Summary
Keep in Mind
Nutritional yeast makes a great substitute for Parmesan cheese.
Sweeten up breakfast or dessert with fresh and dried fruits (especially berries), fruit juice, single-strength concentrates and purées (like applesauce) and coconut water.
Breakfast Tip: You can also add a small green smoothie or fruit smoothie as a filling addition to any breakfast.
Lunch Tip: Look for the Health Starts Here logo at your local Whole Foods Market in the prepared foods section. There are some great options in the case for quick meals to go. When you see the logo you know that each dish is plant-strong™, nutrient-dense and made from whole foods and healthy fats.
Snack Tip: Fresh fruit is a great snack — morning, afternoon and evening.
Dinner Tip: Frozen vegetables are a huge time-saver and are quite tasty; always keep your freezer stocked with your favorites.
Sunday
Batch cooking day: Start the week by batch cooking and storing meals in grab-and-go serving containers. This saves precious time during the week for all meals.
Brown Rice
Fresh vegetable prep: wash lettuce and spinach, wash and chop cauliflower florets, purple cabbage, radishes, and your favorite salad ingredients.
Salad dressing of of choice (enough for 3 or 4 days)
Breakfast: Millet Breakfast Cereal with Mandarin Oranges and Dates
Prepare ½ the recipe. Divide into 2 servings and save 1 for later in week. Serve with fresh fruit.
Lunch: Yellow Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Consider halving this savory recipe. Freeze 3 servings for later in the week. Serve with spinach salad and a berry dressing.
Dinner: Celebration Lentil Loaf
Serve with Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Divide lentil loaf into 6 servings (freezing 4 servings for later). Prepare ½ recipe of potatoes and have 1 serving with dinner; reserve remainder for a later meal. Serve lentil loaf and potatoes with mixed green salad, veggies and dressing.
Monday
Breakfast: Cocoa-Almond Baked Breakfast Quinoa
Thaw and warm quinoa bar. Rinse fruit and slice or chop if needed.
Lunch: Celebration Lentil Loaf
Serve with Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Gently heat lentil loaf and mashed potatoes. Serve with a salad of romaine lettuce and a variety of crunchy chopped vegetables.
Dinner: Whole Wheat Pasta with Tomatoes and Veggies
Make sauce according to recipe directions. Cook only ½ suggested pasta amount. Prepare two servings, saving one for tomorrow’s lunch. Freeze remaining sauce for later meals. Add a large green salad with dressing.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Millet Breakfast Cereal with Mandarin Oranges and Dates
Gently reheat millet cereal. Serve with fresh fruit.
Lunch: Whole Wheat Pasta with Tomatoes and Veggies
Gently heat pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast if desired. Add a romaine salad with crispy veggies and dressing of choice.
Dinner: Protein Bowls with Quinoa and Sprouted Lentils
Thaw cooked beans from your freezer or open a can of no-salt added beans. Steam kale and broccoli and place in bowl with brown rice and beans. Add 3 ounces of salmon or tofu and chopped avocado if desired. Serve with a mixed green salad and dressing of choice.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Almond Rice Might Bowl
Warm ½ cup brown rice in ½ cup of almondmilk. Top with a sliced banana and 1 ounce of chopped raw almonds. Sweeten with a chopped date or fruit juice.
Lunch: Celebration Lentil Loaf
Thaw lentil loaf and gently reheat with brown rice. Consider dressing the lentil loaf with salsa or eggplant sauce. Serve with salad and tangy citrus dressing.
Dinner: Yellow Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Serve with Baked Fries and Kale Avocado Salad
Prepare kale leaves for salad; mix mashed avocado and lemon juice and reserve ½ in an airtight container for tomorrow’s lunch. Mix remaining avocado with ½ of the kale for tonight. This serves as your salad; feel free to add more greens and other raw veggies. Bake fries and reserve leftovers for future meals. Warm split pea soup and serve.
Thursday
Morning: Oatmeal Mighty Bowl
Cook rolled or steel-cut oats with peaches and nutmeg; top with pecans. Add unsweetened nondairy milk of your choice if you prefer moister oatmeal.
Lunch: Southwest Veggie Burgers
Serve with baked fries and kale avocado salad
Thaw and warm veggie burger, serving open-faced on toasted Health Starts Here bread. Mix chopped kale and avocado-lemon mixture from last night and serve as your salad.
Dinner: Celebration Lentil Loaf
Serve with Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Thaw lentil loaf and gently reheat with baked fries. Consider dressing the lentil loaf with salsa or eggplant sauce. Serve with salad and tangy citrus dressing.
Friday
Breakfast: Almond Rice Might Bowl
Warm ½ cup brown rice in ½ cup of almondmilk. Top with a sliced banana and 1 ounce of chopped raw almonds. Sweeten with a chopped date or fruit juice.
Lunch: Southwest Veggie Burgers
Serve with baked fries .
Thaw burger and warm along with fries. Consider serving burger open-faced on toasted Health Starts Here bread. Add a green salad with dressing.
Dinner: Whole Wheat Pasta with Tomatoes and Veggies
Gently heat pasta sauce and cook 2 ounces of pasta. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast if desired. Add a romaine salad with crispy veggies and dressing of choice.
Saturday
Breakfast: Oatmeal Mighty Bowl
Cook rolled or steel-cut oats with apple and cinnamon; top with walnuts. Add unsweetened nondairy milk of your choice if you prefer moister oatmeal.
Lunch: Yellow Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Thaw and gently heat frozen soup. Add a slice of toasted Health Starts Here bread if desired. Serve with spinach salad and a berry dressing.
Dinner: Protein Bowls with Quinoa and Sprouted Lentils
Thaw cooked beans from your freezer or open a can of no-salt-added beans. Steam kale and broccoli and place in bowl with mashed potatoes and beans. Add 3 oz. of protein or chopped avocado if desired. Serve with a big green salad and dressing.
