from everything else but they tastes so good. I didn’t get any pictures this last day but I have a lot of great memories.

I really enjoyed the non-food elements of the retreat also. I met a bunch of incredible and inspiring women who I feel incredibly blessed to know. There was insightful teaching and activities and dynamic worship times. When I arrived on Friday I only knew a few of the women there and when I left on Sunday I wished I had more time to nurture those new friendships. It was really hard for me to leave my family to get away for a weekend but I’m so glad I did. I only wish I could attend an event like that with my husband.

I was definitely challenged to make Jesus preeminent in my life, to rest and rest in Him. To trust God, exercise faith in Him, and strive to live a life of obedience.

Have you ever gone somewhere and been so well taken care of?

Texas-Style Chili

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Meatless and gluten-free chili

Chili may be one of the best meals for a crisp autumn day. Even though it isn’t really all that crisp here in Arizona it still makes a very tasty meal. I’ve mention before that I grew up in Texas so we don’t take our chili lightly, the spicier the better. 

With this recipe I rein in the spices but feel free to add more (or less) to suit your taste buds. Sometimes I’ll make it mild then scoop some out for my kids then add more spices to the remainder for my husband and I.

vegan chili

If you are new to a plant-based diet this recipe is perfect because you don’t notice anything is missing.

inredients in pan vegan chili

Very Vegan Chili (Texas Style)

Ingredients

  • 3 cans of beans OR about 6 cups of cooked beans, any variety
  • 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, we like jalapenos
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • Chili powder to suit your tastes. Some people use 1 or 2 Tbsp. I use 1/4 to 1/2 cup but most people can’t handle that.
  • 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 meal is great on a cool day, it is hearty and filled with fiber. Cornbread or crackers make a great accompaniment. Perhaps my favorite way to enjoy chili is on a baked potato. This recipe also freezes well so make a big batch and save some for a rainy day.

This recipe also works great in the Crock Pot but since the beans are already cooked it can be made on the stove fairly quickly.

vegetarian chili 3 600x401

For more great recipe ideas check out my Recipe Page or follow me on Pinterest.

Vegan Chili (Texas Style)

Vegan Chili

Texas style plant based chili

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cans of beans OR about 6 cups of cooked beans, any variety
  • 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, we like jalapenos
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • Chili powder to suit your tastes. Some people use 1 or 2 Tbsp. I use 1/4 to 1/2 cup but most people can’t handle that.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  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.

Notes

  • Serve with cornbread, crackers or on a baked potato
  • Works great in a crock pot
  • Freezes well

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo

Meal Plan Monday: Eating On Purpose

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“You wake up in the morning then what do you do? Do you do anything for yourself?”

I was asked this question last week and I’ve been thinking about it a lot since then. Most of the time I’m reacting or playing catch up. I have a 3 and a 1 year old that I stay home with, that mean’s I’m on crisis management duty all day. I’m very blessed to stay home with them but I’m not always intentional about how I spend my time.

My kids want to eat all the time, especially when they first see me. Basically they equate me with food. Sometimes if I’m out my husband will feed them. They will eat for a nice long time then go play. When I walk in the door they come running, “Mommy Mommy Mommy” followed by “Eat Eat Eat”! Does that happen to you?

On weekdays when my husband is working he usually leaves before the rest of us wake up (it is summer after all). My boys want to eat immediately. If it’s super early I make them wait as long as possible. That is usually about 30 minutes but sometimes an hour. I’ll give them a handful of cereal while I cook oatmeal or they will have something quick like toast or fruit. If I’m on top of things I’ll eat with them but sometimes I’m just not quick enough. I’ll use the time they are busy eating to do something important like go to the restroom (BY MY SELF) or start laundry, talk to my husband on the phone, or empty the dish washer. Then they get busy playing (so I think) and I make breakfast for myself. Whatever I make gets shared with them. It is almost impossible for me to eat anything by my self.

Since my breakfast gets stolen shared with my kiddos I don’t always get enough, but I also get busy. I’ll go a long time without eating again some days. Other days I eat again an hour or two later. Lunch time turns into a similar ordeal. Some afternoons I find my self really hungry and realized I’ve only eaten a tiny bit of food all day as I’ve run around. Dinner time is better because we all eat together as a family.

This week I want to eat on purpose. That will require a little more planning than I’ve been doing lately. When we first began eating plant-based I put a lot of effort into having plenty of prepared foods in my fridge ready to go. These days I haven’t been doing a very good job of it, I’ve gotten complacent. I want the food I eat to fuel my body, not merely “fill me up” for a while. I want what I eat to have a purpose and truly benefit my body. Eating foods that might taste good but doesn’t really benefit me needs to be a thing of the past.

I do better when I have beans and grains on hand. Throughout this week I want to cook some beans, grains, and baked potatoes for quick meals. It is also important to have a good supply of fruit and veggies. Our supply is very low. I would have to be very creative to make anything interesting with what I have available. I haven’t done my normal grocery shopping for the week but I hope too soon.

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be toast with nut butter and fruit, bagels, oatmeal, or breakfast quinoa.

Lunch will be leftovers, baked potatoes, sandwich wraps, noodles with homemade sauce, bean and grain bowl, etc.

Snack will be fruit, fruit and spinach smoothies, hummus and raw veggies, muffins, etc.

Dinner is more of a challenge right now. For the other meals I make food for the little boys and my teenagers eat from whatever is available. At dinner time I make one meal, there is sometimes different options like we all eat baked potatoes but you can top it with chili or with steamed veggies. I really appreciated all of the advice and encouragement last week on Meal Plan Monday. I still haven’t had a chance to respond to everyone but I hope to do so soon.

This week I would I hope to have Southwest Chopped Salad featuring BBQ Chickpeas, Stir Fry (My 13 year olds LEAST favorite food), Three Bean Chili, Rice and Veggie Casserole (this has gone over very well the last few weeks) and Breakfast for Dinner with whole wheat pancakes and gluten-free pancakes.

All of these dishes are tasty and require very little hands on time, the pancakes will take the most but they are quick and easy snacks for little hands. These meals also do take a lot of special ingredients, most of them I normally have on hand.

What are you eating this week? Do you eat on purpose or just reactively eat?