We all know it: the vegan movement is sweeping the world. Most people have either joined the vegan lifestyle, tried it for a few weeks or know someone who abstains from all animal products. But more and more throughout the years, people in general are making the effort to include vegan meals into their routines. If you’re a long time experienced vegan or just someone looking to reduce the amount of animal products you consume, this list of simple and accessible vegan recipes is for you!
- Avocado Pesto Chickpea Pasta*
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This is an easy way to adapt basically everyone’s favorite meal — pasta! — and make it a bit more nutrient filled. It has all the boxes ticked off: proteins, healthy fats, carbs and fiber. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1 box of chickpea pasta (or whichever egg-less milk-less pasta you can find)
1 large avocado
1 cup of fresh basil
1 cup of spinach
⅓ cup of olive oil
⅓ cup of pine nuts or cashews
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves of minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
Chili flakes (optional)
How to:
Cook pasta according to the instructions listed on the box.
Combine all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth to make the creamy pesto sauce.
Drain pasta, combine everything and you’re ready to serve!
It doesn’t get any easier than this!
*This recipe serves 2 people.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Some people think going vegan means giving up on some of their favorite treats, but nowadays, you can easily “veganize” everything! I’ll show you how, with these no-butter no-egg chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredients
½ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of white sugar
⅔ cup of canola oil (or any vegetable oil that isn’t too flavorful)
¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite non dairy milk)
1 tablespoon of tapioca flour
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of vegan chocolate chips
How to:
Preheat the oven to 350º F/180º C and line two large metal baking trays with parchment paper.
Mix the sugars, the oil, milk and tapioca flour in a bowl until it resembles a smooth caramel. Then, add the vanilla.
Add 1 cup of the flour and baking soda, mix well until combined. Add the rest of the flour and fold in the chocolate chips.
Roll them up into Ping-Pong sized balls and put them in the oven for about 8-9 minutes.
Recipe taken from the book “Main Street Vegan” by Victoria Moran.
- Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl*
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One of the best things about eating vegan is that you can mix and match and make the most of what is laying around in your fridge. Buddha Bowls are a great way to toss a bunch of ingredients together and make a super tasty, filling and nutritious meal. Here’s a way to do it, but you can adapt it to fit your tastes.
Ingredients
Vegetables
2 tablespoons of olive, coconut or avocado oil
½ of a red onion sliced in wedges
2 small sweet potatoes sliced in half
1 bundle of broccolini (stems removed and chopped)
2 handfuls of kale (large stems removed)
¼ tablespoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of pepper
Chickpeas
1-15 ounce chickpeas (rinsed and patted dry)
1 teaspoon of cumin
¾ teaspoon of chili powder
¾ teaspoon of garlic powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of pepper
½ teaspoon of oregano (optional)
¼ teaspoon of turmeric (optional)
Tahini Sauce
¼ cup of tahini
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
½ of a lemon juiced
2-4 tablespoons of hot water (to thin out the sauce)
How to:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC and arrange sweet potatoes and onions on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil.
Bake for 10 minutes, then flip sweet potatoes and add broccolini (seasoned with salt & pepper and oil).
Bake for another 8-10 minutes and add kale (seasoned). Bake for another 5 minutes.
While the veggies are in the oven, toss the chickpeas in a bowl with all the seasonings.
Heat up a skillet with oil on medium heat and once it’s hot, add chickpeas and keep stirring frequently for around 10 minutes.
Prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients and adding water if needed to get a thinner consistency.
To serve, slice vegetables and arrange in a bowl, finally drizzling your sauce over everything.
*Serves around 3 people.
- Egg-less and Milk-less Chocolate Cake
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This is a staple in many houses, and easily made vegan! It’s a great alternative if you want to basically eat the same and have less of an impact on the animals and the environment.
Ingredients
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup of sugar
¾ cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
½ cup of applesauce, banana or yogurt of choice
1 ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract
½ cup of oil or almond butter
1 ½ cups of water/non dairy milk
How to:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and grease two 8-inch square or round pans.
Stir the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the oil/nut-butter with your applesauce/banana/yogurt, your water/non dairy milk and the vanilla.
Pour your wet ingredients into the dry ones gradually and stir until combined. Then, pour your mixture in the pans.
Bake for around 25 minutes or until the batter has risen and you can stick a toothpick in there and it won’t come out sticky and let it cool.
- The Ultimate Green Smoothie
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This is what vegans are known for, the green juices and smoothies. If you’re not a fan of greens though, don’t be discouraged, you can barely taste it in this one! Plus, it’s basically all the nutrients you need for the day in one big glass. Keep in mind, these ingredients are 100% interchangeable, you can add whatever frozen fruit or veggies you want, and also if you’re looking for an extra kick, you can go for protein powder or superfoods like spirulina, maca powder and chia seeds to boost your smoothie and make it even more nutritious.
Ingredients
1 cup of fresh spinach
1 cup of water
½ cup of frozen pineapple
½ cup of frozen mango
1 banana
How to:
Just blend them all together until smooth and creamy!
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This article was edited by Amanda Oestreich.
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