Feeding Everyone at the Table

Planning meals when you are feeding people with a variety of dietary needs at the same table can be tricky. Hopefully I can help.

In June 2016 I started learning about plant based diets and the effects the meat industry has on the environment. After learning more about it, I decided that the best thing I could do for my health and the planet's health was to eat a mostly plant based diet. (I do not consider myself to be vegan) I do strive to be completely plant based but sometimes it just isn't possible for me. I didn't want to force my husband or to change his diet so I cook both, vegan and meat based meals. I thought it might be helpful to share five meal ideas to show how simple it can be to keep everyone at the table happy.

Meal 1

Spicy Vegetable Soup

what you'll need:

1 box vegetable stock

1 can pureed tomato

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 large potatoes, diced

1 bag frozen mixed veg

2 cans spicy hot v8 veg juice

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chili powder

-mix all ingredients in large pot and cook for 1 hour. after cooking, Separate the soup into 2 pots. Add 1 can kidney beans to one pot for the vegans and add cooked ground beef to the other pot for the omnivores.

Meal 2

Stir Fry

what you'll need:

rice of your choice (we use steamed white rice)

vegetables of your choice (broccoli, zucchini, carrots, onions, bell peppers, etc.)

seasoning or sauce of your choice (we like soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and sriracha)

-for the vegan option add pan fried tofu and for the omnivore use chicken. 

Meal 3
Tacos

This one is super simple! Use all your favorite toppings but have beef or chicken available for the meat eaters and plenty of beans for the non-meat eaters (black beans are my favorite).

Meal 4

Spaghetti

Make spaghetti how ever you normally do but instead of meat, make half of it with cooked lentils. Have cheese on the side for those who eat dairy and make garlic bread with olive oil or vegan butter. You could serve this with a side of green beans or steamed vegetables or try mixing sauteed veg into the pasta sauce.

Meal 5
Green Goddess Rice Bowl with Tahini Dressing

what you'll need:
cooked brown rice
2 cups kale, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup edamame, shelled
1/2 onion, diced
Dressing: This is a basic Tahini dressing from minimalistbaker.com. I like to add a little bit of soy sauce and siracha to this recipe.
-saute onion, kale, zucchini, and edamame. Grill chicken for the meat eaters and tofu for the vegans. Add rice, protein, and veg to a bowl and top with tahini dressing

Dairy Free Cooking

Dairy free cooking is something I have been doing since I really started cooking. You see, when I lived at home I have ZERO interest in cooking and then I moved into my own apartment (3 hours away from my mom) and realized that if I ever wanted to eat anything besides taco bell and frozen meals I was going to have to learn to cook. Unfortunately, I never took the opportunity to learn from my mom or nana when I lived at home so I had do figure it out on my own. So kids, when you parent or grandparent offers to teach you how to cook, say YES!

Anyway, I had to learn to cook and since I was cooking for both myself and my then boyfriend (now husband) who is severely lactose intolerant, all the food had to be dairy free. Over the last few years I would like to think I have masted the art of dairy free cooking and I want to share some of the things I have learned.

First of all, it isn't nearly as difficult as everyone thinks.

Simple Substitutions

Milk: Soy Milk or any nut milk
Butter: Earth Balance Butter (tastes like real butter but is made from vegatble oils)
Condensed Milk: Cashew Milk
Heavy Whipping Cream (for baking): pureed tofu
Yogurt: Coconut Milk Yogurt or Soy Yogurt

There are also a lot great cookbooks to help you if you are just beginning the dairy free life.

Go Dairy Free

The Healthy Gluten-Free Life

Thailand: The Beautiful Cookbook 

Go Dairy Free is a great book full of helpful tips and recipes for dairy free lifestyles.

The Healthy Gluten-Free Life cookbook is great for simple dairy free meals.

The Thailand cookbook is not advertised as being dairy free but if you like Thai food it is perfect because it doesn't have dairy in any recipes! (this is my husband's favorite)

Finally, if you are looking for dairy free recipes it is always great to search vegan food blogs and recipes. Just try it! If you or the people you are cooking for really insist on having meat in their meals you can easily substitute your favorite for whatever the protein source in the vegan recipe is. 

I hope this was helpful to anyone wanting or needing to limit their dairy intake!

Happy Cooking! 

4 Months Plant Based

On June 15, 2016 I decided to transition myself from an animal based diet to a (mostly) plant based diet. I had been dealing with some digestion issues and had already cut dairy out of my diet but it hadn't fixed all my issues. I did a lot of research and found that plant based diets supported healthier digestive systems, so I decided to make the change and see what happened.

Also, being a biology graduate, I am well aware of the environmental impacts caused by the meat industry and I believe that one of the best things we can do for our planet is to eat less meat. But I don't really want to get into that today.

When I told my husband that I wanted to start eating less meat, he thought I was crazy but was supportive (as long as I agreed not to make him do it). lol. I was a little concerned that cooking and eating plant based for every meal would be difficult, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was super easy for me. I love to cook, so I really enjoyed the challenge of finding and coming up with new recipes to try. With resources like hot for food blog, the edgy veg, and a couple cooks it was easy to find great recipes. To make the transition easier, I started out making more interesting veggie based meals like butternut squash tacos and Thai baked sweet potatoes. (even my meat eating husband loves these)

Now that it has been four months, I LOVE eating this way! I still eat meat when I go out if there isn't a good vegan option or when I eat at someone house but I don't cook meat for myself. My digestion issues are completely resolved, my skin is clearer, and I have more energy. I really don't think I will ever go back to eating a primarily meat based diet.

I also feel like I have a better relationship with food than I ever have. I don't crave sweets like I used to and when I do, I don't feel guilty after eating a cookie. I am excited to eat because I really love the food I'm eating and I feel like I'm doing something great for my body at every meal.

If you have ever considered a more plant based diet, I would strongly recommend that you try it! But be sure to do your research and make sure you know what foods to eat to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need to be healthy.

Follow my VEGAN pinterest board for inspiration!

If you have any questions please ask and I will do my best to answer!

DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST

To those who really know me, it is no secret that I LOVE breakfast! I go to bed thinking about breakfast. I wake up thinking about breakfast. I would never consider skipping breakfast!

Eating breakfast daily helps you to stay focused, which is great if you are in school! Skipping breakfast is known to correlate with overeating later in the day, weight gain, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of energy. So why do people skip breakfast? Everyday, I hear fellow college students say they don't have time for breakfast so they either skip it or they eat something like a sugary granola bar that isn't fueling their body or giving them sustained energy. This is what inspired me to share this post.

I know that eating healthy in college is difficult. It takes a little bit of extra work, that we may not necessarily have the energy or time for but it is SO important! How can you expect to focus on your school work if your stomach is growling and you're low on energy?

In hopes of helping some of you find a breakfast that works for you, I'm sharing two of my favorite, easy breakfasts!

These banana pancakes are my all time favorite breakfast. I could eat them almost everyday. Of the two recipes I'm sharing, this one does take the most effort but I think it only takes me about 15 minutes to make. It is packed full of protein to provide energy and keep you feeling full for several hours and more importantly, its delicious!

In a small bowl mix the egg, mashed banana, vanilla, and cinnamon.
Heat a skillet and make three evenly sized pancakes.
When cooked through, stack and smother in natural peanut butter.
*try adding berries for extra nutrients and flavor or a tablespoon of unsweetened coca powder for chocolate pancakes.
*for a VEGAN option, use one flax egg. (1 tbsp ground flax with 2.5 tbsp warm water and let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple minutes.)



I have shared overnight oats in the past but I have a new recipe for them that I have been loving. I got this idea from The Domestic Geek on YouTube. She made peanut butter and jelly yogurt cups for snakes and I thought it would be great mixed with oats for a filling and yummy breakfast. This is the perfect breakfast for days you know you won't have a lot of time in the morning because you prepare it the night before!

In a seal-able container,  combine oats, almond milk, yogurt, and peanut butter.
Top with jam or fruit preserves. 
Let sit in the refrigerator over night. 
*I use plain vegan yogurt and add vanilla extract to it.







If you made it to the end of this extremely long blog post, THANK YOU!

2 Delicious Overnight Oatmeal Recipes

I LOVE OATMEAL!

The first time I heard about overnight oats I was a little disgusted to be honest. The idea of cold, mushy, oats just did not sound appealing to me and when I finally gave in and tried a recipe, I was NOT impressed. It was exactly what I imagined it would be...

Now, with all of that being said, I have had a change of heart...overnight oatmeal is my new favorite breakfast! I am obsessed!! I have come up with a couple recipes that I love and look forward to eating every morning. I thought I would share them for all of you who are a little hesitant to try overnight oats.

I mix all the ingredients in a mug/bowl with a seal-able lid (I use this Good Cook mug) before I go to bed and store it in the refrigerator over night.  Something like a mason jar would would great as well.

Nutella & Banana Overnight Oats

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 or 1 tbsp Nutella
1 small sliced banana
a hand full of chopped almonds

Directions:
Mix oats, milk, and nutella in a seal-able container; top with sliced banana and chopped almonds; refrigerate overnight.

Vanilla & Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 tbsp vanilla yogurt
1 tbsp peanut butter (I use Peanut Butter & Co. The Bee's Knees)
a hand full of chopped almonds

Directions:

Mix oats, milk, yogurt, and peanut butter in a seal-able container, top with chopped almonds and refrigerate overnight.


Do you have a favorite overnight oatmeal recipe? Or any oatmeal recipes for that matter? If you decide to make these recipes share them with me on twitter (@the_HollyPaige)!

Delicious Green Tea Smoothie

Is it just me, or can smoothies only be drank during warm weather? I just can't bring myself to drink a cold, icy drink when it is cold and icy outside. So with the weather being a little more desirable lately, I decided that I need a smoothie. I was in to mood for green tea and fruit so I decided I would just throw a little of everything in the blender and make a smoothie. Thankfully, the end product was delicious, so I thought I would share my "recipe" with the rest of the world. 

Green Tea Smoothie

1 cup strong brewed green tea

1 banana

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen pineapple

1 tbsp honey 

1 tsp chia seeds (optional) 

Ice (until desired thickness)

I started by brewing a cup of green tea with honey. I used 2 tea bags to make the tea super strong, but 1 tea bag would be fine too. While the tea was steeping, I blended the banana, frozen blueberries, frozen pineapple, chia seeds, and some ice. After the tea had steeped about 3 minutes, I poured it into the blender and blended everything together. Finally, I blended in more ice until the smoothie was the desired thickness; I don't like my smoothies very thick so I don't use a whole lot of ice. 

If you prefer a little more sweetness you could try adding more honey or sugar and if you like a creamier smoothing, I think it would be great with some greek yogurt mixed in. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know if you try it and what you think!

10 Pinterest Recipes to Try

Over the last two years of living by myself I have started to really enjoy cooking and trying to recipes. Fruity breakfasts and deserts are some of my favorite things, especially with spring approaching. Also, I like to think that the fruit makes it healthy. ;) Anyway, pinterest is the best place to find new things to try so here is a list of 10 fruity recipes I think look delicious.

1. Blueberry Pie Bars
2. Raspberry Honey Tapioca
3. Strawberries 'n Cream Quinoa
4. Green Banana Blueberry Smoothie 
5. Baked Oatmeal 
6. Berry Monkey Bread  
7. Banana Pancakes 
8. Honey Roast Peaches
9. Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips
10. Berry Cheesecake Trifle

I can't wait to try the strawberries n cream quinoa, I think it looks so good! 

I hope you enjoyed looking at these recipes and I hope that you try them out!

Have you tried any of these recipes? If so, let me know how yummy they are.

Top 3 Loose Leaf Teas

I am seriously in love with tea, I drink at least two cups a day- green, rooibos, black, herbal, white...I love it all! There is just something so relaxing about sitting down with a hot cup, sometimes a whole pot, of tea. It's my favorite part of the day. When I'm really needing to relax, I make a cup of fine loose leaf tea.

Blueberry Lemon Green Tea is one of my all time favorites. It is soothing, light, and fruity. It is my tea of choice in the evening or on a warmer day. I always choose to drink my tea hot but this one would probably be great iced as well.

Paris Morning Black Tea is one of my favorite teas to drink in the morning when I want something a little more exciting than plain English Breakfast Tea. It has a slightly fruity taste with a hint of vanilla and caramel. Also, how cute is the name...Paris Morning...it just sounds fancy!

 

Sweet Hearts Rooibos Tea is what I drink when I'm craving something sweet. It has strawberry, rose, adorable sugar hearts, and rhubarb. The flavor is sweet, rich, and all around fabulous!

Another black tea I really like is Apple Dumpling from teaoli.com but they must have stopped selling it because I can't find it online anymore...sad day. :(

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you enjoyed reading this and I would love to know what your favorite teas are.