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My Plant-Based Family

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

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Vegan

Oatmeal Cups

December 18, 2020 by Holly Leave a Comment

These vegan Oatmeal Cups are beautiful and delicious. I started making these in early 2020. We were addicted and made a batch every week until it became too hot to bake here in Arizona.

Vegan Oatmeal Cups

I’ve made a lot of baked oatmeal recipes but these always seemed more festive. The combination of the dried fruit and the nuts and seeds always made them feel like a Christmas snack. I decided to wait all year to share them and now it’s time.

Most of the time I made them in my Pampered Chef brownie pan. You may have seen some Instagram stories of them. They taste just as good whether they are square or round.

Vegan Oatmeal Cups

I love that these are oil-free but taste decadent thanks to the seeds, nuts, and dried fruit. Those all help them to be really filling too! We eat them for breakfast, snack and dessert!

Another bonus to this recipe is it makes 18 oatmeal cups. Trust me, a dozen is never enough for our crew. We are also able to package some up and give them to others.

Yield: 18

Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cups

Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cups

These plant-based Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cups are not only delicious, they are also beautiful.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 6 Tablespoons water
  • 3/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup dried fruit (I use a cranberry, golden raisin and cherry mix)
  • 1/4 cup dried fruit (for topping)
  • 2 Tablespoon raw pepitas (divided)
  • 2 Tablespoon hemp seeds (divided)
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cup plant-based milk (we use rice milk)

Instructions

  1. Make flax eggs by combining ground flax seed and water in a small bowl. Stir well then set aside.
  2. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
  3. In a big bowl, add applesauce, vanilla, salt, maple syrup, pumpkin spice seasoning together and stir well.
  4. Next, add baking soda, 1 cup of the dried fruit, have the hemp seeds and half the raw pepitas, and all the walnuts. Stir well.
  5. Add the oats, flax seed mixture, plant-based milk and stir well. I like to let this sit for 5-10 minutes so the oats absorb the liquid.
  6. Scoop the mixture into a muffin pan. My muffin pan is nonstick. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup. The muffin cups will rise slightly. If things tend to stick in your pan, use a little cooking spray.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining dried fruit and seeds on top of the muffin cup. (If you forgot and added it all inside that is ok too. You can add a little more on top if you want).
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The oatmeal cups will be golden brown.

Notes

Store muffin cups in the refrigerator in an air tight container for about a week.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Raw Shelled Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds/Pepitas
    Raw Shelled Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds/Pepitas
  • Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts 
    Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts 
  • Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend 
    Trader Joe's Golden Berry Blend 
  • Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
    Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Breakfast

Substitutions

This versatile recipe works with a lot of substitutions.

  • If you don’t have applesauce you can used mashed bananas. See more tips here.
  • Can’t have nuts, you can skip them all together.
  • Can’t have seeds? The flax seeds work as a binder so you could try an egg replacer. I think it would work fine if you skipped it.
  • Can’t have oats? We are working on some variations using other grains because my husband can’t have oats.
  • Don’t have this dried fruit mix? You can use other dried fruit like raisins or dried cherries. I haven’t tried dried tropical fruit yet.
  • No maple syrup? You can use another sweetener like date paste or agave. You could also use sugar.
  • Want to use less sweetener? Go for it. The applesauce and dried fruit provide some sweetener already.
Vegan Oatmeal Cups

Our family LOVES this oatmeal cups recipe! If you make these I’d love to hear what you think!

Filed Under: Bread & Muffin Recipes, Breakfast, Dessert, Holiday Cooking, Recipes Tagged With: Breakfast, Dessert, Oatmeal, plantbased, snack, Vegan

Cooking and Reheating Potatoes

November 23, 2020 by Holly Leave a Comment

We love potatoes! I’ve always loved potatoes but after transitioning to a plant-based diet, my love of potatoes has grown. Often, I’ll cook potatoes on the weekend to eat all week long. Through trial and error, I’ve discovered my favorite ways to cook and reheat potatoes.

The cooking and reheating method will vary based on the type of potato. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites.

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

I normally cook russets in my Instant Pot for “Baked” potatoes. I know they aren’t technically baked, but I don’t care. I don’t want to tie up my oven when my Instant Pot cooks potatoes so quickly and easily.

Just scrub your potatoes, I like to pierce them with a fork if I remember but I don’t usually remember. I put them on a wire rack in my Instant Pot with one cup of water. Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and set the time for 14 minutes. If you are making big potatoes then set it for 16-20 minutes. The size of the potatoes makes a big difference. Once done, let the pressure come down naturally for at least 20 minutes. I prefer to wait an hour before eating them, especially if they are really big.

If you aren’t sure how long to cook your potatoes just guess. Here is some unofficial guidance. If you can hold two potatoes in one hand then 14 minutes will work. If you can’t, then go with 16 minutes. If you are cooking a giant potato that is as big as your face, go with 20 minutes.

To store the potatoes, after they are cooled off, I’ll put them in a zip lock bag or air tight container and store them in the fridge.

Reheating Baked Potatoes

When I’m ready to use them, I usually chop them up (at least in half but often in fourth’s so they look like 4 long wedges). This works best when I have good toppings to use like chili, beans, or some other moist food. I don’t use butter or Earth Balance or vegan cheese but those may work. If I don’t have any moist toppings I will heat them in the microwave (covered) for 2 minutes, then sprinkle on Everything Bagel seasoning.

Often I’ll dice up the leftover potato and add it to a bowl of soup. I reheat in the microwave for a minute or two. Our microwave takes 2 minutes to get food really hot, especially if it’s straight out of the fridge. This is a great way to make brothy soups even more filling.

You could also reheat in the Instant Pot or oven. If reheating in the Instant Pot, you’ll want put the potatoes on the wire rack, add one cup of water, and cook for 5 minutes for big potatoes. If the potatoes are small, 3-4 minutes would work.

If you want to reheat in the oven, I recommend baking at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Fries, Baked Potato Wedges and Roasted Potatoes

We rarely reheat these because they just aren’t as good as fresh. If we do, we heat the oven to 400 degrees, cook them for 10 to 15 minutes, sometimes we will then cook them under the broiler for a few minutes. These are the hardest to reheat.

Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes

We have two main ways we cook sweet potatoes. If we cook them whole it’s usually in the Instant Pot. Yes, it easy to cook them in the oven but I prefer cooking whole, baked sweet potatoes (and yams) in the Instant Pot.

To cook whole sweet potatoes (or yams) in the Instant Pot, just scrub them. Put the wire rack in the Instant Pot and place the sweet potatoes on top. Add one cup of water. Cook on Manual (new IP’s have a Pressure Cook button) for 14 minutes. If you have exceptionally large sweet potatoes you will want to add about 5 minutes to that time. Once done, let the pressure come down naturally. I like to let them sit for about an hour before eating.

Cooking sweet potatoes whole in the Instant Pot is best way to cook them when you want to make a Sweet Potato Casserole for Thanksgiving!

Once cooled, we store them in the fridge, uncovered (just on a plate or bowl with skin still on). When it’s time to reheat we cut them in half , cover them, and heat in the microwave.

Roasting Sweet Potatoes

The other way we cook them (pretty much weekly) is we peel and dice them into bite sized pieces. Then we bake them at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. We store them in an airtight container and eat them cold or microwave them for 30 seconds to a minute. We eat them as side dishes, or in salads. These reheat really well. 

New Potatoes and Yellow Potatoes

I love to cook new potatoes and yellow (gold) potatoes in the Instant Pot. These are usually small, though I have gotten a few that were really big. They cook quickly but I’ll give them a quick scrub and cook them in my Instant Pot for about 10 minutes on manual. I prefer to let them rest for at least 15 minutes but sometimes I’ll forget them for hours. Oops. They taste creamy and go with everything.

If all your potatoes are small you can cook them less but I inevitably have various sizes. Ten minutes is a good catch all.

I store them uncovered in the fridge but in a zip lock back would work too. Since they are so versatile, I’ll often throw them in soups, salads, or eat them as sides. They are perfect for a quick breakfast too.

Then I cut them in fourth’s (like long wedges) and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Then I top them with Everything Bagel seasoning. These reheat so much better than russets. They stay moist inside and don’t need a moist topping like russets.

Sometimes I’ll cook them in my Instant Pot then make mashed potatoes by adding some rice milk and seasoning like garlic and onion powder. These are really good for a side dish reheated.

What are your favorite methods for cooking and reheating potatoes?

Filed Under: How to, Tips for Plant-Based Living Tagged With: Instant Pot, plant-based diet, Potatoes, Vegan

Instant Pot Recipes for Fall

October 12, 2020 by Holly Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Recipes for Fall

I bought my Instant Pot in 2014 and I still love it. I use it multiple times a week to make everything from breakfasts, side dishes, soups and stews. It seemed like the perfect time to gather a list of some of my favorite Plant-Based Instant Pot recipes for fall.

Instant Pot Recipes for Fall

Instant Pot Recipes for Fall

Add these Instant Pot recipes to your meal plan this fall.

Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Instant Pot Chipotle Black Bean Chili

This delicious plant-based chili recipe is perfect for fall. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, quinoa, and cinnamon all in one dish, you know you are getting something unexpected.

Plant-Based Instant Pot Goulash

Plant-Based Instant Pot Goulash

Plant-Based Instant Pot Goulash is an easy and delicious recipe. Your family will love this hearty comfort food. This is a recipe my readers make weekly!

Instant Pot Chickpea and Rice Soup

Instant Pot Chickpea and Rice Soup

This recipe is warm and comforting. If you grew up on chicken and rice soup, you'll love this plant-based take on that classic.

Instant Pot Lentil Tacos

Instant Pot Lentil Tacos

It's always a good time for tacos! Might as well make it a vegan taco night by making these lentil tacos in the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

This versatile Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole is perfect in a bowl, tortilla or eaten with chips.
Add fresh homemade salsa and avocado to kick it up a notch!

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa is a quick and easy recipe your family will love. Adapt it to your individual preferences.

Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice

This super easy recipe feeds a crowd. It's mild flavor is perfect for kids who don't like spicy foods. Feel free to spice it up for adults.

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Instant Pot Refried Beans

This is my favorite refried bean recipe because I can use it in burritos, nachos or as a side dish for taco night.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Don't forget about breakfast! Breakfast rice is perfect for fall. We make a big portion on the weekend and reheat all week long. Apples and raisins are a family favorite.

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Let's not forget my favorite breakfast, Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats. All the flavor and texture of steel cut oats without having to stand over the stove and stir.

Filed Under: Instant Pot, Tips for Plant-Based Living Tagged With: Instant Pot, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

October 5, 2020 by Holly 2 Comments

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowl

This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl has been living on my personal meal plan for months! We love it! Most often it takes the form of a Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad because I put all the ingredients on top of a giant bowl of greens.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowl

I first shared this recipe during the Next Step Challenge. It’s been a big hit!

The flavor of this salad is my main reason for loving it. We love sweet potatoes and black beans. Corn and tomatoes are always a good choice for me. Add in the avocado and I’m a happy camper! Of course when I can’t find good avocados I’ll use a little packaged guacamole. Then, instead of salad dressing I use salsa!

The next reason is because I feel great after eating it. The potatoes and beans give me a lot of energy and fuel for my day. I get a lot of greens and veggies. Sometimes I even throw some fruit in there, usually berries.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

Batch Cook

To make this easy to throw together on busy week days, we like to batch cook the sweet potatoes on the weekend. You can also cook your beans but I’ve been using canned black beans for ease.

To batch cook the sweet potatoes, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then wash and peel your sweet potatoes, then dice them into bite sized pieces. Bake them for 40 minutes.

This recipe serves about 4. It will depend on how much of all the veggies you use. We like to prepare this for busy week day lunches because we can throw everything together in a few minutes.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 head Romaine (or your favorite greens)
  • 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can Corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Salsa, divided
  • 2 Avocados

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Wash and peel 2 sweet potatoes. Cube them into bite sized pieces and place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle salt on the potatoes and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cook before eating.
  3. Assemble the bowl, starting with a layer of romaine or greens of your choice, add in black beans, cooked sweet potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. Top the bowl with your favorite salsa.

Other additions we enjoy is adding fresh lime, cilantro, fresh jalapeno, sauerkraut (really), and any other veggies that need to be used up.

Yield: 4

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl

This Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowl is incredibly satisfying. You'll get a great variety of veggies in an easy to assemble meal. This vegan meal will leave you full and energized.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 head Romaine (or your favorite greens)
  • 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can Corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Salsa, divided
  • 2 Avocados

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Wash and peel 2 sweet potatoes. Cube them into bite sized pieces and place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle salt on the potatoes and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cook before eating.
  3. Assemble the bowl, starting with a layer of romaine or greens of your choice, add in black beans, cooked sweet potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. Top the bowl with your favorite salsa.

Notes

You can also use fresh lime, cilantro, fresh jalapeno, sauerkraut, and any other veggies that need to be used up.

If you plan to carry this to work, I recommend using cherry tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes.

Save time by batch cooking the potatoes ahead of time.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Recipes

Salads don’t have to be only veggies, adding beans, potatoes and other higher calorie foods like avocados and nuts (if you make them a part of your diet) can help make your salads satisfying and give you the energy you need to conquer your day!

Filed Under: Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Salads & Wraps Tagged With: plant-based diet, salads, Vegan

Plant-Based Taco Bar

August 10, 2020 by Holly Leave a Comment

Plant-Based Taco Bar

Back when we did potlucks, a Taco Bar was always a favorite! It’s easy, everyone can make their own, and almost everyone loves tacos. A Plant-Based Taco Bar is also really versatile because all the ingredients can be mixed and matched! Tacos, burritos, taco salads, choose your own adventure.

Plant-Based Taco Bar

Whether you are feeding a crowd (whenever we get to do that again) or your family, give the Taco Bar a try!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to make it super complicated. You don’t have to have all of these options or toppings. Just in case you need it, I’m giving you permission to simplify this and do the easiest version with ingredients you already have!

Vegan Taco Meat

We choose whole food versions of taco filling. My absolute favorite is my Instant Pot Lentil Taco filling. The stove top version is really good too!

I also have a version that combines Quinoa and Lentils or a version with just quinoa.

Tortillas

Our tortilla choice varies but we usually have corn tortillas for the adults and flour tortillas for the kids. Sometimes we will use lettuce wraps or tortilla chips. We mix and match based on what we are in the mood for and what’s available.

Plant-Based Taco Bar

Taco Toppings

This is where the fun begins. You can use whatever you like but my favorite taco toppings for a Taco Bar include:

  • Lettuce
  • Diced Tomatoes
  • Sliced Jalapenos
  • Corn
  • Pico de Gallo
  • Salsa (red and green)
  • Avocado or Guacamole
  • Black Beans (whole)
  • Pinto Beans (whole)
  • Cilantro
  • Lime

Some people like pickled onions and dairy-free cheese but we aren’t into that. I have used vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt for a little extra tang!

Oil-Free Refried Beans

Side Dishes for a Taco Bar

I don’t think you really need side dishes when it comes to a taco bar but since I love these I’ll mention them. Plus, they go perfectly with tacos!

Mexican Rice is so easy to make. Cook it in the Instant Pot or stove top. Refried Beans are easy too, just a little time consuming to make from dry beans but don’t let that stop you. I actually prefer to follow this recipe for Instant Pot Refried Beans (oil-free of course)!

What are your must have Vegan Taco Bar options? I’d love to hear if you use the same basics or if you have other options we haven’t thought of!

By the way! I just started a Youtube Channel! I’d love it if you would subscribe! Just CLICK HERE to check it out!

Filed Under: Main Dish Recipes, Mexican Food, Recipes, Tips for Plant-Based Living Tagged With: Plant Based Diet, Recipes, Vegan

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

July 24, 2020 by Holly Leave a Comment

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

We’ve been eating my Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole for years. It’s a crowd pleaser. I’ve adapted it and made many different versions. It seems like it’s time to do it again. I’m taking the same flavor and most of the ingredients plus quinoa! It make it even easier, I’m making it in my Instant Pot!

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

This page contains affiliate links.

If you are like me, you probably have a giant bag of quinoa in your pantry. I don’t know why, but in the summer I always gravitate toward quinoa.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is technically a seed but most people treat it like a grain. It should be cooked before eating. Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor.

Quinoa is a great versatile food to add to your rotation. We enjoy it in stir frys instead of rice, in breakfast bowls instead of oats, as a replacement for taco meat, your imagination is the limit.

  • Breakfast Quinoa
  • Quinoa Chickpea Wrap
  • Quinoa Tacos
  • Quinoa Lentil Salad
  • Chickpea Quinoa Stir Fry

Should I Washing Quinoa?

If you are new to quinoa, you will want to rinse your quinoa first. Quinoa is coated in saponin. It’s bitter and will make you think quinoa is gross. If you rinse the quinoa well, we use a fine mesh strainer, you’ll be able to get the saponin off easily.

Many brands of quinoa will prewash it to remove the saponin.

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

I love how versatile this recipe is. I enjoy it hot and cold. Whether I reheat leftovers or serve them cold, I love topping it with my pico de gallo. What can I say, fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro are irresistible.

When I know I need a filling meal on the go, this is one of my top choices.

Yield: 4 servings

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa is a quick and easy recipe your family will love. Adapt it to your individual preferences.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 15 ounce can Black Beans (drained, rinsed)
  • 1 1/4 cups water or veggie broth
  • 1 cup Quinoa (uncooked)
  • 1 cup Diced Tomatoes (from the can, drained)
  • 1 cup Frozen Corn
  • 2 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 Lime, sliced for garnish
  • 2 Avocado (diced)

Instructions

  1. Dump the black beans, water/veggie broth, quinoa, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt into the Instant Pot.
  2. Close the lid and close the pressure valve. Press manual/pressure cooker and cook for 5 minutes on high pressure. Once it is done, release the pressure manually. Remove the lid carefully.
  3. Serve in bowls topped with lime wedges and diced avocado. Fresh pico de gallo is my favorite way to enjoy it.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers in an air tight container. Enjoy for 3-4 days.

You can eat leftovers warm or cold.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo
Category: Instant Pot

Filed Under: Instant Pot, Main Dish Recipes, Mexican Food, Recipes, Side Dishes Tagged With: Instant Pot, plant-based diet, Pressure Cook, Quinoa, Vegan

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