Natanya Namoff’s plant-based menu for the whole family
When my husband experienced continual painful attacks of gout and illness, he started a plant-based diet, which changed his life. Little by little, the rest of the family joined. I make a lot of things from scratch — ice cream from cashews, and pizza sauce.
Vegan food takes a lot more prep (in the beginning, until you get the hang of it), but baruch Hashem, I’m fast in the kitchen. But I do accept that I can’t do everything because my time and energy is limited, so I buy falafel balls, frozen French fries, and canned beans. Eating healthfully isn’t “all or nothing,” and we let our kids be kids — when they’re with others, they can eat what they want.
I soak and boil up a big pot of lentils once a month, and freeze them in ziplok bags so I can easily throw them into a stir fry or a chili. If I have rice in the fridge, lentils in the freezer, and canned beans in my pantry, I’m all set.
Since we don’t eat so many things, I use some processed products because I don’t want my kids to feel deprived. I use pareve whip or the better margarines when a recipe calls for it. We also don’t restrict our kids: they eat Bissli or Cheetos with everyone else, and if they go to a barbecue or a pizza party, they eat whatever they want.
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