How to make powdered mac n cheese that's plant-based, healthy and damn good!

When I was young I LOVED boxed macaroni and cheese.  Lol especially the next day when there were tiny "cheese balls" on the noodles (I know you know what I'm talking about).

But now, I can make an optimal version of powdered mac n cheese that gives me that same nostalgic feeling from being a kid, it's just A LOT healthier.  It's delicious, it's health improving and it's super easy to make.

I love this recipe so much that I made it on the set of "Making It Grow" last night (I'll email you when the replay is out).

Trish with Amanda McNulty (and her flower crown), the amazing host of Making It Grow

The recipe is so easy to make.  Once you've made your powdered "cheese" mix, you can have a cheese sauce ready within 2 minutes that's delicious, dairy free, gluten free, vegan and low in fat.  Lol yes, it really does taste good.

Before I introduce the recipe, you need to know where it came from.  My husband is a Chef and his good friend Mike Joyce, the head chef of Aldine Restaurant in Philadelphia, got us this cookbook as a wedding present.  It's one of the most delicious tasting, unique and spot on vegan cookbooks I've ever had and I highly recommend it.

How to Make Powdered and Plant-Based Macaroni and Cheese

(Recipe Below)

Plant-Based Powered Mac and Cheese

Sauce by Miyoko Schinner of The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples and pasta dish recreated by Nutritionist, Trisha Mandes, MPHN of www.TrishaMandes.com

Powdered Cheese Sauce Ingredients:

• 3/4 C nutritional yeast
• 3/4 C oat flour
• 1/4 C tapioca flour
• 1 T paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp powdered mustard 

Pasta Ingredients:

• 100% whole grain pasta (whole wheat or brown rice or other)
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 cups almond milk

Instructions for making powdered cheese mix:

1. Place all powdered cheese ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix with a whisk until equally mixed. 
2. Put in an airtight container, label it and store in the cupboard. 

Instructions for making the mac and cheese:

1. Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package.
2. Steam broccoli.
3. To make cheese sauce, put almond milk and 2/3 C cheese powder mix in a sauce pot.  Turn stove on high and begin mixing the powder mix and almond milk together using a whisk until it's evenly blended.  Continue to whisk as it comes to a boil and thickens.  As soon as it comes to a boil immediately remove it from heat, and continue whisking.
4. Place cooked pasta, broccoli and cheese sauce in a large bowl and toss until evenly coated with cheese.  Then plate and enjoy.

Now I'd love to hear from you.  Answer today's question and click 'comment' below to answer.

Take Control Now Question

How will you enjoy this cheese sauce?

Reasons to sign-up for Trisha's "7 Day Healthy Eating Challenge--Plant-Based Style" from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics releases an evidence-based position paper about vegetarian diets every few years.  Today I share a few exciting statements from The Academy regarding plant-based eating from their 2009 position paper (1).  

Here's what you'll learn from watching today's video...

• what chronic diseases vegetarian diets have shown to improve or reduce the risk of according to the evidence compared to meat-based diets.  
• if you have to complement proteins if you're not eating meat.  
• if vegan eaters do better or worse in certain health and nutrient outcomes compared to vegetarians and omnivores.

Watch the video to learn what the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics thinks about eating plant-based.  Once you've watched the video, be sure to answer today's Take Control Question below.  

Here's a few quotes from The Academy's position paper on vegetarian diets...

“It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.”

The authors continue...

"Vegetarian diets are often associated with a number of health advantages, including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels, and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index (BMI) and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals."

What does the Academy have to say about protein and plant-based, vegan diets?.....

"Protein Plant protein can meet protein requirements when a variety of plant foods is consumed and energy needs are met. Research indicates that an assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids... thus, complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal."

The paper also stated that "a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease" and that one study found that "the incidence of ischemic heart disease was estimated to be 24% lower in lifelong vegetarians and 57% lower in lifelong vegans compared to meat eaters."

If you think you'd like to try eating a healthy, plant-based, vegetarian or vegan diet but aren't sure how to get started or just need a restart to get back on track, considering joining my free "7 Day Healthy Eating Challenge -- Plant-Based Style."  Here's what you'll get for joining...

• 35 free recipes,
• a meal plan,
• two free webinars where you can ask me, Nutritionist, Trisha Mandes, MPHN anything about eating a healthy, plant-based diet and
• 7 days of tips and inspirational emails.  

Sign-up at www.THTchallenge.com and once you do, please ask 3 friends to do it with you.  Email them the sign-up link www.THTchallenge.com

Now I'd love to hear from you.  Answer today's Take Control Now Question and click 'comment' below to share your thoughts.

Take Control Now Question

What stereotypes or negative thoughts do you or did you have about eating vegetarian that may prevent you from trying to eat healthier?

Sources:

1. Craig, WJ. and Mangels, AR. 2009. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Am Diet Association, Jul:109(7):1266-82. 

How to meal plan regularly even when you hate it

One of the biggest problems my eCourse students and readers have is meal planning.  It seems so daunting and too time consuming that it can paralyze people from even trying.  Many students feel like meal planning is the key to their success eating plant-based.

Although it's absolutely possible to eat a plant-based diet successfully without meal planning, knowing how to meal plan regularly, even if you don't like it, can be a very helpful skill to have. Here's  5  tips to meal plan quickly and regularly, even if you hate it.

1.  Have someone else meal plan for you.

The easiest way to meal plan when you hate doing it is to have someone else do it for you! There are a few services you can order from that will send you healthy, plant-based meal plans with recipes so all you have to do is show up at the grocery store (full disclosure - I've never tried these two vegan meal planning services before nor do I get any kickbacks for sharing this with you). 

• Forks Over Knives Planner 
• Meal Mentor by Happy Herbivore 

This is also one of the reasons my husband and I founded Trisha's Healthy Table in Columbia, SC -- to make eating plant-based dinners easier when you're not up for planning or grocery shopping.  Just order online and pick-up on the date you've scheduled and you're done!

Okay well what do you do when you actually have to meal plan but really don't like doing it?  

2.  Schedule 10 minutes a week to meal plan.

Schedule just 10 minutes a week in your planner (seriously! - schedule a time to plan!) to do this every week.  Once you start doing it continuously every week, it'll become a habit.  

You don't have to make a brand new meal plan every single week.  Keep it the same as the week before, or just switch out one or two meals for something new.   

3.  Choose simple and quick meals

I use to make meal plans for clients (years ago) that included a different breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snack for every single day of the week.  Problem with that was, it was too overwhelming for people to try and make 32 different food items a week (they did get a lot of recipes though!).  

I don't recommend trying to cook gourmet meals, or spend 1.5 hours cooking every night, especially if you're busy.  Make eating a healthy, vegan diet as easy as possible on yourself.  Your meal plan should reflect this.

You can use the microwave, a rice cooker, boxed soups, an electric pressure cooker etc. to help make eating plant-based easier.   

Remember all of this when you meal plan.  Don't try and make more than 3 brand new dinners in a week.  Stick with planning and cooking what you already know and slowly add new recipes over time (if you want.  You don't have to!).   

The simpler you keep your meals, the simpler eating a healthy, plant-based diet (and meal planning) is going to be.  What's easier... preparing 100% whole wheat spaghetti with jarred marinara sauce with a side of pre-cut and pre-washed salad mix OR making veggie lasagna from scratch for dinner?  Bake a butternut squash and saute kale and garlic while the squash is in the oven and dinner is done.   You're more likely to eat healthier keeping your meals simply this way too.

4.  Just focus on planning dinner.

Breakfast is generally pretty easy to eat plant-based and lunches can be dinner left-overs.  You're biggest concern, and where you should focus the most energy meal planning, is dinner.  

To avoid being overwhelmed, just pick 3 to 5 dinners that you'd enjoy eating for dinner that week.  Then, rotate through them throughout the week.  This means you might eat pasta on Monday and Thursday.  Here's a few examples of quick dinners to choose from...

• Pasta (100% whole-grain), jarred marinara and a side salad
• Burrito bowl: a mix and match of rice, corn and or beans; salsa, tomatoes, romaine lettuce or spinach and avocado
• Cashew-alfredo linguini and broccoli
• Veggie burgers, oil-free potato fries and a salad
• Veggie pizza (we buy Trader Joe's whole-wheat crust)
• Bean and veggie soup

You can also make these same dinners a little different each week to make the planning easy but the taste a bit varied.  Use different types of pasta for pasta night; different veggies and grains for burrito bowls; seasonal veggies in the veggie burgers and different toppings for pizza.

5.  Store your meal plan on your phone or make copies

Take a photo of your list of dinners and the ingredients they include on your phone.  You can also store this info on an app, in your notes or in email.  Just make it accessible on your phone.  That way, when you're in the store but didn't actually make a meal plan for the week (or forgot it), you'll still know what to buy and make for dinner.

If you're a pen and paper type person, make copies of your dinner meal plan.  I recommend storing a few copies in your glove box, your purse, as well as your kitchen.  Just be sure they make it to the store with you!

Now it's time to hear from you!  Your voice matters and it's helpful for others (especially women!).  Answer today's Take Control Now Question by clicking 'comment' below...

Take Control Now Question

Do you meal plan? If so, what's your system?  Have a time-saving meal planning strategy that could help others?