The Home Page Network

Our tool for the month is “Digest This!” When we eat a plant-based diet, it is easier to digest. And plant power helps you and me to have the energy to persevere. No matter your dietary pattern, you should eat primarily plant-based foods. That means 75 percent of our plates should include some mix of veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. How do we do prepare these foods easily and less expensively?

Is there an inexpensive way to eat plant-based? While researching user-friendly ways to prepare food for my family, I found the website below with 44 Easy Crockpot Vegan recipes. I have tried several, and our family has enjoyed eating them. It has also helped us to stop the pattern of eating the same meals every week. These recipes helped us try new ones, like the recipe for onion soup that I had never made. Instead of beef broth, the recipe instructs you to use mushroom broth. It tastes so good!

Research consistently shows that health markers improve when you eat more plants! Benefits include lower blood pressure, triglyceride levels, glucose, and waist circumference, which can translate to a lower risk of several diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. There are some mental health illnesses too can are reduced as well.
You can quickly improve the quality of your diet by increasing the amount of plant foods you consume.

Plant foods include:
Fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned).
Lentils and beans.
Nuts and seeds.
Grains include rice, oats, bulgur, barley, millet, quinoa, and foods made of them, such as bread, pasta, and cereal.
Soy products such as tofu and soy milk.

One of the 44 we often use in our family is the Minestrone Soup. This crockpot recipe is for all year, especially in summer, because it calls for zucchini!

I love crock pot cooking because it is one-and-done! Even my grandsons enjoy this Minestrone Soup. And when your teenage daughter cuts up most of the vegetables, it is a win for mom! This is a recipe the whole family can help make!

You’ll find all of the ingredients listed below.

One medium onion diced
Two mediums carrots diced
Two stalks of celery diced
one sliced length-wise zucchini quartered
1/3 pound green beans cut into inch pieces (11/2cups)
3-4 cloves of garlic
One can of kidney beans drained and rinsed
One can of northern beans drained and rinsed
One can of 28 oz diced tomato with juices
A teaspoon of basil and oregano
2 -3 bay leaves
4 to 5 cups of vegetable broth
Mix all ingredients in the slow cooker, except the spinach and pasta, on high for 4 – 5 hours or Low for 7 – 8.
Add cooked pasta at the end, along with a handful of spinach
The cost is about $20 for six!

For more recipes, please visit this website https://thegreenloot.com/vegan-crockpot-soups-stews-recipes/

The goal is to eat every 3 to 4 hours to keep your blood sugar consistent and for your stomach to optimally digest. Setting this schedule consistently across days can also help curb overeating which can lead to bloating or indigestion.

Next time on Movin’ Together To Sleep or Not to Sleep!