13 plant-based recipes for your family to enjoy.
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash
Are you extending meatless Monday into more than one day? If so, you’re doing a substantial benefit to your family’s health — and your budget.
The ingredients for plant-based meals often cost less than dishes containing meat. You’ll also cut calories and saturated fat while filling your family’s bellies with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. The following 13 recipes provide wholesome goodness on meat-free Mondays or any day of the week.
Coconut cauliflower curry
You do need some fats, and the coconut milk in this dish provides a meat-free source. You’ll also get a dose of heart-healthy olive oil. Sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene, the building block for vitamin A, an essential nutrient for eye, skin, and vascular health.
Roasted vegetable buddha bowl
If you want to boost your immune system with vitamin C, you can’t go wrong with this delicious meal. Bell peppers contain more of this essential nutrient than oranges, and tomatoes and sweet potatoes add to the mix. Tofu and the optional nuts provide filling protein — you won’t wake up wanting a midnight snack.
Crispy gluten-free eggplant parmesan
When it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than eggplant parmesan. The tangy sauce and drippy cheese make you forget all the plant-based nutrition you enjoy. This recipe is also gluten-free if you have family members who are sensitive to it.
Vegan black bean burger
Few things say summer like burgers on the grill. Maybe your family got into the trend of pulling your barbecue around to the front yard to share neighborly chats while social distancing. The next time you decide to get safely friendly with the gang, whip up this recipe. Who knows? Maybe you’ll encourage others to get in on the meat-free goodness.
Vegetarian lettuce wraps
If you’re trying to reduce your carb intake, these lettuce wraps lower your glycemic load without adding meat or tons of excess fat. The radishes, ginger, and red pepper give this dish a tang, but the carrots cool the bite.
Potluck-perfect pasta salad with tomatoes and eggplant
Pasta salad is a staple at many summer potlucks, but it makes an ideal meal alone. You can pair it with some crusty bread perfect for sopping up any excess olive oil. If you can’t find burrata, you can substitute mozzarella.
Zucchini verde vegan enchiladas
Cheese enchiladas can contain a ton of calories, but the dribble of cashew cream doesn’t pad your waistline. It does, however, provide copper, a vital nutrient for shiny hair. These rolled-up wonders fill you up without making you sigh at the scale the next day. Warning — they can almost look too pretty to eat.
Spicy thai coconut corn chowder
Fall is on the way, and that means welcoming back soothing soups. The coconut in this version provides filling-but-healthy fat. It also cuts some of the heat from the chili. The potatoes and corn give this dish from the east a bit of a western fusion feel.
Baked cauliflower mac & cheese
Sometimes, nothing hits the spot for your family like a giant bowl of cheesy goodness. However, the traditional dish’s carbohydrate content can leave you unable to button your jeans, and it’s not keto-friendly. You can make it more so by substituting cauliflower and enjoy eating it guilt-free.
Vegan carne guisada
Carne guisada is a beef stew dish, but this version replaces the cow with portabella mushroom caps, making it sin carne. You’ll learn how to make sofrito, a type of vegetable sauce that you can use for other dishes. This meal offers stick-to-your-ribs flavor in traditional Puerto Rico style.
Vegetarian biryani
Biryani is an Indian staple made with rice. It also often contains chicken, but this recipe omits the bird to make it meat-free. Serve this meal when you have many odds and ends of veggies leftover — you can substitute the ones in the dish with any in your crisper drawer. You can taste the Asian influence in the cardamom and turmeric.
Chickpea avocado salad
Chickpeas are chock-full of protein, and they also have filling fiber. You won’t wake up hungry in the middle of the night after a hearty bowl of this delicious salad. You can serve it alone or on a bed of mixed green like lettuce and arugula.
Cauliflower steaks with mushroom gravy
When you dig into this dish, it’s almost like diving into a giant bowl of mashed potatoes without all the carbs and guilt. The cauliflower tastes heavenly grilled alone, but the mushroom gravy transforms it into a comfort classic. You might consider keeping the recipe on hand for Thanksgiving if you have vegan guests — no one said you had to use bird drippings to fill the boat.
Delight Your Family Healthfully With These 13 Plant-Based Recipes
It doesn’t matter if it’s meatless Monday or if you merely want to get more veggies in your diet. These 13 plant-based recipes are sure to delight the entire family.