Easy Recipes to Add More Plant-based Foods to Your Diet

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One fact that nutrition and food scientists have known for decades is that a diet of minimally processed foods, including a variety of plants, is a healthy diet option and promotes a healthy planet. Personally, I enjoy lean meat, fish and poultry as part of my healthy diet. And Greek yogurt is an all-time daily favourite on my menu. However, over the past five years I’ve been adding more plant-based foods and ingredients to my diet. These include different veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

I launched my book The Need for Seeds in March and you’ve given me a ton of positive feedback and asked questions about plant-based foods and ingredients. My fascination with seeds began at the age of eight, when I planted sunflower seeds in my parents’ flower garden. It was my first experience as a gardener and I quite liked it. As the summer holidays wrapped up that year, the sunflowers overpowered the garden and my brother, Ross, and I had fun harvesting and eating the seeds directly from the plant.

Whether you’re following a strict plant-based diet or just want to add more plant-based foods to your diet, I’ve got you covered with these daily suggestions.

Breakfast

Try my on-the-go blueberry mango hemp seed smoothie. If you’re avoiding dairy you can replace the Greek yogurt with a soy beverage in that recipe. Another suggestion I feature in my book is an overnight chia seed pudding for a nutrition plant-based whole food breakfast. Check out my book and Pinterest for chia seed pudding recipes.

Lunch

This year is International Year of the Pulse. Pulses include lentils, chickpeas, beans, and peas. They are high in fibre, low in fat and have a good source of plant protein. Try this white bean chia seed salad recipe from my book. With only four ingredients, it’s a quick lunch option for the home office or a delicious side for a weekend lunch.

Appetizer

Beets are my favourite root vegetable. I believe it goes back to when I was a kid and my aunt grew them in her vegetable garden. I would help her pickle them at the end of the season. Try this recipe for beet hummus using chickpeas and tahini (sesame seed paste). It is simple to make and is a vibrant, tasty mid afternoon snack for home or your next get together.

Dinner

Have my roasted bell peppers with sunflower seeds for a weeknight dinner. This is another recipe I feature in my book and you can enjoy it with cooked quinoa and seaweed for a plant-based dinner. Another dinner idea is my quinoa salad with summer peas and watermelon recipe that is both flavourful and colourful. The recipe is in my book.

Dessert

You always need to leave a little room for cocoa in the day! I’ve been making these cocoa lentil flaxseed bars for a decade and I don’t get tired of them. These bars are a delicious swap for the typical high fat, high calorie fudgy brownie. They are perfect for the end of the meal and they make an easy on-the-go snack too.

Enjoy adding the easy whole-food, plant-based recipes to your diet for a healthier,
more energetic and fitter you!
And share how you’re adding more plant-based foods to your diet.