“Is Plantuary right for me?” 

Plantuary is for everyone. Whether you’re a veggie lover, or the opposite, we’re here to show you new and fun plant-foods, recipes, and cooking techniques to expand your culinary repertoire. We want to show you that eating nutritious plants is accessible to all, and so is cooking delicious food! 

“How do I take the Plantuary Pledge?” 

Simply take the Pledge however feels most authentic for you. Write it down in your journal, post a sign on your fridge, or make it part of your morning mantra. We want to know who’s with us, too! Show us how you plan to take the Plantuary Pledge by posting on social media and tagging Unite for HER or reaching out to the Culinary Nutrition Team. 

“How do I get started?” 

Start small, one step at a time! Plantuary may just be in January, but the goal is to instill these goals moving forward. Find things that motivate you and use those as your inspiration moving forward. Be sure to add our live events to your calendar and check back on the Plantuary page weekly to see what new things we have in store! 

“What will Plantuary 2023 look like?” 

So glad you asked! Below is your first look at some of the wonderful and exciting things we have planned for Plantuary this year… 

Week 1: Fruits & Veggies

Week 3: Nuts & Seeds

Week 4: Whole Grains

Feeling excited now? GREAT! We’re looking forward to seeing you for week 1 of Plantuary 2023! 

By: Aubrey Redd, MS, RDN, LDN 

To learn more about Plantuary, visit uniteforher.org/plantuary

A healthy lifestyle overall comes with a variety of small, sustainable changes. When we focus on making those small and impactful changes, we challenge ourselves to improve a little bit at a time. Then, when we complete each task, we feel more motivated to move on to the next one! Have you ever told yourself that you would “start fresh” on Monday morning, only to find yourself giving up your goals by Tuesday afternoon? Radically uprooting your diet, exercise, sleep, or any other aspect of your wellness oftentimes will not yield the results you’re looking for. 

Here at Unite for HER, we want you to achieve better wellness with one simple task – to eat more plants! Plantuary was born in 2022 by culinary RD’s Erin & Michele, hoping to encourage all participants to consume more plant foods. How, you ask? By providing encouragement, helpful tips, recipes, and an insight into how to use various plant foods in everyday cooking. This year, Plantuary 2023 is going to be even bigger and better. 

With weekly plant-powered themes, we want to encourage all of you to take the Plantuary Pledge. Pledge to join us in trying to incorporate new, nutrient-dense plant foods each week throughout the month of January. Whether you wind up adding in fruit as a snack or switching around your evening routine to regularly incorporate a variety of plant foods, we would love to join you on your journey.  

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more information on what’s to come during Plantuary 2023. We’ve got a host of new recipes, videos, events, and blogs for you to check out. Visit our Plantuary page to learn more, and we are so looking forward to helping you on your journey to eat more plants! 

To learn more about Plantuary, visit uniteforher.org/plantuary

There are Three Parts:

Bran, germ, and endosperm. The bran is the fibrous outer layer that protects the seed and includes B vitamins and trace minerals. The germ is the smallest part that is located inside the seed and is rich in antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins, and healthy fats. The largest part of the seed, the endosperm, contains carbohydrates and protein. Refined foods such as white pasta, rice, and bread, have had the bran and germ removed and what’s left is that starchy endosperm. This is how refined foods products are produced.

Whole grains are a pretty big food group. It’s not just whole wheat, corn, oats, rice, barley, and rye. It also includes seeds like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat (I know, I know – but it’s a seed!), teft, and sorghum! A good way to understand the difference between grains and seeds is grains are from grasses that grow edible seeds and seeds come from plants.

Think whole grains are just carbs? Think again! They have plenty of protein as well. Just 1 cup of cooked farro (a grain) has 6 ½ grams of protein and 1 cup of cooked quinoa (a seed) packs in 6 grams of protein.

Now, let’s talk versatility.

The beauty of these kernels of goodness is they can be interchanged in any recipe. For example, instead of using brown rice in your soup, try farro, barley, bulgur, or freekeh. Instead of having oatmeal for breakfast, try amaranth, quinoa, kamut, millet, or buckwheat. Whatever you use in your morning oatmeal can be added to these grains – fruits, nuts, spices such as cinnamon, seeds, or a swirl of peanut butter for extra protein.

Here are a few recipes to get you started!

Millet Breakfast Porridge

Ingredients

• ⅓ C millet, rinsed and drained in a fine mesh strainer 
• ½ C milk of choice (almond, oat, macadamia, 1% or skim milk) 
• ¾ C water 
• ¼ tsp cinnamon 
• ½ tsp vanilla 
• ⅛ tsp salt 
• 1 Tbsp raisins (optional) 
• Optional toppings: Pure maple syrup, honey, fruit, nuts, seeds, or unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the millet and raisins (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook at a very low simmer for 20-25 minutes, without stirring. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the millet is the consistency of oatmeal or cream of wheat. 
2. Remove from heat, drizzle with desired sweetener, and add toppings of choice.

Recipe adapted from Fountain Avenue Kitchen

Spicy Grain Soup

Ingredients

• ½ C pearl barley 
• Water 
• ½ C short-grain brown rice 
• ½ C bulgur 
• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 3 ancho or dried mulato chiles—stemmed, seeded and broken into 2-inch pieces (for less heat, try 1 tsp chile powder or paprika) 
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced 
• 2 garlic cloves, halved 
• 2 quarts vegetable broth 
• 1 ½ C canned diced tomatoes 
• 6 cilantro sprigs, plus ¼ C chopped cilantro 
• 1 tsp ground allspice 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
• ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced 
• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed 
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced 
• 1 medium zucchini, finely diced 
• 1 medium parsnip, finely diced 
• ½ C salted roasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cover the barley with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 35 minutes; drain. Return the barley to the pan and cover. In another medium saucepan, cover the brown rice with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 35 minutes. Drain the brown rice and add to the barley. 
2. In a medium bowl, cover the bulgur with 1 cup of hot water. Cover and let stand until the water is absorbed, 10 minutes. 
3. In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chiles, onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, cilantro sprigs, allspice, and season with salt and a pinch of pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree the soup in a blender and return to the pan. 
4. Add the mushrooms, black beans, carrot, zucchini and parsnip to the pureed soup and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the barley, rice, bulgur, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and chopped cilantro and serve.

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine

Check out this recipe for the kiddos!

Breakfast Bulgur with Fruits and Nuts courtesy of EatRight.org

Michele DiCristofaro MS, RD, LDN

An Egg Substitute

Substitute an egg with chia seeds or ground flax when baking. Use 1 tablespoon finely ground chia seeds or flax seeds (grind them dry in a blender, food processor or coffee grinder) with 3 tablespoons of water. This ratio will replace one egg.

As a Thickener

Thicken soups and stews by adding a couple tablespoons of ground or whole chia seeds to a hot soup or stew until you reach your desired thickness. Wait 10-15 minutes for chia to thicken to full capacity.

As a Topping

Seeds make for a great breading or topping. Mixed ground seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame or chia with some herbs and spices, or even use it alone. Coat fish or chicken with egg or mustard and coat with the seeds. Bake, pan sear or air fry for a healthy, crunchy topping.

Mixed into a Batter

Add seeds (ground or whole) to the batter of muffins, breads, cakes, waffles and pancakes for a nutritious boost and crunch.

Smoothie Add-in

Mix ground flax, chia or hemp into yogurt and smoothies.

Overnight Breakfast

Mix 2 tablespoons of whole chia with ½ C of non-dairy milk and your favorite flavorings (think cinnamon, maple, dry fruit…be creative!). Allow it to sit overnight as the seeds plump up. Or check out this recipe from Beauty Advisor, Jolene Hart – Strawberry Super Seed Make-Ahead Breakfast.

Salad and Bowl Topping

Add pumpkin and sunflower seeds to a salad or grain bowl, cooked or raw vegetable, or hot cereal as a delicious and nutritious topper.

As a Salad Dressing

Grind sunflower or pumpkin seeds with garlic, parsley and basil, and mix with lemon juice and olive oil to become a flavorful and healthy dressing for greens.

As a Crunchy Snack

Roast sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds with a dash of salt, pepper, and olive oil for a tasty and healthy snack. For more spice combinations for your favorite snacks, check out Spice Up your Snacks.

Sunflower Seed Butter

Grind sunflower seeds in a food processor and run it on high speed until a paste forms (you may need to add a touch of vegetable oil to thin it out).

Did you Know?

Hemp seeds not only contain all 20 amino acids, but they also contain all 9 essential amino acids making them a complete protein. 

Flax seed is the richest source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a heart hearty omega-3 fatty acid, in the world. To absorb all the anti-inflammatory fat, flax seed should be ground. Otherwise, whole flax seed makes for a great source of fiber! 

Sesame seeds are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. They’re also high in calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1 (thiamine), zinc, selenium and fiber – talk about mighty! 

Chia seeds absorb up to 10X their weight in liquid (thank you, soluble fiber)! 

Which seeds are your favorite and how do you enjoy them? 

Erin Pellegrin, RD, LDN 

Original post: 3/20/2013 

Updated: 1/24/2022

Did you know?

A legume refers to the entire plant: leaves, stems, and pods. A pulse is the edible seed that is typically inside the pod, which includes beans, lentils, and peas.

Legumes are an incredible source of plant protein. Just ½ cup of kidney beans packs in more than 7 grams of protein and a ½ cup of lentils has 9 grams! And think about their versatility. Try tossing them into a soup, pureeing them into a dip or spread, mixing them into a salad, or adding them to your favorite grain for a hearty side dish. 

Of course, legumes can be canned or dried. Canned beans could be high in sodium so make sure to drain and rinse well. This can reduce the salt content up to 60%. Scared of using dried beans? Don’t be! Here are some tips for cooking up your own!

Stovetop Beans

1. Rinse the beans well. 

2. Soak the beans in hot water on the counter for at least 4 hours (10 cups of water for every 2 cups of beans). 

3. Rinse and drain the beans then add them to a pot with 6-8 cups of fresh water. 

3. To cook, simmer the beans for 30 minutes to two hours depending on the type of bean (see the “Guide to Cooking Beans” link below).

Crockpot Beans

1. Rinse the beans well. 

2. Soak the beans in hot water on the counter for at least 4 hours (10 cups of water for every 2 cups of beans). 

3. Rinse and drain the beans then add them to a crockpot with 6-8 cups of fresh water. 

4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on the type of bean (see the “Guide to Cooking Beans” link below).

Guide to Cooking Beans

Credit: Eden Organic Foods

Michele DiCristofaro MS, RD, LDN

Learn more at uniteforher.org/plantuary

We are officially into week two of Plantuary! Maybe you’ve seen the videos introducing our January initiative or perhaps you learned a little more about what it means to be plant-based from our blog (maybe you did both!). Even if this whole Plantuary thing is news to you, let’s share a few easy ways you can get started.

But first…

Before we jump into the nitty gritty, let’s release ourselves of all those anxiety-provoking thoughts and questions that pop up in our minds when we think of making a food or health change. Things like…

Do I have to throw away everything in my fridge? 

You’re not taking away my morning coffee… 

I can’t afford to buy all new food and pay off my holiday bills! 

Does this mean I have to give up cheese?!

Let me reassure you – you do not have to throw out any food in your fridge or pantry (we are not about food waste)! You also don’t have to completely restock your kitchen, nor will I take away your cheese or coffee. 

Our approach to Plantuary is about adding in more plants, but NOT about throwing out, wasting food, or labeling things as bad. Let’s focus on taking a positive approach by starting with these three simple steps to a more plant-based diet:

Work on one thing at a time.

I know I sound like a broken record, but I truly believe in the power of one. If you’re not sure how to begin, think of one thing you want to work on to get yourself started. Focus on that goal every day until it feels more natural and routine. Timing is unique to everyone and could take anywhere from one week to one month. The point is, there is no right or wrong.

Once that first goal feels like a more natural habit, move on to your next goal. Step by step, you’ll be making positive, healthy upgrades. Examples include:

· Have one serving of fruit every day before 12 noon. 

· Include one spoonful of seeds in a meal or snack every day. 

· Try one new grain recipe each week (and maybe enjoy the leftovers on the other days). 

· Swap out a daily snack for salsa or hummus with your favorite veggie or cracker.

Truly, the options are endless, and it all depends on you and your goals. In the end, this will help you gently create new habits in a manner you can feel good about!

Fill your kitchen with plant foods.

You may be thinking, “I thought you just said I don’t have to buy $500 worth of new food?” And you’re exactly right – you absolutely do not! I’m talking about buying one or two new or different foods each time you hit the store. Items can include any fruit, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts or seeds. 

By the end of January, you’ll have accumulated a nice collection of new plant foods that are easily accessible to you. For example, this week, pick up rolled or steel cut oats so you can start to have them as a hearty, high fiber breakfast. Next week, pick up a jar of nut or seed butter (unless you’re allergic) to have as a snack with a piece of fruit or on a slice of whole grain bread. 

Remember, no one should feel like they must make sweeping changes to their food choices or their grocery list. Small steps will always lead to big outcomes!

Connect with like-minded people.

We all know the proven success behind having a workout buddy. Well, in terms of our food, connecting with others who have the same interests or goals is also a guaranteed way to not only stay on track, but to keep you moving forward! The key is finding others who are on the same or similar path and work together. Having a plant-based buddy or group can keep you motivated, provide you with ideas for new foods or recipes to try, and can allow you to share what’s working (and what isn’t) and come up with helpful ideas! 

If you’ve created your own first steps this Plantuary, please share them with us and our community. You could be the inspiration for others to take the leap and eat more plants in 2022!

Find recipes and more info on Plantuary at uniteforher.org/plantuary