Quick Meals: Half Way Through our 21 Days of Clean Plant-based Food Challenge

Day 8-11 The past four days I've made simple, quick, and clean meals.  This doesn't have to be hard.

Day 8: Stir-fry veggies with left-over brown rice/ Kale and White Bean Soup/ Salad/ carrots and celery/ pineapple

Kale and White Bean Soup

Dark Chocolate

Berry Smoothie:
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
2 leaves Kale
1 c. blueberries
5 ice cubes
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth.  

Veggie Sandwiches with Home-made Whole-Wheat Bread (made in the bread machine)

Blane's lunch:  natural peanut butter on Whole-wheat bread, no sugar applesauce, cucumber, and cheese

My biggest encourager, Michael

Day 9

Quick lunch:  100% Whole-wheat pitas from Trader Joes, with organic salsa, and cheese

Dinner:  Sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced, with sliced apples on top, drizzle of honey and sprinkle of cinnamon.  I put a little olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of water on the bottom.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.  I covered it with aluminum foil until the last 15 min.

My plate for dinner:  Roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole-wheat noodles with arugula, salad
I don't recommend the noodles.  I tried to make them with a cauliflower puree, but it wasn't good.  

Day 10 was spent with Grandma and Grandpa.  We went to the farm show, along with 1/2 the population of PA, at least it felt like it! My big highlight of the farm show when I was a little girl was eating cotton candy.  Not this year!  We ate baked sweet potatoes or white potatoes.  They were so yummy, and it felt good to be strong in the midst of donuts, fries, and funnel cakes.  I'm okay with celebrating sometimes, but not during our 21 days:)

Dinner:  Stir-fry veggies and tofu with brown rice/salad
(I put some chicken in Grandma and Grandpa's stir-fry)

Dessert:  pineapple with Greek yogurt

Day 11
Breakfast:  Eggs/ Whole-wheat bread (easy to make in the bread machine) / pineapple
Lunch:  Veggie Sandwiches with Whole-wheat bread or pitas (hummus makes these yummy)

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup (from Trader Joes)

I think Mike likes avocados!

Wild Rice and Lentil Soup (Recipe on day 12 and 13)

Final thought from Michael Pollan's Food Rules book:

"There are scores of studies demonstrating that a diet rich in vegetables and fruits reduces the risk of dying from all the Western diseases; in countries where people eat a pound or more of vegetables and fruits a day, the rate of cancer is half what it is in the United States" (Pollan, 2009).

Our goal is to increase our vegetable intake.  Cutting our meat, has helped because we fill our plates with more and more veggies.  We are learning, making good choices one day at a time.  I would love to hear about any plant-based meals you will share in the comments below!  Eat well!