My Plant-Based Family

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

Vegan

Summer Plant-Based Meal Plan and Shopping List

by Leave a Comment

I just got back from two weeks of travel! We are home and ready to eat home cooking. However the last thing I want to do is cook every day. Instead, I’ll choose a few recipes from my Summer Plant-Based Meal Plan.

Summer meal plan that is plant-based with gluten-free options. Includes shopping list and recipes in a download.

This plant-based meal plan has some of my favorite recipes.

Summer Meal Plan

I created this meal plan last year as a gift to people on my email list. I don’t want anyone to miss out on it though so I’m giving everyone a chance to sign up and get it today!

This Summer Meal Plan is so big, and so full of great info! It’s an 8 page PDF that includes the 5 day dinner meal plan, a shopping list and recipes. When printing you can skip the first page to save ink. 

You can get this for FREE when you sign up for my newsletter.

I send out a weekly email full of plant-based tips every Saturday morning.

Sign up today!

Are you curious about what is in the meal plan?

This meal plan uses basic ingredients you normally see in my recipes plus a few fun summer additions like pineapple and mango!

You’ll find:

  • Salads
  • Pasta
  • Burritos
  • Stir Fry
  • Veggie Burgers

When you sign up you’ll be sent a confirmation email. Once you confirm your email address I’ll send you a link to download the meal plan.

Don’t miss out on this FREE Summer Meal Plan! This meal plan also works great for people with food allergies. There is a gluten-free option listed for any gluten used and there are no nuts used either.

 If you are looking for some new and delicious plant-based recipes, give this meal plan a try. The shopping list and recipes will make your week so much easier!

Plant-Based on a Budget Meal Plan

by 4 Comments

You probably know of my love of meal plans. I have 5+ years of meal plans archived but sometimes it’s fun to see how other people do meal plans.

Toni from Plant-Based on a Budget collaborated with Michelle with World of Vegan to create a couple of weekly meal plans that I think you’ll enjoy!

Plant-Based on a Budget Meal Plan

This page contains affiliate links.

I’ll be traveling this week so instead of creating a new meal plan, I thought I’d give you the opportunity to discover Toni and Michelle’s new meal plans!

Plant-Based on a Budget Meal Plans

They have two weeks available and each plan comes with a 7-day meal plan, shopping list, and recipes! Each meal plan is designed to feed one person breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 7 days. This is perfect for singles or couples who don’t want to make huge meals that last for days.

Their meal plans have a focus on being inexpensive. Some users say they spend as little as $25 per week on food! That is so cheap!

If you need to substitute some ingredients to make the meal plan gluten-free, it will probably cost a little more but still very affordable.

Learn more about their meal plans or try them for yourself! It’s only $5 for a meal plan!

If you are new to plant-based eating or super busy and don’t have a lot of time to plan your meals, give the Plant-Based on a Budget Meal Plan a chance to make your life easier!

If you give it a try come back and let me know what you think! I definitely plan to try it when I get back.

If you want to see what I’m up to on my travels be sure to follow me on Instagram!

Air Fryer Cheesy Potatoes

by 18 Comments

I’m not a gadget person. Don’t get me wrong, I love tech that makes my life easier but when it comes to kitchen stuff, I don’t rush out to get every new shiny object that comes around. I’ve been in love with my Instant Pot for years but the thing that has my attention recently is my air fryer. The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors This page contains affiliate links. I also received a free copy of this book for review but I had already pre-ordered my copy.

Cooking with an Air Fryer

The air fryer is the latest craze in kitchen appliances and with good reason. It’s like having a mini convection oven on our counter top.

The beauty of the air fryer is its ability to cook foods and make them crispy, without using oil. For those of us in the whole food, plant-based, no oil camp, the air fryer is like a long awaited miracle. Fries without guilt!

I was so excited to get my air fryer months ago. I thought I’d be able to pick it up as easily as I did the Instant Pot but I struggled. In fact, I had a lot of fails in the beginning. I knew I had to go to the experts. I asked friends and many of you on Facebook who the undisputed air fryer guru was and everyone mentioned JL Fields.

I already had JL’s pressure cooking book so I was really excited to see she had a new air fryer book coming out. I preordered The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors from Amazon so I could get it as soon as possible. It’s out now so you don’t have to wait!

The book is filled with so much helpful information about how to use the air fryer and of course, delicious recipes. I was given permission to share one of the recipes with you! The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors

From the Vegan Air Fryer, ©2017 by JL Fields. Used by permission. Photo by Michelle Donner.

Cheesy Potato Wedges

Try these potato wedges if you love potato skins but want that potato, too. This is a great side dish and also a fun recipe to make for game day!

Potatoes

  • 1 pound fingerling potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil (you can exclude this if you don’t’ eat oil)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Cheese Sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup water

Potatoes

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Wash the potatoes. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the oil (if using), salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the potatoes. Toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to the air fryer. Cook for 16 minutes, shaking halfway through the cooking time.

Cheese Sauce

Combine the cashews, turmeric, paprika, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in a high-speed blender. Blend on low, slowly increasing the speed and adding water as needed. Be careful to avoid using too much water, as you want a thick, cheesy consistency. Transfer the cooked potatoes to an air fryer-safe pan or a piece of parchment paper. Drizzle the cheese sauce over the potato wedges. Place the pan in the air fryer and cook for 2 more minutes at 400°F. You can win a copy of The Vegan Air Fryer: The Healthier Way to Enjoy Deep-Fried Flavors! One winner will be selected to receive a copy of this cookbook. U.S. residents only.

UPDATE: Congrats to our winner Wendy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simply Summer Meal Plan

by 2 Comments

Does your summer schedule include a lot of cooking? My meal plan includes Instant Pot recipes and leftovers. Don’t worry, this meal plan will include non-pressure cooker recipes too. We take advantage of leftovers (My friend Anne calls them planned-overs) during the summer to avoid heating up the kitchen.

I also try to make do without extra trips to the store so when the fridge gets bare I’ll open a can of beans and enjoy them with salsa. That is pretty much my favorite meal and I have it for lunch most of the time if leftovers aren’t available.

This meal plan is perfect for summer! It's full of easy recipes that will free up your extra time for family fun.

Sometime else I’ve really been enjoying lately is connecting with so many of you who have taken the FREE 7 Day Plant-Based ecourse. If you haven’t taken it yet you definitely need to sign up! It’s perfect for people who are brand new to plant-based eating and aren’t sure what to do.

Another way to connect is in the My Plant-Based Family Facebook group.

The boys are in summer programs since we work full time so summer is busier than the school year. I’ll try to keep it simple with easy meals when possible, especially in the mornings. We do a lot of oatmeal, bagels, and fruit for breakfast. Take a look at our dinner meal plan!

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday

Tostadas with Mexican Rice

Tuesday

Baked Potatoes made in the Instant Pot (but you can cook them in the Crock Pot) with steamed broccoli and my easy Brown Gravy.

Wednesday

Mango Black Bean Salad and the boys will probably have a variation of this in taco or tostada form.

Thursday

Busy Night Pasta, I make this in the Instant Pot but you could do it stove top.

Friday

Veggie Wrap with Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus! The hummus is the star!

Treats

I’m also making frozen treats! We live in Arizona and it will be 120 degrees this week! I kid you not! That requires a lot of frozen treats!

I take a little break from meal planning in the summer. If you’ve been missing these meal plans be sure to check out my free Summer Meal Plan download. It features batch cooking to free up your nights so you can have more fun with the family. We spend our extra time in the pool, riding bikes and playing catch.

What have you been cooking this summer?

Weekly Plant-Based Meal Plan

by 5 Comments

The last few weeks of May are always crazy! Graduations, the end of school, my anniversary…so much to look forward too. With so much activity, a weekly plant-based meal plan can help you stay on track with healthy eating.

I’ll be focused on keeping our meals simple over the next few weeks. We have a ton of travel planned so these meal plans will be irregular. My weekly Saturday morning emails will continue right on schedule. If you don’t get these yet you will want to sign up. Every week you get plant-based tips delivered to your inbox. They are always a quick and easy read.

This weekly Plant-Based Meal Plan is perfect for busy families. It contains easy and delicious recipes that vegans and omnivores will love!

I will be utilizing my Instant Pot and my favorite easy recipes this month! If you got an Instant Pot for Mother’s Day, be sure to check out my IP recipe page! If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, see the 10 reasons I bought an Instant Pot!

Weekly Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday

Overnight Oats

Baked Potatoes

Chickpea and Rice Soup (in the Instant Pot)

Tuesday

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal with diced apples

leftover soup and veggie sandwiches

Veggie Pad Thai

Wednesday

“Baked” Sweet Potatoes made in the Instant Pot

Lentil Quinoa Salad (rice can be used instead of quinoa if you have it leftover)

Mexican Casserole (I have stove top, oven, Crock Pot and Instant Pot versions)

Thursday

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Burritos with leftovers

Dirty Mashed Potatoes (or Baked Potatoes), steamed veggies and Creamy Brown Gravy

Friday

Banana Nut Oatmeal

leftovers

Breakfast for dinner, pancakes, Breakfast Hash and fruit salad

With all of our travel coming up, I’m brainstorming things that will travel well. The World’s Best Banana Bread is at the top of my list! I’ll make it without chocolate chips for travel.

I’ll be able to pack food for driving trips but flying trips make it more difficult. I’ve got a few ideas but I’d love to hear yours! What is your favorite travel food!

April 17, 2017 Plant-Based Meal Plan

by Leave a Comment

Did you stay on track last week? Either way, use this plant-based meal plan to keep you moving in the right direction.

If you have a house full of Easter treats I recommend you get rid of them as soon as possible. If you are surrounded by junk food it will be harder to eat healthy.  If you get my Saturday morning emails you’ve already been encouraged to toss the junk. If not, sign up to get plant-based tips emailed to you each week.

This Plant-Based Meal plan has several tex-mex recipes and other family favorites. All completely vegan!

This page contains affiliate links.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Veggie Sandwich

Taco Salad

Tuesday

Banana Nut Oatmeal

Leftover Taco Salad

Dirty Mashed Potatoes, Brown Gravy and veggies

Wednesday

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Quinoa Lentil Salad

Lentil Tacos, Mexican Rice, and Black Beans

Thursday

Breakfast Hash with muffins and fruit

Bean and Rice Burritos

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Friday

Overnight Oats

Baked Potatoes and veggies

Broccoli and Mushroom Stir Fry

I recently ordered an EZ Tofu Press so I can experiment with some tofu recipes. My boys love tofu but I rarely make it. I want to try cooking tofu in my Air Fryer.

Last week I made a tofu scramble in my Instant Pot and we loved it! I also experimented with Jack Fruit. We aren’t complete sold yet but I’ll try it again soon.

Have you tried anything new recently?