Some people love to cook.
Others do not and will not cook anything. Ever.
And many people fall in between.
Where do you see yourself?
What’s Plant-Based Cooking Good Looking? was created to support people who are interested in cooking and eating more plant-based. Ideally we will all cook more so that we have more healthy options, plus more variety. Yet, there are days and weeks that cooking is just not going to happen.
Here are some of my go-to quick plant-based meals for those days:
Breakfast:
- Cold cereal- Be sure to find the healthiest cereal, plant-based milk and add fruit. My go to is: Ezekiel flax and I add fresh blueberries
- Hot Cereal- Oatmeal is great. Sometimes I make a big pot so I just have to reheat portions for a few days after that. When I eat plain oatmeal I add flax and walnuts. Trader Joes has a rolled oats with ancient grains and seeds that’s good. Qi’a has individual breakfast packets. My favorite flavor is: Superseeds and Grains. Years ago, I used to add sweetener but now I just top it with fresh berries.
- Whole grain breads or waffle topped with a nut butter.
Lunch:
- Homemade salad. It only takes a few minutes to assemble, and you can add lots of different toppings and sample different vinegars or low oil/oil free dressings.
- Whether we cook or order in, I usually make or order enough to have lunch for the next day. I almost always have brown rice and a roasted vegetable around.
- Prepared food from the market. Most supermarkets have a prepared food section with a variety of choices. Trader Joes has a few salads, Whole Foods has some options, and our local farmers market has a few stands with wonderful choices too.
- Soup (I love Amy’s soup and am trying to eat the low sodium options). I like their lentil and pea soups.
Snack:
- Crackers or soft Tortilla (like Ezekiel) with hummus or bean dip. Healthier cracker options are: Mary’s Gone Crackers or Flackers
- Almonds and fruit
- Or an apple or banana with some peanut butter
- Edamame
Dinner:
- Veggie burger. Our local hamburger joint makes a homemade vegan veggie patty and I get it in a salad bowl with avocado, sprouts and Dijon balsamic dressing.
- Sushi restaurant: miso soup, edamame, salad, and an avocado and cucumber roll. See if they can make it with brown rice.
- Thai food- I love Pad Thai and most places can make a vegan version. Call ahead and ask. I also love curry and many can be made vegan.
- Pasta is always easy. I love pasta and there are so many whole grain and gluten free options to try nowadays. A simple marinara is great, or a plant-based pesto
These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking about all the options out there. It is far from an exhaustive list. When I was first vegan I pretty much lived on the above choices, but I really wanted to have more options.
That’s when I learned how to cook plant-based meals which changed everything for me. Now I have dozens of recipes that I love to cook again and again and I’m constantly trying new ones.
We have been sharing recipes regularly with our community. But sometimes just having a recipe in front of you isn’t enough.
That’s why we will be offering cooking classes so that you can learn how to cook delicious plant-based meals too. It’s so much easier than you realize, and we will be here to help you as you go.
Stay tuned for details!