If you follow me on social media, you know I’m a big fan of “throw together” meals that don’t require a specific recipe or a lot of preparation.
I believe this is one of the keys to adopting and maintaining a clean-eating lifestyle. Why?
Because when people think healthy eating requires complicated recipes and tons of time in the kitchen (which it doesn’t), they are far less likely to stick with it or even attempt it in the first place.
So let’s keep it simple and just throw some good stuff on your plate!
Better yet, let’s fill your body with plant-based goodness that’s courtesy of Mother Earth!
5 QUICK & EASY PLANT-BASED MEALS
Before I get into the delicious meal examples below, there are a few things to note:
- These meals are totally customizable. If you don’t like spinach, for example, you can swap it out for another dark leafy green or the lettuce of your choice. If you don’t have cauliflower on-hand but you do have broccoli, use that instead. You get the idea.
- The size of these meals are based on my nutritional needs. You may require larger portion sizes. Click HERE for a great and simple tool that shows how much you should be consuming based on your needs.
- I strictly use organic ingredients in all my meal prep to avoid toxic chemicals like pesticides that are used in conventionally-grown crops.
- Each of these meals contains a solid amount of protein. I feel the need to state that, because many people assume animal foods are the only way to get protein in your diet. Guess where animals get their protein content from? Plants!
Now let’s get into the tasty dishes…
Meal #1: Quinoa, Avocado, Radish Slices, Garlic & Coconut Aminos
Here are the measurements I used:
- 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa
- 1/2 an avocado
- 3 large radishes, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of coconut aminos for “dressing”
Coconut aminos taste like soy sauce but are actually healthful and only contain a couple natural ingredients.
As for the garlic, it’s a natural antibiotic that helps cleanse the body.
Meal #2: Spinach & Steamed Cauliflower Rice with Yellow Onions & Mushrooms
Here are the measurements I used:
- 1.5 cups of cauliflower rice
- 1/2 a small yellow onion, diced
- 5 mushrooms, chopped
- 2 large handfuls of spinach
I seasoned the steamed cauliflower mixture with Himalayan pink salt, black pepper and garlic so it was super flavorful. Then, I poured it on top of the bed of spinach and chowed down!
Meal #3: Cilantro Bean Dip & Carrot Chips
I didn’t use exact measurements to make the dip. I had beans and a bunch of cilantro to use, so I threw the following ingredients into my high-speed blender and just made it happen:
- 1 can of cooked pinto beans
- 1 can of cooked black beans
- A few generous drizzles of extra virgin olive oil
- A big handful of fresh cilantro
- Himalayan pink salt, cumin and garlic to taste
For this meal, I put about 3/4 cups of the cilantro bean dip in a dish and chowed it down with a couple handfuls of carrot chips. So good!
Meal #4: Wild Blueberries, Strawberries, Granny Smith Apple Slices & Hemp Seeds
Here are the measurements I used:
- 1 cup of wild blueberries
- 5 strawberries
- 1/2 a granny smith apple, sliced
- 1.5 tablespoons of hemp seeds
IMPORTANT NOTE: This meal (and all fruit) should be enjoyed on an empty stomach, because your body digests fruit very quickly.
If you eat fruit on a full stomach, you can end up with painful gas because the fruit gets broken down almost immediately after you eat it. Then, it has to sit and wait for the other food in your digestive tract to pass through, and it releases gas as it sits.
I recommend consuming your daily serving of fruit for breakfast, when your stomach is empty. Or at least wait for 2-3 hours after your last meal before consuming fruit.
Meal #5: Arugula, Grape Tomato, Sweet Potato & Avocado Salad
Here are the measurements I used:
- 1 large handful of arugula
- 5 grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup of baked sweet potatoes, diced
- 1/2 an avocado
For the dressing, I just drizzled a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the salad and sprinkled some Himalayan pink salt, black pepper and garlic powder. So delicious!
WHY EAT A PLANT-BASED DIET?
After going through my own health transformation, getting multiple certifications in nutrition, doing loads of research and studying under naturopathic doctors, I have chosen to follow a plant-based diet.
Here are the main reasons why:
- When you consume an animal or animal product (like eggs or anything made from cow’s milk), you are consuming everything that animal has eaten, been injected with and been exposed to during processing (like chemical cleaners and injections of processed sodium). You are also getting the animal’s hormones and everything living in its blood and tissue. The majority of meat on the market comes from factory farms that focus on producing as many animals as possible for profit, not on the actual health of the animal. I feel my body deserves better than that.
- Reducing or eliminating meat consumption is better for the environment.
- Reducing or eliminating meat consumption reduces or eliminates any possibility of animal cruelty.
Cheers to enjoying healthy plant-based meals that are quick, easy and taste amazing!
With love and gratitude,
Kandi
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