My Plant-Based Family

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

Vegan

Meal Plan Monday: A New Week

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Thank You to all of you who sent me kind words and to those of you who have been praying for my friend Amanda. I am happy to say that is is progressing and we (me, Amanda, her family and friends) are expecting a full recovery. Amanda’s hope is in God and it is Him who is giving her the strength to fight this battle and believe that she will overcome this!

She has progressed so much in a week. She is talking well, she has regained some feeling and use of her left side. She is still working at swallowing. I received a report earlier today that she was not in any pain, and I pray that has continued! She is also 14 weeks pregnant and the baby looks healthy and has a strong heart beat! I wanted to update all of you who have been so supportive this last week. I will try not to mention her here all the time so that I can respect their privacy but she definitely occupies my every thought.

Last Sunday night was one of those moments when your whole world changes. I hope I never lose this perspective of how precious life is and how quickly it can change.

Last week we ate out a few too many times although we are healthy options. Between Chipotle, Subway, Pita Jungle, and drive thru bean burrttios we were pretty well fed. Meals at home were rounded out by bowls of cereal, lots of fruit, Breakfast Stir Fry, oatmeal, quinoa, and baked potatoes. It wasn’t the healthiest week in our household but it wasn’t too bad either.

Meal Plan

Breakfast this week will be oatmeal, Breakfast Quinoa, Cereal, and maybe a Breakfast Stir Fry.

Lunch will be leftovers, pancakes, Baked Potatoes, and veggie wraps.

Snacks will be smoothies, toast with almond butter and apple slices, fruit, and hummus with fresh veggies.

Dinner

Monday: This is Memorial day in the U.S. and also our anniversary so we are going to try a new vegan restaurant.

Tuesday: Grilled Portobello Burgers, Potato Salad, and more veggies.

Wednesday: Quinoa Tacos, with Unfried Black Beans, Fresh salsa and fruit salad. (If there is leftover quinoa and beans I may mix them together to make burgers).

Thursday: Not So Tuna Salad, spinach salad, and fresh fruit.

Friday: Date Night so I usually make something easy for the boys like baked sweet potatoes and fruit while my husband and I have something else.

I know I’m getting off pretty easy in the cooking department this week. Hey, you gotta take it when you can get it right! What about you? Do you have your Plant-Based Meal Plan ready for the week? I’d love to see it!

 

Chocolate No-Bake Bites

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When I want a delicious chocolate treat I reach for these Chocolate No-Bake Bites. They are the perfect summer treat when it is too hot to turn on the oven.

Chocolate No Bake Bites

Years ago, I would make the most delicious chocolate no bake cookies. You know the ones, they have a ton of butter, milk, peanut butter and oats. Yeah, I loved those!

This version is much healthier for you although not necessarily a “health food.”

I almost always have all of the ingredients I need (thanks to my pantry staples). These can also be made allergy-friendly by using gluten-free oats and a peanut butter substitute like SoyNut Butter or SunButter.

Chocolate No-Bake Bites

Chocolate No Bake Bites

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 banana
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter)
  • 1 cup oats (use gluten-free if needed) added ¼ cup at a time.
  • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Step 1 – Mix

Mix together cocoa, agave, and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl. This will take a little while to do but it will come together. Once these 3 ingredients are mixed together they look and taste like Hershey’s syrup that we put on ice cream as a kid, it isn’t quite as sweet but it is close.

Step 2 – Mash

Mash in banana and stir.

Step 3 – Mix in Peanut Butter

Mix in peanut butter, you can add another ¼ cup for a stronger PB taste.

Step 4 – Stir in Oats

Stir in oats, ¼ cup at a time. If your mixture looks to dry don’t use all the oats.

Optional: add in the chocolate chips.

Step 5 – Spoon onto Wax Paper

Spoon onto a wax paper lined plate and place them in the freezer or far away from little hands that might dig in too early. You could smooth them into balls or flatten them into cookie shape if desired.

I store these in the freezer and grab one or two out for an after dinner treat. I left a few on the counter and they did “set up” nicely but not as well as my old-fashioned dairy-filled version that is off-limits. My recipe made about 17 small bite sized cookies.

For more delicious desserts check out my Dessert Page!

Yield: 15 Bites

Chocolate No-Bake Bites

Chocolate No Bake Bites

Chocolate vegan cookies that you don't have to bake!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp Cocoa
  • 2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 banana
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (or other nut or seed butter)
  • 1 cup oats (use gluten-free if needed) added ¼ cup at a time.
  • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  1. Mix together cocoa, agave, and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl. This will take a little while to do but it will come together. Once these 3 ingredients are mixed together they look and taste like Hershey's syrup that we put on ice cream as a kid, it isn't quite as sweet but it is close.
  2. Mash in banana and stir.
  3. Mix in peanut butter, you can add another ¼ cup for a stronger PB taste.
  4. Stir in oats, ¼ cup at a time. If your mixture looks to dry don't use all the oats.
  5. Optional: add in the chocolate chips.
  6. Spoon onto a wax paper lined plate and place them in the freezer or far away from little hands that might dig in too early. You could smooth them into balls or flatten them into cookie shape if desired.

Notes

Store in freezer

Did you make this recipe?

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

© Heather Mayes

Meal Plan Monday: Wanna Help

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I hope you had a great Mother’s Day weekend. One of the highlight’s of the weekend was the Virtual Vegan Potluck, over 60 bloggers shared recipes. If you have some time stop by the potluck. If you’re interested in seeing my contribution check out these Gluten-Free Apple Muffins.  

Every Monday I post a Meal Plan for the week. Sometimes I stick to it and other times not so much. I occasionally get stuck in a rut and make the same meals over and over. As the temperatures increase here in Arizona I find myself wanting to cook less and less. Does this happen to the rest of you?

Some of my quick and easy (I don’t want to cook anything) meals contained wheat/gluten and I’m trying to stay away from those now. Last week I shared on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page how my son’s eczema had almost completely cleared up when we were both gluten-free but started coming back when I would have wheat products (I’m still nursing him). 

The goal of my blog is to chronicle our journey eating a Plant-Based Diet and to do it inexpensively. That means paying $6 for a tiny loaf of gluten-free bread is not something that can be done often. Since we are relatively new to gluten-free eating I occasionally buy convenience items that are on sale, at least until I learn how to make substitutes. 

So here it is Monday and I need to come of with a Meal Plan, and I started thinking that maybe someone else would want to help. Do you wanna help? So I’ll share what produce I bought this weekend and you can give me ideas. How does that sound?

Produce

  • Spinach
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Tomatoes
  • Onions
  • Jalapeno Peppers
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper
  • Limes
  • Broccoli
  • Summer Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Potatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Grape Tomatoes
  • Strawberries
  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Honeydew Melon
  • Pear (only 1 left)
  • Oranges
  • Kiwi

I also have a big batch of cooked Pinto Beans and of cooked Quinoa along with big batch of Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus and a small batch of Spicy Hummus. My pantry is stocked with my normal go to items like rice, beans, oatmeal (but not gluten-free), and pasta (that is gluten-free). To see my normal supply click on this post about Resources.

What would you make? I’m having company on Tuesday and promised her Mexican food, she is pregnant and has 3 little one’s. Any suggestions? I’ll be posting on My Plant-Based Family’s Facebook page what we end up eating so follow it if you are curious. I’d love to say you could win a fabulous prize but sadly I don’t have any prizes to give away. But I will give you and your blog a shout out if we make a meal that you recommend! 🙂

Speaking of shout-outs, have you checked out Tia Tofu, when she gets to 500 likes on Facebook she will be giving away cookies! I can’t think of anything better than that. So run over to Tia Tofu’s Facebook page and like her. She is fabulous I promise! 

Plant-Based Kids

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Can you raise your kids plant-based eaters? Is it healthy? Will they get all of the nourishment they need to grow strong and healthy? 

YES!

It is your job as parents to make sure they are eating a healthy diet, even if you choose to include meat or dairy. We all get caught in a rut from time to time but what your child eats or doesn’t eat is solely in your hands. 

The Earlier the Better

The younger your kids are when they begin eating healthy the easier it will be. Kids who have never had fast food, candy, or soda will not throw a fit for it. When I was pregnant with my second child I was a fast food queen; my oldest and I would eat fast food burgers, nuggets, or burritos probably 4 times a week. I cringe now when I think about all of the garbage we ate. I don’t dwell on that, nothing can be done, I simply focus on feeding my kids healthy food now.

Starting today is better than starting tomorrow. As a mom I had bought into the “3 a day” dairy campaign. I was so please that my son LOVED plain yogurt, cheese was another favorite snack. As we transitioned to a plant-based diet I would allow my son to occasionally have a cheese stick. He loved it. I don’t buy them or keep them stocked in the house any more. Don’t tell anyone but he had a grilled cheese last week from Sonic. I don’t feel condemned over this. Every other meal that week was healthy and full of life giving nutrients.

Bigger kids maybe harder to convert. Some friends of mine made the plant-based switch this year. They watched “Forks Over Knives”, “Food Matters”, and “Food Inc.” with their kids. The kids want to eat healthy! They are doing it for their health, animals, and the planet. The son (who is probably about 10) said he missed meat and would eat it again but he is eating healthy now. 

Picky Picky

If you’ve read any parenting books you’ve probably heard it takes something like 15 different attempts of feeding your child a particular food for them to like it. If your kid doesn’t like something don’t give up. Their taste change as they change, and I’ve never known a toddler to not change their mind.

I am not a “sneaky chef” but I’m not completely against it either. Some kids don’t like the texture of a particular veggie. If you puree it and add it to another dish they may begin to love the taste, then give the veggie a chance. 

My 3 year old was never a fan of carrots until he saw Mommy eating carrots and hummus. Now he will abandon whatever he is doing and come running for “carrots and dip”. 

PB&J and Beyond

If your kids eat lunch with other kids they are gonna want to eat what their friends have. Ask your kids what kind of food they want. If they are happy with a sandwich, fruit, and a drink then hey it’s not junk and they could do much worse. 

When my(big) kids were in elementary school I made a chart to help them prepare their lunches. The columns were Main Dish, Fruit or Veggie, Snack, Dessert, and Drink. Each column then had foods that were acceptable. Once they got to junior high it wasn’t cook to be seen with a lunch so they would usually take a sandwich and a granola bar. I’m convinced this was still healthier than anything they would have eaten at school. The choices there were pizza, nacho bar, fried fish sandwich, and the like.

Meal Ideas

Here is a partial list of food I feed my kids. 

  • Baked Sweet Potatoes, you can even add cinnamon or a few drops of maple syrup. My boys eat them plain.
  • Baked Potato, my 3  year old always wants ketchup.
  • Almond or Peanut butter sandwiches
  • Apples or bananas dipped in almond butter
  • Almond butter toast
  • Steamed Veggies, my 1 year old does best with these, broccoli, squash, mushrooms, carrots, etc.
  • Pasta with veggies and sauce
  • Beans, my 1 year old loves whole beans, the 3 year old likes them smashed.
  • Rice with veggie and sauce
  • Bean burrito, the 1 year old can’t handle burritos yet but he loves beans.
  • Bean/grain loaf, the 1  year old loves any variation of this.
  • Oatmeal
  • Breakfast Quinoa
  • Bagel Pizza’s, for the 3 year old
  • Pancakes
  • Breakfast Stir Fry
  • Nachos with faux cheese, guacamole, salsa, beans, and taco quinoa!
  • Fresh Fruit, apples, bananas, strawberries, pineapples, mangoi
  • Frozen fruit, my 1 year old LOVES frozen blueberries, especially when teething.
  • Smoothies, you can add kale, spinach, or a host of other healthy foods.

This is only a partial list, please add your favorite Plant-Based kids meals (or snacks) in the comments. 

Tips

When in doubt add a dip. Hummus, Unfried Beans, salsa, guacamole, nut butter, faux cheese sauce, ketchup or even a non-dairy yogurt can make a difference. Give it a fun and special name like Hippo Hummus. 

If a dip is not fitting add a sauce. Last night we had gluten free noodles and steamed veggies (squash, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, onions, mushrooms and spinach). I knew the 1 year old would eat it but the 3 year old and my husband would need a sauce to be completely won over. As usual I didn’t measure but mixed about 1 cup of veggie broth, less than 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast,  less than 1 tbsp of rice flour, a few shakes of garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper and a squirt of Braggs Amino’s. I stirred the mixture on medium heat until it thickened then poured it over the veggies and noodles. It was very taste. Everyone except the 3 year old had seconds. 

Do you have a tip to share? Please do so in the comments!

A quick note, I am not a doctor and I have never played one on TV. My opinions are just that, opinions based on my experience, research and the teaching I’ve received. I’m happy to answer questions or give advice just know that I am not an expert. 

Resources

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Do you eat a plant-based or vegan diet? Most of the people I’ve met only considered it because they were sick. That was me, sick and desperate for help. Thankful a friend introduced me to Eileen, a Whole Food Educator who taught me about how food is directly related to our health. To learn more about my story click here.

When I first started looking for resources I really didn’t know enough to tell the difference in the good verses the bad information. I got frustrated looking for recipes that were full of processed, food like substances. I don’t know how many recipes I saw that had white flour, white sugar and oil but the cup full. Eeewww! That was not for me.

The Wellness Forum

Thankfully Eileen introduced me to the Wellness Forum. The Wellness Forum is headed by Dr. Pam Popper and has been providing health-giving education and resources for 15 years. When I became a member I was sent a book and dvd’s that taught me almost everything you need to know about making the switch to a plant-based diet, including all of the reasons to make the switch. I also get newsletters, weekly conference calls and many other opportunities to ask questions. It was definitely worth the price. I just called the Wellness Forum and the member ship price is now $77 for a 1 year membership. So if you are just getting started this is perfect for you.

Other Docs

There is a growing number of doctor’s who now prescribe a Plant-Based diet. Here is a list of a few of them. Feel free to list others in the comments.

Dr. T. Colin Campbell

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn

Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Dr. John A McDougall

Blogs

Who doesn’t love reading blogs? I am a fan of so many.

You simply must check out An Unrefined Vegan. She uses the same type of ingredients that I do but her food looks so much better and more creative. When I refer to her blog I say, “my friends blog” even though we have never met because she feels like a friend. She has a wonderful writing style too.

Fat Free Vegan has ton’s of healthy vegan recipes. Another favorite is the Happy Herbivore, if you’ve read my blog you know I cook a lot from her cookbooks and recommend them wholeheartedly. I also love her Herbie of the Week segment. Each week she recognizes someone who has made the switch to a plant-based diet and drastically improved their health.

There are others but these are my go-to blogs when I need an meal idea and are most closely in line with my dietary guidelines. What are your favorite whole food, plant-based blogs or websites. Feel free to list your own. 

A last list of a few more favorites are In Pursuit of More, Veggie Grettie, and Kid Tested Firefighter Approved. Also check out the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine headed by Dr. Neal D. Barnard.

Who am I missing?

Meal Plan Monday: Feeling Good

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I am in a super good mood this morning! I’m so happy that it might be annoying if you were around me, I am feeling good! Part of the reason may be that I finally feel like I am back to normal from our trip, (I’m almost done whining about the trip, well maybe) it sure took a toll. I am still finding myself drinking a little too much caffeine, but too much for me is still less average for the normal person. 🙂 

The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about with us in our minds wherever we go. –Martha Washington

Last week I made my fist attempt at gluten-free vegan baking getting ready for the Virtual Vegan Potluck on May 12th. I’m happy to say it turned out pretty good and I’m planning to try another recipe in the next day or two.  

Meal Plan

Breakfast will be Breakfast Rice (like Breakfast Quinoa but made with brown rice), Fruit and Nut Butter toast, oatmeal, and leftover gluten-free pancakes.

Lunch will be leftovers, spinach and veggie wraps, sandwiches and whatever else we get a hankering for.

Snacks are usually fruit, smoothies, veggies with hummus or gluten-free banana-blueberry bread.

Dinner

Monday: Hawaiian Chickpea Teriyaki from Lindsey at the Happy Herbivore.

Tuesday: Gluten-free pasta with steamed veggies, and sauce

Wednesday: International Quinoa Salad from Susan at Fat-Free Vegan.

Thursday: Black Bean Burgers or nuggets for the kids, potatoes, and avocado. 

Friday: Leftovers or something easy for the munchkins. 

Saturday is the Virtual Vegan Potluck! Make sure you visit and checkout delicious vegan recipes from all over the world!