The case for plants keeps getting stronger and stronger, as leading health experts and organizations recognize the benefits of shifting towards the plant-based diets. For those who are considering or have just turned to the vegan way of eating, the whole new world of colorful fruit and veggies, legumes, seeds and nuts is about to be revealed. While it might seem very easy to master the craft of cooking plant-based meals, it can be quite hard for the new comers. There are so many new flavors, ingredients, spices that it might be confusing. Today on the blog, I want to share 5 of my favorite vegan recipes. There will be no precise measurements. I will leave some space for your imagination. They are quick and easy to make and there are many ways to modify them to your liking.
1. Stuffed bell peppers
For the stuffing I’m using the vegan ground beef. Chop one onion and sauté till it’s soft, add the “ground beef” , add 1 can of corn. Salt and add spices (cumin, paprika). Mix and sauté for 5 min. Cut the top part of the bell pepper (creating the “lid”), clean the insides from the seeds. Stuff them with the “ground beef” mix. Cover the bottom of your baking dish with some olive oil, put the stuffed peppers in it, cover with an aluminum foil and put in the pre-heated oven on 350C. Bake for 40 min till bell peppers are soft.
2. Avocado toast
The best breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack idea! Your imagination is the limit. Choose the bread you like - gluten free, wheat, sourdough - toast till crispy. Clean one avocado, remove the seed, cut in a thin slices. Spread it over the bread like butter, add veggies or sautéed mushrooms on top. Top with some salt, pepper, paprika. You can squeeze some lime, add greens or sprouts, seeds. My secret is adding couple drops of olive oil on top - it just makes it so much better!
3. Veggie burger
Again, when it comes to vegan burgers, the sky is the limit. Use the veggie patty, normally you can find them in the vegan isle. I love veggie patties made with quinoa and beans. Toast a bun. Instead of mayo I’m using beet hummus, for my veggies, I chose radishes, avocado and sauteed mushrooms, instead of lettuce I picked sprouts and micro greens, instead of ketchup I’m using beet horseradish. My version might sound slightly unorthodox but it’s so good! Play around with the ingredients and you’ll come up with your perfect version.
4. Jack fruit tacos
Those are fun to make. Colorful and packed with many nutrients and vitamins. I prefer soft shell small corn tortillas. Warm them up in the oven, use a little bit of veganaise (vegan mayo) for a base, layer thinly shredded red cabbage, sautéed bell peppers and mushrooms, add cooked jackfruit on top. I normally buy already cooked and packaged jackfruit. There are many flavors on the market I love bbq or teriyaki. If jackfruit is in unavailable, replace it with roasted sweet potatoes or tofu cooked to your liking. It’s always nice to serve it with guacamole or salsa.
5. Baked potato Is just worth it to be vegan for. Use a large potato (or a sweet potato), make a little cut just big enough for a stuffing. I normally microwave it. Note: the time of cooking really depends on how powerful your microwave is. Normally, it should take from 6 to 15 min. Cook it till it’s soft. Now comes the fun part - stuffing. There are so many yummy ingredients that you can use! Here are some ideas: - for a dressing (the moist part) you can use hummus, veganaise, guacamole, cashew cream cheese - For a filling: sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, vegan sausage, pickled veggies - For spicing: salt, pepper, paprika, lime, chili, nutritional yeast
Choose your favorite!
