Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet (WFPBD)

Easy Recipes

PLANT-BASED RECIPES AND WEBSITES!

Here are some easy plant-based recipes with websites to assist you on your journey.
 
All of these recipes feature a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet, i.e. a diet completely made up of plants in as close to their natural state as possible. You will find no oil in the recipes (oil is an extracted, processed food), and no processed foods other than lightly-processed foods such as whole-wheat pasta, in which nothing good has been taken out and nothing bad has been added. As you start your plant-based journey, why not be as healthy as possible?
 
Note: These recipes and websites are WFPB but not Very Low-Fat or VLF WFPB. A VLF WFPB diet excludes oil and processed foods, but also excludes naturally high-fat plant foods such as nuts, peanuts, olives, avocados, and coconut. If you are following a VLF WFPB diet (e.g., because you are trying to reverse heart disease, or because you are taking the 15-day Jumpstart), then please avoid the recipes that contain high-fat plant foods, or adapt them by substituting or dropping ingredients.
 
Also note: some of these websites may be trying to sell you something like meal-planning services, recipe packets, etc. You don’t have to buy anything to access at least some of the recipes on these sites, so just move past the commercial offers if you are not interested.
 
Enjoy your plant-based journey!
LENTIL-CUCUMBER SALAD (4 servings)

from pcrm.org/recipes

  • brown or green lentils (1 cup)
  • tomato, diced (1 cup)
  • cucumber, peeled and diced (1 cup)
  • orange or red pepper, cubed (1 cup)
  • garlic, finely chopped (1 clove)
  • olives, chopped (1 tbsp.)
  • fresh basil, chopped (1 tbsp.)(optional, or substitute 1/2 tsp dried basil or oregano)
  • balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup)
Clean the lentils to make sure they have no stones and pour into a large pot of water.
Boil gently for 20 minutes or until tender. Strain and let cool.
In a large bowl, mix the lentils with the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the salad cold.
COSTA RICAN RICE AND BEANS (GALLO PINTO)

Jason Wyrick
forksoverknives.com

Gallo Pinto, which translates to “painted rooster,” is a breakfast mainstay in Costa Rica. It is enhanced by a sofrito, a staple of Latin cuisine made from onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
 
½ onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup uncooked rice, rinsed and drained
¾ cup cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed
Hot sauce to taste
 
Sauté the onions and bell peppers in a pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes or until the onions start to turn light brown and translucent. Add water 1 to 2 tbsp at a time as needed, to keep the onions from sticking to the pot.
 
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more. Add 1 cup water and salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the rice and return the mixture to a boil; cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for about 20 minutes.
 
Remove from the heat, stir in the beans, and drizzle the Gallo Pinto with hot sauce.
 
NO OIL BAKED FRIES
Evelisse Capó
 
4 medium-large Yukon gold potatoes
½ tsp garlic powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the potatoes in wedges or regular French fry shape about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Place the potatoes in a deep saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain well and place in a mixing bowl.
 
Add the seasonings and toss the potatoes so they are evenly coated.
Place in a baking dish lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Avoid stacking them so they cook evenly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until crisp. 
 
Tips: These make delicious “home
fries” as well! Just cut them in cubes instead of wedges.
 
ALU GOBI (Potato Cauliflower Curry)
From John McDougall
drmcdougall.com
 
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1½ cups water
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
½ tbsp chili powder
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
 
Place the onion and water in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender. Add the spices, stirring several times, and add the cauliflower and potatoes and another ½ cup of water. Cook, covered, over low heat until the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Before serving, stir in the soy sauce to taste and garnish with cilantro.
 
BUSY DAY SOUP

Kathy Pollard
sustainablediet.com

1 cup Busy Day Soup Mix
1 onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
3 ribs celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
½ green or red bell pepper, diced
½ cup mushrooms (optional), sliced
1 tomato (optional), diced
1 tbsp all purpose seasoning, or oregano
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
6 cups water or veg broth
 
Busy Day Soup Mix
Make a dry mix of equal parts of the following and store in a jar:
•Green split peas
•Yellow split peas
•Green or brown lentils
•Red lentils
•Hulled barley
Put everything in a pot.  Bring to boil on medium heat. Lower heat and simmer for 1½  – 2 hours, or until beans are tender.  Stir every once-in-awhile and add a bit more water if needed.
OPTIONS:  Instead of using dry beans, choose a mix of canned beans.  Use 3 cans of rinsed beans and reduce cooking time to 30 – 45 minutes.
SPANISH RICE
Dreena Burton
 
2 tbsp water (or more if needed)
1½ cups diced onion
2 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1 to 1¼ tsp sea salt (start with 1 tsp)
Black pepper to taste
1 cup dry green lentils or French (Le Puy) lentils
3 – 3¼ cups water
1-2 bay leaves
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 ½ – 3 cups precooked brown rice (see note if using uncooked rice)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pure maple syrup
3/4 – 1 cup corn kernels (can use frozen)
Extra salt/pepper to taste
 
In a large pot over medium-high heat,
add the water, onion, oregano, basil, 
paprika and sea salt. Stir, cover, and let
cook for 5-6 minutes. If mixture is 
sticking, add another splash of water.
Remove the cover, and add the lentils 
and water (starting with 3 cups). Bring to 
a boil, then cover and reduce heat to
low. Cook for about 35 minutes, then
add the bell pepper, rice, tomato paste,
vinegar, and maple syrup. Return cover
and cook for another 10 minutes or 
until the lentils are fully cooked 
through. If they are still firm, add the
remaining water and let cook another
5-10 minutes. Once cooked through,
stir in corn kernels (let heat through for
a couple of minutes if frozen corn
kernels). Taste, season with addition-
al salt or pepper as desired, and serve.
 
Note: If you don’t have precooked rice, 
use 3/4 cup of dry brown rice, and add
another 1½ cups of water to cook.
SPLIT PEA SOUP

Kim Campbell
plantpurenation.com

This soup has a sweet, creamy texture with the perfect balance of spices. My children ate this soup often when they were babies and to this day love this soup with garlic bread or seasoned pasta.
 
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours Pressure Cooker: 20
 
Ingredients:
 
6-8 cups low-sodium vegetable stock (begin with 6 cups)
2 cups dried green split peas, rinsed
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 
Instructions:
  1. Place all the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer until the split peas are tender, about 2 hours. You do not want split pea soup to have a crunchy texture, so be sure to give it plenty of time to cook. You may have to add more water or vegetable stock throughout the cooking i it gets too thick.
  3. Add salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Pressure Cooker Instructions:
  1. Place all ingredients into a pressure cooker and briefly stir everything together.
  2. Secure and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
  3. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add more water or vegetable broth to thin out the soup.
Crockpot Instructions:
  1. Place all ingredients into a crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove the bay leaf and serve.
 
Hints:

Adding a couple of cups of chopped fresh or frozen baby spinach a few minutes before serving makes this soup even more delicious and nutritious. I sometimes use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes for a sweeter flavor and creamier texture.

5-MINUTE CHANA MASALA

Pam Kropf
engine2.com

  • 2 cups Frozen brown rice
    1 canNo-salt canned garbanzo beans
    1 tsp Curry powder
    1 can No-salt canned diced tomatoes
    1 cup Frozen spinach
Optional
  • 2  pinches Garlic powder
    Salt & pepper to taste
    1/4 cup Cilantro
  • Directions
    1. Heat the brown rice in the microwave or on the stove until hot.
    2. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans.
    3. Mix the curry, diced tomatoes, beans, and garlic powder (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. Mix in frozen spinach and heat the beans and greens in the microwave or on the stove until hot. You can add practically any veggie to this dish. So if you have some that need to be eaten up, add them in and adjust seasoning to taste.
    4. Add optional fresh cilantro on top.
SKILLET SPAGHETTI

Lindsay S. Nixon
happyherbivore.com

A dash of red pepper flakes
7 ounces spaghetti
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (see below)
1 tbsp ketchup
½ cup fresh basil, minced (optional)
 
Combine spices and tomatoes (with juice) together in a large, deep skillet or pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, then add 14-oz water (refill one 14-oz can or half of 28-oz can). Stir, then add dry (uncooked) spaghetti. Cover again and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and cook 7-15 minutes, until spaghetti is cooked.
Stir in nutritional yeast and ketchup, plus salt and pepper to taste.
Add 1 tbsp more Italian seasoning and stir in fresh basil if using.
 
Chef’s Note: You can also add olives, beans, lentils, mushrooms, cooked broccoli or anything else you have on hand with the nutritional yeast, to fill out this dish.
Nutritional yeast can be found in bulk, or on the shelf in a bag, in natural food stores or sections of the supermarket.
TEXAS-STYLE CHILI
  • 3 cans of beans OR about 6 cups of cooked beans, any variety
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes OR about 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 can diced green chili’s OR your choice of fresh peppers, we like jalapenos
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • Chili powder to suit your tastes. Some people use 1 or 2 Tbsp. I use 1/4 to 1/2 cup but most people can’t handle that.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • salt
  • pepper

Do

  1. Add beans, diced onion, tomatoes, peppers, and tomato sauce to a large sauce pan and cook until onions, peppers, and tomatoes are cooked.
  2. Add spices to suit your individual taste preferences.
  3. Heat until extra liquid, if any, has cooked out.

Serve

This meal is great on a cool day, it is hearty and filled with fiber. Cornbread or crackers make a great accompaniment. Perhaps my favorite way to enjoy chili is on a baked potato. This recipe also freezes well so make a big batch and save some for a rainy day.

This recipe also works great in the Crock Pot but since the beans are already cooked it can be made on the stove fairly quickly.

ADZUKI BEAN STEW

Emma Roche
plantplate.com

 
½ + 2/3 cups low-sodium veg broth
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (or less to taste)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1¼ cups cooked adzuki beans (or one 15oz can, drained and rinsed)
5 oz baby spinach leaves
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
 
Place the ½ cup of vegetable broth, turmeric, paprika, cumin and red chili pepper flakes in a pot over a medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Add the onions, garlic and red bell pepper, and sauté for 5-6 min. until softened add more water as necessary to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pan).
Add the sweet potato and extra 2/3 cup of vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the sweet potato is just tender (the cooking time will vary depending on how big or small you cut the sweet potatoes). Add the adzuki beans, spinach and tomato paste; stir through. Replace lid and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove pot from the heat and stir in the fresh coriander. Serve immediately on a bed of brown rice, millet or other whole grain. Or just have it all by itself!
REFRIED BEAN DIP

Brandi Doming
thevegan8.com

  • 2 15oz cans of low-sodium pinto beans, drained  
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons medium salsa 
  • 5-10 pickled jalapeno slices (I used 8 and found it to be the perfect kick)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspooon sugar (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Place the drained beans, salsa, pickled jalapeno slices, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes, scraping the sides a couple of times during, until completely smooth and creamy.
  • Taste and add more salt if needed, which will depend on your beans. If you want it spicier, add more jalapenos.
  • If you want it true refried bean style,  you can heat up the mashed bean mixture in the microwave a couple of minutes until hot or bake it in a dish at 325°F 15-20 minutes until hot. 
  • Serve with chips and add extra jalapenos if desired.