A Beginner’s Guide to Cooking Healthy and Delicious Plant-Based Meals

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Create a Meal Plan

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Handy Staples

• Applesauce – Replaces butter, eggs, or oil in baking. Is also great in muffins, on pancakes, or as a snack on its own.
• Bananas – Use in rice pudding, smoothies, bread, muffins, or as an egg replacer in baked goods.
• Dates – Use to sweeten meals, make energy balls, or as a raw dessert (did someone say carrot cake and fudge?)
• Flaxseeds – Use as an egg replacer in baking or add to oatmeal, smoothies, and desserts. Grind them to receive the most benefits.
• Chia Seeds – Use as an egg replacer in baked goods or to make chia pudding.
• Cashews – Used to make any dish creamier. Think cheese, sauces, and sour cream.
• Nutritional Yeast – Sprinkle on popcorn or make into a cheese sauce.
• Plant-Based Milk – Use on cereal and oatmeal, in smoothies, or anywhere else you use milk like in chowders and pancakes.

Fruit

• Apples – Thicken smoothies and are great in salads, oatmeal, or just to eat.
• Avocados – Add to toast and salad or make a chocolate mousse.
• Pears – Dice and add to baked goods for natural sweetness.
• Lemons – Liven up a salad or cooked veggies with a hint of lemon juice and zest.
• Oranges – Add the zest and juice to wake up any salad or add the slices to a smoothie.
• Dried Fruit – Great for snacking or chop and add to granola or oatmeal.
• Frozen Fruit – Add to smoothies, oatmeal, and baked goods.
• Berries – Sprinkle onto salads, add to smoothies, and snack on them.

• Kiwi
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew
• Watermelon
• Pineapple

Vegetables

• Leafy Greens – Kale, romaine, and arugula are great for salads and smoothies. You can steam or sauté collards, beet or turnip greens, and bok choy and enjoy as a side. Mature large-leaf spinach and swiss chard may be used occasionally but contain oxalic acid, which binds with their calcium so you can’t absorb it.
• Cruciferous Vegetables – Cabbage can be made into a slaw or sautéed. Cauliflower and broccoli can be steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
• Root Vegetables – Carrots, beets, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are great in soups, roasted, or steamed. Grate carrots and beets onto your salad.
• Cucumbers – Use in a refreshing smoothie or add to a salad.
• Peppers – Eat raw with hummus or add to a stir-fry or scrambled organic tofu.
• Corn – Eat by itself or add to a quinoa salad or soup.
• Frozen Vegetables – Steam and enjoy or add to soups, stews, or tofu pot pie.
• Mushrooms – Add to salads or grill portabellas to make burgers.
• Onions – Sauté or caramelize them to give flavor to most dishes.
• Asparagus – Steam, sauté, or roast and serve sprinkled with lemon.
• Green Beans – Make a bean salad.
• Peas – Eat as a snack by themselves or make into a guacamole when you’re out of avocadoes.
• Eggplant – Make eggplant parmesan or lasagna.
• Yellow Squash – Great for stir-fry.
• Zucchini – Spiralize to make quick noodles. Sauté for a few minutes and then add the sauce of your choice. Make a ratatouille.

Grains – should be organic grains

• Oats – Use to thicken smoothies, add to bread and muffins, use to make oatmeal, bean burgers, or energy balls.
• Rice – Make a batch in your slow cooker at the beginning of the week and stir fry it or add to recipes as needed.
• Quinoa – An ancient pseudo grain, quinoa is a nutritionally dense food that is easy to prepare. Cook it and sprinkle on salads (or make it the base for salads). Add to soups and patties. You can even enjoy it sweet with fruit for breakfast.
• Whole Wheat Pasta – Add a tomato or pesto sauce, and dinner is ready on the table in no time!
• Whole Wheat (and Alternative) Flour – Use in your favorite baked goods, including rolls, muffins, bread, and pizza dough.

Beans and Legumes

• Black, Kidney, Garbanzo, and Cannellini Beans – Use in hummus, soups, stews, salads, and bean burgers.
• Lentils (any color) – Use as a base or side for most meals, including stir-fry, soup, and burgers.
• Hummus – If you don’t have time to make it yourself, having a container of store-bought hummus in your refrigerator is a great idea. You can use it for a snack with carrots, celery, or pita bread.

Broth, Sauces, Condiments

• Vegetable Broth – Use as a no-oil sauté and add to soup.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – Use in salad dressings.
• Balsamic Vinegar – Use in salad dressings or as a drizzle on roasted vegetables.
• Rice Vinegar – Use in Asian slaw salad dressings.
• Mustard – Use as an emulsifier in salad dressings. Also gives a lot of flavor to other dishes.
• Soy Sauce – Brings out the flavors in Asian dishes.
• Tahini – Add to hummus and salad dressings.
• Maple Syrup – Use to sweeten baked goods.

Nuts and Oils

• Almonds (and Almond Butter) – Use to make energy balls or granola.
• Pecans – Add to granola or top your oatmeal.
• Walnuts – Sprinkle on a salad for added crunch.
• Coconut Oil – Use sparingly in cooking and baking.
• Olive Oil – Use in salad dressings or to lightly sauté vegetables.

Herbs and Seasonings

• Sea Salt – Add a pinch to your meals.
• Black Pepper – Grind black peppercorns and add to any meal.
• Cinnamon – Add to oatmeal and baked goods.
• Basil – Add fresh basil to hummus and smoothies.
• Oregano – Add to pizza and pasta sauce.
• Garlic Powder – Add to stir-fry.
• Onion Powder – Add to roasted vegetables.
• Ginger – Add to Middle Eastern or Indian dishes.
• Cumin – Add to bean and lentil dishes.
• Turmeric – Use in Indian cooking.
• Parsley – Add to a fresh quinoa salad.
• Cilantro – Add to fresh salsa and soups.
• Red Pepper Flakes – Sprinkle a little bit into a soup for added heat.

Learn Where to Grocery Shop

• Health Food Stores – Here you will find plenty of plant-based foods, such as grains, nuts, teas, and seeds. The staff may also provide recipes, classes, and other resources for plant-based living, so it’s worth it to travel to the store closest to you.
• Farmer’s Markets – Buying fresh produce from farmers in your area is nice. Farmers can give you tips on how to prepare ingredients in a simple and healthy way. This tends to be a pretty affordable option for many.
• Discount Outlets – Eating healthily doesn’t have to be expensive. If you shop at discount outlets like Aldi, Amelia’s Grocery Outlet, and Ollie’s, you can find vegetarian staples for cheap. Search for “discount outlets near me” and see what you find.

Buy Useful Appliances

• Instant Pot – This kitchen appliance is all the rage due to its versatility. It can cook nearly anything, from rice to chili to mashed potatoes. If you want some inspiration, check out these vegan instant pot recipes.
• Crockpot – While it’s not as new as an instant pot, it’s still highly practical. You can make beans, oatmeal, rice, soup, and casseroles.
• Coffee Grinder – Use to grind flaxseeds right before adding them to your recipes.
• Blender – Use to make smoothies or puree sauces and salad dressings.
• Juicer – Use to make juices of your favorite vegetables (like carrot juice)!
• Immersion Blender – Great for making sauces and salad dressings.
• Casserole Dish – Use to make baked oatmeal, stuffed peppers, and any casserole imaginable.
• Sheet Pans – Used for roasting veggies and tofu and making bean burgers and cookies.
• Pizza Pan – Use for homemade pizza.
• Wok – Useful for making a large veggie stir-fry to enjoy throughout the week.
• Skillet – Use to make pancakes or veggie burgers.
• Spiralizer – Use to make veggie pasta.

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