What I Eat in a Day on a Plant-Based Diet

To go along with my YouTube video about what I eat in a day (see the video below), here are the recipes I mentioned.  In the video, I showed what I ate over the course of THREE days!  I hope you enjoy the recipes.

 

Click here for the Overnight Quinoa

 

Berry Smoothie

1 1/2 cups water
2 cups spinach or kale
1 banana
2 cups frozen berries
 

If you have a Nutribullet, put everything in and blend it up. If you are using a regular blender, blend the water and greens first. Then add the fruit and blend again. (This helps the greens to break down better.)
I like to mix in a tablespoon of Chia seeds or Hemp Hearts before drinking.

 

Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Potatoes (serves 2)

Ingredients

1 can artichoke hearts (drained and halved)

2 Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes)

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 oz green olives (sliced)

one head of romaine lettuce (torn in bite-size pieces)

sliced almonds

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Dressing Ingredients

2 T mayo (I use vegan mayo)

1 T white wine vinegar

a pinch of minced garlic

a pinch of chipotle powder

Directions:

1.    Saute potatoes at medium-high in a bit of olive oil until browned (about 8 minutes).  Place on a paper towel and toss with salt and pepper.

2.    Saute artichokes for 5 minutes until browned.

3.    Mix salad ingredients together and season with salt an pepper.

4.    Place potatoes, artichokes, and tomatoes on a bed of romaine.  Top with almonds and feta and drizzle with dressing.

Corn and Black Bean Tostadas (serves 2–3)

Ingredients

3/4 cups corn

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

shallot (finely chopped)

1 T chopped cilantro

6 corn tortillas

cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)

salsa

Directions:

1.    Saute shallots for 3 minutes in a tsp of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add corn.

2.    Mash black beans with a potato masher and add to the pan with and 2 T of water.   Cook until heated (just a few minutes).

3.    Stir in cilantro.

4.    Toast corn tortillas slightly and then top with black bean mixture and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese (optional).  Toast or broil just until cheese melts.

5.    Top with salsa.

 

Quinoa and Salad Sandwich

Put cooked quinoa, greens, and salad veggies in a whole wheat pita and drizzle with dressing.  I used balsamic vinaigrette.

Israeli Couscous with Chickpeas and Roasted Vegetables (serves 2)

Ingredients

zucchini (cut into 1/2" cubes)

cherry tomatoes (halved)

thyme

garlic

smoked paprika

2 green onions (thinly sliced)

lemon juice

1/2 can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)

3/4 c Israeli couscous

1 1/2 c vegetable broth

1//2 c feta cheese (optional) 

Directions

1.    Preheat oven to 425.  Drizzle zucchini and tomatoes with a small amount of olive oil.  Toss with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Place on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes.

2.    Drizzle chickpeas with oil and toss with a tsp of paprika, salt, and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet and roast on the top rack of the oven for 20 minutes.

3.    Heat a small amount of oil in a pot.  Cook garlic and the white pieces of the green onions over medium-high for a minute.  Add couscous, thyme, salt, and pepper and cooking (stirring) for 2-3 minutes.

 4.    Add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or so.  Stir in half of the veggies, half of the feta, and a splash of lemon juice.

5.  To serve, divide couscous between two bowls.  Top each with remaining veggies, chickpeas, green onions, and feta.

Click here for the Chocolate Banana "Ice Cream"

Plant-Based Guidelines

I have struggled with my weight my whole adult life.  I have insulin resistance and polycystic ovarian syndrome which lead to pretty significant weight gain.  I have tried numerous diets and, in fact, found that if I wasn't on a diet (any kind of diet), I was gaining weight.

Then a few years ago, I participated in a study eating a plant-based diet.  I thought I would never be able to give up meat and cheese, but was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to adjust to.  My weight loss was slow, but over the course of a year, I lost 30 pounds.  The great thing about this is that it's a lifestyle now and I haven't struggled with my weight at all.  I eat mostly plants and plant protein, but I allow myself one serving of animal protein each week and, while I still eat cheese, I use it as a garnish.  So, as an example, rather than making cheese enchiladas, I make vegetable enchiladas with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top.

 

See my story on YouTube.

 

The guidelines below were what I followed when I participated in the study.  I eat pretty much the same way now (two years later), including one serving of meat each week, with the addition of a sprinkling of cheese here and there.

As with any new diet, you should check with your doctor first.  I've included some resources below the chart about the benefits of a plant-based diet and some sites with delicious plant-based recipes.

Research and Resources for Plant-Based Eating:

5 Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

9 Scientific Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

See the plant-based recipes at the Oh She Glows blog.

Plant-Based Resources

DIY Deodorant Recipe with Essential Oils

***This post contains affiliate links.

This DIY deodorant is the best I've ever used.  It's chemical free and works great!  Here's what you need:

 • roller ball bottle
 • 8 drops Lemon essential oil
 • 8 drops Tea Tree essential oil
 • 8 drops Thieves essential oil (by Young Living)
 • 4 drops Purification essential oil (by Young Living)
 • 1 1/2 T fractionated coconut oil
 • 1 T baking soda

Add all ingredients to the roller ball bottle and give it a good shake.  Each time you use it, you'll want to shake it up to mix in the baking soda that has settled at the bottom.

This is amazing stuff!

DIY Under Eye Serum with Essential Oils

***This post contains affiliate links.

This DIY Undereye Serum is super easy to make and has great benefits for that tender skin around the eyes.  Geranium essential oil tones and tightens the skin and Frankincense essential oil rejuvenates the skin.  Here's what you need:
 • 10 mL roller ball bottle
 • Geranium essential oil
 • Frankincense essential oil
 • sweet almond oil or jojoba oil

Put 10 drops of Geranium essential oil and 10 drops of Frankincense essential oil into the roller ball bottle.  Top it off with either sweet almond oil or jojoba oil.  Snap on the roller ball piece and give it a good shake.  Use the serum every night after cleansing to hydrate and depuff skin and minimize the appearance of wrinkles.

How I Store My Essential Oils

***This post contains affiliate links.

I started using essential oils from Young Living several months ago and have amassed quite a collection.  It became necessary to figure out a way to store them, so here's what I've done that makes the oils easy to identify and keeps them all in one place.

First, I got a set of labels (specifically for Young Living oils). They are laminated for durability and are great for labeling the caps of your bottles, so you can identify them from the top.

Then I got this great case that holds 45 5-15 mL bottles in the top levels and another 14 roller bottles in the drawer. I love it!

 

How do you store your oils?

If you are interested in learning more about Young Living essential oils, leave a comment below or contact me through email (busybeingjen@gmail.com).  You can also click HERE.

Natural Deodorant Recipe

***This post contains affiliate links.

For quite some time, I've been looking for a natural deodorant that actually works.  Now I've found one!

This recipe is made with essential oils from Young Living and a few other basic ingredients.

Natural Deodorant Recipe

8 drops of lemon essential oil
8 drops of tea tree essential oil
8 drops of Thieves essential oil
4 drops of Purification essential oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons of liquid coconut oil 
1 Tablespoon baking soda

Put ingredients in a roller ball bottle and shake to mix.


If you're interested in learning more about essential oils, leave a comment below or contact me at busybeingjen@gmail.com. You can also check out Young Living by clicking HERE.

2018 Reading Challenge

For 2018, I'm challenging myself to read books in different genres. While my list is quite long, my intention is to read at least 12 books, but maybe more.  Here's my list, but I would encourage you to adapt it with your own interests.

2018 Reading Challenge

o   A cozy mystery

o   A classic romance

o   A classic

o   A book that became a movie

o   A book with a number in the title

o   A book about Christian living

o   A mystery or thriller

o   A book with a one-word title

o   A book of short stories

o   A book on the New York Times bestseller list

o   A book at the bottom of your T0-Be-Read pile

o   A memoir

o   A book you can finish in a day

o   A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit

o   A book in a trilogy

o   A book you loved as a kid

o   A book of poetry

o   A book you own but have never read

o   A book that takes place in your hometown/state

o   A book won on Goodreads

o   A book set during Christmas

o   A banned book

o   A book you started but never finished

o   A book about a road trip

o   A book about race or racial issues

o   A Young Adult fiction book

o   A Juvenile fiction book

o   A book with a yellow cover

o   A book with the ocean on the cover

o   A book about a hobby

o   A children’s book I own, but haven’t read

o   A book of choice

o   A book of choice

o   A book of choice