Plant Based Meal Ideas For Beginners

If you’re adopting a plant-based eating approach, you are treating yourself with the proper care your body needs. This healthy lifestyle will improve immensely your health. And since you’re starting, these plant-based meal ideas for beginners article shows you some amazing recipes that you can prepare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Plant-based meal ideas

These food options are extremely focused on the plant-based eating concept. So, let’s kick-start your plant-based eating journey. The following recipes you can add to your meal plan.

Easy plant-based breakfast ideas

For many people, this is the most important meal of the day. What you eat in the morning has to be something that gives you the energy boost to start the day strong. These healthy plant-based breakfast ideas are easy to make.

Overnight Oatmeal

This is a great recipe that can be prepared in advance. If you work Monday-Friday, you can make five jars on Sunday, keep them in the fridge and eat one before going to work. It’s a great “Grab and Go” breakfast recipe that will please everyone, even the kids!

Ingredients (for one serving)

• Mason Jar
• 2/3 cup Old-fashioned oats rolled oat OR steel-cut oat
• 1 cup plant-based milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries or frozen strawberries

Instructions

• Mix the vanilla and the milk in a separate bowl
• Place the oat in the mason jar
• Add the milk and vanilla mixed
• Add the frozen fruits
• Place in the jar in the fridge and leave overnight (can be stored in the fridge for up to five days)

Additional tips

• You can replace the frozen fruits with fresh fruits; if you are using bananas, it is recommended to add to the jar just before eating.
• Other toppings: coconut, peanut butter, and cinnamon.
• Want something sweeter? Adding dry dates is a great way to add some sweetness to this recipe. For healthier options, make sure the date does not include added sugar. Maple syrup or honey is another way to add fewer processed sweeteners.

Potato Breakfast Bowl

The potato breakfast bowl is a very hearty breakfast for days when you want something a little bit more filling.

Ingredients (for two serving) Bowl

• 3 large red potato
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• ½ of a red onion
• ½ of a green pepper
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing

• ½ cup of vegan mayonnaise
• Juice from ½ a lemon
• 1 teaspoon of whole grain mustard

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Clean potatoes (do not peel them) and dice them into 1” cubes.
• In a bowl, toss potatoes, olive oil and spices.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake for 30–35 minutes until browned and tender.
• In the meantime, dice the onions and peppers.
• Add the onions and peppers when 10 minutes is left to the potatoes.
• While the ingredients are roasting, you can make the dressing. In a bowl, mix the Mayo, the lemon juice and the mustard until the sauce is creamy.
• When the vegetables are roasted, divide into two portions. Place them in a serving bowl and add the sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes on top of the vegetables and serve with the dressing on top.

Additional tips:

• For the dressing, you can control the amount of lemon juice you add to make it thicker or more liquid.
• Like it spicy? Add ingredients like chilis, sriracha sauce or jalapenos to the recipe.

The simpleton

What about when you want a quick plant-based breakfast? This recipe is for the days that you feel like eating a quick and easy breakfast.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• 1 slice of vegan bread
• Peanut butter
• 1 banana, sliced
• Maple Syrup or Honey

Instructions

• Toast the slice of bread, spread with peanut butter, add the banana slices on top and drizzle with maple syrup or honey.

Additional tip

You don’t like bananas? No problem, switch the bananas for strawberries or raspberries.

Easy plant-based lunch ideas

You can prepare your healthy plant-based lunches the night before if you want. The options that I will show you are very easy. It won’t take you long.

Cilantro, corn, and black bean salad

It’s always a good idea to keep a couple of cans of corn and cans of black beans in the pantry. They are very versatile and quick options to add flavor and protein to a meal.

Ingredients (2 servings):

Salad

• 1 cup of black beans
• ¼ cup of corn (low sodium and no sugar added)
• 2 cups of greens of your choice (ex: spring mix, spinach or iceberg lettuce)
• ¼ green pepper or red peppers (sweet), diced
• ¼ red onion
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Juice of one lime
• ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• Chopped cilantro (to taste)

Instructions

• In a serving bowl, place the greens.
• Then, make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, sweet peppers, and red onion. Once combined, add the dressing.
• Add the black beans mix to the serving bowl on top of the greens. Top with cilantro and serve.

Hummus Veggie Wrap

Wraps are easy and a great way to make a quick and easy plant-based lunch without spending too much time in the kitchen. If you are opting for vegan, vegan wraps exist!

Sometimes, they hide in the frozen section, avoid time, and simply ask your store representative where you can find them in your local store.

Ingredients (1 servings)

• 1 Wraps (whole grains are usually a delicious option)
• ½ tomato, sliced
• ½ avocado, sliced
• 1/3 English cucumber, cut like sticks
• 1 tablespoons of hummus (you can try garlic hummus if you feel adventurous)
• Optional: 2 kalamata olives, pitted and halved.

Instructions

• Place the wrap on a plate and spread the hummus in the middle of the wrap.
• Add the tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado in the wrap (and olives if you picked that option).
• Close the wrap and enjoy now or store away for your lunch!

Vegetable and lentil soup

Soup is by far a family favorite during cold days of winter. This soup can be made in advance and stored for lunches.

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil (or water)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 large carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced or diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 small can of diced tomatoes (low sodium and no sugar added)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils (thoroughly rinsed and drained)

Instructions

• In a large pot, over medium heat, add the oil or the water to the pot.
• When the pot is hot, add the garlic, carrots, onions, and celery. Cook for 4 minutes.
• Add the broth, tomatoes, and spices (salt and pepper) and slightly increase the heat. Once the broth is simmering, add the lentils.
• Stir the lentils in the broth and reduce the heat as soon as it starts simmering again.
• Let it cook, uncovered, for approximately 15 minutes (until the lentils are tender).
• You can serve now or store it in the fridge for up to 5 This recipe can also go in the freezer.

Easy plant-based dinner ideas

To complete the meal cycle of the day, the healthy plant-based dinner ideas are based on grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and dressing.

Veggie and grain bowl

This recipe is very versatile and allows you to mix and match with your favorite ingredients. Here are examples of ingredients you can use:

Ingredients (1 serving)

• 1 cup of cooked grains
• ½ cup of legumes
• 1 cup of veggies
• 2 tablespoons of nuts
• 2 tablespoons of dressing
• Optional: spices of your choice

Instructions

• In a serving bowl, place the grains, then add the legumes and veggies, top with nuts, dressing and spices of your choice.

Rice and beans with plantains

This Costa Rican inspired dish is very filling and a great option that will please the whole family! If it’s your first time trying plantains, make sure that the plantain is ripe. A ripe plantain is, unlike bananas, black and some yellow can be seen (but not green).

Rice

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 1 cup of white rice
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (or other oil of your choice)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• ½ sweet pepper, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of vegetable stock

Instructions

• In a strainer, rinse the rice under cool water and set aside.
• Add the coconut oil to a medium-size pot and set at medium heat. Once the oil is ready, add the onions, celery, pepper, carrot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the rice to the pot and stir. After stirring once, add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low or simmer and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Beans

• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cans of black beans, drain and rinse one can.
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• Optional: cilantro, chopped

Instructions

• Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook to translucent.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste and bay Cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the black beans (the whole can and the drained beans) to the skillet. Mash some of the beans (about half of them).
• Add the broth, cumin and chili powder and cook for 10 minutes at low heat.
• When ready, turn off the heat and add the lime juice and cilantro (if using)
• Serve with rice

Plantain

• 1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced in 1” slices
• 1 tablespoons butter
• Honey

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat (be careful not to burn the butter)
• Add the plantains to the skillets so that they are in a single layer.
• Cook the plantain for around 3 minutes (you will see brown-caramelized color) and flip them to cook for 3 minutes on the other side.
• When a few seconds is left to the cooking time, drizzle with the honey and serve with your rice and bean dish.

Risotto with roasted vegetables

Risotto is an Italian dish that takes time and patience. Make sure that you are ready to spend about an hour in the kitchen. It is extremely simple and is absolutely worth the wait because that dish is so delicious!

Ingredients (2 servings)

Roasted vegetables

• 10 Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved.
• 2 Beets, peeled, cleaned and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Risotto:

• 4 cups chicken broth, divided
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• ½ portobello mushrooms, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoons butter
• Ground pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the roasted vegetables.
• Transfer the vegetables to a prepared baking sheet.
• When the over is ready, roast the vegetables for 20 minutes.
• Warm the vegetable broth in a sauce pan over low heat.
• Add the coconut oil to a large sauce pan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan and let it cook for 2 minutes and then add the arborio rice.
• Stir the rice for about a minute and then add the dry wine. Stir until the wine is all absorbed.
• When there is no liquid in the skillet, add ½ cup of the vegetable broth, and stir often, until the broth is absorbed.
• Add ½ cup of broth and wait until it’s absorbed until you use all the broth in the sauce pan. This process should take about 20 minutes.
• When the roasted vegetables are ready, pull out of the oven.
• When the rice is ready, divide in two and place in two plates. Add the roasted vegetables on top, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy as soon as it is ready or later in your lunch.

As you can see, there are good plant-based dinner options to choose from. You won’t get bored by eating the same plant-based dinner over and over.

Plant-based snack ideas

Snacks for plant-based eaters can be as simple as a fruit or a vegetable. But sometimes we want a little more. Popcorn is also a great option for a healthy snack.

If you are a “snacker” be careful how much calories you consume, especially if it comes from sugar or sodium. Those extra calories can be a detriment to your health.

Almond stuffed date

Ingredients

• 4 dry dates, pit removed
• 4 whole almonds

Instructions

• Place an almond inside the date (replacing the pit) and eat!

That’s it! now you have plenty of plant-based meal ideas for beginners. You can also share this information with your friends and family members. There are a lot of people that want to live a healthy life. And this will help them start with the right foot.