Losing weight should not be a difficult task. If you are looking to shed some pounds, then perhaps you may want to switch to a plant-based diet to reduce that high-calorie intake.
A lot of people will initially recoil at the idea of eating only plants, but a plant-based diet does not mean limiting yourself to just a plateful of broccoli and carrot every night. There are dozens of plant-based recipes that make use of ingredients like vegetables, fruit, nuts, and beans, creating some of the most delicious weight-loss dishes out there.
Here are 20 plant-based recipes that will help you lose weight.
Sweet Potato Waffles
Switching to a plant-based diet does not mean you have to say goodbye to your favorite breakfasts. To make sweet potato waffles, all you need is some:
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Ingredients
1 Large Cooked Sweet Potato
¾ Cup Oats
½ Cup Flour
¾ Cup Plant-Based Milk
6 Tbsp Applesauce
1 tsp Cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
Cooking Oil Spray (vegan)
Directions
- To simply make your own vegan waffle mix, cook the sweet potato until it is soft, and throw it into a blender with the oats. Keep adding all the ingredients until the mixture is blended smooth. Then, you have your vegan waffle batter.
- Get out your waffle iron and heat it, spray it with some oil, and pour your batter in. Wait around 5-10 minutes (depending on how hot your waffle iron can get) and then your waffles should be nice and crispy.
- Add some toppings of your choice and you’re done!
Cornmeal Porridge
To try this Jamaican dish, you will need:
Ingredients
1 ½ Cups Plant-Based Milk
¼ Cup Cornmeal
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ tsp Cinnamon
1 pinch of Salt
1 pinch of Nutmeg
Directions
- Pour the milk into a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Then, you stir in the cornmeal, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and sugar, stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. Lower the heat until the porridge is thick and creamy.
- This should take about 12-15 minutes to cook. There you have it – your own cornmeal porridge. You can now add some berries for flavor and enjoy!
Tofu Scramble On Toast
For a vegan alternative to scrambled eggs on toast, try tofu instead as a rich source of protein. To make tofu scramble on toast, you will need:
Ingredients
1 carton of Silken Tofu
1 tsp Kala Namak (black salt)
1 tsp Turmeric
1 Tbsp Vegan Butter (made from plant oils)
Directions
- Start by straining your tofu of any fluid, and melt your butter in a pan. Once melted, aff your tofu and scramble it using a fork gently. When the tofu begins to sizzle, add your turmeric and salt until the mix becomes a golden yellow.
- Then, take the mix off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. You can toast your whole grain bread at this point and spread it with vegan butter. Once that’s done, you can now serve your tofu scramble on toast!
Banana and Almond Granola
For a plant-based breakfast that is rich in fiber, try making your own granola mixed with bananas and almonds. To make this delicious form of granola, you will need:
Ingredients
4 Cups Rolled Oats
1 Banana (peeled and chopped)
1 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Salt
½ Cup Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Water
Directions
- First, preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper ready for your mixture. To make your mixture, add the water, bananas, almond extract, and salt to a blender and process until it is smooth and creamy.
- Then, you add your mixture to the oats in a bowl and stir well. Spread the finished mixture evenly out onto the baking sheet. Cook your granola mixture for 40 to 50 minutes, checking and stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is crispy. Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool before you add the slivered almonds.
- Then your granola is done! You can now break it up and store it in an airtight container so you can pull it out every morning for breakfast.
Fruit and Nut Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a classic breakfast food, and what makes it so great is that it is completely customizable to suit your diet. To make your own plant-based oatmeal, you will need:
Ingredients
¾ Cup Rolled Oats
¼ tsp Cinnamon
¼ Cup Fresh Berries
½ Banana (sliced)
2 Tbsp Chopped Nuts
2 Tbsp Dried Fruit
Pinch of Salt
1 ½ Cups Water
Directions
- To make your oatmeal, just combine the oats and the water and boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low until the water has been completely absorbed. This should take about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the cinnamon salt.
- Take your oatmeal off the heat and add in any toppings you like (our recommended ones are above). Once that’s done, you can serve your oatmeal and eat it hot. Easy!
Chickpea Salad
For a plant-based lunch, try a chickpea salad. You will need:
Ingredients
2 Cans Chickpeas (drained)
1 Cup Edamame
1 Cup Carrot (grated)
2 Red/Yellow Bell Peppers (diced)
¼ Cup Scallions (sliced)
½ Cup Dried Cranberries
⅓ Cup Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin
½ tsp Garlic powder
Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper
Directions
- All you need to do is add everything into a bowl and mix it well. That’s it! No cooking required!
Vegan Burritos
Burritos are a quick and easy way to enjoy your lunch as you can make them in advance and freeze them. To make your own plant-based burrito, you will need:
Ingredients
7 oz Smoked Tofu (Chopped)
1 Onion (diced)
1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Cup Chopped Tomatoes
1 Avocado
4 Tortilla Wraps
Pinch of Salt and Black Pepper
Directions
- Heat up the olive oil in a pan and fry the tofu, onion, and pepper on low medium heat for fifteen minutes. Scoop out the avocado, and mix the salt and pepper with the tomatoes. Heat up the tortilla wraps for about twenty seconds in a hot pan, and then add your tofu mix, tomatoes, and avocado to your burrito.
- To fold your burrito, fold them up slightly from the bottom and then in half at each side. Roll the burrito until it is sealed.
- Your vegan burritos are now ready! You can either eat them up now or freeze them for another day.
Baked Potato Lunch
For a nice hot lunch with plenty of veggies, try this recipe for a baked potato lunch. You will need:
Ingredients
1 Large Potato
1 tsp Olive Oil
½ Zucchini
½ Red Bell Pepper
¼ Cup Corn
1 Tbsp Fajita Mix
Pinch of Black Pepper
⅛ Cup Water
Directions
- Spear your large potato with a fork and microwave for nine minutes. If you are using a smaller potato, microwave it for less time. The potato needs to be piping hot when served. While your potato is cooking, chop up the zucchini and pepper and fry them in the olive oil for about six minutes.
- Add the spices and the water to mix in with the veggies. Add the corn at the last minute. Once your mixture is ready, add it to your potato on a plate and season with a little bit of salt and pepper. Voila! Your baked potato lunch is ready for eating!
Carrot and Cilantro Soup
To make enough soup to last you a week, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion (chopped)
1 tsp ground Cilantro
1 Potato (chopped)
15 oz Carrots (peeled and chopped)
1 Handful of Cilantro
2 ½ Pints of Vegetable Stock
Directions
- Fry your onion in a large pan with olive oil until the onion is softened. Then, add the potato and ground cilantro and cook for another minute. Then add the carrots and all 2 ½ pints of vegetable stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat once the soup is boiling, and cook for 20 minutes until the carrots are soft.
- Once your soup is done, you can either freeze it for another day or add some more cilantro to the top and eat.
Hummus Sandwich
Although you may enjoy your hummus elsewhere, it also makes for a delicious sandwich filling! To make the perfect hummus sandwich, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Tub of Hummus
2 Slices of Whole Wheat Bread
½ Red Bell Pepper (chopped)
¼ Eggplant (chopped)
Handful of Lettuce
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Directions
- First, fry up your eggplant and peppers with the olive oil in a pan for a few minutes. Then, spread the hummus over your bread like butter, add all of the ingredients together and slap the final piece of bread on top. Cut it in half, and you have a hummus sandwich!
Zucchini Fritters
For a filling dinner, try making your own zucchini fritters. You will need:
Ingredients
3 Large Zucchinis (sliced)
2 Tbsp Cilantro (chopped)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Cup Chickpea Flour
¼ Cup Rice Flour
Pinch of Turmeric and Red Chili Powder
1 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Directions
- Add all the flours, seasonings, and lemon juice together in a bowl. You should also add one extra teaspoon of olive oil as well. Then, whisk it all together. Once that is done, add the water slowly and whisk together until the mixture forms a smooth batter.
- Then, set your pan on low heat and add the oil. When the pan is hot, dip a slice of zucchini in the batter then set it out on the pan. Fill the pan with battered zucchini, cover it with a lid and leave for 2 minutes.
- Once the fritters are brown on one side, flip them over. They should finish a nice golden brown color, and leave them to cool before serving.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
This salad is a cut above the rest. To try it out, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Head Cauliflower
½ Head Broccoli
5 Radishes
Handful of Spinach
1 Orange (peeled)
½ Pomegranate
1 Bunch of Cilantro (fresh)
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
- Cut the cauliflower and broccoli into equally sized pieces and then fry the cauliflower in a pan with olive oil. After about 3 minutes, all the broccoli and then fry for a further 7 minutes. Meanwhile, wash the spinach and cilantro and put them into a bowl.
- Deseed the pomegranate, cut it and the orange up into pieces, then add to the bowl. Also, cut the radishes into thin slices to be added as well. Once the cauliflower and broccoli are roasted, you can add them to the bowl.
- Mix all these into another bowl until it is smooth, then pour over your salad. You can garnish your salad with pomegranate seeds and then, you are done.
To make a dressing, you will need:
Ingredients
⅕ Cup Vegan Milk
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Tomato Paste
A pinch of salt and pepper.
Potatoes and Green Beans
For a tasty side dish, potatoes and greens are a classic. To make your own, you will need:
Ingredients
2 Large Potatoes
1 Pound of Green Beans
4 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 ½ Tbsp Olive Oil
½ Tbsp Oregano
A pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Place the cubes in a mixing bowl with olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix everything well. Bake the potatoes in an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
- While your potatoes are cooking, add the green beans to the same mixing bowl and add more olive oil, salt, and garlic cloves. Mix everything together, then remove the potatoes from the oven.
- Add the green beans to the same tray and return the tray back to the oven to bake for another 20-30 minutes. Once cooked, serve them together.
Stuffed Peppers
Spice up your dinner with some stuffed peppers! To try this meal, you will need:
Ingredients
½ Cup Quinoa
1 Cup Vegetable Broth
4 Large Red Bell Peppers
1 Tbsp Fajita Mix
½ Cup Sweetcorn
3.5 oz Tempeh
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Cups Tomato Passata
1 Bunch of Basil Leaves
Directions
- Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth until the water has evaporated. Once this is done, remove the quinoa from the heat and leave covered with a towel. After this, dice the tempeh and then boil in water for ten minutes. After boiling, fry it in olive oil for ten minutes and add the fajita mix with a little bit of water.
- Clean the peppers and scrape out the insides until they are hollow. Get an oven dish and pour in the tomato passata with some salt and basil leaves. Preheat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Stand the peppers up in the passage and put a tablespoon of quinoa, tempeh, and sweetcorn in each pepper.
- Squash them down and fill them with any leftover ingredients. Pop the tray in the oven and cook for 40 minutes. Once it’s cooked, garnish with basil leaves and serve.
Spanish Beans with Tomatoes
To make this delicious dish, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion (diced)
2 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
1 tsp Paprika
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cans Butter Beans (drained and rinsed)
2 Cans Plum Tomatoes
2 Handfuls of Spinach (chopped)
Directions
- In a pan, heat the oil over medium heat and fry the onions until they are translucent. Add the garlic, paprika, and bay leaves, and fry for a further minute. Add the beans and tomatoes, stir and then season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Once it’s finished, stir the spinach through and serve.
Bean Burger Patties
Going vegan shouldn’t mean you leave behind burgers. For a vegan version of this classic mean, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
1 Can Black Beans
½ Onion (diced)
¼ Cup Corn
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Chili Powder
¼ Cup Cornmeal
2 Tbsp Salsa
Directions
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lay parchment paper on a sheet pan. Drain the beans and mash them with a fork in a bowl. Sweat the onion in a pan with a little bit of water. When the onions turn translucent, add the corn and spices and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add the cornmeal, salsa, vessels, and rice to the beans in the bowl. Mix everything together until there is an even consistency then use your hand to form patties. Make them as thick and as large as you need them to be to fit into your buns. Place the patties on the parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
- Then, flip the patties and bake for another 15 minutes. Then your patties are ready to be served in burger buns!
Potato and Cauliflower Curry
For this recipe, you will need:
Ingredients
4 Cups Cauliflower Florets
2 Cups Potato Pieces
1 Cup Onion Wedges
¼ Cup Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Curry powder
1 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Cumin
1 Garlic Clove (minced)
1 ½ Cups Peas
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
4 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1 Cup Water
Directions
- Steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes until the cauliflower is crisp and tender. Then, remove the cauliflower and steam the potatoes for 10 minutes until they are tender. Mix the both together in a bowl and leave. To make the sauce, put the onion wedges, tomato paste, curry powder, ginger, cumin, and garlic into a blender.
- Once smooth, transfer and boil on medium-high heat with the water. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes until the sauce darkens. Add the cauliflower, potatoes, peas, and lime juice to the sauce.
- Cook for a further 5 minutes until the sauce is absorbed and then serve.
Slow Cooker Chili
If you have a slow cooker you want to use, then try making a plant-based chili with it! You will need:
Ingredients
2 Cups Pinto Beans (drained)
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (undrained)
1 Cup Red Onion (chopped)
1 Packet Vegetarian Chili
6 Garlic Cloves (minced)
4 Cups Vegetable Stock
2 Cups Water
1 Cup Corn
Directions
- To make, add all the ingredients together apart from the corn, and leave on high heat for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in the corn in the last 15 minutes.
Noodle Soup
To make your own noodle soup, you will need:
Ingredients
1 Cup Onion (chopped)
1 Cup Celery (chopped)
1 Cup Carrots (chopped)
6 Cups of Vegetable Stock
½ teaspoon of Sage
½ teaspoon of Thyme
Pinch of Black Pepper
3 Cups Brown Rice Fettuccine Noodles (dried)
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients apart from the noodles in a Dutch oven. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat. Leave it to simmer for 20 minutes. After that, stir in the noodles and bring them back to a boil. Cook for another 10 minutes until the noodles are tender, then serve.
Vegan Macaroni and Cheese
If you want that classic macaroni and cheese taste without all the calories, then try this plant-based version. You will need:
Ingredients
1 Large Russet Potato (cubed)
1 Cup Carrots (chopped)
½ Cup Yellow onion (chopped)
3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 tsp Turmeric
½ Cup Cashews
4 oz Whole Wheat Pasta
2 Cups Water
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
- Combine the potato, carrots, onion, turmeric, garlic, and water in a saucepan and boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Soak the cashew nuts in a small bowl of water for 10 minutes before draining. Cook the pasta in a separate saucepan and drain and rinse with cool water.
- Once the pasta has been drained again, bring it back to a saucepan. Transfer the potato mixture to a blender and add the cashews with some salt and some water. Blend for 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Mix the mixture with the pasta and season with some pepper before serving.
