Veganism isn’t just a food choice at this juncture of life, it is a lifestyle. The exclusion of animal-based products, especially in the diet, solely relying on plant-based items for food and other necessities is veganism. People have been going for vegan recipes after considering the impact of cruelty imposed on animals, sustainability, and the good effects in terms of nutrition and weight loss too.
If one wants to be an ethical vegan, one can also change all other lifestyle choices like going for cruelty-free, vegan cosmetic products, clothing, accessories, cleaning, and household products. Let’s focus on diet in this blog. Starting out to be vegan can be very hard as it requires strenuous dietary restraints and replacement. Right from the diary to the source of proteins, everything has to be revamped.
So after much brainstorming, we’ve put together some vegan recipes to try out for newbies that don’t lose out on either the nutritional values or the taste, taking inspiration from a young food blogger called Maya who is a prominent figure on Instagram!
- Baked Samosas
- Tofu balls
- Pea Pasta
- Vegan Burgers
- Vegan Cheesecake
- Black Bean Brownies
STARTERS Vegan Recipes:
Baked Samosas – 16 small pieces, serves four each amounting to 85 cal
Let’s go a bit of desi and start off with our famous samosas! Get a peek at a healthier twist of this potato-filled fried snack.
Ingredients:
Filling –
2 large potatoes (boiled and mashed)
1 onion
A few inches of ginger
Half cup of peas (boiled)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp chili powder
Oil
Dough –
2 cups flour
1 tbsp oil
½ – ¾ cup of water
1 tsp salt
Method:
● Knead and rest the dough for about 15 minutes
● Pan fry chopped onion and ginger and add the spices followed by the mashed potatoes and peas
● Take out the dough and roll them into pockets
● Put the filling into the little pockets of dough and close them with plant-based milk
● Bake at 200°C for 30-35 minutes
Tofu balls – 3 servings each 388cal
Switch up the kofta recipe with a high in protein ingredient i.e., Tofu! A delicious side dish to rice or a creamy snack. Choose your pick!
Ingredients:
Tofu balls-
400g firm tofu
4 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 Tsp each salt, garlic and paprika
1/2 Tsp Chili flakes
Sauce-
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1-2 inches of ginger
2 cups tomato sauce
1 Tbsp curry powder
salt to taste
1/2 Tsp each ground coriander and chili flakes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup coconut milk
Method:
● Add all the tofu ball ingredients and mix them well until it forms a dough and shapes into balls
● Bake them at 180°C for 15-20min
● Stir fry onion, garlic and ginger
● Add spices and tomato sauce and let it simmer for 5-10mins
● Add in coconut milk, lemon juice, and tofu balls
● Stir well and serve hot
MAIN DISH Vegan Recipes:
Pea Pasta – 4 servings each 471 cal
A fine Italian dish made simple, try out this veggie pasta that can be made in less than half an hour!
Ingredients:
2 cups green peas (boiled)
4 cloves garlic
2 handfuls of basil and parsley
1/4 cup nuts (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
250g pasta
1/3 cup pasta water
Method:
● Boil the pasta in water
● Blend all the other ingredients in a food processor till smooth
● Add the sauce to the pasta and stir well
● Serve hot with vegan feta
Vegan Burgers – 10 patties each 140cal
When the craving to eat fast food hits goes for this fresh vegan burger, bet it’ll satiate your desires!
Ingredients:
1 onion
2 sticks celery
120g mushrooms
1/2 cup kidney beans or beans of your choice
3 Tbsp tomato purée
1 1/4 cups vegetable stock
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp each dried herbs, garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tsp Chili flakes
a pinch of salt
2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
Burger buns
Method:
● Fry onion, celery, and mushrooms for about 5-10min
● Add all the other ingredients along with the fried vegetables to a blender and blend till smooth
● Combine the mixture and the vital wheat gluten
● Knead the dough for 10min
● Shape into patties
● fry both sides for 2-3min and add veg stock to cover
● Let it simmer for 60-70 minutes
● Grill them and serve with buns
DESSERTS Vegan Recipes:
Vegan Cheesecake – 8 pieces each 217 cal
Get your hands on the traditional dessert aka the cheesecake!
Ingredients:
Crust-
2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 cup (60g) sweetener of your choice
3 Tbsp nut butter or melted margarine
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Filling-
3 cups vegan yogurt
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 cup sweetener of your choice
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Caramel sauce (optional)
1 Tbsp nut butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
Method:
● Knead the dough for the crust
● Whisk the filling
● Layer it in a 23cm diameter baking dish
● Bake at 180°C for 50mins and let it cool down
Black Bean Brownies – 9 brownies, each 200 cal
You read that right, we have a healthy dessert here!
Ingredients:
1 can (220g) of kidney beans
1/2 cup nut butter1/3 cup sweetener
1/8 cocoa powder
1/8 cup flour
a pinch of salt
1/2 Tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chunks
Dark chocolate sauce as needed
Method:
● Blend in all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth
● Shift and bake at 175°C for about 25-30min
● Top it up with dark chocolate sauce
We’ve curated some simple yet delicious 3-course meals for you. For more recipes check out fitgreenmind on Instagram whose vegan recipes are easy to make, made with healthy alternatives and for a sumptuous result!
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