Vegan Meal Plans

I cannot believe it, but we are almost halfway into the year!  I never know where the time goes.  As a mom, the days are long, but the years are soooo short!!!  Since we are almost at the midway point of the year, I thought it would be a good time to stop and take stock of where we are all at with our food goals.  Have you been flirting with vegan?  Did you take the plunge and go big V cold turkey?  Or are you enjoying adding a few more meatless meals into your weekly menus or monthly repertoire?  Wherever you lie, I hope that this blog has brought you information and inspiration to achieve your goals.

To continue to aid you in your veeg pleasure (or curiosity), I have laid out a few vegan "meal plans" that I think are great.  These links offer recipes and daily menus.  It doesn't get much easier than that! 

21-Day Vegan Kickstart: This is one of my favorites.  I followed many of the meal plans laid out in this three-week plan when I first went vegan.  I have a few favorite recipes that I continue to make today.

Oprah's 3-Week Plan: Kathy Freston, aka The Veganist, has a great plan that she lays out (with even more great ideas in her book).  

PETA's Plan: The organization behind all things animal protection and ethics shares two weeks of meals and recipes, with an additional list of links to get you going vegan.  Great resource.

Vegetarian Times' 4-Week Plan: This plan from one of my favorite magazines for recipes is mostly vegan, (all vegetarian), so you have to omit the cheese here and there, but I love the recipe ideas.

Whole Living 28-Day Action Plan: Whole Living is on the top of my list of favorite magazines when it comes to good living.  This is not a vegan plan, but it is very vegan friendly and many of the recipes can be adapted.  I love the principles behind this action plan to detox your mind and body and start on a road to wellness and better living.  Many of the recipes are vegan and I have enjoyed them again and again.

Happy veeg!  

Vegan Fajitas

I must still be on a high from Cinco de Mayo earlier this month, because I want more Mexican food!  This fajitas recipe serves up a new filling than what I usually roll in my tortillas - a lentil walnut meat (yum-o!).  I found it on one of my favorite food blogs, Oh She Glows.  Get the recipe below or click through here to go to the original blog post.


Vegan Fajitas

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

For the lentil walnut meat

• 1 cup uncooked green lentils (makes about 2 cups cooked)

• 3 cups water or broth

• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted if preferred (optional)

• 1.5 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp chili powder, or more to taste

• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1/8th tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt, or to taste

For the stir-fry

• 1 tbsp coconut oil (or other oil)

• 1 small red pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 small orange pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Tortilla/Topping ideas

• 4-6 small soft tortillas (or try lettuce cups)

• Avocado slices

• Cashew Cream

• Fresh lime juice

• Salsa

• Cilantro

• hot sauce

• Shredded lettuce

• 1. Rinse lentils and add to a medium pot along with 3 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and the lentils are tender.

• 2. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and peppers in a skillet with the coconut oil for about 15 minutes over medium heat, or until softened.

• 3. Add walnuts into a mini processor and process until the size of peas or a bit smaller. Set aside. Add half of the cooked lentil mixture into a mini food processor. Process until mostly smooth. Mix back into the remaining lentils in the pot. Stir in walnuts if using. Slowly add the spices and seasonings to taste, adjusting amounts if necessary. If lentil mixture is dry add some water, a tablespoon at a time, until moistened. Turn on heat to warm lentil mixture just before serving.

• 4. Spoon lentil meat onto soft tortillas, followed by the skillet mixture and your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Vegan Fast Food

Vegan fast food seems like an oxymoron to me.  In order to be a healthy vegan, I would argue that your food must be heavy on the plant based, which means fresh and made to order (if it's going to be delicious, that is!)  I love to cook and make the majority of my family's meals during the week, but there are times when I need something quick and I don't necessarily have time to make it right then.  For most people, fast food is the answer.  Fortunately, being vegan keeps me out of the drive thru lanes, but what's a veeg to do when she needs a quick grab on the go?

Below are a few of my favorite places for "fast food" and what I usually order at them.

Veggie Grill: I order the All Hail Kale Salad every time I go.  Seriously, I have no idea what anything else on the menu tastes like.  I can call in my order and have it ready to be picked up by the time I get there!  I also occasionally order their sweet potato fries (the best ones in town, in my opinion!).

Chipotle: I keep it simple and get a regular burrito - black beans and rice with veggies, salsas and guac.  Recently, I have been changing it up and making it a salad instead of a burrito.  Delish!

Subway: This is my family's favorite "fast food" restaurant.  I order the Veggie Delight with no cheese and all the veggies, except onions and jalapeños!  I always ask for avocado and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Panera: This is one of my favorite places for their black bean soup.  I also am a big fan of their Greek salad and vegetarian sandwich.  But, it's the soup that I go back again and again for...and that freshly baked bread.

Do you have a favorite "fast food" joint that is vegan friendly.  I'd love to hear about it.  Let me know in the comments section below.

What the Veg?: Bok Choy

I am a bit of a bok choy nerd.  I actually crave this stuff!  I used to be very intimidated of this beautiful vegetable, not knowing how to cook or use it in recipes.  Now, I love cooking with it.

Bok choy comes in many sizes.  Use the baby stuff when using whole or raw in recipes, and the larger varieties when chopping or cooking longer.  Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it up.

Steam it - This is by far one of the easiest and most delicious ways to eat it.  I buy the baby bok choy (Trader Joe's sells a 6 oz package that is already washed and ready to go).  Steam them for about 3 minutes.  I drizzle a bit of ume plum vinegar (available at Whole Foods) over the leaves, and top with some cracked pepper.  This is my favorite way to eat it!

Ladle it - I found this recipe in Sunset magazine and adapted it using my favorite Teriyaki tofu from Trader Joes.  It combines some of my favorite ingredients: udon noodles, ginger and bok choy!

Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 package (7 oz) fresh udon noodles or other Asian noodles
2 teaspoon Shoyu (available at Whole Foods) or soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 package of Trader Joe's Teriyaki tofu
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon each of minced fresh ginger and garlic
4 baby bok choy (about 1 pound) - washed and leaves separated
4 green onions, trimmed and sliced


Directions:
1. Cook noodles according to package.  Drain and divide among 4 bowls.
2. Combine shoyu, sesame oil and broth.  Set aside.
3. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch wide sticks.
4. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a large frying pan.   Add tofu and saute until heated through.  Remove tofu and set on noodles.
5. Add the other tablespoon of oil and add garlic and ginger.  Cook until fragrant (30 seconds).  Add bok choy and cook until wilted (about 5 minutes).  Add broth mixture and cook until hot, about 1 minute.
5. Spoon mixture over noodles and tofu.  Sprinkle with green onions.

Dip and Spread it - Use the leaves as you would chips or other dippers in your favorite sauces and dips.  My personal favorites are hummus (for dipping) and almond butter (for spreading).

Layer it - Instead of spinach or lettuce, try giving your sandwich some green with bok choy.

Wrap it - Make a carb free wrap with bok choy as your base.  Get really creative and make a "sushi" roll using the bok choy leaves instead of seaweed.

If you haven't already tried it, give yourself a treat and serve up some bok choy.  I know you will love it - and when you do, please let me know if the comments section below.

Do You Fascinate?

I love tests and quizzes.  You know, the ones in women's magazines or online?

What type of friend are you?  
What is your parenting style?  
What is your celebrity style?  

In college, I was involved in a lot of leadership positions, and we were given the Myers Briggs personality test.  It categorizes your personality type and explains how you interact best with other types, as well as points out compatible career choices.  I found this intriguing and fun.  (Is that nerdy?!!)

When Marie Forleo posted this video last week on a new personality test by Sally Hogshead, my inner quiz geek was tickled and my curiosity peaked.  Fascinate (as she calls it) is a test about how others see you instead of how you see yourself.  With this information, she explains, you can better learn how to influence others and market your skills - or in other words, "How can you be more fascinating to others?"  As someone with a Masters degree in marketing, I say, "Brilliant!"

She also has a book (I started reading it last week).  Check it out.  What is your fascination archetype?

My Thank You Letter To My Kids This Mother's Day

When I was a kid, I received gifts on Mother's Day from my mom (still do, actually).  One year, I remarked to her, "Mama, why do we get gifts on Mother's Day?  It's your holiday."  She smiled and told me, "I wouldn't be a mother without you, so I like to give you a gift to say thank you for the gift of motherhood you have given me."  That moment has stayed with me throughout the years.  This year, I had an idea to write a letter and read it to them during our morning snuggle on Mother's Day.  I'd like to share it with you and hopefully, inspire you to remember the little things that make motherhood so grand, especially in the face of the day-to-day grind when motherhood can sometimes feel like a thankless job, despite all of our efforts.

Dear Kids,

Happy Mother's Day to me, but really Happy Mother's Day to you!  I wouldn't be a mama without you and for that I owe you everything.  My little munchkins, thank you for...

• Teaching me to play, listen, and live in the moment
• Reminding me what's important - like playing one more game of CandyLand (instead of getting dinner on the table right at 6pm)
• Showing me how much fun it is to break the rules some times 
• Re-reading old favorites and discovering new books together
• Helping me realize, "I am not an octopus!"
• Giving me reasons to play 
• Providing me with opportunities to make a difference not only in your lives, but in those of other children in our community through the volunteer work and activities I get involved with because of you
• Pushing me past my comfort zone to do things I have never done before (like riding an elephant, starting a petition, going to City Council...)
• Reuniting me with my passion for writing children's literature
• Inspiring me to do better - be better - and live better - for myself and our family...

But most of all, thank you for lighting my life with purpose and challenge.  You'll never know how you've changed me for good.  It is because of you that I truly live the good life.

5 Ways To Foster Positive Thinking in Your Kids

"I am..." can be a life changing statement.  I started using affirmations a few years ago as a self empowerment tool.  If you are new to them, simply stated, they are the practice of positive thinking with the belief that continued focus on them will achieve success in anything.  Affirmations are carefully crafted statements that are repeated to one's self out loud and written down on paper (I put them up on my mirror, computer desktop, bulletin board, vision board...).  In repeatedly saying the affirmations, you embody the statement until it is.  They are extremely powerful and I have found them to be equally successful.  They are one of my favorite things in my good life tool box.

Louise Hay is my go-to girl for all things on affirmations (Check out her Power Thought Cards and corresponding iPhone app).  When I was attending one of her conferences last year, it struck me that my kids should join me in this practice too.

As moms, it is our job to encourage and praise our kids.  I believe confidence is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.  Childhood and adolescence can be tough.  I have painfully emotional memories of elementary and middle school, where I was teased or heckled.  Kids can be mean.  I want my kids to have the confidence and knowledge that they are fantastic no matter what anyone else says to them.  I also want them to have the wisdom and assurance that they have the power to change any situation that comes to them.  Affirmations can do all of this and more.

Here are some ideas for putting affirmations into practice with kids:

Say it out loud - Before my kids go to bed at night, I have them come up with a series of I Am statements (I am fantastic.  I am unstoppable.  I am smart.).  They can say whatever they want, but it has to be something positive about themselves and they have to come up with it.  They say them out loud as we are snuggling.  It's the last thing they say before we go to bed.

Post it - During times when you notice your child struggling over something or feeling bad about themselves for a particular reason, have them write an affirmation on a post it note and put it on their bathroom mirror so they say it out loud whenever they see it.

Read - I Think, I Am! by Louise Hay is one of my favorite children's books about affirmations.  It explains what affirmations are in a kid friendly way and teaches them how to use them.  I highly recommend this book.  Dwayne Dyer also offers several great children's books on the subject.  I Am is a favorite of mine.  A quick search on Amazon reveals many others to choose from.

Write it down - Give your kids an affirmation journal.  This can be a regular three-ring notebook or something fancy.  The point is to give them a place to write down positive thoughts that they can repeat over and over again.  They can also use the journal to write about a thought, feeling, or situation they are struggling with that corresponds to the affirmation.

Be a model of affirmation - I believe one of the most effective ways to teach our kids is to have them catch us in the act of doing it ourselves.  I am hopeful that if my kids see me practicing affirmations that they also will want to do it.

Once you and your kids get started, I know you will find affirmations to be a lot of fun, and a valuable tool.  If you do, please let me know what you think.  I love feedback!