Incorporating more vegetables and plant-based meals into your diet has incredible health benefits! Plant-based meals are nutritious, delicious, and very easy to make, with often just a few ingredients. You don’t have to go fully plant-based, but eating more vegetables is definitely a good idea. So we’ve put together a few of our favourite recipes for you to try.

Happy cooking, be inspired and don’t be afraid to experiment in the kitchen!

 

If you’re looking to scale up on the veggies and try a meat-free meal, these easy Black Bean Burgers are a must! Crispy on the outside, juicy and flavorful on the inside, and when topped with your favourite condiments, they are soon to be a family favourite. What’s more, they’re filled with wholesome ingredients and packed full of protein! Finally, you can have your burger and eat it too ;).

Cooking instructions:

• Drain your black beans to where they only have a TINY bit of liquid left coating them. Pour both cans into a large bowl.
• Mash the beans with a fork or mashing tool until they are mashed with some whole bean pieces left in the mixture.
• Add in your desired spices (salt, pepper, cayenne, etc.). Mix well. Taste it to make sure you don’t need to add more spice!
• Finely dice ¼ of a yellow onion. Add to mixture.
• Mince 1 clove of garlic. Add to mixture.
• Add in 1 egg. Stir all ingredients until they are well incorporated!
• Add in 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Stir until the mixture becomes more dry and you are able to form it into patties. If your mixture is still too wet, add more breadcrumbs until you reach the desired consistency of being able to form patties.
• Divide the mixture in the bowl into fourths. Roll each fourth into a ball and then flatten it out into a patty.
• Add oil to a [an and fry the patties on each side for 4-5 minutes.
• They should be golden brown and crispy on the outside when they are done!
• Assemble our burger using your favourite toppings and enjoy!

 

This one-pot curry recipe is incredibly flavourful and uses pantry staples, so you can make it any time the craving hits. It’s loaded with protein and fibre and will soon become your go-to veggie, and vegan-friendly curry.

Cooking instructions:

• In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-low and add sliced onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper to the pot.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and deep golden, about 15 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water at a time if the onions get dry.
• Increase the heat to medium. Add the curry powder and cumin and stir until toasted, about 1 minute.
• Add the crushed tomatoes and gently scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden or rubber spoon to release the any browned spices or onions stuck to the bottom.
• Pour in the coconut milk and add the drained chickpeas into the pot. Stir and reduce to low heat.
• Let simmer until the sauce is thickened and the chickpeas are slightly softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and adjust other seasonings as necessary.
• Serve with naan or rice.

 

This teriyaki dish is perfect for weeknight dinners! I’s sweet and savory and comes together in a flash. Tofu is high in protein, contains all 9 of the essential amino acids and is also a good source of calcium and manganese! Need any more reason to try this dish? We didn’t think so!

Cooking instructions:

• Cut the tofu into chunks.
• Heat 1 tbs of oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the tofu.
• Mix soy sauce, spices, honey and crushed garlic clove in a bowl to make the teriyaki sauce.
• When tofu is cooked through add the sauce and cook for a further minute
• Garnish with spring onion.
• Serve with rice.

 

This vegan butternut squash uses simple ingredients and is super easy to make.  It has ginger and turmeric which are known to sooth digestion and of course butternut, which is rich in important vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants. This recipe is ideal for batch cooking and freezes well, so you can have a healthy meal whenever you’d like.

Cooking instructions:

• Peel and cube butternut squash and onion.
• Mix squash, onion and peeled garlic cloves with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes (approx. 200 °C until the squash is fully cooked. If the onion and garlic are cooked before the squash, remove them from the sheet pan and allow the squash to continue cooking.
• Add all ingredients to a large pot. Using an immersion blender, combine until you have a smooth, creamy soup, adjusting the amount of broth to achieve a desired consistency. Alternatively, blend all ingredients in a standing blender (you may have to blend in batches). Then return to pot to heat the soup.
• Enjoy immediately.