eating healthy

Here are the Recipes for Week 4 of our Vegetarian Meal Plan and Shopping List.  If you missed weeks 1 and 2, here are the links:

• Week 1 -Vegetarian Meal Plan
• Week 2 – Vegetarian Meal Plan
• Week 3 – Vegetarian Meal Plan
• Week 4 – Vegetarian Meal Plan

Frequently used recipes:

Side Salad

• 2 cups of greens (spinach, romaine, your choice)
• ¼ cucumber
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 1 slice of red onion
• 1tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

Calories 87, Protein 3, Carbs 20, Fat 0

Vegan Yogurt * makes 3 4oz. servings

• 1 package of mori-nu silken tofu (shelf able tofu found in Asian section of grocery stores)
• 1 banana
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup (more to taste)

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Some discoloration may occur due to banana.

Calories 114, Protein 8g, Carbs 17g, Fat 2g

 

Monday

Breakfast – Strawberry Spinach Smoothie

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 banana
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup almond milk (more if you prefer a thinner smoothie)

Blend all ingredients in blender and drink.

Calories 198, Protein 5g, Carbs 42g, Fat 3g

Lunch – Leftover Black Bean Enchiladas (Week 3 Recipe)

Calories 322, Protein 12.8g, Carbs 44g, Fat 11g

Dinner – Vegetable Marinara with Side Salad

• 1 cup whole wheat pasta of your choice (spaghetti, linguine, etc.) , cooked
• ½ cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup of mixed veggies (broccoli and cauliflower are great in this)

Warm marinara and mix in frozen veggies. Top pasta with marinara sauce. Add cheese if desired.

Calories 285, Protein 10g, Carbs 52g, Fat 3g

Snacks

1 orange

Calories 81, Protein 2g, Carbs 2g, Fat 0g

10 Black or Green Olives

Calories 40, Protein 1g, Carbs 0g, Fat 2g

 

Tuesday

Breakfast – Tomato Toast

• 2 pieces of whole wheat toast
• 1 tomato
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

Dice tomato, place in bowl with garlic and mash up a little bit. Spread on toasted bread.

Calories 181, Protein 6g, Carbs 31g, Fat 2g

Lunch – Super Salad

• 1 cup Kale, shredded
• ½ cup red cabbage
• ½ cup broccoli florets, chopped
• ½ cup carrots, shredded
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 3 tbsp. sesame seed dressing

Combine all ingredients and toss to coat. Enjoy!

Calories 498, Protein 9g, Carbs 58g, Fat 28g

Dinner – Bean Tacos

• 2 corn tortillas
• ½ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup salsa
• ½ cup vegetarian refried beans
• ½ cup Kale, shredded
• ¼ cup diced tomato
• ¼ cup vegetarian cheddar cheese
• Diced onion as desired
• Hot sauce as desired

Combine salsa and black beans in a small pan and heat. Heat refried beans and tortillas. Spread refried beans on tortillas, top with black beans and the remaining ingredients.

Snacks
8 Celery Sticks (4”)

Calories 38, Protein 0g, Carbs 10g, Fat 0g

8 Strawberries

Calories 32, Protein 0, Carbs 1g, Fat 0

 

Wednesday

Breakfast – Orange Cranberry Oatmeal

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp.  cup dried cranberries
• 1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
• 3/4 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. almonds, sliced

In a large saucepan, bring the water and orange juice concentrate to a boil. Stir in the oats and cranberries, return to a low-boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add mandarin oranges, brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts.

Calories 260, Protein 7g, Carbs 46g, Fat 6g

Lunch – Black Bean and Corn Salad

• 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• ½ can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/8 avocado – peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/8 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ tomato, diced
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

Calories 391, Protein 10.5g, Carbs 35g, Fat 24.5

Dinner – Shepherd’s Pie

• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• ½ large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 1 ½ cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• ¾ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ small red or green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 cup cubed eggplant, with peel
• 8 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 ½ tbsp. water
• 7 ounces small red potatoes, halved
• 2 ½ tbsp. milk
• 1/3 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 3 ½ tbsp. grated vegetarian mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tb. oil; add onions, garlic, curry and cumin. Saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Heat remaining oil in skillet; add peppers, eggplant, tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Saute until soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in onions. Place in a small, shallow baking dish. In a saucepan, boil potatoes until done. Drain and smash. Stir in half and half, peas, salt and pepper. Spread over vegetables and top with Mozzarella. Bake 15 minutes. Brown in broiler. Serve.

Calories 229. Protein 9g, Carbs 31.4 g, Fat 8g

Snacks

3 oz. Baby Carrots

Calories 35, Protein 1g, Carbs 6g, Fat 0

1 1/2 cup of red grapes

Calories 62, Protein .6g, Carbs 16g, Fat .3g

Thursday

Breakfast – Homemade Granola with and Blueberries *makes 2 servings

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 ½ tbsp. wheat germ
• 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran
• 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped almonds
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped pecans
• 1 tbsp chopped walnuts
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon maple syrup
• 2-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons raisins or sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pecans, and walnuts in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.  Serve with fruit and/or yogurt.

Calories 369, Protein 8g, Carbs 45 g, Fat 20g

Lunch – Leftover Shepherd’s Pie

Calories 229. Protein 9g, Carbs 31.4 g, Fat 8g

Dinner – Cauliflower Wings with Celery Sticks *This makes 4 servings but does not keep well, plan to share!

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 head cauliflower (chopped into pieces)
• 1 cup buffalo wing sauce or 1 cup hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (melted)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the milk, flour, and garlic powder in a bowl and stir until well combined. Coat the cauliflower pieces with the flour mixture and place in a shallow baking dish. Bake for 18 minutes. While the cauliflower is baking, combine your buffalo sauce and olive oil or margarine in a small bowl. Pour the hot sauce mixture over the baked cauliflower and continue baking for an additional 5 to 8 minutes. Serve alongside blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery sticks.

Calories 211, Protein 8g, Carbs 35g, Fat 4.7g

Snack

6 oz. Vanilla Frozen Yogurt    (freeze your own yogurt)

Calories 114, Protein 8g, Carbs 18g, Fat 3g

 

Friday

Breakfast – Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie

• ½ cup almond milk
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ½ banana, broken into chunks
• 7 frozen strawberries
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blend and drink up.

Calories 236, Protein 7g, Carbs 44g, Fat 3.5g

Lunch – Chili Potato

• 1 baked potato
• 1 cup of vegetarian chili

Top potato with chili. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese if desired

Calories 360, Protein 16g, Carbs 72g, Fat 1g

Dinner – Cajun style Red Beans and Rice

• ½ medium onion
• ¼ green pepper
• 1 celery stalk
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ½  15-ounce can cans red beans (no sugar added), drained and well-rinsed
• ½ 15-ounce can can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. salt (optional or to taste)
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 – 1 tsp. red (cayenne) pepper (to taste)
• 2 tsp. hot sauce, plus more to serve
• Liquid Smoke seasoning (optional)
• cooked brown rice

Heat a large, non-stick pot over medium-high heat as you use the food processor to chop the vegetables. Add vegetables to pan. Stir the vegetables well and add 2 tablespoons of water. Cook until soft, about 6-10 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, rinse the beans well. Put half of them into the food processor with half of the tomatoes. Process until all the beans are coarsely chopped, just short of pureed. When the vegetables are soft, stir in the blended beans, remaining whole beans, remaining tomatoes, and all seasonings except smoked salt. Cover tightly, reduce heat to very low, and cook for at least 30 minutes. Stir every frequently and add water as needed to keep beans moist. These taste better the longer they cook, so consider 30 minutes the bare minimum and cook them longer if you can, adding water as necessary.  Just before serving, sprinkle with smoked salt or a little Liquid Smoke. Stir well, and serve atop rice with more hot sauce on the table.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s) | Cooking time: 45 minute(s)  Calories 218 calories, Protein 12.7g, Carbs 41.2g g, Fat 0g

Snacks

15 Almonds

Calories 104, Protein 3.8g, Carbs 3.5g, Fat 9g

1 Banana

Calories 100, Protein 1, Carbs 26g, Fat 0

 

Saturday

Breakfast – Blueberry Pancakes

• ¼ cup whole-wheat flour
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 ½ tsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• Pure maple syrup for dipping

Whisk flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon together in a large bowl. Combine almond milk with maple syrup. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined – a few lumps are ok. Add blueberries to batter and mix lightly. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then heat skillet over very low heat. Spray skillet lightly with cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup of batter. Cook on one side until bubbles form, gently flip, and cook for another 2-3 minutes

Calories 274, Protein 8, Carbs 56g, Fat 1g

Lunch – Hummus with raw Veggies and Pita Bread

Hummus:  * Makes 2 servings, reserve ½ recipe for later in the week

• 1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained
• ¼ cup tahini
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• ½ tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Pita Chips

• ½  Pita Bread, cut into 4 Pieces and separated to make 8
• ½  tbsp. olive oil
• Sea Salt to taste

Place bread on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and broil for 5 minutes or until crisp. These can be made ahead of time and stored in a ziplock bag. Serve hummus with pita bread and 2 cups of raw veggies of your choice 9baby carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, etc.)

Calories 449, Protein 9g, Carbs 37g, Fat 6

Dinner – Pasta Primavera

• 1/8 (12 ounce) package whole wheat penne pasta
• 1/8 yellow squash, chopped
• 1/8 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 carrot, julienned
• 1/8 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 oz. cherry  tomatoes
• 2 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 spear asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp. lemon juice
• ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/8 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 3 tsp. chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a bowl, toss squash, zucchini, carrot, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans, and asparagus with 2 tsp. olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Arrange vegetables on the baking sheet, and roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender.

Heat remaining olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender. Mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with roasted vegetables and sprinkle with vegetarian cheese to serve.

Calories 406, Protein 13g, Carbs 54g, Fat 15g

Snack

1 Apple

Calories 72, Protein 0, Carbs 19g, Fat 0

 

Sunday

Breakfast – Zucchini Muffins * Makes 12 servings. Take some to work or share with a friend.

• 1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup raw sugar
• 6 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup plant-based milk
• 1½ cup shredded zucchini

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt together. In another bowl combine sugar, applesauce, vanilla, lemon zest, zucchini and non-dairy milk. Stir until well combined. Add wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just barely combined. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake 18-25 minutes. If making a bread bake 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If toothpick pulls out cleanly the bread is done

Calories 98, Protein 2g, Carbs 21g, Fat 0.5g

Lunch – Cajun style Red Beans and Rice Leftovers

Calories 218 calories, Protein 12.7g, Carbs 41.2g g, Fat 0g

Dinner – Tofu Mozzarella *makes 2 servings

• ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 5 tsp. grated vegetarian mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
• ½ package firm tofu
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 oz. tomato sauce
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper. Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in bowl of cold water. One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn, and brown on the other side. Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and remaining oregano. Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8 inch square baking pan. Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu. Top with shredded mozzarella (3 tablespoons). Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Calories 357, Protein 25g, Carbs 18g, Fat 21g

Snacks

1 Bell Pepper, Sliced

Calories 24, Protein 1g, Carbs 6g, Fat 0g

1 Plum

Calories 80, Protein 1g, Carbs 8g, Fat 0g

We are providing these meal plans for your personal use only. Do not distribute or use these plans commercially.

Disclaimer: Nutritional content will vary depending on the brands of food used. This meal plan does not take into account serious illness or specific nutrient ratios. If you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, heart disease diabetes or other medical issues, please talk with your doctor or dietitian/nutritionist before changing your diet significantly. These plans are meant to be examples of balanced eating, but we all have varied needs. Use this information as an example and take caution with regard to your own specific nutrition needs.