Our Beginning Recipes

Lately I’ve been asked from several people what kinds of recipes to start out with to begin to eat less meat. One might think that this would be a simple ask since I’ve been doing this for over a year. However, it is not. There has been a big learning curve and a lot of prep and a willingness to introduce new vegetables, fruits, or other staple items that I was unfamiliar with even existed.

Funny story: Our daughter Andrea came home for Thanksgiving and opened up the pantry to get a snack (like she had been use to doing when she lived here) and said, “What’s going on in here!!! You don’t have anything good anymore!” and shut the door very disappointed.

“Andrea, there are a lot of great things in there for your body.” I said.

“Yeah, like I’m going to grab some good ol’ Flax Seeds for my snack – Yum! Boy, these Flax Seeds are so good – Right—?”

It’s true, we have Flax Seeds, Chia Seeds, Dates, Pumpkin Seeds and a ton of other things that help complement a dish, but not things that you can just “snack” on. I never had heard of Flax Seeds before – not to mention a ton of other things that reside in our kitchen pantry now.

Giving out a list of recipes is also a hard task because I am not sure what kind of tastes people have or what they are willing to try. Your body is amazing and after time your taste buds change and the things you liked become less enticing or even taste as good as you remember. John and I had dinner recently and he got his favorite, Louisianna Gumbo loaded with chicken and smoked sausage severd over a bed of steamed rice. The day after I asked him if he had felt boated after eating that. He said that he didn’t feel bloated, but it just didn’t taste as good as it once did.

So, when it comes to “give me a few recipes” that’s difficult. However, I will try to give you some of the basic ones that are good though that we started out with. I actually don’t like to use the word “Vegan” in the recipe title because I feel as though that gives an idea to most that “Oh, it’s healthy! I don’t want it then.” When, actually deep down we really know that “Healthy” is what our body craves, but we are marketed to, and therefore, programmed to want the stuff that is “not Healthy.” 

I think you will find that once you start looking at different Plant-Based Recipes, you’ll find yourself going down a rabbit hole. I spend a lot of time looking at recipe sites and have joined many different groups on Facebook that all have great tips for creating wonderfully healthy meals. Some of them are:

FACEBOOK Groups I belong to:

• Plant Based Air Fryer Recipes (Vegan)
•  Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes
• Blue Zones Lifestyle

Recipe Sites

• Forks over Knives
• Blue Zones Recipes
• Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook
• T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Recipe Page
• Dr. Gregor – NutritionFacts.org Recipe Page

Follow my Meal Planning Calendar

I have been trying to plan meals ahead for the week by using a Google Calendar that is linked to this website. It is in an effort to help me find recipes quickly that we like and that we can repeat over time. Like everything, this takes time and planning too and that sometimes is hard to find.

I have tried to provide the link to the actual recipe site I found it on or copy and paste the ingredients and instructions directly on the recipe event 

Feel free to follow this for more inspiration and sometimes I may comment on the actual recipe to indicated my variations or if we would add it again to our rotation.

Hope this helps anyone who is curious about cutting down on their meat consumption.

CHILI

(Although it is best to stay away from processed and canned foods, this is a great one because it cuts out the ground beef and has a ton of beans and veggies.)

You can use a crock pot or a big stock pot to make this in.

It’s up to you how much you want to add to your own chili depending on how many days you want it for or how many people you are feeding.

Onions – chopped/diced

Peppers – chopped/diced

Jalapeño – if preferred how hot you like your chili

Canned Beans – Variety of preference (with the juices too)

Canned Diced Chili Ready Tomatoes (with juice)

Chili Powder to taste

Chickpea Sandwich Spread

This is the exact same recipe that you probably make with shredded chicken, but substitute 2 cans of Chickpeas. You should drain the cans and then rinse the beans to clear off some of the little skin from the beans (they don’t all have to be off) and then mash them either by hand or in a food processer until they are just mashed a bit but you can still tell they are beans.

Then add all your other ingredients together to taste. My own recipe is as follows and I just eyeball and taste till I get it right.

• 2 cans Chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• Vegan Mayo – enough to mix well
• Dill Pickle Relish – about a Tablespoon or two full
• Juice from a Dill Pickle Slices Jar – just enough to get it a bit more wet and to taste the dill. DON’T over pour or it will be too watery.
• Red Onion – very finely diced
• Celery – very finely diced
• Mix all and taste adding a bit of salt as needed.

Put it on whole wheat toasted bread with fresh Spinach or put it in a whole wheat pita pocket

Lentil Sloppy Joes

This is another good beginner transitional recipe. Rather than using Ground Beef for sloppy Joes, just substitute cooked Brown or Green Lentils. Usually about 2 cups is enough.

If you have your own Sloppy Joe recipe just use it. I make mine super easy.

Lentils + Baby Back BBQ sauce.

We put it on whole wheat buns or sandwich thins with fresh spinach, dill pickle slices, and a tomato slice.

Lentil Sloppy Joes

This is another good beginner transitional recipe. Rather than using Ground Beef for sloppy Joes, just substitute cooked Brown or Green Lentils. Usually about 2 cups is enough.

If you have your own Sloppy Joe recipe just use it. I make mine super easy.

Lentils + Baby Back BBQ sauce.

We put it on whole wheat buns or sandwich thins with fresh spinach, dill pickle slices, and a tomato slice.

This is another good beginner transitional recipe. Rather than using Ground Beef for sloppy Joes, just substitute cooked Brown or Green Lentils. Usually about 2 cups is enough.

If you have your own Sloppy Joe recipe just use it. I make mine super easy.

Lentils + Baby Back BBQ sauce.

We put it on whole wheat buns or sandwich thins with fresh spinach, dill pickle slices, and a tomato slice.

Garlicky Bok Choy Noodle Soup

 

• 3 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into ¼-inch cubes ** You need to get a lot of the excess water out of the tofu first by wrapping it in paper towels and putting something heavy on top to squeeze out the water. Repeat this about three times. Let the heavy item rest on top of the tofu about 10-15 min each time – so this should be done prior to starting the rest of the dish or can be done while you are cutting the vegetables up.
• 4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 6 ounces dried brown rice pad Thai noodles ** I make these separately and don’t get them all the way done because I am going to put them into the soup and they will cook the rest of the way then. I don’t like putting them directly in the soup at first like this recipe says because I think they get overdone.
• 12 baby carrots with green tops, halved lengthwise, or 2 cups bias-sliced carrots ** I make mine very thin.
• 2 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise. *** I actually buy about 6 or so BABY Bock Choy. They are easier to cut and I can find them easier for some reason.
• 12 thin spears asparagus, trimmed
• 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, or any other mushrooms, sliced
• 4 scallions (green onions), green tops trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• **** I usually add about a Tablespoon or more of White Miso Paste to mine.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a 5- to 6-qt. Dutch oven combine 4 cups water, the broth, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Add noodles, carrots, and tofu. Simmer, uncovered, 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bok choy, asparagus, mushrooms, and scallions. Simmer, uncovered, 1 minute more. Serve in shallow bowls with lime wedges.

New Year’s Day Soup with Black-Eyed Peas

 

• 2 leeks, trimmed, halved, and sliced ** These look like great big Green Onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ 32-oz. containers low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4 cups chopped stemmed collard greens
• 2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot cook leeks, celery, carrots, and garlic over medium 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 Tbsp. at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Add the next seven ingredients (through crushed red pepper, if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
2. Season to taste with red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with parsley. ** I don’t use the Red Wine Vinegar. Didn’t like the flavor afterwards. You could always put some in a bowl and then put a drop or so if you want.

Black Bean Soup

1 T Olive Oil or substitute Veg Broth
1 Chopped Onion
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 Carrot chopped and diced
2 stalks of Celery chopped and diced
8 c. or 2-3 boxes of Vegetable Broth
2 Cans Black Beans – drained and rinsed
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. Cayanne Pepper
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
 

1. Heat oil in large skillet and and onion to saute
2. Add garlic, carrots, celery and cook until soft
3. Add broth, beans, coriander and cayenne pepper
4. Cook until vegetables are soft
5. Stir in Balsamic Vinegar near the end before for serving.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 32-oz. container low-sodium vegetable broth
• 16 oz. dry green split peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and chopped
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker combine vegetable broth and 3 cups of water. Add the next seven ingredients (through red pepper flakes); mix well.
2. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (or high 4 to 5 hours). Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper.

Penne Pasta with Zuchinni and Chickpeas

This is an easy one too. Again rather than having maybe chicken chunks in a pasta or ground beef, substitute chickpeas. We like this receipe and sometimes will just add our favorite spaghetti sauce (from a jar) to it.

• Onion
• Garlic – minced
• Zuchinni
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Peppers (if desired – chopped and diced)
• 1 can Chickpeas

1. Cook Pasta separately not cooking till they are all the way done, but close.
2. Sauté onion and garlic (amount per taste) in vegetable broth
3. Add peppers (if using them) and continue to sauté until they are soft.
4. Add zucchini chunks and continue to cook
5. Add sauce and continue cooking.
6. Add noodles to pan
7. Add Chickpeas and put a lid on to continue cooking until pasta is at desired tenderness and serve with toasted Sourdough garlic bread.

Steamed Vegetables

Steaming fresh vegetables are great to have around.

We like to steam

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Brussel Sprouts
• Kale and Spinach – only until it just slightly is wilted and then I like to sprinkle it with a tad bit of high-quality Balsamic Vinegars

Fresh Fruits

The key to eating Fresh Fruits is that you have to prepare them so that when you open up the refrigerator, they are ready to go.

Grapes – Clean and pull grapes off stem

Oranges – Peel and cut into slices and put in bowl

Berries – wash and we just keep them in the same plastic container that they came it.

Strawberries – wash and destem and keep them in the same plastic container

Apples – these are sort of tricky. We usually just have the whole apple, but every now and then I cut them into slices and put a little lemon juice in the bowl to try and keep them somewhat fresh. Try to eat these quick

Follow my Meal Planning Calendar

I have been trying to plan meals ahead for the week by using a Google Calendar that is linked to this website. It is in an effort to help me find recipes quickly that we like and that we can repeat over time. Like everything, this takes time and planning too and that sometimes is hard to find.

I have tried to provide the link to the actual recipe site I found it on or copy and paste the ingredients and instructions directly on the recipe event 

Feel free to follow this for more inspiration and sometimes I may comment on the actual recipe to indicated my variations or if we would add it again to our rotation.

Hope this helps anyone who is curious about cutting down on their meat consumption.