One of the trickiest things about going vegan is learning to put together balanced meals, with a good mix of healthy fat, complex carbs, and protein. Luckily for newbies (as well as curious omnivores) there's Gena Hamshaw's cookbook Power Plates ($25, [tempo-ecommerce src="https://www.amazon.com/Power-Plates-Nutritionally-Balanced-One-Dish/dp/0399579052" rel="sponsored" target="_blank">one-pot vegan recipes designed to "inspire and guide you as you get the hang of it." Hamshaw, a nutritionist and the blogger behind The Full Helping, has created 100 hearty dishes starring an abundance of fresh produce. Here, she shares three recipes for easy vegan meals that are nourishing and energizing (and involve minimal clean up).
Rice, Beans, Tofu and Greens
This dish grew out of my tremendous love of rice and beans, as well as my tendency to load up the dish with extras: greens, peppers, sautéed mushrooms, tofu or tempeh, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I love it because it’s fast and filling, and it all comes together in a single pot. I’m the sort of person who can eat plain tofu right out of the package, so adding unmarinated, uncooked tofu doesn’t bother me. If naked tofu is a turnoff for you, feel free to use 8 ounces (225 g) smoked or baked tofu instead.
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2¾ cups (650 ml) water 1 (15-oz, or 425-g) block extra-firm tofu, preferably pressed, cut into ¾-inch (2-cm) cubes
1 small bunch collard greens or other greens, stemmed and cut into thin strips
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly squeezed lime juice
Optional toppings
Crumbled corn chips, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent.
- Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt, then stir in the beans, tomatoes, rice, and water. Add the tofu and stir gently to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring gently from time to time, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40 minutes for brown rice.
- Add the greens, cover, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Season with redpepper flakes and stir in lime juice to taste. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Serve right away, with any additional toppings you like.
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Creamy Curried Lentils and Quinoa
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Yellow Split Pea Chowder With Sweet Corn
Think of this soup as a marriage of split pea soup and traditional corn chowder. The split peas give the soup body and nutrition, along with a gorgeous golden color. Meanwhile, adding Cashew Cream to the finished soup gives it a rich, creamy, luxurious texture.
best-one-pot-vegan-recipes-yellow-split-pea-chowder , copyright © 2018by Gena Hamshaw. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2018by Ashley McLaughlin