What I Eat in a Day as a Busy Mom!

Us Moms have to eat too right?? I have to admit…I think I am a better baby chef than I am a normal chef BUT I have always had a passion for cooking. I have also always had a love for creating meals that were plant-based and healthy. Before I was pregnant, I was cooking a lot, I was always on Pinterest finding and trying out new recipes but once I got pregnant I was so incredibly sick the entire time that my passion for cooking temporarily went away. I pretty much just ate a lot of fruit and bread while I was pregnant. Once I had Bennett I was able to get back into the swing of cooking and baking. Of course once Bennett turned six-months my cooking attention pretty much turned to Baby Led Weaning. That being said I know how important it is to keep myself healthy too so I am excited to share some easy, plant-based meal ideas that I have been loving lately.

Breakfast | French Toast

Before I stopped eating Eggs and Dairy one of my all time favorite foods was French Toast. French Toast with a ton of melted butter. Once I went Vegan and stopped eating Eggs and Milk (two of the main ingredients), I knew I needed to find a way to recreate the delicious breakfast. When I am making something that would usually require eggs, I swap it for Applesauce, so I figured I could do the same with French Toast and it tastes SO GOOD. You’re of course not going to get the “eggy” taste of traditional French Toast but it still satisfies the craving for me.

How I Make It: Combine 1/3 cup no sugar added Applesauce, 1 cup Almond Milk, 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract and Two teaspoons Cinnamon. Mix then dip in your Sourdough Bread. In a pan, put in some vegan Butter (I love Earth Balance), and put the pan on medium heat. Let the Butter melt then add in your toast, let cook for three minutes on each side.

Lunch | Kale Salad

I used to be one of these people who HATED Kale. One day I went to a restaurant and wasn’t too hungry so I got a Kale Salad and it was amazing. It was so refreshing and I felt great after eating it so I looked up recipes for Kale Salads when I got home that night and the one thing that a lot of the recipes said to do was to massage the Kale ahead of time. Massaging the Kale helps to break down the tough cell structure which leads to a better flavor and texture. It really makes such a difference! I like to massage the Kale with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and some flaky Salt and it is delicious! Try it out and let me know if you can tell a difference!

How I Make It: In a bowl add a couple handfuls of fresh kale and massage in Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Salt. Now add toppings of your choice, I added in some grated Carrots, Celery, Red Pepper, Cucumber, Green Onion, Avocado, Sunflower Seeds, Pepitas, and Vegan Poppyseed Dressing.

Dinner | Orzo Pesto Pasta with Tofu & Veggies

I am on a major Pesto kick right now, I will eat just about anything if it has a good Pesto on it. While most Pestos have cheese in them, there are many vegan options available at the store or it’s super easy to make at home by substituting the cheese with a vegan cheese or Nutritional Yeast. I use Tofu in this recipe but you can use any protein you prefer. If you are using Tofu I highly recommend cooking it in Avocado Oil, it makes the Tofu so crispy and it doesn’t have much of a taste. This meal was so yummy that I made a bigger batch the next day and ate it throughout the week.

How I Make It: Cook Orzo Pasta. Cut Tofu into strips and cook in a pan on medium heat with some Avocado Oil (Avocado Oil is the trick to crispy Tofu!). Now chop and wash some Broccoli, Asparagus and Corn. Put that into a pan on medium heat with some Olive Oil, Garlic, Paprika, Chili Flakes, Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper. Saute for five minutes. Combine Pasta, Tofu and Veggies with 1/4 cup of Vegan Pesto.