Vegetarian & Mostly Vegan Recipes

 Vegetarian (& Mostly Vegan) Recipes

    According to the Stanford Report, “If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road.” Not to mention, all of the animals whose lives would be saved! Sounds pretty easy, right? 

Yes, but convincing people of this is easier said than done. Even as the numbers of vegetarians and vegans grow, stigmas surrounding alternative options continue to regularly discourage people from trying a meatless or vegan diet. However, with a bit of research, delicious vegetarian options are a lot easier to find than some sources let on. 

Here are a few of my favorite meals that my dad makes:

Chana Masala (Indian Inspired Dish)

(Modified slightly from theSpruceEats.com)

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 2 tsp. chopped garlic
• 3 TB olive oil
• 2 cans chick peas
• 4 TB  lime juice
• 2 tsp. Coriander
• 2 tsp. Cumin
• 2 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1 lb. chopped frozen spinach, cooked and drained.
• 1 8oz. packet of mushrooms
• 4 servings of brown rice (cooked)

1. Empty 2 cans of chickpeas (non-drained) into the saucepan at medium-low heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Drain chickpeas and add everything but the rice. Simmer for 15-20 minutes adding water if necessary
3. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Sesame Noodles (Asian Inspired Dish)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 8oz. bag noodles 
• 1 can baby corn
• 2 cups edamame
• 6-8 scallions (thinly sliced)
• 2 Bell peppers (thinly sliced)
• 1 zucchini (thinly sliced)
• 8oz. Fresh Shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced)
• 1 TB ginger (minced, or 2 freshly grated cloves)
• 4 TB canola oil
• 5 TB soy sauce 
• 2 TB rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 TB sesame oil (Toasted)
• 1 can water chestnuts
• To taste - Sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil & add a pinch of salt. 
2. Cook noodles for half the time indicated on package.
3. Drain and rinse well with cold water, then place the noodles in a bowl & toss with 1TB of oil.
4. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil) with 3 TB of water & set aside.
5. Heat a large non-stick pan until very hot. Add 2 TB of oil & sauté all vegetables and edamame for approximately three minutes.
6. Reheat the same pan until very hot. Add the remaining 2 TB of oil and sauté the ginger & garlic for several seconds. 
7. Add the noodles and keep cooking for another 5 minutes
8. Top with water chestnuts and sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Tacos

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 4 taco shells (hard or soft)
• 1 can beans (kidney, pinto, or black recommended)
• To taste - Taco seasoning (We use 365 brand for a low-sodium option)
• 1 bag Beyond beef ground
• Salsa
• Shredded lettuce
• Tomatoes 
• Scallions or red onions 
• Avocados 

Instructions:

1. Heat beans with meat & seasoning then mash
2. Dice tomatoes 
3. Chop scallions or dice red onion
4. Fill tacos with toppings of choice and enjoy!

Veggie Sandwiches (Inspired by Panera’s “Mediterranean Veggie” Sandwich)

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 4 slices of sandwich bread
• Hummus
• Bell peppers (Chopped)
• Pickled jalapeños
• Baby Spinach
• Onions (Sliced)
• Cucumber (Sliced)

Instructions:

1. (Optional) Toast bread.
2. Spread hummus to taste on each slice of bread.
3. Add the rest of toppings to taste.
4. Enjoy!

Chili

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 2 cans of 3 bean chili mix drained
• To taste - low-sodium chili packet
• 1 cup garlic tomato sauce
• 1 8oz mushroom pack
• 1 cup frozen fire roasted corn

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large pot
2. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Enjoy!

Pad Thai  (Thai inspired dish)

Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 TB tamarind paste
• 2 TB soy sauce
• To taste - red dried chili peppers
• 2 TB date sugar (or cane sugar, but date is healthier and tastes the same)
• 2 TB water
• 3 TB oil
• 4 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 package Mung bean sprouts
• 4 scallions (chopped)
• 3/4 cup chopped peanuts (Optional)
• 8oz. pack of fresh mushrooms (sliced)
• 8oz. pack of pad Thai noodles

Instructions:

1. Combine Tamarind paste, soy sauce, chili peppers, date sugar, and water in small mason jar and shake until mixed. This is the sauce.
2. Cook the noodles 75% per package instruction.
3. Drain noodles and set aside.
4. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, oil in a non-stick pan for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add noodles and sauce (made in step 1) to the pan and cook until noodles are soft.
6. Mix in Mung bean sprouts and cook for 1-2 minutes.
7. Top with peanuts and scallions and serve.

Avocado Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 4 avocados 
• 1/2 pickled jalapeños
• 3-4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tomato
• 2 teaspoons red pepper
• 3-4 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning or black pepper
• 4 slices sandwich bread

Instructions:

1. Wash avocados and cut in half.
2. Toast bread.
3. Scoop out avocado into a big bowl.
4. Add all seasonings.
5. Mix & mash to taste.
6. Spoon out the avocado mix onto the slices of toast (each person gets 2 slices) and enjoy!

Pumpkin Oatmeal

(Modified slightly from www.simple-veganista.com)

Serves 2

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 tsp. pumpkin spice or cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup milk product (Almond milk, Oat milk, Cow milk, etc)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions:

1. Combine everything in a saucepan and cook over a gentle for 3-5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, and add toppings of your choice like walnuts, cinnamon, maple syrup or milk (Optional)
3. Let stand 2-3 minutes and enjoy!

BONUS: Two Course Italian Meal

Lasagna:  

Copy recipe from this website www.simple-veganista.com. It’s a bit challenging, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t come out exactly on the first  time.

Hints from experience:

• Substitute squash for eggplant
• Skip the no-boil lasagna noodles and use traditional
• Top with fresh basil

Super Salad: 

CHALLENGE: Try to recreate one of these salads just by using the picture! 

Italian Garlic Bread:

Use diagonally cut French bread, drizzle olive oil (More authentic then butter) and top with fresh garlic. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, and set out olive oil dipping sauce for an extra touch.

And a little something for your pup… 

Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Dog Treats:

Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 2 TB peanut butter
• 1/2 can (7.5 oz) pumpkin

Instructions:

1. Whisk together all dry ingredients (Flour, Salt, Cinnamon)
2. Whisk together all wet ingredients (Eggs, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin)
3. Use a mixer to slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry, add a tablespoon of water if needed.
4. Transfer to a work surface.
5. Knead into a ball until mixture comes together.
6. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
7. Roll the dough & cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces, or use cookie cutters.
8. Transfer to baking sheet.
9. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees until treats are crunchy & golden brown.
10. Cool & dry completely, refrigerate or freeze in airtight container. The treats expire in 2 weeks without freezing.

Did any of those sound good? I hope I inspired you to try a meat-free meal! If you’re not ready to do a full vegetarian diet, you could consider trying what Jenny Rosenstrah, the author of the cookbook The Weekday Vegetarians Get Simple, suggests, and try to only eat meat on the weekends!