Try out a few of these delicious and quick plant-based recipes so that you can feel healthy, energized and nourished even when your schedule seems too busy for cooking. Many of these dishes can be either prepped or made ahead and stored, which will help you to get everything done yet still find plenty of time to spend with your family.
Vanilla Tahini Oaty Bites
These calorie dense bites make an excellent snack on the go. If you want to make them into a portable post-workout treat mix in a scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder of your choice. Speaking from experience, it’s best to take only a few with you at a time to avoid eating the whole batch right away!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups gluten-free oats, half ground into flour
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or date paste
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
- 4 tablespoons raw tahini
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds, half ground into meal
- optional: 4 tablespoons raw vegan protein
Directions:
Mix all the dry ingredients, then add coconut oil, tahini and sweetener until your mixture easily forms into bite size pieces. Just add a little more sweetener if it’s dry, or more oat flour if it’s too runny. Once formed until 1-inch bites, place on a greaseproof sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to set, and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Banana Bowls
The best part about this breakfast or lunch staple is that your kids can pretend they’re making ice cream sundaes and customize their own toppings! It can also make a versatile substitute for highly processed and refined cereals.
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, for the sauce
- 4 dates, pitted
- 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons raw almond butter
- 1 tablespoon raw cacao or carob powder
Directions:
Blend two bananas, a handful of pitted dates, raw almond butter and a bit of carob or cacao powder with enough water to blend smoothly. Next, pour this mixture over the prepped banana slices. There are endless options to choose from for healthy toppings, including fresh berries, chia seeds, hemp hearts or sprouted buckwheat groats.
Organic Dates
Dates are among the most ancient, portable, and delicious my foods in the world. They’re incredibly nutrient dense with plenty of fiber, potassium, magnesium and many essential vitamins. Since they work to restore important electrolytes and minerals, they’re an amazing natural post-workout option. Their high carbohydrate content not only satisfies your sweet tooth, but also makes them a great snack during your workout to replenish your energy levels.
Many people even find they can ditch their expensive sport gels and gummies and replace them with organic dates. For any workout longer than an hour, pit a few dates ahead of time and sprinkle the middle with a pinch of Himalayan rock salt. Keep in mind that you should try to drink extra water beforehand as dates are dried and can be harder to digest if you’re not optimally hydrated. For more ideas on how to use this incredible fruit, check out this article.
Easy Vegan Sushi
To make it easily portable, you don’t even need to bother cutting this sushi. Simply enjoy these rolls as you would a burrito! Delicious when served with your choice of either tamari or sweet chili sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 package raw nori sheets
- 3 cups cooked brown or white rice
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 cup alfalfa or pea sprouts
Directions:
Roll pre-cooked and chilled sushi rice with avocado and your choice of vegetables or sprouts in sheets of nori seaweed.
Homemade Hummus
This is one of my favorite high protein snacks on the go! Pair it with your choice of sliced carrot and celery sticks, or homemade raw flax crackers.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cooked garbanzo beans
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup raw tahini
- 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth
- 1/2 teaspoon each cumin and chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground Himalayan rock salt, or to taste
Directions:
You can cook your beans ahead of time and set aside to cool in the fridge. Place all 4 cups of cooled beans into a high powered blender or food processor. Next, blend the tahini and lemon juice until thoroughly combined. Finally add cumin, chili flakes and salt to taste and blend once more. The trick to making delicious oil-free hummus is to add extra water or low-sodium vegetable broth in its place.
Quick Lunches
Vegan Mac and “Cheese”
A classic comfort food that kid’s love, macaroni is surprisingly simple to make without any dairy or wheat products. It’s also easy to prepare ahead of time and reheat as needed.
Ingredients:
- 1 package gluten-free pasta, or 2 spiralized zucchini for raw noodles
- 2 tablespoons raw tahini
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 2 teaspoons non-GMO soy lecithin
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk alternative
Directions:
Start by preparing your preferred pasta noodles. You can use either buckwheat or brown rice as healthy and gluten-free options. For your vegan “cheesy” sauce mix tahini, miso paste and lecithin to help emulsify and thicken the ingredients. If you feel like going all out, top with vegan cheese, and bake in the oven on low until melted.
Raw Zucchini Pasta
A favorite among raw foodies, this is a good option if you prefer to avoid cooked starches. This colorful dish makes a great “pasta” meal for a light summer lunch or for when you’re entertaining guests.
Zucchini noodles can be spiralized or made using your either a peeler or sharp knife. Because zucchini is so much lighter than regular pasta, it’s the creamy, blended sauce that makes this meal truly special.
Ingredients:
- 3 zucchini, spiralized or sliced
- ½ avocado, ripe
- 1 mango, ripe
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 2 oranges, juiced
Directions:
The dressing can be prepared a few hours ahead of time if you add an extra squeeze of lemon juice along with the rest of your ingredients. Just mix the mango, tomatoes and orange juice thoroughly. Add the avocado last and blend as little as possible. Garnish with a few sliced cherry tomatoes and chives.
Madeleine Brown
