30+ Plant-Based Recipes

Here is a collection of 30 Plant-Based Recipes to “reset” our diet, feed our healthy gut bacteria, support our liver and help manage our cravings, leaving us better able to manage sweets and snacks.  Whether you are looking for a week, or a month of clean eating or simply want to incorporate more plants into your life, this is a great place to start.

Fall down seven times, get up eight. Life starts from here.

Japanese proverb

Today is the perfect time to realign ourselves with our health goals and give our bodies some much-needed love. Whether that means eating more fresh vibrant fruits and veggies, cutting out sweets or overly-processed foods, or simply just cooking more meals from scratch… we know what we need to feel alive and energized.

For me, come January, this means doing a whole food, plant-based “reset” after all the holiday eating. December is the time of year I let myself indulge a little in more decadent meals, cookies and sweets, and by the end of it, I am actually looking forward to January, when I know my body will be supported by clean, vibrant, simple meals. It always feels so good.

Whether you are a beginner to the Plant-Based Diet or a seasoned veteran, here are some healthy, Plant-Based Recipes to help get you started and inspired this month! Take stock of what you have in your pantry, then pick out a few recipes to try this week. Remember to keep it simple!

Imagine how energized and alive your body will feel. This truly is a gift of love, for ourselves and for our families.

Easy Plant-Based Dinner Recipes

On busy nights, dinner can be made simpler with soups, stews and stir-fries. I like to comb through my fridge and pantry and take stock of what I have on hand using these things up first. Take a peek at our most popular Vegan Dinner Recipes or pick a few below.

• 👉40 Mouthwatering Vegan Recipes
• 👉Smokey Cauliflower Chimichurri Bowls!
• 👉Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde Sauce (Vegan!)
• 👉Instant Pot Mujadara
• 👉Mushroom and Black Barley Bowl with Sunchokes and Zaatar Tahini 
• 👉Ayurvedic Detox Bowl -Khichari
• 👉Bali Bowls with Peanut Tofu

Vegetable Side Dishes

For me, this month is all about upping our veggies. My goal is to try to eat 6 cups of veggies a day- picking a wide variety.  Leafy greens, cruciferous veggies, colorful veggies, getting in a wide diversity. Here are some of my favorite standbys that go with many different meals.

• 👉Grain-Free Moroccan Cauliflower Couscous
• 👉Simple Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley
• 👉Blistered Green Beans with Toasted Walnut Vinaigrette

Hearty Plant-Based Salads

Make-ahead vegan salads are perfect for busy workweeks. They are packable, fresh, and healthy, full of fiber( that feed our healthy gut bacteria) and nutrients that support our liver. Like soups, I always try to have 1 or 2 on hand for hunger emergencies.

• 👉Moroccan Chickpea & Sweet Potato Salad
• 👉Easy Vegan Bombay Carrot Salad Recipe
• 👉Thai Noodle Salad with the BEST EVER Peanut Sauce

Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas

Another simple way to improve gut health- is to time our meals. Eating within an 8-12 hour window (intermittent fasting) has been shown to not only improve our gut health but help regulate our insulin levels, and weight and help rid our bodies of damaged cells (autophagy).  I typically eat two meals a day in a 8-10 hour eating window.

So I start my day with “breakfast” (or lunch) at noon, and I finish eating dinner by 8pm. I find that when I eat a high-protein meal first, I stay fuller longer and have fewer cravings throughout the day.   My favorite breakfast is the tofu scramble, loaded up with seasonal veggies.

• 👉Homemade Vegan Granola Recipe (Vegan & Gluten-free)
• 👉Vegan Muesli
• 👉Vegan Breakfast Grain Bowls 

Plant-Based Lunch Recipes!

Lunchtime is when I like to load up on healthy veggies. Whether it’s a vibrant Buddha bowl, a Vegan Salad, or one of these Plant-based Soups, my focus is always on getting as many veggies as I can, into the mix. Eating a wide variety of plants is the best way we can support our healthy gut bacteria. It’s nice to meal prep a few things ahead, and have them ready and on hand.

Plant-Based Treats

Is it possible to go a whole month without something sweet? I honestly can’t tell you, because I have never once succeeded! Yes, I’ve tried. I’ve reduced my intake of sweets and sugar dramatically, but honestly, this is really challenging for me! An easy, healthier way for me to deal with this is to have a piece of good-quality dark chocolate with fresh berries, or a few Medjool dates. Do what is best for you. 😉 Keep in mind that anything you make from scratch is probably better than breaking down and buying something that is ultra-processed.

Plant-Based Appetizers

Here are some of our favorite plant-based appetizers. The hummus is nice to have on hand because it’s filling and the perfect way to get more veggies into your life. 🙂

Fermented Foods

Adding fermented foods to our diet is an easy way to help add diversity to our gut microbiome- if new to fermented foods, add gradually, building up slowly.

Soothing Healing Drinks

Another way to help minimize snacking and sugar cravings are to substitute comforting, soothing drinks. Here are a few of my favorites!

TIPS To Eating “Clean”

• Try to purchase organic produce or buy from your local farmers market. Conventional produce is often treated with glyphosate, an herbicide designed to kill bacteria on plants, which ends up killing the good bacteria in our gut.
• Even seemingly “healthy” vegan foods can be highly processed. Always look at labels. Minimize highly refined seed oils (canola, sunflower, safflower, soybean oil, corn oil, vegetable oil) which are inflammatory in nature and are in most processed foods including vegan dressings, nut milks, oat milk, vegan cheese and vegan mayo. Use olive oil or coconut oil when cooking.
• Gluten can be inflammatory to some people- and may cause leaky gut which leads to a whole host of other issues. If you suspect this affects you, now is the perfect time to eliminate it and see how you feel. If you have joint pain, or arthritis -I would suggest trying this.
• Cut out refined sugar, and minimize sweeteners (even maple syrup, coconut sugar and agave)only consuming in small doses at a time. Honey is not technically plant-based, but this is the one thing I do not personally do not cut out, due to its healing properties.
• Plant-based protein and fiber are KEY in helping you feel full. I always try to prioritize plant-based protein- beans, legumes, tofu, and quinoa, along with healthy veggies.
• Don’t overdo the plant-based fats! A little fat is good, but too much will overwork your liver. Limit nuts to ¼ cup a day MAX.
• Add fermented foods to help create a diverse microbiome.

More Plant-Based Recipe Collections

• 25 Delicious Vegetarian & Vegan Soup Recipes
• 40 Mouthwatering Vegan Dinner Recipes
• 20 Vegan Buddha Bowls
• 40 Make-Ahead Vegan Salads 
•  Our 25 BEST LENTIL RECIPES

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Hope these veggie-based, clean-eating recipes inspire you to try something new this week! Please note any of your favorites in the comments below!

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