Vegan and vegetarian diets have seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, thanks in part to more public figures switching to a vegan diet and studies confirming all the health benefits of following a vegetarian or vegan diet. These studies in conjunction with Meatless Mondays (an effort to get people to go meat-free for one day a week), you might be considering integrating some vegan dishes into your household meal planning.
There are several health benefits to incorporating some vegan meals into your diet, such as reducing heart disease, curbing obesity, and decreasing your carbon footprint. Just like any dietary switch, you’ll want to make the switch gradually and safely to ensure that you and your family are getting the proper nutrition. If you are contemplating switching to a more plant-based diets but want to gradually introduce some vegan dishes to your family, here are a few lunch and dinner recipes you can try.
Cucumber Sandwiches
These crispy cucumber sandwiches are hearty and tasty versions of the dainty, crust-less snacks you’re envisioning. To make these sandwiches, you’ll need whole wheat bread, hummus, chopped olives, and slices of cucumbers. If you have a panini pan, that would be ideal, but these can also be made on the stove like a grilled cheese sandwich.
Brush olive oil on one side of both bread slices and place them in the pan or panini maker oil side out. On the inner pieces of break, spread a layer of hummus and top with olives and sliced cucumbers. Cook the sandwich until the bread gently browns, which should take a few minutes.
Black Bean Soup
This hearty soup would make a great vegan lunch on a chilly day. You’ll need 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large onion, 1 celery stalk, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 4 garlic cloves, 2 carrots, 1 tablespoon cumin, 4 cups vegetable broth, four 15-ounce cans of black beans, one 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, and one 15-ounce can of whole kernel corn. If someone in your family doesn’t care for one of the ingredients (onion or garlic might not be great for a lunch brought to the office), you can omit them as needed.
Chop all the vegetables and garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil in a pan to sauté the carrots, celery, and onions for about five minutes. Season with black pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Add in the vegetable broth, two cans of black beans, and the can of corn, bringing all the ingredients to a boil. In a food processor, blend together the remaining two cans of beans and crushed tomatoes until they mixture is smooth. Add this blended mix to the boiling bot and reduce the heat, allowing the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.
Stuffed Shells
Pasta dishes are probably a favorite around your home, and just because you’re trying vegan dishes doesn’t mean you need to forgo dishes with cheese. Stuffed shells are a relatively easy meal to make for your family, and they provide a good alternative to simple pasta and tomato sauce.
For this recipe, you’ll need about 30 pasta shells (have backups in case some of the shells break); 3.5 cups pasta sauce; 3 minced gloves of garlic; 1 diced medium sweet onion; 2 diced celery stalks; 2 teaspoons olive oil; ½ cup minced fresh basil leaves and parsley; 14 ounces of firm tofu; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (if desired); and 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast.
(Nutritional yeast can be found in most natural food stores, and it is often used in vegan dishes. It is a good source of protein and B-complex vitamins, which are two important nutrients for people who are adhering to a meatless or vegan diet.)
To prepare the tofu, you’ll need to press it to drain the water. Rinse the tofu and wrap it with paper towels and two to three tea towels. Place the tofu on a cutting board and put heavy books on top of the tofu for about 20 minutes. While the tofu is draining, grease a large casserole dish and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the shells in the boiling water for eight to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the shells and set them aside. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
To start the tofu ricotta, sauté the garlic and onion in oil for about five minutes. Add chopped celery, parsley, and basil and sauté for an additional five minutes. Crumble the dried tofu and add it to the skillet. Stir in your nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon all to taste. Cook this mixture for eight to 10 minutes until the water cooks off.
Add marinara sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish to lightly coat it. Fill each shell with the tofu ricotta and place the shells in the dish. Cover the stuffed shells with the remaining pasta sauce and vegan cheese if desired. Cover the dish with foil and poke air holes in the covering. Bake for 20 minutes or until they are thoroughly heated.
Vegan Tacos
Photo from Flickr
If you don’t think your family will be a fan of tofu, try making vegan tacos with chickpeas. This is a quick recipe that you can customize for each person’s taco preferences. To make your taco “meat”, you’ll need 15 ounces of chickpeas, 3 tablespoons of hummus, some lime juice, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, and some chili powder for sprinkling. Combine the chickpeas, hummus, lime juice, and garlic and spread the ingredients onto a baking sheet. Top with chili powder and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Once your taco filling is complete, top your taco with any toppings you might want: guacamole, salsa, lettuce, sliced tomato, vegan cheese crumbles, or whatever else your family might enjoy.
Amy Nicole is a writer for Hope Paige, a company specializing in medical ID bracelets and functional medical alert jewelry.