Next time you have your friends over for dinner, wouldn’t you like to surprise them with some amazing healthy home cooking? The best recipes use the best ingredients. Imagine some of your favorite meals made in a vegan version. Maybe you want to try a recipe that takes advantage of nutrient-rich bone broth. A well-balanced meal uses lots of different kinds of vegetables. There are a lot of great ways to go about making a home-cooked meal, and this list gives you plenty of quick and easy ideas for easy reference.
Sweet Potato Burgers
Ground beef is extremely fatty and can increase the risk of cancer. Next time you are having a barbeque or cookout, why not try a delicious vegan alternative? The patties for this recipe use panko, garlic cloves, refried black beans, sweet potatoes, paprika, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper and a vegan egg substitute. For an added burst of flavor, try making a garlic aioli using lemon juice, vegan mayo, salt and pepper and three bulbs of garlic. The patties will smell delicious on the grill and they are packed with protein, and other health benefits.
Rainbow Cauliflower Stir-Fry
This dish can be made in numerous variations. The mix of different herbs, vegetables, and spices adds some delightful color to it. Season the cauliflower by tossing it with cayenne, cumin, turmeric and a little bit of ghee. With this base, there are a lot of different options to add, such as avocados, rainbow chard stems, different greens like lettuce or spinach and toasted seeds. It’s a great option to empty out the leftover veggies in your refrigerator. You can make this in a vegan version or add a protein like chicken, depending on your preferences.
Asparagus Soup
Soup has amazing health benefits, and for those looking to reduce their caloric intake, soup is proven to make people feel fuller faster when it is consumed before a meal. This soup is a great springtime meal dish, as it’s the time when the main ingredients are in season. It uses coconut milk and water as the base. The other ingredients are onion, potatoes, asparagus, green curry paste, sea salt, butter and lime or lemon. It goes great with crackers or Crème fraiche. You can adjust the amounts depending on which flavors you want to stand out.
Ciabatta Sandwich – Featuring Portabello Mushrooms and Tofu
If any of your friends are on a vegan diet, this protein-packed sandwich will have them shouting with delight. It is also so delicious that it will be truly satisfying to any palette. The ciabatta calves should have pesto spread on their insides. Scramble tofu and add turmeric, nutritional yeast and thyme. Grill portabello mushrooms for 8 minutes on each side. When the mushrooms and tofu are almost ready, toast the ciabatta loaves. Sprinkle red onions and alfalfa sprouts. The sandwich gets filled with a roasted pepper, two mushrooms and the tofu scramble. It goes great with Kalamata olives.
Grain-Free Stuffing
Who says bone broth needs to be used only in soup? It is full of nutritional benefits and can be used in all kinds of recipes, like this great stuffing. If you don’t have the time to make the bone broth, you can purchase it from a number of great brands such Au Bon Broth. Once you’ve decided where to buy bone broth, go ahead and get the main ingredients: coconut bread, cauliflower and sausage. You can also make this recipe with a vegan sausage substitute. Chop up celery for that crispy crunch, and use thyme and sage for your herbs. You can moisten the coconut bread with butter, lard or coconut oil. A delicious optional version uses chopped pecans and dried fruit.
Unleash Your Inner Creative Chef
These recipe ideas might have your mouth watering. Once you’ve gotten a sense of how to make them truly shine, try some of your own combinations. A lot of the vegetables can be substituted, and you may want to come up with your own iterations.
Eating healthy is easy and it can be a truly delightful experience. When you go to your supermarket, find out which vegetables are in season and go from there. Sandwiches and stir-fries are really easy to make, and the above recipes are just starting points for you to take off with your own kitchen. Whether you are hosting a summer barbeque, lunch time or dinner night, you can be the star of healthy cooking.
