Organizations as powerful as the United Nations recommend plant-based diets for environmental reasons. That may sound scary to meat lovers, but all the best vegetarian dishes appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Vegan diets are 100% plant-based, everything vegans eat comes from some part of a plant. If that sounds impossible to do, consider starting out vegetarian.
Vegetarians don’t eat meat…including fish or shellfish, for the record. You can still eat animal products if production doesn’t involve killing the animal.
To shake up your diet, take a look at this three awesome vegan and vegetarian meal ideas.
1. Pizza That Anybody Will Love
If you want an easy vegetarian dish that even meat fanatics will go for, pizza is the way to go.
If you’re vegan, you don’t have to stick to no cheese—there are endless alternatives. Vegan alfredo sauce is a thing, too, so white pizza is still an option.
You can turn meat lovers on to vegetarian pizza with plant-based meat alternatives. Vegetarian and vegan “sausage,” “bacon,” “pepperoni,” and more are everywhere. You might have heard bad things, but lots of vegetarian meat alternatives taste just like the real thing.
Eaters who don’t want to eat meat alternatives can use other plant-based protein like tofu and seitan or go for veggies alone. Broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, and more work on pizza with or without traditional sauce and cheese.
You can go with wheat crust or make a gluten-free menu as good as any restaurant’s using veggie solutions like cauliflower crust or with gluten-free flour. A lot of gluten-free crusts are vegan, too.
2. Vegetarian Lasagna Is a Classic
Vegetarian lasagna might make your stomach turn if you remember questionable floppy masses from your school cafeteria. The real deal isn’t anything like that, so give it another chance.
You can use traditional flour noodles and layer them with a tomato or white sauce if you’re cooking for a pickier crowd, or get creative. Zucchini and sweet potato noodles are a couple of common choices.
Some traditional lasagna noodles are made with eggs, so vegans might go the veggie noodle route. Veggie noodles are also great for gluten-free eaters, but gluten-free flour noodles are out there.
Like with the pizzas, you can go for dairy or vegan cheese, or go without.
3. A Tasty Seitan or Tofu Bake Is Super Easy
With a block of seitan or tofu, a few potatoes, an onion, olive or avocado oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs from your spice cabinet, you can make a delicious and vegan baked dish. You can add more veggies that bake well and proteins, if you’re so inclined.
Best of all, it’s super easy because all you have to do is chop the veggies and protein and toss everything into a casserole dish. Bake it at 350 until everything is tender and you’re done.
Make the Best Vegetarian Dishes Part of Your Best Life
Now that you know some of the best vegetarian dishes, you can please a crowd of even the pickiest eaters without any meat at all. These alternatives to meat dishes are healthier and more eco-friendly options. Another popular method is to focus on low carb foods, while exercising regularly.
Eating healthier and reducing your impact on the planet put you on your way to living your best life. To round it out with entertainment, business tips, and more, check out other articles on this site.