Ever since turning to vegetarianism in early December, I’ve been finding myself being much more conscientious about my health and that has involved me being more in check with my body, exercising regularly, drinking more water, taking my vitamins, and of course, managing what I eat. Though this change in lifestyle choice was long in the making and based off of personal taste preferences and sustainability, I also wanted to draw on the health benefits of going vegetarian. It definitely isn’t as easy as simply cutting meat out of your diet though, while doing that, you also have to ensure that you are still getting a proper balance of nutrients as you would with an omnivore diet. This led to me reading nutrition and ingredient labels more closely than before, and once I began to do this, I also became more aware of what I was putting into my body. Though it hasn’t yet been two months, I already feel myself losing cravings for junk foods like chips, fries, and other things I used to indulge in to the detriment of my health. Besides maintaining a nutritional balance, I’ve certainly felt challenged at times; coming from an Asian family, meat is a staple in many traditional dishes. Finding ingredients for balanced vegetarian meals was hard at first, but thanks to the help of my handy Pinterest account, I’ve found a few quality recipes with ingredients that aren’t a stretch to get in a typical household, and especially less so if you already like to eat healthy. And the best part of it is they’re as delicious are they are easy!
BREAKFAST
Banana Blueberry Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are probably one of the most versatile yet easy recipes out there, and there’s no limit as to what you can put in it. The recipe below includes bananas and blueberries as the main flavours, but it is so easy to customize from the base oats recipe provided. Frozen fruit is also totally game for this, just put it in with the oats the night before so they can thaw!
Recipe here
Avocado Quesadillas (vegan!)
I don’t know about you, but I tend to eat quesadillas as more of a breakfast food more than anything, and when they’re this lite and not-loaded, they make for a great start to the day on a savoury note. I love these quesadillas since they take no time at all, and are so thin and un-messy that I can actually dip it in salsa, though I sometimes drizzle sriracha all over for spice. Wait, I do that anyways.
Recipe here
Smoothie Bowls
I love a good smoothie for breakfast, but I usually have it as a side to something else, like toast or quesadillas to get my fruit and dairy needs met. Also, smoothies never fill me up quite like an actual fork-and-knife breakfast. However, smoothie bowls are both thicker, more nutritious, more customizable, and also actually have to be eaten with a spoon — way more filling (or at least creates the illusion of that). Top it off with any fresh fruit, nut, or granola mix for texture and you are good to g(l)o(w)!
LUNCH
Quinoa Fried Rice
Yes, this recipe is technically for fried rice, but I always use quinoa for protein. Works the exact same way and also brings a nice texture to the classic dish! I would recommend to go lighter on the soy sauce than what the recipe says though, you can always add in more later and I found it to be a bit too salty for my taste when I made this for the first time. Also, don’t skip the oyster sauce!
Recipe here
Black Bean and Quinoa Salad
I made this ALL THE TIME to bring to my office job in the summer. Quite literally. It is the easiest thing to throw together, especially when you pre-cook quinoa (which I tend to do since I have it so much), and is super nutritious and refreshing. This recipe is also really easy to manipulate, so experiment with different vegetable combinations! I really enjoy adding in corn and avocado to this versatile salad. It is also a good idea to save the dressing and pour over it before serving, but it will still be great and flavourful nevertheless. My personal preference for this salad has been to reduce the amount of oil and increase the amount of lime juice, which definitely adds more tanginess to the salad.
Recipe here
(Healthy) Egg Salad + Avocado Sandwich
A really weird thing that happened to me during the summer brought me to this recipe: I started craving egg salad sandwiches after eating one while volunteering, but I’m not a huge fan of mayo, and the idea of a egg salad sandwich is appealing but truthfully — unhealthy. This alternative however, is just as good, and uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo and I can definitely enjoy it without feeling guilty (save those for the yolo meal). A layer of spinach between the salad and bread will prevent sogginess and add more greens, making this perfect to bring for a school lunch.
Recipe here
DINNER
General Tso’s Tofu + Quinoa
Before turning vegetarian, I knew that I wouldn’t have a huge problem accepting meat alternatives because I already ate them regularly and enjoyed them. Tofu is definitely one of those things, and this is a recipe that has transcended my lifestyle change. Also, living in an Asian household also means that I usually have all of the ingredients needed for this in my kitchen. I always eat this with quinoa (notice a trend here?) since rice takes a bit longer, and the prep time of the rest of the recipe makes it perfectly timed to let it cook whilst preparing everything else. If you’re not picky about the texture of your tofu, skip the cornstarch and just fry in some vegetable oil and save tons of time in the process. I’m also obsessed with the base sauce for this recipe, and have substituted tofu with chickpeas, rice cake, and other veggies!
Recipe here
Lentil and Spinach Soup
When I first made this recipe and sent a Snapchat to a friend, the first thing they said was “that looks EXACTLY like the picture on the website!”. And it was true, but probably not because of my (medicore) cooking skills, but because it is so simple to make. Soups = one of the biggest joys in my life, but preparation can often take too long or be to complicated for my liking. However, with this one-pot soup, all you really have to do is prepare the ingredients and simmer! Reduce the amount of water for a more stew-like consistency, and eat with toasted rye for a hearty meal that is sure to fill you up.
Recipe here
Lentil Loaf (vegan)
Honestly… This recipe is just too good to be true: a) the recipe is super cute, b) all ingredients are fairly common, and c) IT WAS AMAZING. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve made this, and every time it ends up working out pretty well, something that I don’t find success with a lot when it comes to recipes requiring baking that isn’t basic desserts. This easy and filling loaf is also just as good with mushrooms, chunks of stale bread (more appealing than it sounds), and topped with barbecue sauce.
And for the final bonus:
DESSERT
Chocolate Avocado Pudding
If you’re keeping up with the health foods online community, chances are you’ve heard about making various desserts with the ever versatile avocado, and that is not without reason! I’m a huge fan of this super easy (no, I mean incredibly) easy chocolate pudding recipe. It tastes just like regular chocolate mousse, and depending on how much almond milk you put in, quickly becomes a perfect pudding texture. It is more bitter than regular pudding though, but that can be adjusted with agave (or substitute honey or maple syrup) and adding raspberries on top to balance out the flavours. I also recommend adding in a half teaspoon of vanilla extract for more flavour, but this dessert recipe is definitely a win.
Recipe here
All photos are credited to respective recipe links
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