A happy new year to all and a warm welcome to the ~200 new Weekly subscribers are joining us since the last edition. Let’s get to it for 2021!
Recipes
Vegan Eggplant “Parmesan” (WFPB) from NutritionStudies.org
Didn’t think a vegan version of eggplant parm was possible? Try out this recipe that’s not only dairy-free but oil-free too.
Easy Edamame Kale Salad with Oil-Free Mango Ginger Dressing (WFPB) from Go Dairy Free
Shake up your salad game with this edamame kale version. Edamame provides some excellent plant-based protein, while mango gives it some sweetness—just 9 ingredients, including the ginger dressing.
Easy Instant Pot Chili (Vegan, Oil-Free) (WFPB) from Minimalist Baker
I haven’t taken as many opportunities to talk about my love of Instant Pots on here yet, so here we are! Just toss everything in, and in 25 minutes, you have a meal.
Vegan Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce (Nut Free, Gluten Free & Oil-Free) (WFPB) from Plant You
For the creamy/cheesy lovers out there, here’s the perfect plant-based Alfredo to pair with pasta.
Tofu Scramble (WFPB) from Karissa’s Vegan Kitchen
I used to eat a TON of eggs. I still love breakfast, and a solid tofu scramble does me right. Using black salt (kala namak) gives it an eggy flavor too.
Vegan Cheese Ball (Nut-free) (WFPB) from Zardy Plants
I love featuring plant-based cheesy foods on here. Cheese is one food people find the most difficult to give up. Here’s another cheesy creation to prove that just about anything can be made plant-based.
Vegan Mushroom Veloute [Oil Free] (WFPB) from This Healthy Kitchen
I’ll be honest: I didn’t know what “mushroom veloute” was. But the name got me curious. This classic French mushroom soup has just a few simple ingredients and is a mushroom lover’s dream.
Oil-free Black Bean Burgers (WFPB) from Hell Yes It’s Vegan
Making black bean burgers is easy. But making them both tasty AND so they don’t fall apart — not so much. Check out this delicious recipe that accomplishes both (and wow, those photos!)
Vegan Oil-free Spanish Rice (WFPB) from Brand New Vegan
This recipe takes the chicken broth out of the traditional recipe. Still, it leaves all the delicious flavors from fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and chili powder.
Vegan Butter Chicken (oil-free Butter Cauliflower) from Ve Eat Cook Bake
Do you love the rich flavor of curries with the creaminess that comes from coconut milk? I sure do! This recipe replaces chicken with cauliflower. You could easily add in Gardein chicken or tofu as well.
Vegan Zuppa Toscana Pot Pies from Rabbit & Wolves
Vegan buttery + vegan cheese = a crispy, buttery pie crust. Each pot pie has 21g of protein too.
Avocado Egg Rolls from Kathy’s Vegan Kitchen
When you hear “eggs rolls,” you probably think, “takeout food.” But store-bought vegan egg roll wrappers make preparing your own easy.
Eating Plant-Based in 2021
You may have noticed that I don’t talk about weight loss here and that I’m not doing some sort of “PlantProteins Weekly 2021 Weight Loss Challenge.” There are a few reasons for this:
First, I don’t believe in diet culture, and I won’t contribute to its toxicity.
I do believe eating nutritious foods over the long term is essential for health. Going plant-based for a few weeks or months just to drop a few pounds isn’t something I can get behind.
The Weekly’s goal is to help you eat more plant-based foods for the long haul by highlighting delicious plant-based foods and recipes you’ll enjoy without feeling like you’re depriving yourself.
There’s a lot more to this for me, and I’ll say more in future Weekly editions.
So for 2021, instead of trying another weight-loss program, here’s what I suggest instead:
- Eat nutritious, whole foods, like the ones found in the “Whole-Food, Plant-Based Recipes” (WFPB) above.
- See how eating these foods make you feel. Do you have more energy? Are you able to enjoy physical activity? Is your quality of life positively impacted?
- Measure if eating this way helps improve and/or maintain your health. How does eating more WFPB impact your health markers (aside from weight and BMI)? A healthcare provider can help you with this.
- Have compassion for yourself. Give up the idea that you’re going to eat the “perfect” foods all the time. Or that you have to be a certain weight to be healthy and happy. If you’re telling yourself that you screwed up, forgive yourself.
To your health in 2021,
Jeffrey
