Happy Herbivore Meal Plans

Portobello Verde Tacos from Happy Herbivore's weekly meal plans. Around 320 calories, 12 grams of fat, 46 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein for all this. These tacos are extremely satisfying; I could eat them every day!

This week I finally got around to starting Happy Herbivore's Meal Plans. The reason I say "got around to it" is because I purchased a year subscription back in September and have been printing out the meal plans and saving them for when I was ready. I follow Happy Herbivore on Facebook, and I enjoy making the recipes she shares. 

You might be thinking why didn't I buy one of her cookbooks, but I really wanted to follow the meal plans. I just didn't have the will power. You see, her meal plans consist of daily meals and snacks that by the end of the day equal 1,200 calories. Plus, she very, very rarely uses ingredients with oil or added fat in them (she avoids cooking oils, vegan mayo, fake and processed products, etc.). 

How the heck do you cook onions without oil -- was my first thought. How do you enjoy salad without dressing? 

This Mexican Rice Soup had a nice crunch from the veggies and hints of sweetness from the corn. My dish wasn't a soup because I didn't cook the brown rice with the veggies, which required broth or water. I had made rice the other night, so I added the already cooked brown rice to the pan once the veggies were done cooking. Oh, and when you cook onions or any other veggie, just layer the pan with a little broth or water instead of oil. Worked just fine! Half this pan is one serving and contains 388 calories, 20 grams of fat (which comes from the avocado, but I omitted that, so the dish was virtually fat-free), 46 grams of carbs, 10 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of protein.

I started a plant-based lifestyle back in January 2013 for animal welfare and my health. I love being vegan and have no desire to ever eat animal products again. Since January 2013, I've lost 15 pounds, but the weight-loss has stopped there. I've read so many wonderful testimonials about how Happy Herbivore's Meal Plans have helped people lose massive amounts of weight. I would cheer for those individuals she'd highlight on a weekly basis, but I never took the final step of following the plan myself. Until Monday...

I definitely love to add salt and a pinch of sugar here and there to my dishes. I also add oil to any pan I put on the stove. Since Monday, I haven't cooked anything with oil, nor have I added any sugar or much salt (very small pinch here and there when I used water instead of broth in a recipe). I have so much energy! I usually feel sluggish in the afternoon and often turn to coffee or tea for a small pick-me-up. I haven't needed anything like that since starting this meal plan.

I thought this Curried Red Lentil Soup was going to be so bland because the recipe doesn't call for salt, but the broth I used added enough sodium. Plus, the curry and cumin spices elevated the dish. But what made the soup so comforting was the chopped celery. I felt like a little kid eating mom's home-cooked soup on a school night. There's just something about cooked celery... My husband, who usually finds anything without a gallon of hot sauce on it bland, raved about this soup. I added a few dashes of sriracha of course, but he didn't find the soup lacking in flavor at all. 2-1/4 cups of this soup has 389 calories, 1 gram of fat, 69 grams of carbs, 31 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 25 grams of protein. 

I even ate a salad yesterday without dressing....yup, no dressing! I filled a big bowl with chopped lettuce, some celery, and then I splashed the juice of one lime over the salad and added hot sauce (a little too much hot sauce, so I had to kind of eat around the hot lettuce leaves). 

Did you know you can enjoy salad without oil? I sure didn't. This salad is dressed with lime juice and hot sauce. It was delicious. This wasn't on the meal plan, but I was craving a salad. I looked at what was used for a dressing on another meal-plan salad recipe and used that to top the lettuce and celery in the bowl. 

The salad was amazing. Even my husband asked what new dressing I bought. I told him it was lime juice and hot sauce. He just blinked at me and then continued to shovel the salad into his mouth. 

There's definitely been an adjustment. I'm still getting used to eating rolled oats without salt or sugar (I'm allowed to add fresh/frozen fruit), but my views on eating are changing, which I'm so happy about. I don't need oil or fake or processed foods for flavor, and I'm loving the simplicity of these healthy, tasty recipes.

The quantities, too, have been amazing. Because the dishes are low calorie, the portions are sometimes so large I have to eat some of it later. I also like that Happy Herbivore -- aka Lindsay Nixon -- encourages you to customize to your tastes. So, if you want fewer carbs, swap out the grains for greens. If you need more bulk, add more veggies. 

And some other good news -- since Monday I've lost 1 to 2 pounds. I have an old scale that's not digital, but the needle is definitely pointing to a lower number than it was on Monday. 

I'll keep you posted on my progress. I definitely see good things ahead! 

Review and Recipe: The Vegg and Vegan Omelette

A photo collage from my Instagram account, @stay_at_home_vegan

The old Vegg packaging (seasoning packet) has been replaced by a canister (not pictured).

The Vegg is a vegan product that mimics the flavor and texture of a semi-cooked egg yolk. It's completely plant-based and has an egg aroma thanks to one of its ingredients -- Black Salt. The Vegg currently is sold in canisters, but I still am working through the old packaging, which was a seasoning-like packet (I bought a bunch of the product when it first came out).

You need to blend The Vegg with water in a high-speed blender (doing it by hand doesn't produce the correct texture). I use my Vitamix, but any blender or hand mixer would work. You can't cook the liquid directly; it won't take form. You need to add it to tofu, potatoes, bread, etc., and from there, The Vegg will bind and cook with the other food item.

This morning I was craving an omelette. I usually make tofu eggs, but that produces a scrambled-egg consistency. I remembered I had some naan bread, and I figured I'd dip the bread in The Vegg, and then use that for my egg flavor and shape of a folded-over egg.

After dipping the naan in Vegg, I pan-fried it in a little oil for about 8-10 minutes on each side over low heat. While that cooked, I prepared my filling. I cooked some asparagus, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. By the time the veggies were done cooking (and I had a chance to wash most of the dishes), the naan was ready. I assembled my omelette and dug in. While the naan still tasted like a nice piece of toasted bread, it did have an egg-essence to it. Naan is rather thick, so next time I might try a large tortilla and see how that goes.

The omelette was satisfying, savory, and delicious. I had a little extra nut-cream sauce to which I added garlic and other spices, and that provided some extra punches of flavor to the filling.

Recipe: Cashew Cream

This homemade pizza is made by toasting the top of a naan bread, then adding pizza sauce, sliced sauteed mushrooms, thinly sliced baked tofu (to give the texture of cheese), spoonfuls of Alfredo cashew cream, and dried herbs. I then heat a pan with a little oil, put the pizza inside and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes on very low heat, the bottom crisps up, and the topping gets warm.

Cashews that have been soaked, drained, then blended with water or non-dairy milk produce a wonderful, creamy sauce. I made a batch of cashew cream the other day and have been able to apply it to a number of dishes.

When I make cashew cream, I first soak the cashews for at least 4 hours. If you want to make 1 cup of cashew cream, soak 1/2 cup of cashews, which you'll blend with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water or non-dairy milk. From there, you can flavor your cream sauce in a number of different ways.

Plain cashew cream is a great substitute for heavy cream. I use plain cashew cream in my Curry Pumpkin Soup. I also use it when I make my vegan cheesecake (recipe to come in the next day)

Curry Pumpkin Soup

When I want more of a cheesy taste, I blend the cashew cream with a little salt and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (found in the baking aisle and not the same as bread yeast) or vegan Parmesan.

I microwaved washed asparagus in a bowl for 2 minutes. I then drizzled warm Alfredo cashew cream sauce over the top. I lightly salted the asparagus and added black pepper prior to adding the sauce.

Over some whipped organic mashed potatoes, I added sliced sauteed mushrooms, a pan-fried vegan "chicken" cutlet, and some Alfredo cashew cream sauce. I served asparagus alongside the potatoes.

Along with the vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, I also had the juice of half a lemon, a little nutmeg, black pepper, and one garlic clove (or some garlic powder). This produces a sauce similar to Alfredo.

So, if you're a new vegan, make sure to have raw cashews around. They'll add creaminess and depth to your soups, sauces, and desserts.

Recipe: Pineapple Coconut Curry

Fresh sweet basil gives the dish a lovely fragrance.

This is one of my favorite dishes to make because it's simple and delicious.  This curry bowl is hot, soothing, and packed full of veggies in a creamy, spicy broth. Adjust the seasonings to your preference if you desire a hotter or milder curry. 

Pineapple Coconut Curry Veggie Bowl

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 T of oil

1 onion sliced thinly

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T minced ginger piece or 1 T of jarred ginger paste

2 bell peppers of your choice (green, red, yellow, or orange)

1 c of shredded carrots

1 jalapeno (don’t include the seeds if you want less heat)

4 green onions sliced thinly

2T soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos

2T rice vinegar

2 cups of chopped mushrooms (or cubed tofu)

1 T of organic sugar

1 c. of pineapple chunks, reserve some liquid

2 tsp of curry

1-2 c of loosely packed chopped basil (I always buy big bunches of basil, so I usually end up using 2 cups in the dish)

1 13-oz can of coconut milk (lite or full-fat – whatever your preference, but the full-fat produces a creamier curry)

1 c. of chopped peanuts, toasted (heat a pan and throw the nuts in and mix every 30 seconds for 2 minutes or until the peanuts become fragrant)

Coconut milk makes the curry creamy, and the pineapple juice adds a little sweetness.

Directions:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the sliced onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder and stir. After 30 seconds, add the garlic, carrots, bell peppers, jalapeno, and green onions and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the veggies cook, chop up your mushrooms (I like using shiitake). Add the mushrooms to the pot, along with the soy sauce and vinegar. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the can of coconut milk, sugar, ¼ c. of pineapple juice, and the pineapple chunks and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the basil, lower the heat, and let the curry simmer for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add salt, more pineapple juice, sugar, or something spicy (like red chili flakes or red chili paste). Mix in the peanuts, turn off the heat, and cover the pot. When ready to eat, serve over steaming rice and garnish with a few cilantro leaves, additional jalapeno slices, and lime wedges.