My Plant-Based Family

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

Vegan

Meal Plan Monday: Calling All Bloggers

by Leave a Comment

Attention, Attention, Calling All Bloggers!

I want to feature your Meal Plan on Meal Plan Monday during the month of July.

Who Can Participate

Anyone can submit a Meal Plan but preference will be given to people with blogs, websites, etc. You do not have to be 100% plant-based/vegan to submit a Meal Plan but the Meal plan must be. Additionally if your blog/website doesn’t portray an plant-based/vegan lifestyle you will not be selected. For example, you can have a photography, faith, knitting, finance, etc. blog that is acceptable but if you typically have pictures of meat or lifestyle choices that are harmful to animal you will not be considered.

What to Send

Email me your Meal Plan with links to recipes (from your blog or elsewhere) along with a few pictures, including a picture of yourself. Please include a brief biography and links to your blog, website, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Mention how many people you cook for, if cooking for children include their ages, and list any food restrictions.

It isn’t necessary that each day is completely planned out but your Meal Plan must include at least 4 separate breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; planning leftovers is acceptable. Here are a couple of examples of Meal Plans, here and here; but your Meal Plan can be different.

When

Meal Plan will be featured during the month of July. All submissions should be made by Sunday, June 30th, however the sooner the better.

How

You can submit your Meal Plan in the form below or send me an email with all of your information.

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

If I receive a lot of questions I’ll update this post answering them!

Update: I’m no longer accepting submissions! If a spot opens up and someone is not able to participate I’ll mention it on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page!

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

by 6 Comments

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?

Easiest Plant Based Taco Salad

by 10 Comments

Give the traditional taco salad a vibrant, plant based taco salad makeover! Not only is it visually appealing, but it also combines a variety of textures and flavors that make it a favorite among the whole family.

You probably have everything you need to throw this salad together on a busy weeknight. It has versatile flavors that are easy to swap out for individual preferences and dietary needs. This also makes it a great option for meal prep, allowing you to create a unique salad each time.

Meal Prep Friendly

To make meal prep easier, consider batch-cooking quinoa and beans ahead of time. You can chop vegetables and store them separately to keep them fresh. When you’re ready to eat, simply toss everything together with your dressing for a quick and nutritious meal. This not only saves time but also encourages healthy eating habits throughout the week.

A Balanced Meal

A plant-based taco salad with quinoa is not only a feast for the eyes but also a balanced meal that can help you feel satisfied and energized. It provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats, making it an ideal choice for lunch or dinner. The combination of high-fiber ingredients keeps you feeling fuller for longer, making it less likely that you’ll reach for unhealthy snacks later.

Family-Friendly

This plant-based taco salad is also a great option for families. Kids often love the colorful presentation and the opportunity to build their own salads. Allowing children to customize their meals encourages them to try new ingredients and develop healthy eating habits. You can set up a salad bar with various toppings and dressings, making mealtime interactive and fun.

How to Make 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)

Instructions

Step 1 – Layer Ingredients

Layer all ingredients into a large bowl (I use a serving bowl for me) except the tortillas/chips.

Step 2 – Toss

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.

Step 3 – 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.

More Plant Based Salads

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these salad ideas too:

Plant Based Taco Salad

Plant Based Taco Salad

Savor a delicious plant-based taco salad packed with fresh veggies and quinoa. The vibrant meal tastes as good as it looks!.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

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)

Instructions

  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.
  3. *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.
  4. Serve.

Notes

If you are traveling with this for a potluck add the salsa, avocado and lime juice just before serving.

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Holly Yzquierdo

Meal Plan Monday: Less Packaged Food

by 11 Comments

Do you ever fall in the packaged food rut? We are there.

Ever since we discovered my son’s allergies I’ve been relying on packed food for often. BA (before allergies) we ate a lot of beans, grains, fruit, and veggies with a constant supply of nuts and nut butters. We cut out all beans since he showed some intolerance to those tested but are hoping to reintroduce soon. We also had to remove several grains, some veggies and fruit and all nuts. That leaves me a bit perplexed but my son is feeling so much better and his skin is looking and feeling great. He has had a few cross-contamination episodes that have caused flare ups but I really want to establish and healthy baseline so I can accurately gauge the effect of foods we reintroduce.

I’ve been attempting sun butter sandwiches with gluten-free bread but he will only take a few bites. Sometimes he will tolerate the bread but never the sun butter. I’ve tried a few different brands to no avail. He will occasionally eat sun flower seed kernels.

He loves GF noodles and will happily eat them anytime they are served. I’ve never liked serving my family a lot of pasta but it is an easy food for a 2 year old.

I’ve also been giving my kids unsweetened applesauce, mostly to get them to take their probiotic (it’s a powder that needs to be mixed in something). I also load it with chia seeds and hemp seeds.

I don’t consider any of those too bad, my only concern is they take up a large portion of their calories instead of whole food. My biggest concern is the large number of products like fruit strips, GF cereal and cereal bars I’m now buying.

I’m hoping to move away from those easy convenience foods and back to whole foods, while also avoiding those foods my son has an intolerance too. If you have tips or suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments. You can see the full list of the foods my son is avoiding here.

Salad and GF Pasta

Meal Plan

Breakfast

  • Overnight Oats (for me)
  • Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • GF Muffins
  • Toast with fruit and sun butter
  • GF Cereal

Lunch

  • Veggie Stuffed Pita
  • Veggie and Hummus Sandwich or Wraps
  • Garden Salad
  • Baked Potatoes with Steamed Greens
  • Leftovers

Snack

  • Veggies and hummus
  • fruit
  • smoothies
  • Chips and avocado
  • applesauce with seeds

Dinner

I’m trying to add more greens to my meals. We have 3-4 meetings this week in the evening so I may not be cooking much but I’ll have a plan on the days I can.

Have you taken a Meal Planning break this summer? I’m always tempted too and I may from time to time but I always do better with a plan.

 

 

Meal Plan Monday: Slow Cooker Time

by 4 Comments

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?

 

Peachy Keen Oatmeal

by 4 Comments

Last week we had a little vote on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page. This recipe was the runner-up but I know many of you have been patiently waiting for it.

On a side note, my husband and I just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary!

Peachy Keen Oatmeal

Are you in a breakfast rut? Allow me to help you out with this delicious breakfast treat.

I was able to get a few dozen white peaches from the discounted produce section and I’ve been enjoying them ever since. You could use yellow peaches instead of white if you’d like.

Peachy Keen Oatmeal

Ingredients

  • Gluten-free or regular rolled oats (read the package to make the appropriate amount for your family)
  • 1 to 2 peaches per person ( just made a large batch of about 10)
  • maple syrup (optional)
  • cinnamon (optional)
  • walnuts or chia seeds (optional)

Do

  1. Peel and slice peaches; cook them on the stove (using medium heat) in a small sauce pan with peaches barely covered in water.
  2. Once peaches are soft whiz half of them in a blender or food processor. Set the rest of the cooked, sliced peaches aside.
  3. Cook oats according to package directions, you can use the leftover peach “water” if you’d like.
  4. After oatmeal is made spoon into bowls, adding puréed peaches and some peach chunks.
  5. Top with optional maple syrup, cinnamon, or walnuts.

Serve

The peaches can turn plain oatmeal into an incredible treat. I’ve also served peaches prepared this way on top of pancakes; it reminded me of homemade peach cobbler. I plan to try it with quinoa next.

Have you tried oatmeal with peaches? Once peach season arrives I plan to have peaches for breakfast, lunch and dinner!