Mary’s Mini Part 1: Food Prep

Written by on in Blog, Recipes

This week I’m prepping to do a Mary’s Mini Diet. This is a variation on the McDougall Diet that can be used as a reset. It can be used to help people transition to a whole food plant-based diet, to get back on track with weight loss or other health goals, or just to simplify food prep.

Check out my video below for my full explanation and see how I prepared for my Mary’s Mini. Below that are the written instructions for my food prep. Tune in next week to see how I served everthing on my Mary’s Mini.

This video is in honor of Dr. John McDougall who passed away on June 22, 2024. He was one of my biggest influences as I started a whole food plant-based lifestyle, and I’ll miss his passion and fight in the health world. His contributions to the healthcare system and his patients are too numerous to count. Thank you Dr. McDougall.

Prepare for Your Mary’s Mini

Store-bought bags of various frozen vegetables laid out on a counter

To prepare you’ll want to have plenty of frozen veggies on hand for the easiest Mary’s Mini. This way you can simply microwave or steam saute some veggies to go with each meal. Or if you prefer raw veggies, feel free to prep as you like.

Then you’ll want to make sure to batch prep lots of your chosen starch. For my Mary’s Mini I choose russet potatoes, so I prepped hash browns, steamed whole potatoes, and mashed potatoes.

Hash Browns

Two parchment-lined trays of baked shredded potatoes mixed with onions and peppers

Ingredients

  • 96 ounces plain shredded frozen potatoes (oil-free)
  • 20 ounces frozen sliced peppers and onions (or other vegetables of your choice)
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons spices (such as taco seasoning blend, curry powder blend, or other spice blends)
  • Optional: 1 or 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar to help the spices stick

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.*
  2. Add all ingredients to your largest mixing bowl and stir to evenly coat the potatoes with the spices.
  3. Spread evenly on two or three parchment-lined baking sheets, depending on how many oven racks you have.
  4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
  5. Stir the hashbrowns and rotate the trays in the oven. then bake 20 to 30 minutes more or until the potatoes start to turn brown and crispy.*
  6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the oven or microwave. Serve with your favorite oil-free condiments and non-starcy vegetables.

Note:

*I like to bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, but you could go up to 400 or 425 to bake it more quickly. Everyone’s ovens are different so you may need to adjust based on your own oven and how much you are baking at once.

*The time will depend on how full your trays are, how much moisture is in the vegetables, and differences in individual ovens.

Instant Pot Steamed Russet Potatoes

Two uncovered glass containers piled high with whole russet potatoes

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
  • 1 cup water

Directions

  1. Place the trivet or a steamer basket in a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot.
  2. Add the water and potatoes and secure the lid in the sealing position.
  3. Cook potatoes at high pressure according to size:
    • Small: 12 to 14 minutes
    • Medium: 15 to 17 minutes
    • Large: 17 to 20 minutes
  4. Allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release.
  5. Transfer potatoes to a storage container and store uncovered* in the fridge for up to 7 days.
  6. Serve with your favorite fresh or frozen non-starchy vegetables and oil-free condiments.

Note:

*Covering the potatoes will make them soggy over time, so it’s best to store them uncovered.

Instant Pot Frozen Mashed Potatoes

One large stainless steel pot full of mashed potatoes

This is a simplified recipe for my Mary’s Mini, but you might also like my regular Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe when you’re not on a Mary’s Mini.

Ingredients

  • 48 ounces cubed frozen hasbrowns (oil-free), defrosted*
  • 2 cups water
  • Optional: ½ head cauliflower, cut into small pieces

Directions

  1. Add potatoes, water, and cauliflower, if using, to a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot.
  2. Secure the lid in the sealing position and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
  3. Allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release.
  4. Add all the spices.
  5. Mash or blend the potatoes adding more water as needed to get to your desired consistency.
  6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serve with your favorite fresh or frozen non-starchy vegetables and oil-free condiments.

Note:

*If you add the frozen potatoes directly to the Instant Pot you may get the burn warning. Allow them to defrost before cooking.