EASY Plant Based Diet Recipes for Beginners – Main Meals

Congrats if you’ve decided to begin the wonderful journey into a plant based life. Truly, I’m happy for you because I  know that soon you will be feeling healthy, vibrant and totally amazing as you fill your body with delicious and nutritious plant foods.

This lifestyle is something you will never regret, as every day you will feel better and better – more alive and more freer as your body heals and you soul awakens.

This post will give you examples of EASY plant based diet recipes for beginners that you and your whole family will enjoy.

Getting your family on board from the start will help save you a whole lot of time in the future in respect to cooking meals. You don’t really want to be cooking meals for you, then separate meals for your family as that’s just a pain in the butt, and will fast become tedious and tiring.

That’s why you need tried and tested reliable recipes that even the most hardened meat eater will enjoy. And that’s exactly what I have found for you in this post, so I hope you love them as much as I do.

Beginning your Plant Based Diet

Before you begin, you may wish to have some tips on how to prepare for this big change in the easiest way possible. Some easy pointers are as follows:

And, don’t forget to get your shopping at a budget supermarket if you need to.

1. Read Up On Plant Based Nutrition

It’s important you know what you’re getting into, and it’s important to understand your plant based macronutrient groups of proteins, fats and carbs so you have an understanding of how to put a high nutritional value plant based meal together. Knowing these basics is a good starting point to keeping you and your family healthy and happy.

2. Clear Out Your Cupboards

If you’re going for the whole foods plant based lifestyle, which means the elimination of anything highly processed such as oils and sugars, you will more than likely need to have a jolly good clear out of your cupboards.

Unhealthy foods to look out for include refined oils of any kind, refined sugars such as biscuits, cakes, sweets, and highly processed foods such as crisps, chips, white bread, pastas, white rice, most canned goods (with the exception of pulses in water), frozen pizzas, fries, ready meals and burgers.

Even “technically” plant based foods can be highly processed as in the case of sugar and oils. This is why the more you cut down on these so called ‘vegan junk foods’, the healthier your plant based diet will be.

3. Batch Cook

Oh yes, you’ll want to become the master of batch cooking and meal prepping (especially so if you’re cooking for one). Batch cooking, then freezing or refrigerating for the week ahead, can be a life saver when it comes to the plant based diet.

You will also find batch cooking makes for a much cheaper shopping list in the long run.

Easy things to batch cook and freeze (or refrigerate) are:-

• Beans, pulses and lentils (all of which are cheaper to buy dried). Just soak and cook in vast amounts, then freeze in portions. Not only does this save you money in the long run, but making your beans from scratch like this makes them so much more tastier than their canned counterparts. Plus, no added salt or other preservatives to worry about.
• Make pasta sauces of all kinds and freeze in portions. All you need to do then is make your pasta fresh, and your sauce is ready to go.
• Bean chili’s always freeze well
• Soups ( I find pureed soups freeze better than chunky veggie soups)
• Stews
• Make big salads and put in plastic containers, undressed, and they will keep for up to 3 days.  That’s your easy lunches sorted, and you can just add your toppings and dressings fresh on the day.
• Make salad dressings and refrigerate for up to 3 days (for your batch salads).
• Freeze sliced, very ripe bananas for your morning smoothie or nice-cream bowls.
• Other fruits work well for freezing too, such as mango’s and berries.
• I always have a mason jar of my favorite fat burning, high protein granola on the go. It’s delicious, VERY healthy, and is choc full of anti aging antioxidants to keep you looking young.
• Bake rich sweet potato brownies, raw green protein bars, spicy molasses breakfast cookies, or simple peanut butter cookies for grab-and-go breakfasts in the morning.
• Batch cook more fiddly dinner items such as soy mince burgers, vegan sausage burgers, or Italian-style meatballs and freeze in portions for another easy meal down the line.

EASY Plant Based Recipes for Beginners

1. Yellow Lentil & Eggplant Curry

Who doesn’t love a delicious and warming curry, especially as the days get colder?

Plant-based curies are every bit as tasty as any meat-based version. In fact, the aromatic spices of these sorts of dishes make the veggies sing on their own, and would easily satisfy the whole family, meat eaters and all’.

Lentils, like all pulses, are high in protein, fiber and nutrients, and because of their low glycemic index, can contribute to weight control when eaten daily.

Yellow Lentil & Eggplant Curry

 

2. Beyond Amazing Vegan Meatballs

I had to add this recipe to the list because it’s comfort food, and sometimes you just need comfort food in your life.

These meatballs contain the Beyond beef, vegan mince which I think is fine once in a while. It’s not strictly a ‘whole foods’ plant based food, so I keep dishes like this to a minimum, and try to always stick to the 90/10 rule which I like to reflect in my posts. This means 90% whole foods, and 10% for the rest.

These meatballs are SO easy, and take only 10 minutes to prepare. Probably a good starting point dish if you are new to plant based and want to break yourself in with more ‘meat’ like textures.

Also, good enough to convince the family that no animals need to be harmed in order to have a dirty meatball.

I would always serve with a healthier pasta such as wholegrain, buckwheat or chickpea, along with a big green salad… of course.

Beyond Meat Vegan Meatballs Recipe That’s Beyond Amazing

3. Sweet Potato & Spinach Stew

Sweet potatoes, cannellini beans, and mushrooms make this a hearty, warming stew that has a curry kick.

These type of one pot stews are fast, easy, require little prep, and often freeze well if you prefer to batch cook.

Serve with some brown rice or quinoa, plus some extra veggies or salad, and you will elevate it to an even more angelic level of healthy.

No Oil Sweet Potato & Spinach Stew

4. Easy Tuscan White Bean Skillet

I thought a taste of Tuscany would round this post off well. Who can resist Italian food?

This 30 minute skillet recipe uses minimal store cupboard ingredients and is super easy. It’s also a meal in one pot, so not much washing up afterwards!

Ever wondered what to do with artichoke hearts? Well, you’ll find out in this recipe. In fact, it reminds me that I have a can in the back of my cupboard, so this may well be on the menu this week.

Serve with an Italian-style olive oil bread for that true, authentic feel.

Tuscan White Bean Skillet

 

5. The Best Spaghetti Bolognese

If you miss a “meaty” spag bol, then this dish is 100% for you!

Using pea based plant based mince meat makes all the difference to taste and texture, and works much better than lentils. And, sometimes you just fancy something that more closely resembles a traditional Bolognese sauce. Well, look no further.

Pea mince is also extremely high protein, so perfect as a post workout snack. Or, simply if you need some extra protein in your life.

Plant Based Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce – Best EVER Recipe!

6. English Pub Curry

Ever had a curry in an English pub?

Well, I have, and it can be different to your usual curry. The ‘Brits’ like to add everything in one pot into their curries rather than have lots of different dishes.

This one is perfect, warming, filling, and does double carbs with the potatoes and rice… but good carbs that is.

The blend of all of your classic curry spices in this dish, makes it super high in antioxidants and other health boosting nutrients. It’s also oil free and low calorie.

Whilst on the subject of spices, why not check out my metabolism boosting spice mix?

Quick English Vegetable Curry Recipe – A Pub Classic!

CONCLUSION

Plant based meals are easy and delicious and there are an abundance of them on the internet these days.

Here at ZestForever we try to bring you the fastest and simplest recipes because we know you have busy lives.

For a more structured fast and easy meal plan please check out our Ultimate Family Friendly 4 Week Plan. You will learn lots of fun recipes that will last you a lifetime, learn how to put nutritionally complete meals together, and use the art of batch cooking to save time and money.

Thanks for visiting ZestForever today!