Going to a plant-based diet can be done very simply and with little fuss. You can start by going meatless one or two meals a week, or focus on breakfast dishes if your household needs a meat-connected protein such as eggs and dairy. Meal planning is important when switching up your focus; some plant dishes take longer to prep.
Change Your Plate Orientation
Many of us grew up with plates split into thirds. Every meal needed a
- starch
- protein
- vegetable
A plant-based diet might start with a salad and highlight a main dish loaded with hearty grains and veggies, such as vegetable birdseed pilaf in a soup bowl. To finish the meal, you could serve brown rice pudding from your crockpot. This filling meal may be a big change for your household, but it will be a satisfying one.
Use Mushrooms
Mushrooms come in a variety of sizes and flavors. If you’re working to get more veggies into your family diet, start stretching ground meat with mushrooms. Take the stems from button mushrooms and chop the caps in your food processor until they’re the consistency of ground meat. As the ground meat browns, drain off the grease and mix in the mushrooms. Add salt, pepper and a bit of soy sauce for flavor. You can easily turn 8 ounces of loose hamburger into 16 ounces of usable meat for casseroles, sloppy joes and even tacos.
If your household enjoys mushrooms, the sky is the limit in recipe variation of this yummy fungus. You can even get older children involved in household mushroom cultivation; button mushrooms can be grown in a very small space. Your mushroom farm will need protection from extreme heat and cold, but as they need no light, you can grown mushrooms in your basement.
Experiment with Exotic Beans
Take trip to your local Asian market and load up on a rainbow variety of beans. Small black beans are easy to chop up and mash into black bean and sweet potato patties, which pair well with wheat rolls and a tangy cucumber salad. While there, stock up on rice vinegar and aromatic rice.
Tiny red beans, yellow lentils and golden rice can make a delicious meal loaded with protein on a cold day. Pair them with a bowl of miso soup and some hot tea to warm up the house and your tummy.
Look for Traditional Recipes from Around the World
The meat-based diet is actually a sign of wealth. For new and fun plant-based recipes, look for traditional foods of cultures that have faced food insecurity. For example, many South American countries have a traditional bean and rice dish. These foods, paired with greens, can make a simple and delicious meal loaded with nutrients.
In the southern United States, corn meal or polenta is a common plant-based meal base. It can be served hot as a base for a mixed vegetable stir fry, or chilled, sliced and fried as a side dish.
Pay Attention to Texture
There are many greens that can be bitter, tough and fibrous. If you want to use kale in a salad, be sure to chop it small and consider pairing it with a mild oil dressing and some dried fruit to make it bit milder. Cabbage is a great filler for a salad; be ready to slice it very thin and only use what you need off the head so it doesn’t darken.
Plant-based cooking takes a bit more prep work; veggies aren’t convenience foods. However, with a little meal planning you can increase the health of your household and go much easier on your budget by moving to more plant-based meals.
