Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes

Are you looking to invigorate your meals with delicious and sustainable options? This Journal Entry is here to inspire you with a variety of vegetarian and vegan recipes that are as kind to the planet as they are to your palate. From hearty mains to light, refreshing salads and decadent desserts, we've curated a selection of dishes that showcase the incredible flavors and versatility of plant-based ingredients. Whether you're a seasoned vegan, a vegetarian, or just curious about incorporating more plant-based meals into your diet, these recipes will help you create mouthwatering dishes that nourish your body and respect the environment. Dive in and discover the vibrant world of vegetarian and vegan cooking!

Avocado Toast + Other Variations

Okay, let’s start off with something simple. Breakfast. Call me basic, but I love avocado toast! You can dress it up and have a beautiful mixture of flavors or you can keep it classic - it’s versatile, it’s quick, it’s easy.

Step 1: Pick a good sturdy bread, these tend to be wholegrain - they work better to hold all the goodies we’ll place on it. Toast it so it’s nice and crispy.

Step 2: Pick an avocado that is ripe but not over-ripe. You want a nice bright green flesh that’s not too hard to dig into. Now you can either slice your avocado into thin slices, or you can mash your avocado and spread it on the toast as such. I prefer my avocado mashed as I like to incorporate chili flakes and a little bit of Himalayan pink salt into the mix and then spread it over the toast.

Step 3: Now at this point you have a fabulous classic avocado toast, not too much going on, simple and delicious. If you want to go the extra mile I would recommend adding some cilantro, sesame seeds, and some baby tomatoes on top. This adds additional flavor and nutrition! If you want some protein a sunny-side-up egg is the perfect topper.

Other Variations of Toast

• Follow step 1. Add some hummus to your bread slice ( I prefer garlic hummus with chili flakes) and top off with fresh cucumber slices - the ideal cucumber slice is fresh, cold, and crunchy - it is a nice counterpart to a warm crispy toast slice. Top with chives!

• Follow step 1. Spread ricotta cheese on your toast whilst warm. Add chopped baby tomatoes and red onion slices to the top and sprinkle with a bit of salt. You could also use pickled onion slices here for a healthy addition of probiotics. I would also recommend adding roasted chickpeas for a nice crunch and protein.

Veggie Chips

Veggie chips or crisps are lovely light but delicious snack you can purchase or make at home! It’s a lot easier than you might think. All you need is the following:

• 1 large Beetroot

• 1 large Zucchini

• 1 Large Carrot

• 1 Small Sweet Potato

• 1 Small rutabaga or turnip

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper Adjust to taste

• 1 spray Oil (optional)

To make: Preheat the oven to 400F and slice all the veggies into thin slices with a knife or mandoline. In a bowl, toss them with the oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. You can use other seasonings such as garlic, paprika, chili flakes, etc. if you want something with more flavor.

Step 2: Spread out the slices on a baking pan lined with parchment paper minimizing overlap. Bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Flip. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until crispy and slightly brown but not burnt. Watch them carefully and even remove some early if they are browning before the others

Finally, remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little extra seasoning if you’d like. I sprinkle a bit of Himalayan pink salt (I’m a big fan of pink salt if you couldn’t tell) and allow them to cool for a few minutes before eating.

Veggie Salad with Edamame & Tofu

When I think of salads, I usually immediately think of iceberg lettuce with tomatoes, onions, croutons, and hard-boiled eggs, smothered with ranch. However, thanks to Pinterest, my horizons have been broadened and I’ve now understood a salad to be any cold dish with a mix of raw or cooked vegetables accompanied by a dressing. Maybe I’m late to the game, but this eye-opening realization has made salads all that more appealing and exciting to me. What you’ll need for this salad is as follows:

• 2 cups cooked edamame beans

• 1 cup firm tofu (cubed)

• 2 tbs. oil

• 1/2 cup sweet corn

• 1 bunch cilantro - finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper - diced

• 1 small red onion - finely chopped

• 1 cup cashews - roughly chopped (if you’re allergic to nuts - seeds are a great substitute)

• Japanese Mayo (Kewpie)

• Siracha

Step 1: Prepare all of your veggies and the cashew topping. To make chopping the cashews easier, you can put them into a plastic baggy and then roll a baking roller over top or lightly smash them. Works great for many crunchy toppings.

Step 2: Fry the tofu. Cut your tofu into cubes. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect. Add oil to a pan and fry the tofu over medium heat until it is at a texture you like. I prefer mine to be quite crispy so I let my tofu set on each side for roughly five minutes before I flip it. After another five minutes, I begin to move the tofu around the pan aiming to fry all the other sides of the cubes. I do this for another minute or two before removing the pan from the heat.

Step 3: I lay a few paper towels onto a plate and place my tofu pieces on top - this helps any excess oils to be soaked up, saving my salad and tofu from being drenched or too oily.

Step 4: Add all ingredients into a bowl and add a mixture of Japanese Mayonnaise (Kewpie brand) and Siracha as dressing! It’s simple and delicious.

Alternatively, if you don’t like Siracha-Mayo, you can make a Ginger Dressing I found here!

Vegan Garlic Pasta

• 8 ounces of your favorite pasta

• 1 ½ cup of broccoli florets

• 1 ½ tablespoons avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons AP flour

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 1 cup plant-based heavy cream (this one)

• 2 shallots (about 1 ½ cups)

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder

• ½ teaspoon coriander powder

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Step 1: In a large pot, bring the salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook according to package directions. If using broccoli, stir it into the pot when 2 to 3 more minutes are left of the cooking time. Drain.

Step 2: Next, in a medium-to-large saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat, add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook. Stir until the onion is tender and turning translucent which is around 5 minutes. Now, add the garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, salt and coriander powder. Stir to combine, and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute.

Step 3: Add in the butter and once it’s nearly melted add the flour. Remove the saucepan from the heat and combine the ingredients - you will get a thick paste. Add the plant-based cream and mix. Things should have begun to look more like pasta sauce now. If the ingredients are still separating, you can add a little water to help form the mixture into the correct consistency.

Step 4: Combine the pasta with your sauce mixture and coat well. Serve and enjoy!

Kimchi Jiggae

What you need:

• 1 cup Sushi Rice per person

• 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil

• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil

• 1⁄2 of a medium Yellow Onion - sliced

• 1 clove of Garlic - minced

• 1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Hot Pepper Paste)

• 2 tsp Gochugaru (Korean Hot Pepper Flakes)

• 1 tsp Soy Sauce

• 2 tsp Granulated Sugar

• 1 1⁄2 cups Kimchi

• 4 cups Vegetable Stock

• 1 cup Nappa Cabbage

• 1 cup Shiitake Mushrooms

• 6 ounces Extra Firm Tofu - sliced into thick bite-sized pieces

• 1⁄4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (optional)

• 2 Green Onions - chopped

Step 1: Prepare your Sushi Rice on the side, for best results prepare the rice in a rice cooker.

Step 2: In a large pot, on medium heat, add your regular cooking oil and sesame oil. Add in the sliced onion stir around and coat in the oils for 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the minced garlic clove and stir for roughly 30 seconds.

Step 3: Add in the Gochujang, Gochugaru, Soy Sauce, Sugar, and Kimchi. Stir for 3 minutes.

Step 4: Add in Vegetable Stock and bring to a boil. Whilst this gets up to a boil, slice your vegetables and tofu.

Step 5: Once the stew is boiling, add your cabbage, mushrooms, and tofu and let simmer for 7-10 minutes, or until softened. You may also add in the Heavy Whipping Cream if you’d like a creamyness to it. I would also suggest adding the Whipping Cream if you’re not the best with spice, as the dairy helps take the edge off.

Step 6: After the stew has simmered, add in your tofu and green onions.

Step 7: Serve your Kimchi-jiggae with warm sushi rice and a drizzle of the toasted sesame oil on top. Enjoy!

To finish off this entry, please check out this delicious Healthy Matcha Cheesecake recipe I found on Two Spoons! Cheesecake and Matcha together is just a dream for me!