My 50th Birthday Reset: The Plant Powered Plan I'm Following for the Next 6 Weeks

In about 6 weeks, I will turn 50, and also celebrating 10 years plant based.

That number has made me pause and reflect on how I want to move into the next decade of my life - physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Stress, family meals, convenience foods (bottled dressings with preservatives) and I hate to say it, but Vegan junk food at times has snuck in more often than I would have liked in the past 10 years. I tend to get into patterns of bad and good habits that every once in a while, I need to stop and reflect on my WHY. If you are, or ever decide to go plant based, your WHY is what will keep you focused. A WHY that makes you CRY.

I'm doing a 6-week reset before my big 5-0!

Not a crash diet. Not a cleanse. Just a return, a fine-tuning if you will, to the powerful food that cleanses and nourishes my body. My goal is simple: eat a high nutrient, plant-based diet that fuels and supports long term health.

My guiding principles

My approach is inspired by the Nutritarian philosophy taught by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, which focuses on maximizing nutrients per calorie and prioritizing foods that promote longevity.

The foods I want to emphasize daily are often remembered with the acronym GBOMBS: Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds.

These foods are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet and are strongly associated with reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, and metabolic disease.

For the next six weeks, my focus is simply to eat more of these foods consistently.

My Daily Structure

Rather than strict dieting rules, I'm following a simple structure that keeps meals satisfying and balanced.

A high protein smoothie for breakfast

A large salad with colorful vegetables and a generous serving of beans or lentils for lunch (with a few other options to break it up a little)

A hearty plant-based meal built around legumes and vegetables for dinner

Snack on fruit, nuts, hummus/guacamole veggies, chocolate pudding (tofu)

My Weekly Meal Prep Strategy

Breakfast (daily) A high-protein smoothie with greens, berries, flaxseed, cacao, avocado and banana to thicken (I like thick milkshakes), and extra plant protein, which is super important in this perimenopausal phase in my life. If I get bored of smoothies, or if for some reason I feel like I need more (workouts, work, whatever) I can add in a small bowel of whole oats or granola with soy milk (best plant milk for protein)

Lunch options: Power salad with chickpeas and pumpkin seeds (I eat a lot of pumpkin seeds, LOVE them!); Lentil, quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables; sweet potato and black bean bowel with cabbage/avocado/cashew crema.

Dinner options: Lemon lentil soup; Tofu stir fry with broccoli mushrooms, and cabbage;

Lentil taco bowl with salsa, avocado, mushrooms, onions, cashew crema

Why I am Sharing This

I'm sharing this journey because so many of us struggle with consistency, even when we know what we should be doing.

Health isn't about perfection; it is about the habits we return to over and over again.

If you're also looking for a gentle reset, you're welcomed to follow along.

Each week I will be sharing meal plans here on my blog.

High protein plant based weekly meal prep: week 1

nutritarian learning weekly structure for simple food prep

 Sunday food prep (about 90 minutes) cook:

 2 cups dry lentils (about 5 cups cooked)

 black beans ( 2 cups or one pot)

 ½ cups dry quinoa

 1 pot lemon lentil soup

 roast 2 sheet pans at 425°F for 25 minutes

 pan 1: broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onion

 pan 2: sweet potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts

Wash and chop salad vegetables: romaine, cabbage, cucumber, shredded carrots, green onions

 make 2 sauces: cashew ranch- cashews, lemon, garlic, dill water

 tahini lemon- tahini lemon, garlic, splash Maple syrup, water, pepper, pinch of salt

daily breakfast

Green protein smoothie (25 to 30 grams of protein)

spinach or kale, frozen berries, banana, avocado (to thicken) 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, 1 scoop plant protein, cacao powder, unsweetened almond or soy milk (I prefer soy) add optional hemp seeds (for even more protein)

lunch rotation

1.       power nutritarian salad (25 grams of protein)

 greens, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, onion, 1 cup chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, berries, cashew ranch dressing, or tahini lemon sauce

2.      Lentil quinoa bowl (30 grams of protein)

1 cup lentils, ½ cup quinoa, roasted vegetables, tahini lemon sauce

3.      Sweet potato black bean bowl (25 grams of protein)

Roasted sweet potato, ¾ cup black beans, cabbage, avocado, salsa, cashew cream (if desired)

Dinner rotation

1.      Lemon Lentil Soup (48 grams protein)

2 tsp. minced garlic, 1 onion, 4-6 cups greens (kale collards etc.),7 cups water or vegetable stock, 3 cubes vegetable bouillon, 1 cup red lentils,1 tsp seaweed(optional), 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos

2.      Tofu Stir Fry (30 grams protein)

firm tofu, mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos (or soy sauce/tamari), rice vinegar, and any other veggies you want to throw in there

3.      sweet potato black bean bowl (25 grams protein)

 roasted sweet potato, ¾ cup black beans, cabbage, avocado, salsa, cashew crema

If you would like the exact recipes I use for meals/sauces/dressings, I'd be happy to share!

Email me! urplantstory@gmail.com

OMG! IT'S COMING! APRIL 21, 2026