Easy Plant-Based Meal Ideas
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For some reason (Iām not sure why) I get a lot of questions on if I plan to go vegetarian. Perhaps I need to share more of the Rodeo Goat burgers I eat about once a week. (lol) I have no problem with vegetarians or even eating vegetarian. BUT the short answer to if I plan to eventually go veggie? The answer for now is no. I think thereās several things that I think are great and have wonderful nutrients that we can consume (like bone broth) that I couldnāt enjoy as a vegetarian. That being said, I do think it is important to consume plants and that todayās American culture probably isnāt eating enough. Iāve been trying to keep the balance and shift to a lifestyle with more veggies than not.
I have several close friends who are vegetarians and I always try to accommodate them with yummy veggie meals. The problem I have had is that itās hard to find something to cook that isnāt pasta or overloaded with cheese. Like why is that? Also Iāve found that when I decide not to eat meat with a meal, often times I get hungry/donāt feel full. SO I decided to pull together a list of meal ideas that will excite even a carnivore and keep yāall full.
Black Bean Burgers - What I show here! I added avocado and put it on a bed of greens, but you can easily put them on a bun or a slice of toast! Nick spread chipotle mayo on his and was in heaven. To be honest, Iām not a big fan of burgers on salads, but this one was made for one! Also, this is great for a group. I think it made a batch of 12 patties? I had 1 and Nick had 2, so plenty leftover or perfect for sharing!
Falafel - I had never made falafel before last week and it was pretty dang easy! You could easily serve them on top of a salad, but I bought pita bread and place the falafel on top, then drizzled with a yogurt lemon sauce. I also served it with a mini Greek salad. This recipe is also vegan!
Naan Pizza - This is probably the easiest and the most fun to make! I literally just spread some hummus on some toasted naan bread, then topped with cucumber, onion, feta, and lemon juice! Add some yogurt sauce for dipping ;) Easily served with a side salad too.
Roasted Artichokes - These make great snacks, but can also be a main dish! I served it for dinner with a side of beans and pita bread.
Goat Cheese, Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Quiche - So this is kind of brunchy, but my mom has a quiche that she always served for dinner, alongside a mandarin orange salad and blueberry muffins. It refreshingly different!
Potato and Leek Soup - I made this for our Friendsgiving this year and it was perfect. You can make it ahead of time and be worry free the day of. It keeps nicely and you can have a fun toppings bar like chives, cheese, sour cream, and even bacon bits if you have some carnies in the house.
Tomato Pie - Mostly a summer dish, and yes it has cheese, buuuut itās like a fancy pizza! Always a crowd pleaser.
Cacio e Pepe Risotto - I made this based off of the pumpkin risotto w/ goat cheese I shared this summer. I shared it on instastories last week and had so many requests for the recipe, so here you go! The only things I did differently from that recipe is that I used Kettle and Fire Chicken Bone Broth, no pumpkin, no nutmeg and for every ladle of broth I added, I did a sprinkle of pepper to get the Cacio e Pepe classic pepper taste. I just did 1.5 cups of parmesan cheese wise and called it a day. DIVINE. Nick couldnāt get enough.
Creamy Spinach and Tomato Vegetarian Lasagna - I know I said no pasta, buttttt this is also a great make ahead dish and isnāt just your standard noodles and sauce. Itās not too cheesy and you get some spinach action. It has great flavor!
Sweet Potato Gnocci- I made this for our Friendsgiving one year and it was a hit! Itās a lot easier to make than other pasta and it makes a pretty big batch, so you can have leftovers for days! The sweetness of the potato mixed with the savory seasoning is perfection. It could be a side dish or a main dish. You choose!
Mushroom / Goat Cheese Ravioli - That link will take you to our base recipe for ravioli. Ravioli is one of our favorite things to make! Itās interactive, pretty easy, and fun! The only downside is cleaning up the flour, but hey #worthit We usually fill ours with cheese, but Iāve been wanting to finely grind up mushrooms (so you canāt taste them;) and mix it with a soft cheese! Would be good with sweet potato and cheese too!
Spicy Potato Kale Bowl - This was so yummy AND filling! i didnāt have tahini, so I used sunflower oil instead. I also added paprika and a little cumin to the dressing too.
Do you have a go-to veggie dish that keeps you full? Let me know!! One of my on-the-go favorites is Cybele's Free-to-Eat Superfood Veggie Pasta. I also LOVE Inspiralized for veggie inspo. I found her 5-6 years ago and have loved seeing her journey! She introduced me to veggies like parsnips that I wouldnāt have touched otherwise!
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