Plant-Based Meals Your Family Will Beg For

Our friend Kris over at Deconstructing Wellness put together this plant-based menu and the recipes are sooo delicious! Perfect for a summer dinner on the patio (or anytime/place, really). Enjoy! And be sure to check out her blog for other healthy recipes and wellness tips.

We all want to add more plant-based meals into our diet, but how do you find simple and delicious options that your family will love? Let me do the work for you! I’m sharing go-to favorites from our house that are constantly a part of our meal planning. Made with whole foods and a minimal list of ingredients, you will love making these recipes and your family will ask for them time and again.

Chai-Spiced Chia Pudding: Chia seeds are loaded with anti-oxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids. They take minutes to prepare and keep you full for hours! This recipe is so versatile it can be breakfast, lunch or even a mid-day snack. The natural chai flavors are incredible!

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers: It took years of searching for the perfect black bean burger, but the search stops here! Packed with incredible flavors and loads of veggies, this veggie burger is a crowd pleaser. Bonus - leftovers make a phenomenal lunch the next day!

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries: Every burger needs a fry by its side! Leave the guilt behind with these fries. They’re every bit as delicious as the fried versions, but instead made with fiber & vitamin packed sweet potatoes.

ENJOY!! 

Chai-Spiced Chia Pudding

Adapted from “So Fresh N So Green”

Ingredients

• 1 can full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
• 1⁄2 cup organic chia seeds
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 tsp each: ground ginger, ground cloves & ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch (1⁄8 tsp) sea salt
  

Instructions

• Pour coconut milk into large bowl or standing mixer, and blend until smooth (coconut milk will be separated when it comes out of the can)
• Combine coconut milk, maple syrup and spices and whisk until well-combined.
• Add in the chia seeds and continue to whisk until mixture is an even consistency.
• Pour mixture into a refrigerator-friendly covered container and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally overnight.
• Optional additions to serve with pudding: organic berries, sunflower seeds, nuts or granola

Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Adapted from “All Recipes”

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

Instructions

• Preheat grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil (coconut or olive oil work well)
• In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until they’re a thick & smooth consistency.
• Chop pepper, red onion, and garlic and mix into mashed beans.
• In a small bowl, mix together egg, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce and stir into the mashed beans.
• Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together.
• Divide mixture into four patties, and place patties on foil.
• Grill about 7-8 minutes per side.
• Add your favorite sides, mine are always avocado and spicy mustard!

Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Adapted from “Cookie and Kate”

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium-large or 3 medium)
• •1 tablespoon cornstarch
• •½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• •2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• •Optional spices: freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and/or garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper so the fries don’t stick.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces about ¼″ wide and ¼″ thick. Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly.
• Transfer half of the uncooked fries to one baking sheet, and the other half to the other baking sheet.
• Sprinkle the sweet potato fries with the cornstarch (use 1 ½ teaspoons per pan) and salt (¼ teaspoon per pan). Toss until the fries are lightly coated in powder. Drizzle the olive oil (or coconut oil) over the fries (1 tablespoon per pan) and toss until the fries are lightly and evenly coated in oil, and no powdery spots remain.
• Arrange fries in a single layer and avoid overcrowding (if they’re touching they’ll never crisp up). Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides.
• Arrange the fries in even layers across the pans again, moving any particularly browned fries more toward the middle of the pan so they don’t get overcooked.
• Bake for 10 to 18 more minutes, or until the fries are crispy. Keep an eye on them, as they can turn from crisp to burnt quickly. Sometimes the lower pan will be done a few minutes before the top pan. Don’t worry if the edges are a little bit brown; they will taste more caramelized than burnt.
• Follow same baking process for 2nd pan, or cook simultaneously (rotating the pans) if it works in your oven.
• Toss the baked fries with seasonings, to taste.