Plant Based Diet Before And After: Can You Lose Weight On A Plant
When I switched to a plant-based diet, my goal wasnt primarily weight loss, but I was amazed when the pounds started dropping off.
I started this new way of eating weighing 145 pounds, which was a healthy weight but at the top of my range for a woman who is 53.
Today, just a few months later, I weigh a healthy 120 pounds, my stomach issues are healing and Im off almost every medication I was taking.
Best of all, I feel fantastic!
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Fresh Herb Sauce
Laurel Randolph
Transform a head of cauliflower into a smoky, tangy, savory vegan entree. Slicing the mild vegetable into “steaks” and dusting these with spice for the grill infuses cauliflower with tons of taste. A generous drizzle of olive oil infused with fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon adds even more flavor.
Vegan Black Bean And Sweet Potato Soup
This hearty vegan soup conjures up the flavors of Spain in a bowl. The smoked paprika gives it a deep savory taste that anyone will enjoy. We like water as the base of this soup because it lets the flavors of the vegetables shine through. While it’s optional, the drizzle of sherry vinegar at the end adds a brightness that takes this dish to the next level.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup
Recommended Reading: Tom Collins Recipe With Sweet And Sour Mix
Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes
A roundup of 10 Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes that are made with nutrient-dense ingredients but packed with bold flavors. Eating healthy doesnt have to be boring or bland, and these recipes prove just that. Whether youre looking for a pantry pasta, globally inspired dinner, or cozy one-pot meal, this list has you covered.
If youre trying to cook healthy meals at home but are tired of salads and quinoa bowls, here are 10 Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes that wont disappoint!
All of these healthy vegan dinner recipes are made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients, and theyre all either gluten-free or easy to make gluten-free. But they certainly dont skimp on flavor and are extremely satisfying, and even comforting!
What people are saying about this recipe
- Blog reader Kiesha says, Hi Nisha, Thank you soooo much for this recipe! It turned out awesome for my friends. They were literally licking the bowl!! I didnt have walnuts on hand but a handful of mixed nuts, and it still worked well. My favorite meal this month. .
- Blog reader Iliana says, Ive made many different red lentil bolognese recipes on the internet and I must say this is the BEST one. So packed with flavor! Every other time Ive made this recipe on other blogs its been disappointing but this did not disappoint!!
What people are saying about this recipe
What people are saying about this recipe
Butternut Squash Curry with Chickpeas
Garam Masala Dal With Red Beets
If you are already following a plant-based diet for a while, then learning about garam masala and dal will inspire you to new culinary heights.Try to combine red lentils and beets with Indian spices. What a taste revelation!
You could serve it with flat bread or whole grains like brown rice, millet or buckwheat.
Read Also: Healthy Food Recipes Low Carb
Simple Red Lentil Soup
If theres one plant based recipe that always satisfies, its a great lentil soup. Lentils are one of natures wonders: theyre full of protein, shelf stable for years, inexpensive, and make for some of the most satisfying filling meals. Try this simple Red Lentil Soup! Its deliciously hearty, featuring aromatic vegetables, lemon and a hint of smoked paprika.
Vegetable Soup Or Chili
The sky is the limit for delicious soup options that are plant-based. I love meal prepping big batches of soup on the weekends. I enjoy some fresh and freeze the rest in individual portions for later.
West African Peanut Soup I know this soup recipe sounds a little weird but it is incredibly rich and delicious. I cook it without any oil. I leave out the peanut butter and then when its time to serve, I add 2 spoonfuls of PB2 peanut powder. This way I get all the rich peanut flavor with very little fat. It tastes amazing.
Lemon Artichoke Asparagus Soup This soup has the best flavors of spring and is a real treat to eat. The potatoes make it filling.
The Holy Mess Vegetable Detox Soup Make this popular soup recipe even more hearty by adding beans, rice, potatoes or whole wheat pasta to serve it as a main dish soup.
Vegan Potato Soup My family, who are not strictly whole food, plant-based eaters goes nuts for this potato soup. One of my sons asks for it every week and gets upset when its not on the menu. If you have a large family, double the recipe.
Also Check: No Cook Recipes For Students
Chickpea And Brussels Sprout Salad With Tahini Dressing
Anita Schecter
You could serve this creamy, crunchy, tangy, delicious salad as a holiday side dish, but it could easily make filling lunch on its own any time of year. Assemble it in minutes by combining canned chickpeas with fresh, shredded, za’atar-dusted Brussels sprouts, tossed together in an ultra-tasty lemon tahini dressing.
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a true fall comfort dish its creamy sauce, tender green beans and crunchy onion topping will have everyone coming back for seconds. We substituted a few vegan ingredients, such as unsweetened almond milk and vegan sour cream, for an equally comforting side dish that all can enjoy. Assemble the entire casserole in a large oven-proof skillet for easy cooking and minimal cleanup.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Recommended Reading: Healthy Low Fat Dinner Recipes
Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
At first glance, youll probably notice these Rice Krispie treats are darker than the traditional variety because youll make them with vegan, gluten-free brown rice crisp cereal.
Youll also add maple syrup and almond butter, so every ingredient is natural, vegan-friendly, and reasonably healthy!
There are no added sugars or artificial ingredients, either.
And in case youre wondering if all those healthy ingredients affect the taste, yes, they do. These are slightly nuttier than the original Rice Krispie treats.
Theyre still crunchy and scrumptious, though.
Vegan Broccoli Mac And Cheese
This Vegan Broccoli Mac and Cheese is one of our favorite Quick and easy Vegan meals, perfect for busy weeknights! Scroll down to the recipe card below for the recipe!
I hope these healthy delicious vegan dinner recipes inspire you to try something new this week! Please note any of your favorites in the comments below!
Also Check: Best Gluten Free Granola Recipe
Why Does A Plant Based Diet Help You Lose More Weight
One of the truly amazing things about a whole food, plant-based diet is that you get to eat more food a LOT more food and lose more weight.
The reason for this is a concept called calorie density.
Calorie density is the amount of calories in a gram of food, which is important because humans eat a consistent weight of food from day to day.
Most people eat 3-5 pounds of food per day, no matter what type of food they are eating. This is why attempting to cut calories and eat smaller portions is so challenging.
You will naturally lose weight when you eat the same volume of food but switch to foods that are lower in calories.
Raw Veggies With Hummus
Hummus is a wonderful way to add beans to your diet. Use this fat-free recipe and serve with baby carrots, cucumber slices, sugar snap peas, peppers, celery, jicama, broccoli, cauliflower or grape tomatoes.
Fat Free Hummus Hummus is traditionally made with tahini and olive oil but its not necessary to create a delicious hummus. Sometime I make this fat-free version and drizzle just a bit of tahini on top, so I still get the extra flavor with just a small portion of fat and calories.
Don’t Miss: 5 Day Liquid Diet Weight Loss Recipes
Plant Based On A Budget
But first, lets talk about some easy ways to buy plant based on a budget! Im all about saving money and eating plant based a few days a week can help you save some dough. Why?
- My favorite plant based protein is the bean! Beans are an inexpensive way to get not only protein but fiber into your diet. Buy em when theyre on sale and keep them in storage for times when you just dont know what to make.
- Buy in bulk! Get your grains, dried beans, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds in bulk. Youll save so much money and be able to buy a larger variety of products in one trip to the grocery store.
- Shop seasonal! Youll find that seasonal fruits and veggies will be less expensive during their time of harvest. So, buy cherries in the summer, not the winter and youll know what I mean.
PS: if youre looking to add more protein to your diet, check out our pick for Pant Based Protein Powder HERE.
PPS: Some of these recipes contain eggs and/or dairy making this round-up a mixture of vegetarian and vegan recipes! < 3
Classic Red Lentil Soup With Potatoes
This flavorful soup is ready in under 30 minutes, budget-friendly and most of the ingredients are staples that you probably have in your pantry anyway. You just need some potatoes, carrots, onions, vegetable broth and of course red lentils. You can of course also use sweet potatoes for this weeknight meal.
This is seriously my fave soup! Lentil is the best, and this is so highly seasoned. Jocelyn
You May Like: How To Create My Own Recipe Book
Forks Over Knives The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes For Plant
When the documentary Forks Over Knives came out in 2011, it inspired a whole new generation to adopt a whole food, plant-based diet. The film features supporting research from Food Revolution Summit speakers T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and Caldwell Esselstyn, MD. And it shows how eating more plants, and less processed food and animal products, can help fight chronic disease.
The cookbook guides you through following a plant-based diet year-round. Inside, youll find a series of tips on maintaining a healthy eating lifestyle. This includes meal prepping, reading nutrition labels, and information about ingredients you may be unfamiliar with and where to find them. The recipes are sorted into sub-categories such as hot cereals or bean salads to make trying different recipes even easier, depending on what youre in the mood for.
What Is Vegan Meal Planning
Creating a plant-based meal plan is precisely what it sounds like. Its the planning of vegan meals. Consuming a diet free from animal products is good for the animals, the planet, and often our health too . However, if not done with care, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Luckily, with a little pre-thought , you can easily ensure youre eating all thats needed. Not to mention, have fun doing so!
Whether you want to create vegan daily meal plans, weekly vegan meal plans, or even monthly ones, its the act of setting aside the time to write out your vegan menu for that given time in one go, rather than having to think about it before each meal.
You can plan your vegan diet plan around specific dietary goals, budget levels, ingredients, kitchen skill level, meal-preppable meals, etc. More so, meal planning can be as flexible as youd like. Whether you want to plan every meal, just your main meal, or even just specific days of the week.
Read Also: Recipes With Apple Cider Vinegar To Lose Weight
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
We couldnt resist adding another soup to the list, especially as this one is vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo.
Soup is ideal for cold weather when you want to cosy up under a blanket, particularly in the fall and winter months.
You can pick your favorite bread to serve with it. They are absolutely delicious together.
This soup requires butternut squash, olive oil, shallot, salt, garlic cloves, maple syrup, ground nutmeg, black pepper, vegetable broth, and butter.
Greens And Things Sandwiches With Carrot Hummus
This hearty sandwich features cucumber, pepperoncini , fresh baby kale, and toasted sunflower kernels. What really completes the sandwich is the homemade hummus, which gets a golden hue and subtly sweet flavor from sauteed carrots, while fresh dill adds a fragrant touch. Notes a fan, I am delighted to be introduced to carrot hummus. It is sweet and delicious and no tahini is needed.
Don’t Miss: Best Italian Sausage Soup Recipe
Eat To Live Quick And Easy Cookbook: 131 Delicious Recipes For Fast And Sustained Weight Loss Reversing Disease And Lifelong Health By Joel Fuhrman Md
Want to shed a few pounds, or just want to enhance your nutrition? Youll find over 100 mouth-watering recipes to try in Food Revolution Summit speaker Dr. Joel Fuhrmans Eat to Live Quick and Easy Cookbook. In the companion cookbook to his bestseller, Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Dr. Fuhrman advocates for what he calls a Nutritarian diet. Essentially, it focuses on preparing nutrient-dense, plant-powered meals rather than counting calories.
Aside from containing quick and easy to prepare recipes, as the title of the cookbook suggests, each recipe packs in a hefty dose of micronutrients. This allows you to get the nutrition your body needs. Even the cookbooks layout lends itself to convenience. With a section on cooking techniques and tips to save you time in the kitchen, full-color recipe photos, and an organized table of contents, Dr. Fuhrmans cookbook is a valuable tool for living a plant-based lifestyle.
Vegan Recipes That We Just Love For Dinner
Finding substantial vegan recipes for dinner shouldnt be as much of a challenge as hiking the Appalachian Trail or watching just one episode of your favorite show. Alas, its not always an easy feat. When we do find a holy grail vegan dinnerone thats easy and delicious and satisfyingit tends to get repeated . End your resignation to eating the same old thing again with these recipes for cauliflower sabzi with cashews, spicy ramen bowls, kale-forward spaghetti aglio e olio, and fresh herb falafel. These 89 stews, pastas, grain bowls, and sandwiches will keep your answer to whats for dinner? fresheven if you find yourself exclaiming, this dish is so good, Im making it again tomorrow!
Don’t Miss: Give Me A Recipe For Guacamole
Vegetarian Pasta E Fagioli
Pasta e fagioli, or Italian pasta with beans, is a great high-protein pasta to enjoy on cold fall and winter days, when you crave something warm and rib-sticking. The pasta and beans are cooked until tender in a garlicky, well-seasoned tomato sauce that will fill your kitchen with its wonderful, homey scent.
Thai Rice Salad Bowls
A feast for your eyes as well as your stomach, this colorful brown rice bowl bursts with complementary textures and flavors: Red cabbage for crunch, scallions for an understated sharpness, and sweet potato wedges for earthy sweetness. Serve with cilantro, sriracha sauce, and an almond-lime dressing. Writes a commenter, I made this bowl for our family recently and it was such a hit. Its got a bit of everything and the flavors work so well together, especially topped with the delicious dressing.
Don’t Miss: Healthy Avocado Recipes For Weight Loss
Red Bean Soup With Chickpeas And Spinach
One of lifes great comforts is the aroma of homemade soup warming on the hob. This bean soup enriched with chickpeas, spinach and nutritional yeast flakes gives you the confidence to create vegan bowls of delicious goodness in your own kitchen.
I have been eating a lot of soups lately with the weather turning colder and love this idea using healthy ingredients to feel fuller longer. Love the addition of spinach for flavor. This is perfect winter comfort food. Ali Randall
Grain & Vegetable Bowl
The possibilities for a grain and vegetable bowl are endless, but the idea is that you eat a huge bowl of greens and a grain with some type of sauce. This can be as simple as a salad mix from the store, brown rice, black beans and a jar of salsa. Dont overcomplicate.
I especially like grain bowls because I have a large family with different dietary needs, so I can lay out the various options and let everyone build their own.
Veggie Bowl Recipes Heres a great resource if you want to branch out and try other variations.
Also Check: Philadelphia Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe
Vive Le Vegan: Simple Delectable Recipes For The Everyday Vegan Family By Dreena Burton
Getting your family to change their eating habits isnt easy especially when you have children. But Dreena Burton knows firsthand what thats like. And shes spent the last 15 years developing vegan, plant-powered recipes that the whole family will love.
In her first cookbook, Vive le Vegan!, Dreena breaks down recipes by meal type, sauces and dressings, snacks, soups and stews, snacks, and sweets. Each one is easy to follow and features Dreenas notes and additional suggestions. She also has an entire section devoted to vegan babies and toddlers.
Vegan Sheet Pan Fajitas
Let us present another favorite plant based recipe: these incredible sheet pan vegan fajitas! Everyone loves this meal, even meat eaters. Its a great way to make a fun healthy dinner where no one notices theres no meat! Roast up lots of veggies on a sheet pan with spices, and serve with refried beans and guac-ish.
Don’t Miss: Mac And Cheese Box Recipe