Breakfast
I was looking for an egg and spinach recipe I could serve Ava. I’m always looking for different ways to sneak greens into her diet. I had leftover quinoa from the Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Salad I made earlier in the week, so this recipe was perfect. I subbed spinach for kale and used 1/4 cup mozzarella plus 1/4 cup feta cheese. They are tasty enough to eat on their own, but are also good topped with avocado and/or salsa.
[Update] I haven’t made these since going plant-based. Eventually, I’ll try to adapt the recipe using plant-based alternatives.
I typically follow a quiche recipe from Sally’s Baking Recipes, but decided to give this one a try since the ingredients I had on hand were similar to those called for in this recipe. I used fontina cheese, asparagus, spinach, and shallots. I always make quiche with whole or almond milk as that’s what we buy, but this time I tried it with heavy cream. It was good but the texture was more custard-like. It seemed a little too thick and rich in my opinion. The recipe I usually follow calls for a mix of heavy cream and whole milk. I’ll try this next time I make a quiche and see if the difference is worth adding the cream.
[Plant-friendly option: check out vegan quiche recipes from Jessica in the Kitchen and Vegan Huggs]
Lunch & Dinner
I’ve been searching for creative school lunch ideas for Ava. She loves sweet potatoes and usually likes quinoa, so I thought I’d give these a try. I wasn’t expecting much as they’re pretty basic. Turns out the tots are delicious and toddler approved. They’re good dipped in ketchup (Ava’s favorite), but would work well with just about any dip or spread.
I cooked the quinoa in vegetable broth, so I only used 1/2 teaspoon salt. The recipe calls for 1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt which seems like a lot, especially if serving to little ones. I’d suggest cutting it down to 1 teaspoon, or maybe even less, the first time you make it and adjust based on your taste preference. I baked them for easier cleanup. These are a tasty, healthy alternative to frozen nuggets!
This tempeh bacon, paired with garden-fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and a light smear of plant-based mayo, makes the perfect plant-based BLT. Add a few slices of avocado to make it a BLTA (my favorite!). I much prefer this homemade tempeh bacon over the prepackaged kind you can find at the grocery store. I found that baking the tempeh at 400°F for 15-20 minutes yields a similar texture to pan-frying and is significantly less messy. Be careful not to overcook as the tempeh will continue to harden after it’s removed from the heat.
Lentil Wraps
These wraps have been my go-to lunch recently. No specific recipe for this one, just a combination of some of my favorite foods. I’ll make a batch of lentils at the beginning of the week, along with hummus and red wine vinaigrette. Chop a bunch of veggies (I like kale, cabbage, carrots, peppers, and radish). Then, when I’m ready to make the wrap, I’ll chop some fresh herbs (parsley, basil, dill). To make the wrap: start with whole grain lavash bread; spread on some hummus; add the lentils, fresh greens, cabbage, chopped veggies, and pickled onions; sprinkle with fresh herbs and seeds (I like a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, hemp, and chia seeds); drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. Wrap it all together and enjoy!
I’m all about healthy-delicious foods, and these falafel are just that. They are baked instead of fried, yet still manage to have a crispy exterior and tender interior. They are packed with fresh herbs and spices, which leaves them bursting with flavor. I added a sprinkle of coriander and used 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and thought they were perfectly seasoned. Serve on warm pita bread with hummus or tzatziki, greens drizzled with red wine vinaigrette, thinly sliced cucumber, diced tomatoes, pickled onions, and tahini sauce.
Mediterranean Herbed Lemon Tofu
A bright, zesty tofu that is the perfect addition to any Mediterranean-inspired dish. I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt in the marinade and find it to be plenty salty. I bake the tofu at 400°F for 20 minutes (easier cleanup). If I want a crispy exterior, I’ll throw the baked tofu in a pan and sauté the cubes for 5-7 minutes.
Vegan BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich
These sandwiches have it all! They’re meaty (without the meat), creamy, crunchy, spicy, salty, tangy, and just a little bit sweet. The recipe uses soy curls as the meat. Adding a little cornstarch prior to sautéing helps them crisp up before smothering with BBQ sauce. The coleslaw is amazing! I’m now officially a fan of creamy coleslaw thanks to Rainbow Plant Life’s recipe. Add a few pickles, tomato slices, some extra sauce and you’ve got a delicious, meatless sandwich that’ll be sure to please any meat or non-meat eater.
BBQ Soy Curl Pizza
When I make BBQ soy curl sandwiches, I always have leftover soy curls and BBQ sauce. This pizza is the perfect way to use up those leftovers! To keep things easy, I use store-bought pizza crust. Use BBQ sauce as the base, sprinkle on the soy curls, sauteed peppers, and shredded cheese (I like Good Planet Foods olive oil cheese shreds), then bake for 10-15 minutes. For a perfectly crispy crust, use a pizza stone and bake between 450-550°F. Top with pickled red onions and cilantro. So good!
Baked Pearl Couscous & Butternut Squash with Basil Tahini
Loved the flavors in this dish! It’s been a while since I’ve used butternut squash in a recipe. I forgot how creamy and delicious it is when roasted. Definitely add the nuts and pickled onions for a more interesting texture. I used pumpkins seeds and pistachios. Next time I might try slivered almonds. I would add more spinach next time, at least a cup or two. You can never have enough greens!
The sauce is very light and refreshing. It thickens once refrigerated, which is great if you want to use the leftovers as more of a spread. Otherwise, add a little water or lemon juice to turn it back into a sauce.
Tofu ricotta is probably one of my favorite plant-based recipes. It’s deliciously creamy and can be made sweet or savory. This recipe is a savory version and it’s one I make on repeat. Add it to lasagna, stuff it in your favorite pasta shells, smear it on sandwiches, or dollop on grain bowls, salads, and pizza. It’s the perfect way to give just about any dish a little protein-boost!
If you’re looking for vegan taco meat that closely resembles ground beef, look no further. This recipe uses a combination of soy curls, onions, garlic, walnuts, and spices to make the perfect ground beef substitute. Instead of keeping the soy curls whole, you grind them in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Super easy to make, tasty, and nutritious!
So simple, yet so delicious. This one-pot meal uses few ingredients, but is full of flavor. It comes together quickly, requires minimal cleanup, and is great as leftovers. Serve with crusty bread (sourdough is my favorite). So good!
This soup is the perfect weeknight meal as it comes together quickly and requires little cleanup. I used crushed tomatoes in place of the diced tomatoes, which made for a creamier soup. If you want more texture, use diced tomatoes. The spice combination makes for a really unique flavor profile. It’s earthy with a touch of bright, citrusy flavor from the coriander. The raisins are optional, but I recommend them. They add a nice little burst of sweetness. I topped with thinly sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and pumpkin seeds. Pair with a thick slice of sourdough avocado toast topped with sauerkraut and sprinkled with nutritional yeast. So yum!
Though the end of summer is quickly approaching, BBQ weather will hopefully stick around for a little while longer. These crispy, charred, meaty tofu bites are the perfect plant-based addition to your next BBQ spread. The recipe comes with five delicious sauce options, each of which is worth a try!
If you love Mediterranean flavors, you’ll love this dish. It’s super easy to make with very little cleanup! Just turn your oven on, make the marinade, toss the chicken in the marinade, chop your veggies, drizzle with reserved marinade, throw everything onto a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes. Add some olives, feta, and fresh parsley to the pan and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Serve with rice, roasted sweet potatoes, or pita bread and hummus. So simple and flavorful!
[Plant-friendly option: swap the chicken for tofu or tempeh]
I haven’t tried every chili recipe in the world to know if this one is truly the best, but I will go so far to say it’s one of the best chili recipes I’ve tried. To make this recipe plant-friendly, I replace the ground beef with two cans of black beans. I think quinoa would also be a great addition. I use fire-roasted diced tomatoes. I don’t like big chunks of tomato, so I’ll give them a squish once I add them to the pot. The chili is fairly soupy the first day, but thickens after being refrigerated. Serve with cilantro, plant-based cheese shreds, avocado, and tortilla chips or cornbread croutons. So good!
Sides
These are the perfect mix between soft cornbread and crunchy tortilla chips. They are just the right amount of crispy that they hold up when dunked in soup or chili but still absorb some delicious flavor. They would also be great on salads. Definitely a must try!
I’m not a big mayo fan so I tend to stay away from creamy coleslaw recipes. My go-to coleslaw recipe uses lemon and olive oil as the dressing, so it pairs well with most dishes. I decided to give this recipe a try as creamy coleslaw sounded like a better pairing with the pulled “pork” sandwich mentioned above.
I used a plant-based version of mayo (no eggs, no dairy). The end result exceeded my expectations. I’ll definitely be making creamy coleslaw more often now that I have this recipe. So tasty and paired perfectly with the sweet heat of the BBQ sauce I made for the vegan pulled pork sandwiches. I had leftover coleslaw and decided to use it as a topping for a BBQ soy curl pizza later in the week. Divine!
This slaw is full of flavor and texture. It works great as a side salad or as a topping for sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. I recommend making a few hours ahead to let the flavors meld.
Snacks
Raspberry Tahini Chickpea Balls
A little bit sweet and a little bit savory, these nut-free energy balls are packed with nutrients and are the perfect addition to school lunch boxes. They’re made with chickpeas, oats, tahini, freeze-dried raspberries, dates, vanilla, and a sprinkle of salt. Roll the dough into balls or press it into an 8×8 baking dish to make bars. Store in the refrigerator or freezer. So yum!
These energy balls are a delicious treat! I removed the coconut oil and added a bit more almond butter. Instead of rolling into balls I pressed the mixture into a square baking pan and refrigerated for an hour before cutting into bars. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.
