I decided to try the Happy Herbivore meal plans! Basically you pay $5 for a 7-day meal plan that includes a schedule of 3 meals a day for a total of 1200 calories, the recipes, the nutritional information and a consolidated shopping list. It is true to Happy Herbivore style (vegan, low-fat/fat-free eating)... which makes me happy :)
So far so good! The plan has been helping me a lot because my schedule during the week is so crazy busy. I went to the grocery store just once, with the shopping list. I like knowing what I'm making for dinner and knowing that I already have all the ingredients. The recipes are very simple and pretty quick. I'm sure I'll try a few more involved recipes here and there as substitutes, but I think this meal plan will help me not get so bored with "eating the same thing every night out of the fridge." I've been making my lunches the night before since some of them are a little more involved than putting things in baggies. But again, it's pretty quick and I do it as I'm making dinner so I'm only in the kitchen "once" each night. I alter a few things like add nutritional yeast to my salads to make sure I'm getting my B12 (and because I like it!), as well as eat some almonds and additional fruit throughout the day at work (as well as Shakeology). I think I need more than 1200 calories a day, because I'm not trying to lose weight anymore, so I just add healthy snacks. Also, to maintain enough energy for exercise, I like to eat a little more. It's all about the quality of the things you put in your body! I like that the meals are very flexible too... all the meals are similar amount of calories so you can move them around throughout the week.
Below are some of my favorites from my first week of the meal plan. I think my ultimate favorite was the Yummus, so I had to have a separate blog entry for that one! Enjoy :)
Breakfast
These breakfast recipes were fast and easy so I could make them before work during the week.
Pumpkin Oatmeal
serves 11/2 cup rolled oats (uncooked)
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
Cook oats in water with raisins. You can add more water if you like your oatmeal to be more soupy. Once cooked, mix with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and raisins. Drizzle with maple syrup.
Per serving: 284 calories, 3g fat, 60.7g carbohydrates, 6.6g fiber, 25.1g sugars, 6.6g protein
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
serves 1
1 banana (frozen)
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
ground ginger
2 tsp pure maple syrup
Combine banana with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, almond milk, a dash of ground ginger, and maple syrup and blend until smooth, adding more almond milk as necessary to achieve a smoothie consistency. Taste, adding more maple if desired.
Per smoothie: 186 calories, 2.3g fat, 43g carbohydrates, 5.6g fiber, 24.5g sugars, 2.6g protein
1 banana (frozen)
1/4 cup pure pumpkin (canned)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
ground ginger
2 tsp pure maple syrup
Combine banana with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, almond milk, a dash of ground ginger, and maple syrup and blend until smooth, adding more almond milk as necessary to achieve a smoothie consistency. Taste, adding more maple if desired.
Per smoothie: 186 calories, 2.3g fat, 43g carbohydrates, 5.6g fiber, 24.5g sugars, 2.6g protein
Sweet Cinnamon Blueberries
serves 1
1 cup blueberries
1/2 tsp agave syrup
cinnamon, a few dashes
Add agave and cinnamon to blueberries and mix together.
Lunch or Dinner
These recipes were also pretty fast. I would make them in the evening, and either pack it for lunch the next day or eat right away.
Creamy Chipotle Corn Soup
serves 1
8 oz corn (thawed, if frozen)- I used Trader Joe's Roasted Corn and it was delicious!
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Combine half of corn, chipotle and almond milk in a blender and puree until mostly smooth. Add water as needed for a thinner consistency, if desired. Transfer to a saucepan, stir in remaining corn and warm over low heat.
Per serving: 183 calories, 0.6g fat, 44.1g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 27.7g sugars, 3.2g protein
Combine half of corn, chipotle and almond milk in a blender and puree until mostly smooth. Add water as needed for a thinner consistency, if desired. Transfer to a saucepan, stir in remaining corn and warm over low heat.
Per serving: 183 calories, 0.6g fat, 44.1g carbohydrates, 2.7g fiber, 27.7g sugars, 3.2g protein
Creamy Carrot Soup
serves 21 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup instant oats (uncooked)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
salt & pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, carrots, onion, and oats over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until oats are cooked and carrots are fork-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and combine with almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding an extra splash of almond milk if needed. Transfer back to saucepan and stir in ginger and allspice. Gently reheat and add salt and pepper.
Per serving: 147 calories, 1.6g fat, 31.0g carbohydrates, 7.8g fiber, 13.8g sugar, 4.8g protein
Chickpea Taco Salad
serves 1
1/2 recipe TACO CHICKPEAS (see below)
4 cups lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup corn (thawed, if using frozen)
1/3 cup salsa
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 recipe TACO CHICKPEAS (see below)
4 cups lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup corn (thawed, if using frozen)
1/3 cup salsa
3 green onions, sliced
1 corn tortilla, crisped
hot sauce
Crisp tortilla in an oven or toaster oven at 350F for a few minutes then crumble into broken chips to top the salad with. Combine chickpeas with lettuce, corn, salsa and green onion. Top with chips and drizzle with hot sauce as desired.
(Salad without taco chickpeas) 156 calories, 1.7g fat, 33.5g carbohydrates, 7.8g fiber, 9.7g sugars, 6.8g protein
Taco Chickpeas
serves 2
15 oz can chickpeas (canned), drained and rinsed
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
15 oz can chickpeas (canned), drained and rinsed
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or grease) and set aside. Rinse chickpeas under cold water in a colander. Shake to remove excess water but beans should still be lightly wet and not dry. Transfer to mixing bowl and mix with remaining ingredients, stirring to coat the chickpeas. Transfer chickpeas to cookie sheet and bake 20 to 40 minutes, until chickpeas are as crisp as desired. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Per serving: 208 calories, 3.6g fat, 34g carbohydrates, 7.9g fiber, 1.6g sugars, 10.8g protein
Per serving: 208 calories, 3.6g fat, 34g carbohydrates, 7.9g fiber, 1.6g sugars, 10.8g protein
Pepper Fajitas
serves 2
2 whole-wheat or brown-rice tortillas
2 bell peppers
1 onion
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch strips and set aside. Cut the onion into 1/4 inch strips and set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients except tortillas with 1/3 cup of water and set aside. Line a medium skillet with a thin layer of water. Add onions and peppers and cook over medium heat, adding water as necessary, until the peppers are cooked but still crisp and no additional water remains, about 3 to 5 minutes. Rewhisk spice mixture and pour over peppers and onions. Allow the mixture to slightly thicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then stir to combine so peppers and onions are evenly coated. Spoon peppers and onions into tortilla shells and serve.
Per serving (without tortillas): 101 calories, 1.1g fat, 20.6g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugars, 3.3g protein
2 whole-wheat or brown-rice tortillas
2 bell peppers
1 onion
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp onion powder, granulated
1/4 tsp garlic powder, granulated
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Cut bell peppers into 1/2 inch strips and set aside. Cut the onion into 1/4 inch strips and set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients except tortillas with 1/3 cup of water and set aside. Line a medium skillet with a thin layer of water. Add onions and peppers and cook over medium heat, adding water as necessary, until the peppers are cooked but still crisp and no additional water remains, about 3 to 5 minutes. Rewhisk spice mixture and pour over peppers and onions. Allow the mixture to slightly thicken for 1 to 2 minutes, then stir to combine so peppers and onions are evenly coated. Spoon peppers and onions into tortilla shells and serve.
Per serving (without tortillas): 101 calories, 1.1g fat, 20.6g carbohydrates, 4.1g fiber, 4g sugars, 3.3g protein
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