Whether for my clients or for my family, I hear the same question almost every day: “What’s for dinner?”
A plant-based diet offers so many choices and possible combinations, answering this query can leave my head spinning. So, I’ve come up with a method for putting together delicious, creative, nutritionally balanced vegan meals with enough variety to please everyone!
I think of the meal as a construction project and I visualize it from the ground up. Consulting my menu builder blueprint, I start with the foundation.
- The base. I like to include grains, pasta, potatoes, steamed greens, raw or roasted veggies in this group.
Fresh steamed farro https://veganflavorista.org/2016/09/29/15-minute-farro/
- The protein. I choose a hearty bean or pulse, a soy product such as edamame, tofu or tempeh; seitan (a product made from wheat gluten) or a pea protein-based meat analog such as Gardein.
Grilled Sesame Tofu with Forbidden Rice and Grilled Baby Bok Choy https://veganflavorista.org/2016/09/22/meaty-grilled-tofu/
- The sauce. This category can make the difference between a boring meal and an amazing one. This component should not be overlooked. Here is where the real creativity happens. I decide whether I want a light or hearty sauce, whether I am looking for spicy, sweet, savory and/or zesty flavors. The variety is endless.
Broccoli Stuffed Potato with Cheesy Sauce and Greek Chopped Salad https://veganflavorista.org/2014/05/22/ultimate-cheezy-sauce/
4. The veggies. This category speaks for itself and basically I choose those that go best with the sauce and flavors I am introducing (example: for an Italian-inspired dish I would choose mushrooms, onion, peppers, tomatoes).
Pasta Primavera
https://veganflavorista.org/2012/09/20/pasta-primavera/
This structure serves as a guideline-a jumping off point for inspiration to create recipe variations as limitless as the imagination!
In upcoming posts, I will share my tried and true components and techniques for creating the meals I serve to my clients and my family throughout the week.
Stay tuned!
Love your blog!!😀
Thanks so much!
Fantastic!!
Lovely post, very nice tips 🙂
Thanks, Chef K!
This is how I like to build my meals for sure! Great guide:)
Thanks for stopping by!!
This is a great reminder that one key to eating vegan is to play to the strengths of each element. We’re recent vegan converts and I am finding the best dishes are “new”, not those that I am trying to substitute in “meat”.
There are so many traditional dishes that are even better without meat, or with another protein substitution. There’s no reason to give up familiar structures, sauces and flavors. We all have dishes we gravitate toward and eating what we love makes a plant-based diet sustainable for life! You made a wonderful decision going vegan, congratulations!
What fun! Thank you for breaking it down. I love looking at beautiful pictures of food creations, but this makes actual meal prep accessible!
My goal is always for the maximum flavor and nutrition, with the minimum of work. I am practical that way 🙂
I love your philosophy! I can absolutely work with it! You have given me a new way to think about food prep which makes me very excited!
So glad you found something useful in my post!
I was just telling my husband about this post, and how the idea of mixing and matching these various components is so perspective changing for me. Can’t wait to read more of your posts in this Series, particularly about the sauces.
Aww, thanks! I will be posting more recipes soon 🙂
great article 🙂 What are your thoughts on hemp seeds?
Hemp seeds are great! I wouldn’t plan a meal around them, though 😉
Delicious and nutritious meal plans! 🙂
❤️carmen
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment, Carmen 🙂