With amazing new features & new recipes– this week’s meal plan is all sorts of epic!

First up: the new features! We’ve completely redesigned the make ahead prep sheet!

The prep sheet is now broken down into 4 categories for easier navigation and faster meal prep: baking, grains, cooking order & ingredient prep for each recipe.

And as if that weren’t exciting enough, new recipes like the Buffalo Chickpea Potato Bowl (NEW!), Tamale Pie (NEW!), Thai Sloppy Joes (NEW!), and Ratatouille Spaghetti (NEW!) are sure to blow your mind!

Buffalo Chickpea Potato Bowl

Individual Highlights

• Buffalo Chickpea Potato Bowl (NEW!)
• Tamale Pie (NEW!)
• Cauliflower Risotto
• Teriyaki Chickpea Salad
• Rustic Sweet Potato Wraps
• Banana Bread Breakfast Quinoa (NEW!)
• Pepper Fajitas
• Thai Sloppy Joes (NEW!)
• Ratatouille Spaghetti (NEW!)

Get this meal plan now.

Ratatouille Spaghetti

Family Highlights

• Tamale Pie (NEW!)
• Caribbean Black Bean Soup
• Thai Sloppy Joes (NEW!)
• Kidney Bean Curry
• Banana Bread Breakfast Quinoa (NEW!, Bonus Breakfast Recipe)
• Veggie Pot Pie
• Ratatouille Spaghetti (NEW!)
• Mexican Pizzas (Bonus Lunch Recipe)
• Buffalo Chickpea Potato Bowl (NEW!)

Get this meal plan now.

Thai Lentil Joes

Testimonials

“I committed to the annual meal plan in December. I feel like they are more than a list of recipes. They are teaching me to be a better cook, shop better and waste less, and they are exposing my family to new foods. I feel like my kids are eating better — my 9 year old has loved most of them!“- Jaclynn E

“My husband was skeptical about the meal plan subscription. Today, while eating one of the meals, he was raving about all the new foods we have been eating. Then, he stopped and said: “But that’s not why I love this, YOU are about 1/10,000th as stressed lately without worrying about what food is happening when and how, that alone is worth it!” It’s true too. I take feeding our family super seriously and the meal plans make me feel like we are eating even BETTER than before, but with much much much less worry.“- Kelly D

Get the current meal plan now.

Meet our Herbie of the Week: Penny!

Back in 2011, Penny was scheduled for an angiogram and stent when a failed stress test showed she had a coronary artery blockage.

After hearing a friend reversed his own heart disease by going plant-based, Penny spent the entire weekend researching and reading everything she could about “that way of eating”. By Monday, she canceled her surgery and changed her diet, even though her doctor didn’t think it was going to help.

Three years later, Penny’s angina is gone (in fact, it was gone within a few months!), she’s lost weight, she has much more energy AND she’s paying it forward and spreading the word about a plant-based diet!

I’ll let Penny take it away!

Some years ago, I was diagnosed with high cholesterol (well into the 200s). I was put on Lipitor and told to lose weight. So I did – up and down and up and – but never any “real” loss. I weighed between 160 and 170 and was stuck. Eventually my Lipitor dose was increased and my cholesterol stabilized in the 150s. I wasn’t feeling well, though; I was tired all the time, got out of breath quickly when doing anything physical and became fuzzy headed. Menopause, of course. Then I started getting chest pains, too, and they worsened with time until they were pretty much constant.

Then, in July of 2011, I had a stress test, which I failed. I had all the symptoms and test results of a coronary artery blockage. My cardiologist scheduled me for an angiogram and stent (or stents). He ordered me not to ride my horse, paddle my kayak, run on my treadmill – I was not to exert myself. I was shocked and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My cholesterol was in a good range, I ate better than most and I was pretty active. So I went to my primary care physician who read the reports and listened to my symptoms and told me I really needed to take this seriously. She scheduled me for a second opinion.

The next day (Saturday), my husband went kayaking (without me) with some friends. They asked where I was and he told them about my obstruction and that I was scheduled for an angiogram and stent. Our friend Bob spent most of the paddle that day telling Steve about the plant-based diet, how it worked, that having a stent was not going to cure my problem and more. Bob had reversed his heart disease by becoming plant-based and knew well what I was going through. When Steve came home, he told me what Bob had said, and gave me the information on websites and books. I spent that Sunday downloading and reading Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, finding the websites and blogs that support this way of eating.

On Monday I told Steve that I was going to cancel my surgery and change my diet. And he said he would change his diet, too. I am so very grateful that he did – he’s healthier now, thinner, and his support has made my changes so much easier. We went through the pantry and got rid of all the food that didn’t fit our new way of eating (Steve took the food to work and gave it away) and we shopped for better food. At first we spent a lot of time reading labels, but I have never liked food in boxes much anyway, so we just don’t eat that stuff. Neither one of us likes to cook, so we that was another huge change. We started staying home instead of eating out (no more Cold Stone Creamery dinners!) and have gradually learned to make new meals.

At some point I found The Happy Herbivore and things got much easier as I bought all the cookbooks! “Cheater” Pad Thai is a big favorite and the other day I found the Carrot Hot Dogs (from Holidays & Gatherings) which are surprisingly yummy. I even experiment these days – Cheater Pad Thai at our house has a lot of veggies in it, HH pancakes have sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin, and buckwheat flour takes the place of half of the flour. Most days I eat a huge salad full of all kinds of veggies, which I enjoy.

I went to the second cardiologist about a week after my diagnosis and he said he had never heard of this diet, but he did have a patient who was on the paleo diet. The cardiologist told me that he did a quadruple bypass on the patient and it was the worst heart he had ever seen. He was certain that this diet would not cure my blockage and that I was at high risk of a heart attack.

Within the first week, my angina started to dissipate and three weeks after I switched to a plant-based diet, I woke up and felt great. I can’t remember how long it took for the angina to go away completely (a few months), but it’s gone. Amazing! And the weight just came off – I wasn’t exercising and it still came off. I was full all the time, I never felt deprived and the weight came off! After three months I started riding again and my saddle felt “bigger”. My energy came back and I felt so much better. The brain fog gradually drifted off. My cardiologist retired so I found one who is very pleased that I am eating this way and I was taken off the Lipitor. I had been on blood pressure meds and was taken off them the day that I wound up in the ER with low blood pressure.

I have experienced many other benefits, as well. Instead of having multiple colds, ear infections and sinus infections per year, I now have had two colds in the past three years, and both lasted less than a week. I no longer have to have allergy shots and an inhaler. My blood sugar doesn’t crash any more. My gut works better (and I will leave it at that!). I just feel so much better – more energy, sleep better, happier. I have lost about a quarter of my body weight and am now steady at around 130 pounds (I’m 5’3).

Overall, I haven’t found this to be a difficult way of life. There are some challenges – I occasionally indulge in vegan dark chocolate, and I do slip up with other sweets at times. I am grossed out by meat these days and staying away from animal products is easy. We still eat out and I have never not been “fed”, although often it’s steamed veggies and rice or potatoes. That’s fine with me; I have gained so much more than I have “lost”.

Steve’s family is fairly close by and they have been wonderfully and amazingly supportive, which I am so grateful for. When we get together, there is always food that we can eat (and we always bring some to share as well). Whenever I hear of someone struggling with their family I feel so grateful for the support we get from ours. My friends have been amazing – helping me find the right foods, cooking special treats and buying me cookbooks. Steve is sticking to it too, and that has been a huge help! I can’t imagine being in an omnivore household and trying to figure out two sets of meals each day.

I have been busy “paying it forward” as well. I don’t know how many times someone noticed my food choices or my weight loss and I have given them the information. Others have started eating more veggies and fruit and less junk. I feel great about that – I don’t want anyone to think that surgery is the only solution. Other people have been horrified! – how could I give up meat? Where do I get my protein? Mostly I just give people a list of books, websites and blogs so they can learn all about this way of eating.

So that’s my story! Lindsay and the Happy Herbivore cookbooks and blog have been a huge help. I use the cookbooks frequently and the blog is a little bit of encouragement and a reminder that we are not alone in this. Thank you so much, Lindsay!

Thank you so much Penny for sharing your journey with us! You’re an inspiration!

Want to buy a pressure cooker?

Unsure which model is best for you? (or best for your buck?)

Think you gotta have an InstaPot?

Read this post before you buy.

Let me get this out of the way first: I’m not being paid to review either of these items.

If you happen to buy one from clicking on a link, I’ll pick up a few pennies from an Amazon commission, but I honestly have no vested interest if you buy one or the other, or none at all.

This is an unbiased review of your options, one I wish I had before making my investment.

I think one of the reasons InstaPot has become so popular is because a lot of bloggers are paid to review them and get a substantial kickback if you buy one from them. It creates a trend, though perhaps not an honest one.

Heck, even I bought into all the buzz and hype which is why I now own both!

There are two types of pressure cookers: stovetop and electric.

StoveTop vs. Electric Pressure Cookers

I bought a stovetop pressure cooker several years ago…

…and it scared the beeejeezus out of me.

I always thought I was going to blow up my apartment using it, which is completely irrational, I know. (They’re totally safe).

Nevertheless, I tried to use it a few times to cook dry beans and they never came out quite right.

I don’t fault the pressure cooker.

I was living in a crappy apartment, using a crappy electric stove, and living at high altitude in Colorado, (plus there was no shortage of user error I’m sure)… so off to Goodwill it went.

I think most of us are attracted to the idea of a pressure cooker as a “kitchen helper.”

Something to save us time and money, help get good food on the table…

and if that’s your interest, you probably want an electric pressure cooker.

Electric Pressure Cooker

You can leave it completely unattended, and I often do — cooking big batches of beans or vegetable broth while doing laundry, watching TV, or even when I’m out all day.

(It’s not uncommon for me to throw in a bag of potatoes before leaving to run errands for a few hours.)

I bought my first electric PC about three years ago and have used it nearly every day since.

I don’t “cook” in my pressure cooker, I use it mainly for preparing bulk ingredients passively.

I use it to cook dry beans (which is well worth the investment on its own in my opinion. It’ll pay for itself within two months if you previously bought canned beans), potatoes, squashes like acorn or kabocha, corn on the cob, artichokes, and greens like kale.

Basically starchy or thick vegetables that would otherwise take a while to bake, boil, or steam I now pressure cook.

I also make huge batches of broth from my vegetable scraps. (See this post and video).

You can also cook grains in your pressure cooker, but I don’t like the way pressure cooked rice comes out.

I’ve been so spoiled by my rice cooker that I still prefer it for rice, and I’ve found having both the pressure cooker and rice cooker can be a big life saver when I need to MEGA multitask (I need beans AND rice).

Of course you don’t need both — you could just be better about planning and time management (woe is me).

One more honesty: PCs are NOT faster (not really).

The ‘cook time’ is less, true, but you also have to factor in all the time it takes to reach pressure, and the time it takes for the pressure to release after.

The idea that you put beans in a pressure cooker and 15 minutes later you have cooked beans is not the reality.

Beans take about an hour all said and done, which is about half the time as the stove top (and no soaking is required), so that IS awesome — but the PC is not always as fast. Greens, for example, take less than 5 minutes on my stove top. They require 1-3 minutes in the PC, but it takes at least 5-7 minutes to reach pressure before the cooking even starts. If I quick release the pressure, it takes another minute — if I don’t, another 3+ minutes. So it’s not less time, but it is less attention.

I think the real selling point to PCs is that you can batch cook unattended. Speed is sometimes another bonus.

CUISINART VS. INSTAPOT

Cuisinart

What I like:

• Smaller, easier for traveling
• Easier to use / less complicated / more intuitive
• Top is easier to maneuver
• Timer counts up
• Cheaper

Instapot

What I like:

• Stainless steel basin (though other brands have SS too, and you can buy an SS insert that fits the Cuisinart)
• Comes apart, so you clean it really well.
• Makes a noise to let you know the top’s on right
• Additional settings (though I have not used any)

Comparing FUNCTIONALITY:

I found the InstaPot very intimidating initially. I think it was all the buttons.

I really like the basic, minimalist control panel of the Cuisinart.

It’s simple and more intuitive for me.

For example, I put my kale or beans or potatoes in, select high or low pressure, push the button to count up the minutes I want it to cook, and voila! I’m on my way.

It took me a solid 10 minutes trying to figure out how to use the IP in this fashion.

I didn’t want soup, or grain, or any of the other settings — finally I figured “manual” was the button I wanted.

I also find the IP top to be much harder to use, though all PC tops are pretty tricky.

I do love that the IP makes a little noise to let me know if it’s on correctly, however.

Comparing TIMERS:

What I really loathe about the IP is that it automatically starts at 30 minutes.

I can’t think of ANY item I’d cook for 30 minutes in a PC.

I have to then push the button several times to count down the timer since most things I do have 1-3 minute cook times. It’s a lot of button pushing annoyance.

(vs. the Cuisinart starts at 1, so I’m basically there.)

The IP automatically starts after a minute, too, which is nice in some ways, but not helpful in others.

I prefer the “start” button requirement on my Cuisinart because sometimes I load up my PC with the intention of starting it later, such as a few minutes before other food is done.

I like to time my foods so everything comes out at once for dinner, and having it ready to start (but not starting right away) makes that really easy.

“Oh… the burgers will be done in 2… let me go hit “start” now so the corn comes out at the same time.”

Or I’ll load it up before bed and hit start in the morning…

Comparing SIZE:

The IP is bulkier, especially with the handles that protrude.

This makes it harder for me to pack it when I travel, though it also makes it much easier for me to move it from storage over the fridge to my countertop.

The plug cord for Cuisinart comes off completely. The IP cord is permanent, but really flexible.

Comparing FEATURES:

One of the reasons I ‘upgraded’ to the IP was because it advertised itself as having all these other fancy features…

But most of the “special” features: slow cooker, rice cooker, saute/browning, steamer, and warmer are available with ANY PC.

(Indeed, my Cuisinart does all those too.)

It has a few “settings” which is special I suppose, though I have never used any of them.

The unique “yogurt” feature for the IP is intriguing, though I’ve read enough blog posts on the web to see that other peeps are making yogurt in other PCs too (and in slow cookers).

Comparing COOKING:

My Cuisinart gets to pressure faster, generally cooks in less time, and cooks more predictably.

What I Chose:

As much as I tried to be an InstaPot fangirl, I eventually came to the conclusion that the Cuisinart worked better with my neuroses and work flow.

So I bought another one and ditched the IP.

CONCLUSIONS:

Both pressure cookers have their strengths and weaknesses. It really does come down to personal needs and how you’ll be using that pressure cooker.

For example, if you want to do a lot of cooking (i.e. soups) in your pressure cooker, having that special setting might matter to you.

If your PC items usually take more than 30 minutes, or you don’t need to travel with it, OR your family is obsessed with yogurt… the IP is probably the way to go.

If you’re more like me: need it to batch cook beans and vegetables daily, travel often, want non-stick, need less bells and whistles, need a cheaper option, the Cuisinart is probably better.

BUT!

The REAL question – do you need a pressure cooker?

If you already do a lot of batch cooking and have a good routine with cooking bulk vegetables, beans, or rice, I would get one.

I’m GUILTY of being an optimistic purchaser — meaning I buy something thinking if I buy it, I will do something.

Sort of like how I bought gym memberships thinking that would help me workout or lose weight, and it did at first until I fell out of the habit or lost my motivation.

This has happened to me with many expensive purchases: buying a juicer, a bread machine, a soda stream, and the stovetop PC, among others — all of which found their way to Goodwill.

I bought these items with optimism that they would change me or help me reach some goal, and they did not.

As it happens, the electric pressure cooker did change me, but I was also already maintaining a lifestyle conducive to pressure cooker use, so I was primed for that change.

For example, I was already using an electric steamer daily, which I got rid of when the PC arrived, and I was making a good effort of cooking beans on the stove, and so forth, too.

I hope my review and experiences have been helpful, and if they have, please share it with a friend.

Click here to learn more about the Cuisinart ($99.95)

Click here to learn more about the InstaPot ($136)

There are also other electric options, like this $77 Tatung that looks like an IP and even has stainless steel.

If you have either (or another brand) please share your experiences in the comments.

P.S. I’m starting a “Cook Like a Pro” newsletter and blog series this February.

The first lesson will be about batch cooking (and using a pressure cooker!) So if you’ve been thinking about buying one… now’s the time!

ALSO, signup for the HH newsletter (free) here so you don’t miss the “Cook Like a Pro” series.

This week’s meal plan is exploding with awesome and healthy meals — not to mention lots of variety to spice up your life!

Check out these 6 (SIX!) new recipes on the menu: Curry Roasted Vegetables & Creamy Polenta (NEW!), Smashed Banana Breakfast Roll-Up (NEW!), Simple Couscous Soup (NEW!), Orange “Beef” with Broccoli Noodles (NEW!), Chile Verde Soup (NEW!), and Vegetable Omelette (NEW!).

You’ll also find some all-time favorites like Chipotle Pinto Bean & Kale Tostadas and Asian Tofu Salad Sandwiches!

Chipotle Pinto Bean & Kale Tostadas

Individual Highlights

• Chipotle Pinto Bean & Kale Tostadas
• Curry Roasted Vegetables & Creamy Polenta (NEW!)
• Smashed Banana Breakfast Roll-Up (NEW!)
• Italian Bowl
• Simple Couscous Soup (NEW!)
• Orange “Beef” with Broccoli Noodles (NEW!)
• Chile Verde Soup (NEW!)
• Vegetable Omelette (NEW!)
• Asian Tofu Salad Sandwiches

Get this meal plan now.

Curry Roasted Vegetables & Creamy Polenta

Family Highlights

• Orange “Beef” with Broccoli Noodles (NEW!)
• Chile Verde Soup (NEW!)
• Vegetable Omelette (NEW!, Bonus Breakfast Recipe)
• Garden Chowder
• Curry Roasted Vegetables & Creamy Polenta (NEW!)
• Simple Couscous Soup (NEW!)
• Smashed Banana Breakfast Roll-Up (NEW!, Bonus Breakfast Recipe)
• Asian Tofu Salad Sandwiches
• Chipotle Pinto Bean & Kale Tostadas

Get this meal plan now.

Chile Verde Soup

Testimonials

“I have lost 8 lbs. since I started using the family meal plan at the beginning of the year. Having all my meals cooked in advance is really helping me fight the urge to snack!“- Becky C

“Since starting the meal plans 5 weeks ago, I’m down 3 lbs! When I first went plant-based, I limited fats and oil and easily maintained a loss I was happy with. Then I started to follow another plant-based athlete and was convinced that I should be adding in fat along with a few other things that didn’t work. I have had a hard time dropping the 5-7 lbs I gained until I started using the meal plans! I’m convinced this way of eating is the way for me.“- Lori B

Get the current meal plan now.

Meet our Herbies of the Week: Erin & Mark!

I first heard about Erin and Mark’s plant-based journey during “The Forks Over Knives Plan” giveaway.

Erin wrote on the HH blog:

“The movie changed my and my husband’s life. We quit milk cold turkey, transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, and told the people we care about the most to watch the movie. We have been going strong for 3 years and my acne cleared up, we lost weight, and feel the best we ever have. My husband’s family has high blood pressure, and even though he has been a distance runner for a long time, his blood pressure was high. Since the FOK movie, his blood pressure is in normal range. It changed our lives forever and we are so, so thankful!“

As soon as I read Erin’s comment I just had to share their story as part of our Herbie of the Week series.

I’ll let Erin take it away!

HH: Hi Erin! Tell us how you and your husband, Mark, discovered a plant-based diet.

My husband’s brother told us about the movie “Fork Over Knives” in 2011. Little did we know that the FOK movie would change our lives. Before we watched the movie, we were eating meat about 3 to 4 times a week and we loved dairy products. We would eat cheese like it was going out of style! We also loved milk, yogurt, and ice cream.

The entire movie was a wake-up call for us due to Drs T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. The information they provided during the movie about heart disease, cancer rates, etc. was just eye opening and it was impossible to ignore. I remember after I watched the movie I kept waking up that night and thinking about it. The next day I was paying attention to what I was eating and what it was possibly doing to me. We used to have a huge Sunday brunch with breakfast burritos with A LOT of cheese or eggs with cheese and we shared an entire package of cinnamon rolls. We watched the movie on a weekend and the thought that this food we were eating was actually killing us was scary.

Our transition was slow, but we cut out meat first and the last to go was cheese and yogurt. During this time, my husband also read “The China Study“, which helped complete our transition to a full plant-based diet.

HH: What about “The China Study” made you fully transition?

My husband would read excerpts from “The China Study” as he was reading through the book. Specifically, the information on the cancer rates and the correlation to casein/protein intake. At that point in time, I was still eating yogurt and some other milk products. After my husband read “The China Study”, I stopped eating milk products and we were fully plant-based. I can honestly say that there are days that I miss cheese and ice cream, but my husband quit cold turkey and even realized that he is allergic to milk now that he has been off of it for such a long time. If there is even a little milk in a product or in the food at someone’s house, he notices and his nose is stuffy for a day!

HH: You listed some of the benefits you’ve experienced since going plant-based, do you mind elaborating on that?

Mark’s blood pressure dropped into a low-normal range and his cholesterol is even better than mine, which was unheard of before. I, on the other hand, always struggled with acne since high school. I saw dermatologists for acne medications, which helped a little, but didn’t complete get rid of it. After going plant-based, my skin cleared up completely. My dermatologist said it looked like the medication was working well, but I told him the reason was that I changed my diet and went plant-based. He was shocked and I recommended he let his other patients know that cutting out milk will get rid of the acne. We also realized how healthy we are on the diet – we are sick less, we have more energy, lost weight (I went from a size 8/10 to a size 4) and just feel better than we did before.

HH: You said Mark is a distance runner. Has he noticed any changes in his recovery or running times after going plant-based?

He has definitely noticed a difference with his recovery. His recovery times have become faster and he honestly has fewer injuries and less inflammation than before. He used to get injured quite a bit and he would take a lot of ibuprofen. Now he is rarely injured and never takes ibuprofen. I also have osteoarthritis in my knees due to a ski injury/knee surgeries. Once we switched to a plant-based diet, my osteoarthritis has almost all but disappeared completely.

HH: Let’s talk food! Were there any recipes that helped you transition?

Once we decided to switch to plant-based, we went to the book store to look for cookbooks that could help us transition. We knew we were going to need help, otherwise it was not going to stick. We loved cooking and needed help creating wonderful meals that would help us not miss meat and dairy. On one of the end stands we noticed a cookbook called The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. We made the chickpea tacos, soups, entrees, and the one recipe that saved me the most was the Quick Queso recipe. I loved my queso and chips when I was not plant-based and I really needed something to replace it. I definitely didn’t miss cheese anymore!

HH: You said in your original comment that you now recommend FOK to your friends. Have any adopted a plant-based diet?

We have recommended that everyone, especially the people that we love and care about the most, to watch FOK. We think it is so important to understand what the food your eating is doing to you. We want those close to us to live long and healthy lives, which is why we recommend they watch the movie. We have had people try a plant-based diet, but not stick to it, which is hard for us to see. But, they are doing what they need to do. I did recommend to my cousin to watch the movie and she has started transitioning now.

HH: Any advice for others who are looking into or transitioning to a plant-based diet?

It takes time and perfection is not to be expected! Still, give it plenty of time so that you can truly start seeing the changes that will take place. Your whole life will change for the better – you will have more energy, your overall health will improve and you will be happy with your new plant-based lifestyle. Make sure you buy plenty of cookbooks with recipes that you are excited about as it will help with the transition.

Thank you so much Erin & Mark for sharing your story with us!