Vegan Menu Planning: Thrive Foods Cookbook Feature

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Emma C/O: The Hearty Heart

It’s Day 7 on my 30-Day Plant Based Challenge for greater longevity (via a younger heart), and the most important factor to being successful so far has been menu planning.

Falafel night! Plant based dinners are best when shared.

My first round of inspiration came from Pinterest, and for my next recipe round up, I’m hitting the books. I luckily have a stack of plant based recipe books on hand already, but even if you don’t, browse through any foodie magazines, or cookbooks you currently have, as there’s bound to be at least a few veg-friendly recipes, or modifiable ones.

For the next few days, I’ll be eating out of Brendan Brazier’s Whole Foods to Thrive (Can), Thrive Foods (US). I’ve laid out a 3-4 day menu plan (depending on how many servings of each recipe you make, and how many people in your household!).

(Page references applicable to “Whole Foods to Thrive”, Canadian Version)

Mornings

Sacha Inchi Baked Apple Cinnamon Cereal, pg 137

Loaded with healthy fats and complete protein.

Pre Workout Drink, pg 130

Great for morning workouts, when you don’t have time for a meal. Easy to digest, quick energy.

Mini Meals/Snacks

Cheesy Broccoli Bowl, pg 193

Try this bowl both raw & steamed, as broccoli has specific health benefits in each format. A great option for boosting probiotic rich food intake (miso), calcium (broccoli & tahini), and B-Vitamins (nutritional yeast). Garlic and coconut oil are also great for intestinal health, so this one’s great for anyone with food sensitivities, or compromised immune systems.

Pecan and Dill Pate, pg 196

Complete protein (multi sources: sunflower seeds & pecans), combined with vitamin and mineral rich parsley & dill. Serve either on rice cakes, or inside a rolled up nori sheet or red chard leaves with sprouts, thin slice veg & avocado.

Mains

Quinoa Falafels, pg 251

w Lemon Tahini Dipping Sauce. Serve in a pita, or on top of salad with all your favorite fixings. Make them bite size, to snack on leftovers with the dip.

Portobello Patties, pg 247

The combination of mushroom and quinoa in this recipe, makes for a great meat substitute texturally. This recipe is gluten free & paleo friendly. I’d serve mini patties as “sliders” in butter lettuce leaves.

Buckwheat Sunflower Seed Carrot Pizza’s, pg 249

Sure…it’s really nothing like a conventional pizza, but this one won’t leave you feeling bloated and sluggish! If you’d like, you can use a cheese alternative, such as Daiya, but keep in mind it won’t be completely whole foods based. I made up the crusts in advance, but you’ll need to shorten the bake time by at least half. When you fix them up to eat, re bake for the final amount of time.

Clean Treat

No-Bake Double Chocolate Chip Maca Cookies, pg 282

Great energy boosting bite size indulgences. Don’t eat too many at night though, Maca can be quite stimulating because of it’s adaptogenic and invigorating properties.

Thrive Forward: Your Personalized Guide to Clean Eating

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Emma C/O: The Hearty Heart

If you’ve ever wondered how to clean up your pantry, follow a plant based menu plan, or feel better from the inside out, the time is now!

As a proud contributor for Thrive Forward, developed by Brendan Brazier, I can vouch for how applicable the information is (into any lifestyle), and how approachable the recommendations. Plant based doesn’t have to be intimidating, or exclusive! You can integrate the fundamentals of clean, plant based nutrition into your lifestyle even just once a day for benefits to your energy, moods and libido…you name it!

Once you register (it’s free!) for Thrive Forward, you’ll take a short questionnaire. The program will use these inputs to determine a recommended lesson plan based on content that will have the greatest impact on your primary health concerns.

You can access all the content at any time, and in fact I recommend completing all the lessons anyways (it will take apx 4-6 weeks, completing apx a lesson a day).

Here’s one of my favorite tips from the program, (if you need more convincing!):

Nourish, Don’t Stimulate

We’re a caffeine-culture that can’t seem to shake our cup o’ joe. Every time we drink
a cup of coffee, we are withdrawing energy from our body bank account at an
astonishing speed. This cycle of energizing through stimulation works much like a
credit card. We borrow energy from the future to help us deal with our present fatigue.
But eventually we must pay the price – with greater fatigue. Recalibrating with a Thrive
Forward approach will enable you to gain energy through nourishment instead of
through stimulation. (Lesson 1: How to Start Eating Clean)

What’s also empowering about this program, is how you’ll learn to apply the information to your advantage. For example, as an avid coffee drinker, no matter what I know about adrenal health (as a nutritionist), I know because of adopting principles from Thrive, that I can also buffer the effects of acid forming foods (such as coffee), so that I can still maintain the focus on a pro-longevity diet, but have my indulgences too. It’s about being equipped with the knowledge to make better decisions.

Register today, and follow me on social media to get more of my top tips from the program and see how I integrate clean, plant based living into my everyday.

Oh…and did I mention there’s prizes for participants in the program? Awesome one’s…

Vegan Menu Planning with Pinterest

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Emma C/O: The Hearty Heart

A self proclaimed Pinterest addict, I consider myself a bit of an expert on the content you’ll find in their Food & Drink Category…enough so to be confident, that you’ll find plenty of ideas for any dietary preference.

With this month’s Young Hearts Challenge being about a plant based diet, I’ve been turning to my “Eat Me” board for inspiration, almost daily.

http://pinterest.com/emmamazing/eat-me/

I’ve rounded up some of the best plant based (or easily modifiable recipes) here, to fuel a sample menu for 4 days. I recommend making food in batches when you can, enough for 3-5 days. Sometimes you’ll just need to leave garnishes in small side bowls, or dress just before serving (i.e. salads). Rotate & swap your menu around on food prep day. One 3-4 hour timeframe (including shopping & prepping) every 3-5 days is not unreasonable, but I get that not everyone enjoys food prep. If you’re one of these folks, stay tuned later this week for a post on choosing healthy, prepared vegan foods & dining out.

Morning On the Go & Smoothies

Amaranth Porridge with Mango & Coconut:

http://pinterest.com/pin/64668944621295669/

http://www.scalingbackblog.com/sweet-treats/19348515350/#

Instant Green Smoothie: Prep ahead cubes, pop into blender with coconut water for an instant, nutrient dense boost to your day

http://www.muffintinmania.com/2011/07/green-smoothie-cups.html

Morning Brunch

Plant Based Paleo Friendly, Gluten Free Pancakes (almond flour). Note: Swap the eggs for 3/4 cup applesauce or 3 tbsp ground chia whisked with 9 tbsp water. Make extra’s for snacks!