Rip Esselstyn's Blog, page 11

9 Items in Every Plant-Strong Pantry

Depending on how long you’ve been on your plant-strong journey, chances are your pantry looks a LOT different than it did when you were eating the Standard American Diet. And with good reason: A plant-strong pantry is loaded with flavor and nutritional power!

A plant-strong pantry makes mealtime easy!

Here at Engine 2, we’re always looking for new ways to help you save time planning and prepping your meals, and to help you save money at the grocery store. Stocking up your pantry with the right ingredients is one of the easiest ways to do both (and when you use our Engine 2 Meal Planner, our tool will help you maximize the ingredients you already have on hand to save even more time at the grocery store. Just use the search feature to find recipes that call for those ingredients. Then before you leave or while you’re at the store, just check those items you have on hand off of your interactive grocery list before leaving the house).

Whether you’re a plant-strong veteran or you’re just getting started on our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge (or are somewhere in between), check out this list of our nine favorite plant-strong pantry items:

Spices! Once you’ve cut out the added sugar, salt and fat that is everywhere on the Standard American Diet (SAD), your taste buds will literally explode from the variety of natural flavors in plants, plus the extraordinary variety of spices out there. Don’t just stick to what you know, explore new flavors and tantalize your palate!
Beans (dried or canned). Black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans..there are SO many beans out there, and they are all packed with plant-strong goodness! Depending on your preference, you can stock up on dried beans and cook them yourself. Or if you prefer to have things ready to go, load up on no salt added beans (or as low sodium as you can find) for quick and easy meal builders. And don’t let that short list stop you – from black eyed peas to cannellini beans to navy beans to…there are so many options out there. Try something new and give your meals a jolt of flavor and health.
Whole wheat pasta. At the end of the day, everyone loves pasta. From a simple pasta with marinara to our Raise the Roof Sweet Potato Lasagna, pasta is the foundation of family-friendly, delicious and nutrient-packed meals. Don’t be afraid to branch out, either. More and more stores are loading up on gluten-free options like black bean pasta, red lentil pasta and more – experiment with the tastes and textures and enjoy!
Nutritional yeast. Visit our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group and you’ll probably see at least a few mentions of “nooch” or nutritional yeast. It’s a base ingredient of our plant-strong “cheeze” sauce and can be used as a spark to top off a variety of meals (some people like to sprinkle it on their pasta and marinara in lieu of parmesan cheese).
Oats (of every kind). Oats are one of the most heart-friendly foods in the world – here at Engine 2, we eat them every day! From a bowl of steamy oats to Rip’s Big Bowl in the morning, to savory oats for dinner (even baked oats or oats used as a “meat” substitute!), adding oats to your day protects your heart while filling you up with fiber, plant-strong protein, zinc, manganese and more.
Lentils. Dried lentils are one of the most affordable plant-strong meal foundations out there, and just like the rest of this plant-strong pantry, they are PACKED with nutrients. Canned lentils make them an even quicker option when you need to toss together a quick meal. Brown, green and red are the most common lentils you’ll find in the store, but don’t be afraid to branch out and try yellow, black or French lentils too.
Quinoa. Quick and easy to prepare, loaded with protein, fiber and more, quinoa works well in plant-strong bowls for our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge, in soups and strews, with seasoning as a replacement taco “meat” and more.
Brown rice. Here’s another plant-strong grain to keep on hand. Brown rice works well in tacos, stews and stir fries (just to name a few!) while packing your meals with plant-strong nutrition. If you have a rice cooker or pressure cooker, this staple can come together quickly and easily, too!
Diced tomatoes. Toss these into soups, stews and chilis. Whip up a quick marinara sauce for some whole grain pasta – there are limitless possibilities for no salt added diced tomatoes! They’re also packed with Thiamin, Niacin, Calcium and Magnesium while adding Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Iron, Potassium, Copper and Manganese to your diet.

Looking for some inspiration to put these pantry items to use? This Chili Mac recipe from our Meal Planner uses spices, pasta and diced tomatoes to create a filling and delicious meal!

These nine are some of our favorites, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. What’s the #1 item in your plant-strong pantry?

4 Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Saving money at the grocery store can seem easy when you’re eating the Standard American Diet. Billion dollar corporations spend a lot of money on sales and coupons that make you feel like you’re getting a “deal” on those convenience foods. But those foods are often over-processed sugar, salt and fat bombs that are devoid of actual nutritional value. So while you may be “saving” a few dollars here and there on junk food, you’re most definitely not saving your health!

 

Plant-strong eating without breaking the bank.

There is good news – the myth that plant-strong eating is expensive is just that: a myth. Many people in our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group report that they are actually spending less money at the grocery store each week buying their amazing plant foods. Still, who wouldn’t want to save even more? Keep these four tips in mind at the store to save even more on your grocery bill:

 

Buy in bulk.

Many stores now offer spices, oats, grains and more in bulk, often saving you several dollars per pound. WIth spices in particular, it can be daunting to spend $4 or $5 on a small bottle of a spice you may only be using for one recipe. Buying bulk instead can save you a bundle without requiring you to sacrifice flavor in your meals. With grains a staple of every plant-strong pantry that stay fresh for a long time, stocking up ensures you always have ingredients on hand for quick meals while also saving you extra dollars at the cash register. Need some meal inspiration to go along with your bulk grain and bean savings? Try out this Citrus Beet & Black Bean Quinoa Bowl from our Meal Planner and let us know what you think!

Stay local.

Local produce doesn’t have the price tag of produce that has been shipped across the country (or across the globe). It also tends to be much more fresh! If your area has a local farmer’s market, you’ll often find the cheapest prices on fruits and veggies there, but many local grocery stores also carry produce from local vendors.

Think outside the box (or inside it!).

Sometimes it’s nice to not have to throw together a meal from scratch – and when you factor in not needing to buy individual ingredients and time spent in the kitchen, you end up saving considerable time and money. Try some of the Engine 2 Plant-Strong products by going to a Whole Foods Market store (US only), or find some of them online at Amazon.com. Prices have been reduced since the Amazon acquisition and these premium products are more affordable than ever!

Plan ahead.

It’s happened to all of us from time to time. We go to the grocery store with the best of intentions and a set notion of what we want to buy. Then the end caps and product displays catch our eye, and next thing you know you have gone way over budget. Having a plan (and sticking to it) can be a huge help here. Folks using our meal planner have reported that the ability to plan out meals has helped them shave several dollars off their receipt tally at the end of the week. Plus, you can leverage ingredients you already have on hand in your fridge or pantry by searching for meals that use those ingredients – that way, nothing goes to waste! Just tell us a little bit about yourself and what you like, and we’ll recommend delicious, personalized, E2-compliant meals for you. After you choose what looks good, we automatically generate a grocery list for you that you can print, email, or pull up on your phone right in the store.  You can also do this yourself at home in a few hours. Simply map out your meals for the week and cross reference the ingredients you have on hand with what’s on the list.

Follow these tips and you’ll end up with some extra dollars in your pocket each week, plus a pantry and fridge loaded with plant-strong goodness!

Feeling Stuck in Your Plant-Strong Journey? Try These Tips!

Sometimes we all feel a little “stuck.” Maybe a wardrobe rut, or perhaps it’s frustration with your current career path. Here at Engine 2, we sometimes hear about folks who are feeling a little stuck on their plant-strong journeys. Maybe they’ve hit a weight loss plateau despite not yet being at their goal weight. Or maybe they’ve fallen into the habit of enjoying the same recipes week after week and are ready to try something new.

Never fear – Engine 2 is here! Wherever you are on your plant-strong journey, these tips can help you feel unstuck if you’ve hit a roadblock and are looking for some inspiration:

GET MOVING. If getting to a healthy weight is one of your primary health goals right now and you’ve hit a plateau, take a look at the calorie density of the foods you’re eating. If you’re loading up on high density foods, it could be impacting your weight loss (check out the fourth pillar in The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet). One other way to jumpstart your weight loss (and feel GREAT): Get moving! If you’re new to exercise, start with a short walk around the block every day to get your heart pumping. If you’re already active, try a new, fun activity to supercharge your body (and your mind!). Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Maybe you want to sign up for a 5k (like our virtual 5k!),  ride on a local bike path, or start commuting to work on your bike. These are great ideas! But there are other ways to spice up your activity level – throw around a frisbee or ball, dig out the old wiffle ball and bat and play with your neighbors, your spouse or your children, head to the park and hop on a swing. Exercise should always be fun – movement is always a good thing, so don’t feel like you have to subscribe to a formal form of “exercise” – just get moving!


TRY NEW PLANTS. We all have our favorite foods, but there are thousands of incredible whole, plant foods – it’s probably pretty likely you haven’t tried them all (yet!). Next time you’re at the grocery store, spend a little extra time in the produce section. Pick up some fruits and veggies that are new to you – and take advantage of the team members in the produce department. They are often pretty knowledgeable about how to prepare produce or various flavor profiles.They are also usually happy to let you sample something to see if you like it. When you get home, look online for fun new ways to enjoy your new finds – maybe it’ll be fresh, steamed, or used in a recipe. Who knows – that’s the fun of it!


MAKE NEW PLANT-STRONG FRIENDS. Although more people than ever are finding that a plant-strong diet changes their health and quality of life, it can still be a bit lonely if your family or friends aren’t sharing in your plant-strong journey. Meeting and making new plant-strong friends can provided excellent support to help you when you hit a roadblock, answer a quick question and provide some meal inspiration (check out the last bullet point for more meal inspiration ideas!). Our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group has more than 20,000 people like you who provide amazing support and an incredibly positive atmosphere. Since we launched the group in December 2016, we have heard stories of MANY friendships, both online and off, and have heard wonderful feedback from success stories who found that our support group helped them transform their health. Want to get out of the house to meet new people? Come to an Engine 2 event! Plant-Stock is right around the kale corner in August – we have many people who come solo and leave with new friends. We call it our “plant-strong family reunion” because no one is a stranger at Plant-Stock! (Come join us and become a part of the “family” while making new plant-strong friends!).


MIX UP YOUR MEALS. Sometimes you can fall into a routine rut when it comes to meals. We all have our favorites, but having the same meals week in and week out can get a bit…old. Next week (or if you’re feeling particularly motivated, tonight!), maybe try a new recipe from your staple of plant-strong cookbooks, try a new Seven-Day Rescue Challenge bowl combination, or if you’re looking for a tool that makes meal planning and grocery shopping super easy, try out our new Engine 2 Meal Planner! It recommends new meals every day based on your preferences, but you can also search through our entire library of 700+ recipes (following either the Seven-Day Rescue Challenge guidelines or the standard Engine 2 diet) for a specific ingredient or cuisine. Mix it up and try as many different recipes as you’d like!

Living a plant-strong life is the best way toward health and happiness in the long run. We’re super glad you’re here! If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out some of our top recipes, find more tips and ideas from our blog or sign up for our newsletter on our homepage to get the latest news from Engine 2.  

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Cheezy Chickpeas

Loaded up with greens and served over cooked brown rice, whole wheat pasta, baked potatoes or your favorite grain, this easy-to-prepare recipe is sure to please even the pickiest of eaters (that includes kids!).

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients

1 15-ounce can no salt added or low sodium chickpeas (do not drain and rinse!)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoons Bragg liquid aminos
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

Instructions

Drain the liquid from the canned chickpeas into a small saucepan. Add the Bragg liquid aminos, then whisk in the nutritional yeast and whole wheat flour until well combined. Simmer on medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add chickpeas and stir to cover.

Serve over cooked brown rice, baked potatoes, whole wheat pasta or your favorite grain – and load it up with some fresh or steamed greens!

Servings: 2

Mistakes 5k First Timers Make (And How to Avoid Them)

 

According to Running USA, more than 7 million people completed a US 5k in 2015. Wow!

With fun runs, themed races, inflatables, virtual races and other great ideas making completing a 5k an attainable goal for almost everyone, it’s understandable if you’re excitedly waiting for your opportunity to jump in and complete an event. First timers are welcome at many events, and you’ll find that the running, run/walking and walking communities are extremely supportive.

Following This Advice Can Help You Have a Successful First 5k

I’ve run many 5ks over the years, and we’ve had many great people around the world complete our Plant-Strong Virtual 5k so far this summer (registration is still open if you’d like to participate!). I’ve noticed some common mistakes among first timers that are easy to avoid. Here are some mistakes to avoid so you stay on track:

 

Skipping training. “It’s only about 3 miles, right?” Three miles doesn’t seem like a lot compared to a half marathon or marathon, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need proper training. Training for any race can help prevent injuries and ensure you feel your best on race day. There are many free training resources available – in our Plant-Strong Virtual 5k group, people are finding a lot of success using the Couch 2 5k app from Zen Labs. The Zombies, Run! App is also a favorite among the E2 team. Both are free apps that make training a cinch (typically, you’ll want to give yourself about 8 weeks to train for a 5k if you’re starting from scratch).


Not getting the right shoes. I can’t stress this highly enough – whether you are just starting out or are a savvy veteran, the right shoes are essential. When you’re in the regular shoe store, it can be tempting to pick out the nicest-looking pair and call it a day, but poor fitting shoes can lead to injuries or at a minimum, blisters and an uncomfortable training and running experience. Most towns have specialty running stores – find one in your town and seek them out. Often, they’ll not only measure your feet, but watch you walk or run on a treadmill and gain extra insight into what type of sneaker will best support your feet and help you run and feel your best.


Skipping recovery. When you’re just starting out, it can be tempting to get out there and run every day, or to really push yourself. While your enthusiasm warrants admiration, recovery time is a critical part of your training. When you’re starting out, you should aim to run (or run/walk) 3 times a week. Easy walks, swimming or biking can be nice activities to stay active in between training runs, but give yourself at least one full day of rest a week to ensure your body has adequate time to rest and repair. And remember, whenever you start a new activity or training program, talk to your doctor!


Focusing on your finish time. Sure, 5ks are technically “races,” but don’t worry about your finish time for your first 5k. Focus on treating your body properly, following your training plan and most of all, enjoying the process. Running is a great way to boost your health and live your best plant-strong life, but it’s also supposed to be FUN! Stressing about your finish time will take away from the fun. At least for your first race, don’t stress about pacing. Just take it all in and do your best.


Starting too fast. You’ve trained for weeks and now the day is here. You might be tempted to push yourself out of the gate at your max speed. This is a common mistake even some 5k veterans make, but for first timers in particular it can be dangerous. You don’t want to risk burning yourself out in the first mile! Start off nice and easy, and if you’re feeling especially strong in the last half mile or so of your 5k, consider ramping it up. But sticking to your pace throughout can help you feel your best during — and after — your first 5k.

 

I hope that your first 5k will launch a lifetime of fun times running or run/walking. Whether you stick to 5ks or branch out into 10ks, half marathons, marathons or even triathlons, your first race experience will make a major impact on your experiences down the road. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll be in great shape!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: San Diego Waffles with Mango Salsa

This recipe is named after sunny San Diego, California, because it is a melting pot of so much amazingness in the plant-strong world. Come to San Diego and you’ll find an infusion of Mexican culture, plus mangoes and produce surround you. The flavors in these waffles are inspired by that fresh, unique combination.

Take advantage of these delicious flavors in a new favorite that is sure to be a hit, whether you’re serving them for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner!

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients
San Diego Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup medium grind cornmeal
⅓ cup garbanzo bean flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Crushed red pepper (to taste)
1 cup unsweetened original almond milk
1 cup water
3 tablespoons jalapeños (pickled), chopped
2 tablespoons roasted red peppers, drained and chopped

Mango Salsa

1 cup diced mangos
¼ cup diced green pepper
¼ cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
Juice of 1 lime

Optional Dipping Sauce

½ cup Engine 2 Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
½ cup Engine 2 Original Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions

San Diego Waffles

Preheat your waffle maker to a medium setting (We recommend using a ceramic-coated waffle maker for easy removal of your waffles and super easy cleanup!.

Whisk the flours, corn meal, baking powder and spices together in a large bowl. Add the milk, water, diced jalapeños and diced roasted red peppers. Stir the batter until well combined.

Spoon your waffle mixture into the waffle maker and cook until steam is no longer coming from the waffle maker (This will vary based on your individual model. In our test kitchen using an Oster waffle maker, total cooking time was about 8 minutes). Be careful not to peek at your waffle too early or it may stick!

Mango Salsa and Optional Dipping Sauce

Prepare all ingredients as listed and combine!

Enjoy your San Diego waffles topped with Mango Salsa, dipped in the hummus dipping sauce – or both! And don’t forget to load up on your greens (we used steamed kale here – which goes wonderfully with the citrus flavor of the salsa!).

Servings: Makes 4 small waffles (using a standard round waffle maker)

Looking for more recipes? We’ve got them! Find your favorites here!

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Baked Flautas With Cucumber Nectarine Salad

Looking for a fresh, filling meal that is Seven-Day Rescue Challenge compliant? Look no further! This meal adds a little zest to your day, and plenty of plant-strong nutrients to your diet!

Want more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients
For the Baked Flautas

1 15-ounce can fat-free, vegetarian refried beans 
12 small corn tortillas
1 teaspoon cumin
Cayenne pepper to taste

For the Cucumber Nectarine Salad

1 large cucumber, spiral sliced
2 cup diced nectarine (white or yellow)
1 cup red kale, finely chopped
1 Meyer lemon, zested and squeezed
Black pepper to taste

Instructions
Baked Flautas

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the refried beans and cumin until well mixed. Warm tortillas in the microwave or in a skillet until pliable. Spread the bean mixture in a thin layer on the tortillas and roll them up. Dust with cayenne pepper. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp.

Cucumber Nectarine Salad

Prep your produce:

Spiralize the cucumber,
dice the nectarine,
chop the kale, zest the lemon, and
juice the lemon.

Toss all ingredients together, then add black pepper and serve.

Servings: 2 to 4

Looking for more recipes? We’ve got them! Find your favorites here!

Plant-Strong Camping Tips

It’s been a bit since I’ve taken you on one of my Adventures with Ami. We’ve relocated to California and I’ve been busy coaching in our private 20,000+ member Seven-Day Rescue Facebook group. California is an incredible place! So much to explore from the beach to the mountains and everything in between.  Last week, we camped in the Sequoia National Forest at the Quaking Aspen Campground.

Heading to the mountains for a camping trip doesn’t have to mean ditching your plant-strong plan.  With a little pre-planning and creativity, you can build tasty meals that don’t require refrigeration and keep you fully fueled for your adventures. Whether you are hiking or simply enjoying being in the woods or on the beach, convenient plant-strong meals make camp life a lot easier.

I start with a few simple essentials (all found on Amazon.com).

GSI Outdoors Fairshare Mug – Perfect for making Seven-Day Rescue bowls
Light My Fire Original BPA-Free Tritan Spork with Full-Sized Spoon, Fork and Serrated Knife Edge
Etekcity Ultralight Portable Outdoor Backpacking Camping Stove with Piezo Ignition
MSR Alpine StowAway Pot – Perfect for boiling water or simmering oats, stew and more

The tools I use in camp

Then I pick some essentials from Harmony House Foods (order direct or find on Amazon.com).  They have dehydrated and freeze dried ingredients – perfect for bowl building the Seven-Day Rescue way.  You can buy items individually or in a sampler pack.  I like the sampler packs because you get small packets of a variety of ingredients. I also use freeze dried fruit, oats, corn meal, Rip’s Big Bowl cereal, Bob’s Red Mill Seven-Grain Hot Cereal, salt-free spices, nutritional yeast and some walnuts.

Harmony House Foods – Dehydrated ingredients – perfect for rescue bowls

 

Nine plant-strong meals for three days camping in the Sequoia National Forest

 

You can create your own meal ideas by adding dehydrated ingredients and spices to a zipper storage bag – I used quart sized bags here.  You could use sandwich sized bags though.  You could also make a large quantity of one type of meal and store in a different container if you don’t mind eating the same meal during your trip.

Here are my combinations for the meals shown above from top to bottom:

Note: Feel free to improvise – I did!

Camping Curry

4 tablespoons dehydrated garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill Seven-Grain Hot Cereal
3 tablespoons dehydrated carrots
2 tablespoons dehydrated potatoes
2 tablespoons dehydrated spinach
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
1 tablespoon dehydrated jalapeños (optional)
2 tablespoons curry powder

Cheezy Potatoes

5 tablespoons dehydrated potatoes
2 tablespoons dehydrated onions
2 tablespoons dehydrated carrots
2 tablespoons dehydrated spinach
1 tablespoon dehydrated celery
1 tablespoon dehydrated jalapeños (optional)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
dash of black pepper

Mango Oats

3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup freeze dried mango
1 tablespoon flax meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 handful of walnuts

Lentil Stew

5 tablespoons dehydrated lentils
2 tablespoons dehydrated carrots
2 tablespoons dehydrated celery
2 tablespoons dehydrated spinach
1 tablespoon dehydrated corn
1 tablespoon dehydrated tomatoes
1 tablespoon dehydrated onions
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (rosemary, thyme, sage and marjoram blend)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
dash of black pepper

Italian White Bean Soup

5 tablespoons dehydrated northern beans
2 tablespoons dehydrated spinach
1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
1 tablespoon dehydrated tomatoes
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
dash of black pepper

Rip’s Big Bowl with Berries & Bananas

1 cup Rip’s Big Bowl Cereal
1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries
1/4 cup freeze dried bananas
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 handful walnuts
1 tablespoon flax meal

Ecuadorian Dinner Bowl

Recipe coming in the new Engine 2 Cookbook – on shelves in December 2017!

Smoky Chili

4 tablespoons dehydrated kidney beans
2 tablespoons dehydrated potatoes
2 tablespoons dehydrated bell peppers
1 tablespoon dehydrated onions
1 tablespoon dehydrated tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato powder
1 tablespoon dehydrated jalapeños (optional)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Banana Nut Polenta

1/2 cup fine grain polenta (corn meal)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup freeze dried bananas
1 handful of walnuts
1 tablespoon flax meal

All of these meals can be made in one of two ways: add the dry ingredients to your fairshare mug or bowl and add boiling water, stir, cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes – or – add dry ingredients to the pot of boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 5 -8 minutes,  remove from heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Then enjoy!

Get creative! Make your own combinations tailored to your likes and dislikes.  Take a clamshell of fresh greens with you to add to your bowls if you are taking a cooler.  If you are backpacking – the combined weight of these 9 meals was 2.8 pounds and fit into a gallon size zipper storage bag. Happy camping!

~Coach Ami

3 days worth of plant-strong meals

 

Making Cheezy Potatoes in the Sequoia National Forest
Cheezy Potatoes cooling in the pot

 

Smoky Chili

 

Rip’s Big Bowl with berries and bananas by the morning campfire

 

Camping in Sequoia National Forest – Quaking Aspen Campground

 

 

 

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Top Engine 2 Recipes: Chili Cheeze Fries

Engine 2’s incredible food coach and recipe creator, Ami Mackey, shared this concoction on Instagram and in our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge Facebook group. It was an immediate, smash hit, and is sure to go down in history as a fan favorite. You won’t believe this recipe is 100% plant-strong goodness!

Looking for more delicious, plant-strong recipes? You’ll find old favorites, plus hundreds of new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients
For the Oven-Roasted Fries

6 large baking potatoes (Russet or Sweet, washed and sliced into fries)
2 tablespoons salt-free Cajun seasoning

For the Chili

⅓ cup dry lentils, rinsed (Brown or green will work here)
¼ cup dry bulgur wheat
2 cups water
1 can no salt added black beans, drained and rinsed
½ can no salt added fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos

For the Cheeze Sauce

2 Russet potatoes, washed, baked and peeled
2 large carrots, steamed
⅔ cup nutritional yeast
⅓ to ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk
2 teaspoons Bragg liquid aminos
2 teaspoons cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (if you like your cheeze spicy, we’ve tested this recipe with up to 1 teaspoon of cayenne – just know, it will be hot!)
Juice of ½ lemon

Instructions
Oven-Roasted Fries

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees while washing and slicing your potatoes. Dust with salt-free Cajun seasoning. Then, bake sliced french fries on a foil-lined baking sheet for 25 to 35 minutes or until brown and crisped.

Lentil Chili

While your potatoes are roasting, it’s time to make your chili! Bring lentils, bulgur and water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for 20 to 25 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain any remaining water from the pot.

Drain and rinse black beans and add to the pot along with the fire-roasted tomatoes, Bragg liquid aminos and spices. Stir to combine thoroughly and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Cheeze Sauce

Now that your chili is simmering, let’s make your cheeze sauce! In a food processor, blend carrots and potatoes until smooth. Add nutritional yeast, Bragg liquid aminos, spices and lemon juice, and pulse until well combined.  Add almond milk last, blend until creamy.  his makes a creamy dip.  For a thinner sauce to drizzle, add more almond milk.

Tip: If you do not have a food processor, a blender will work here, but you will likely need slightly more almond milk. Start with ⅓ of a cup and add small amounts until you get to a preferred consistency.

Build your Chili Cheeze Fries appetizer for a crowd or individual servings, but stacking the fries, chili and cheeze sauce. Add hot sauce, salsa, avocado, green onion, jalapeños or any other type of garnish you wish to the dish.

Servings: 2 to 4

 

 

Top Engine 2 Recipes: Rip’s Favorite Salad with Sweet Fire Dressing

A hearty, plant-strong salad can hit the spot for lunch or dinner (or even, yes, breakfast!). This “big” salad is Rip’s favorite!

You’ll find this recipe, along with more of your favorite Engine 2 recipes and many more new recipes (for the standard Engine 2 diet as well as the Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet) in the E2 Meal Planner. With access to hundreds of customizable recipes (Cooking for one? Great! Need some leftovers? We’ve got you covered too!), printable grocery list and grocery delivery in select markets, you’ll wonder how you ever planned meals without it – and all for less than $2 a week!

Ingredients

Rip doesn’t measure ingredients for this recipe – he just tosses in a layer of this and a scoop of that! We include a rough estimate here, but build this bowl to your tastes and appetite!

2 cups dinosaur (lacinato) kale, finely chopped
1 cups romaine lettuce, finely chopped
½ cup beets, shredded
1 apple, chopped
¼ cup corn, fresh or frozen (thawed)
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped and toasted walnuts
1 Engine 2 Pinto Habañero Burger, crumbled (or your favorite, plant-strong veggie burger)

Toppings

¼ avocado, sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons of your favorite dressing or hot sauce

OR, (and we’re really excited to share this one!) you can use this recipe for Sweet Fire Dressing, originally published in The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet. Members of our Seven-Day Rescue Challenge rave about this dressing, and we can’t blame them!

Sweet Fire Dressing

 

Ingredients

½ cup plain oat milk (or any unsweetened plant milk)
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup Dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard
¼ cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

Combine the plant milk, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, mustard and maple syrup in a bowl. Stir well and serve.

Servings: 1 cup (about 6 to 8 servings)