We’re all about adding more plants to our diet, so this Earth Day we're making plant-based eating simple. To kick off, we have our first of four delicious and convenient plant-based, one-day meal plans. Inspired by our love of plants and the freshness of spring, todays three tasty plant-based recipes are curated by our very own in-house chef Hannah. We’ve got a few plant-based favorites: gluten-free protein pancakes for breakfast, a chickpea salad sandwich for lunch, and veggie sushi rolls for dinner.
How to shop for your day of meals:
Breakfast: Gluten-Free Protein Pancakes
Developed by Sandi Irving, the chef at Nimmo Bay Resort , these are hands down the best protein pancakes we’ve tasted yet. Feel free to swap out Vega Sport® Premium Protein for any of our dairy-free protein powders, they all will work well in this recipe.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Pancake Ingredients:
· 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
· 1 cup gluten-free flour
· 1 1/2 cup non-dairy beverage
· 1/2 cup vanilla flavor of any Vega® plant-based protein powder such as Vega Sport Performance Protein (29.2oz) Vanilla
· 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
· 1 tbsp flaxseed meal
· 2 tbsp baking powder
· 1 tbsp vanilla extract
· 1/2 tsp baking soda
· 1/2 tsp almond extract
· 1/2 tsp cinnamon
· 1/2 tsp salt
· 1 cup fresh blueberries
· Maple syrup to taste
· Caramelized Bananas (recipe to right)
Preparation:
· Measure out dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately then mix, careful to not overmix. Ladle into fry pan on low heat and cook.
Caramelized Bananas Ingredients
· 1/2 cup white sugar
· 1/2 cup brown sugar
· 1 tbsp water
· 1/2 cup coconut milk
· 2 bananas, sliced
Preparation
· Combine sugars and waters in saucepan and heat until sugars start to caramelize. Add coconut milk and simmer until sugar is dissolved.
· Toss sliced bananas in caramel in a saucepan or fry pan and serve warm with pancakes.
Lunch: Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This is a plant-based twist on the classic tuna salad sandwich. Spread it between two pieces of bread or roll it up in a wrap. Healthy, delicious and best of all, sustainable!
Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
· ½ small red onion
· 2 pickles
· 1 handful of fresh dill and parsley
· 2 tbsp capers
· 2 tbsp vegan mayo
· 1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
· ½ lemon, juiced
· Salt and pepper to taste
· Gluten-free or sprouted grain bread
Optional Toppings:
· Romaine lettuce or spinach
· Tomato
· Broccoli sprouts
Preparation:
· Start by dicing the red onion, pickles, dill, and parsley to a fine dice and add them to a medium-size mixing bowl.
· Add in the rest of the ingredients and mash with a fork until most of the chickpeas have broken down. Taste and adjust to your liking with more salt and pepper or Dijon.
· Spread on gluten-free or sprouted grain bread and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
*alternatively, add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combine.
Dinner: Veggie Sushi Rolls
Let’s go to the kitchen and whip up some vegan sushi hand rolls. Yes, that’s right, you can make veggie sushi at home, no mat required. Instead of rolling them into tubes and slicing them, these are rolled into individual sushi cones. This way everybody can create their personalized roll and your kids don’t have to share. Give this vegetarian sushi recipe a go!
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Sushi Ingredients:
· 4 nori sheets, cut in half
· 1 cup sushi rice, cooked
· 1 cup carrots, julienned
· 1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
· 1 cup sprouts or pea shoots
· 1 block firm tofu, sliced
· 2 tbsp sesame or grapeseed oil
Dips and Toppings:
· Wasabi mayo (combine 1 tsp powdered wasabi with 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise)
· Tamari, as preferred
· Sesame, as preferred
Additional veggie filling options:
· Avocado, thinly sliced
· Peppers, thinly sliced
Preparation:
· Drain tofu and blot with paper towel. Slice thinly.
· Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook until golden, stirring occasionally. Place on a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Like it crispy? Follow these tofu directions.
· Cut nori sheet in half with scissors and place in the palm of your non-dominant hand, shiny side down.
· Spread a bit of your cooked rice on approximately 1/4 of the sheet, on the side supported by your hand.
· Place your fillings vertically along the rice.
· Start folding the corner of the sheet with filling on it over the rice and filling, toward the center of the sheet.
· Roll sheet into a cone shape. Wet your index finger and use it to seal the sheet. You may want to add a dollop of rice in the bottom corner to use as glue to help keep it closed.
· Sprinkle open end with sesame seeds.
· Serve with your choice of dips.
How are you celebrating Earth Day? We’re donating 25,000 trees in partnership with One Tree Planted. Want to learn more? Read the blog here. Looking for more meal plans see day two (soon), three (soon), and four (soon) here.
