What's the best way to eat while pregnant? Do the best you can.
Plant-based Pregnancy
Reversing Diabetes With Beans
If you don’t start to make changes your diabetes can and will get worse. Untreated (and sometimes treated) diabetes can lead to terrifying complications like limb amputations, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage, etc. This is far scarier then changing your lifestyle! Many physicians and dietitians agree, we can stop this! We can change our society, change our habits, and change our health!
Plant-Based 101
It's not about quick fixes or what works for the next 2 weeks. Think about your entire life! Think about what is sustainable. You can easily lose weight on any diet program, but odds are not usually in your favor for keeping the weight off...
How to be Plant-Based
Do the best you can. Some of us will be 100% all of the time. Some of us won't. Some of us shouldn't be 100% all of the time because that could lead to eating disorders or familial issues. Each person is different. Each story is different. Remember that life happens and life is meant to be lived.
Simple 3-day Meal Plan
Why only 3 days? Because while your already in the kitchen cooking one meal why not double the recipe and have a second meal ready to go for another day? This means less time buying groceries, less time cooking, less time cleaning...
Lentil Haystacks
I was first introduced to Lentil Haystacks while living in Michigan. There is this terrific woman named Betty who made this meal for her family every Friday evening while her kids were growing up. I thought the concept was a bit weird at first, but after one bite I immediately loved it. My version is a bit different then hers. Instead of ranch dressing you use hummus on your toasted bread. Instead of cheese you sprinkle sunflower seeds over the top. You will also enjoy the extra crunch of added cabbage to get some cruciferous vegetables in your meal! Overall it is a delightful meal full of crunchy, creamy, tangy, and meaty (from the lentils) textures in your mouth! What are you waiting for?
Potato Zoodle Bean Salad
White Bean Alfredo Zoodle Bowl
Like I said in my last Zoodle post, my friend Arnetta gave me a spirilizer and I have to say that it's just so much fun! With it I've made Pad Thai (recipe below), Potato-Zoodle Salad (recipe coming soon), Hummus Zoodles, and the Alfredo recipe for today. I'm planning on eating zoodles with marinara sauce and cashew parmesan, throwing them in soups, and maybe even a zoodle casserole in the future! I'm not sure why I didn't buy myself this little device years ago, but I'm so glad my friend gave me one. So either get yourself a spirilizer or just get yourself an Arnetta! 😉 Zoodles forever!
Fiesta Potato Stacks
Potatoes, Beans, Vegetables, and a really good sauce.
Chili-Hummus Baked Potato
I am SO grateful that complex carbohydrates are REALLY REALLY REALLY good for us! Don't be scared of carbs! The reason there's so much confusion is that there's more then one type of carbohydrate! Simple carbohydrates (cookies, cakes, breads, crackers, candy, etc.) have a lot of calories and fat but little to no fiber to help us stay full which means we get hungrier faster even though we may have eaten a lot of calories already. Complex carbohydrates (beans, oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes, corn, quinoa, etc.)...
Breakfast Tacos
These Breakfast Tacos are definitely culturally confused what with using Fiesta Scrambled Tofu, Sweet Potato Fries, sriracha sauce, and sauerkraut!!! The meal sounds a bit crazy, but do you trust me? These tacos are well worth it! Dig out the forgotten contents of your refrigerator and whip up these bad boys for Mother's Day! Tacos up!
Simple Hummus
Everybody loves hummus. That tangy smooth concoction that exists in almost any grocery store in America. Hummus is very procurable and liking it no longer makes you exotic or cultured (unless, of course, you don't like it then you're just the opposite). I'm obsessed with hummus and I feel like I'm pretty good at making it. The only problem is that I make it so flavorful that you enjoy it for one meal and have zero desire to finish the leftovers. I decided I needed to find a plain recipe that was tasty but not so overpowering that you need to brush your teeth 6 times! So, like many people, I went to google. I found a recipes titled Better Then Store Bought Hummus. In my opinion store-bought hummus isn't that good but I figured it was worth a shot! I've made it 3 times in the last 6 days. Does that answer your question? Simple hummus FTW!
Tempeh Fake’n Bacon
...All cultures around the world have their own form of fermented foods that they consume regularly! In Korea they eat kimchi, in Japan they eat miso, Greece has its yogurt, Germans like their sauerkraut, and that's just the beginning.(links for more information below). So start consuming fermented foods (in moderation), it could save your gut. The first fermented food on your list could definitely be, TEMPEH!
Mustard Tahini Kale Salad Bowl
Because mustard makes me happy.
How To: Crockpot Beans
If eating beans causes you stomach distress then it is because you aren’t eating enough beans! Your gut bacteria changes with the foods that you eat so if you regularly consume pizza and ice cream and you aren’t regularly eating beans and broccoli or kale then your gut will be lined with pizza and ice cream bacteria and it won’t like the new bacteria associated with beans and broccoli or kale. This will lead to stomach distress. If you’re having issues with stomach indigestion then it’s probably because you are not eating enough beans and broccoli or kale! Start changing your food slowly and your gut bacteria will transition over to being used to healthy foods and soon enough the beans won’t be the issue any more. Here are 3 tips to help your stomach adjust to beans...
White Bean Alfredo
I made 4 slightly different variations of this recipe before falling in love with the right combination for us. I was telling my sister about this sauce and she said that she wanted to try it, but was going to keep experimenting until she found the recipe her family liked the best. That is the key. You have to find the recipe that works the best for you and your family (and your schedule). I love how fast this recipe is (throw it in the blender and boom you got Alfredo sauce). Blend it long enough and it is hot and ready (no dirty pot necessary) to pour over noodles or vegetables or toast or what have you. This recipe is full of fiber and fiber makes your gut happy. Watch the nutritionfacts.org video (linked in in the post) that talks about how AMAZING beans are for you. Basically one of the best things you could eat. If you want to live longer, eat beans. Ok, lets do it!
Creamy Chipotle Taco Salad (with home made corn tortilla chips)
Using tahini as your dressing instead of mayo or oil adds fiber, protein, iron, calcium, and so much more!
Lemon Tahini Cabbage Bowl with Potatoes and Beans
Adding COMPLEX carbohydrates to you salad helps fill up your belly and keep you full longer then a plain salad could ever do!
Lentil Lasagna with Cashew Parmesan
So much flavor and texture, this is a favorite in our house. Dig in!
Oatmeal Croquettes
Dip these little guys in tartar sauce and you are ON YOU WAY!
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
Roasted Chickpea Tahini Quinoa Bowl
Tahini sauce makes everything better! This bowl has potatoes, beans, quinoa, and veggies. boom.
{Lebanese} Lentil Lemon Soup
Lentil Lemon Soup seems to be a pretty typical Lebanese dish, and it is so filling and tasty I ate it for two meals yesterday!
Oat Burgers
Who doesn't love a GOOD veggie burger? Try these oat burgers on a sandwich or in gravy. Yum yum yummers.
Black Bean Hummus
This dip has all the flavors of traditional hummus with tahini, lemon, garlic, etc. but instead of using a ton of oil use green olives to get extra extra EXTRA virgin olive oil flavor, without the oil!
Vegetable, Bean, and Potato Salad with Avocado Dressing
you can't eat a salad without lettuce, right? silly rabbit, you can!