It Doesn't Get Easier Than These 50 Whole Food Plant-Based Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less (2024)

FAQs

What is home food plant-based? ›

Plant-based or plant-forward eating patterns focus on foods primarily from plants. This includes not only fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. It doesn't mean that you are vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy.

Add some herbs & spices.

Play around with different fresh herb and spice combinations. Dried herbs work, too. Follow a recipe, use pre-mixed seasoning blends, or be creative and add your own. Bonus tip: restock your spices every once in a while for an extra kick (they do expire eventually!)

A whole-foods diet simply means choosing foods that are minimally processed. Think fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, and whole grains. While a whole-foods diet does focus on eating lots of plant-based foods, it does not necessarily mean you have to become a vegetarian or vegan to eat a whole-foods diet.

While a well-balanced plant-based diet can provide a wide range of nutrients, certain essential nutrients are more abundant in animal-derived foods. Plant-based diets can sometimes lead to nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Eggs can and should be part of a plant-based diet, and these five suggestions showcase how easy it is to incorporate the incredible egg into your plant-forward dishes.

Pasta dishes make an excellent option for those adhering to a plant-based diet for several reasons. To start, pasta is a natural plant-based food made simply from grain, and it is also and easy food to incorporate other plant-based foods into, like veggies and beans.

Sprouted grain breads are taking over the spotlight. Like multigrain breads and whole grain breads, sprouted grain breads are packed with health benefits. This healthy, plant-based bread can be a great option if you have a mild sensitivity to gluten.

Plants are high in fiber.

Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it's great for good bowel management.

Common options include garlic, onion, herbs like basil and thyme, spices such as cumin and paprika, and condiments like soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and vegan-friendly sauces. These ingredients add flavor and depth to vegan dishes without using animal products.

It encourages eating little to no processed food and discourages the use of oil and salt. This means that vegan meat and cheese, bread, ice cream, cookies, candy, snacks, and frozen meals are not allowed.

Is canned tuna a whole food? ›

Processed foods: When ingredients such as oil, sugar or salt are added to foods and they are packaged, the result is processed foods. Examples are simple bread, cheese, tofu, and canned tuna or beans. These foods have been altered, but not in a way that's detrimental to health.

In contrast, whole foods are typically lower in sugar and rich in fiber, which can help to stabilize blood sugar levels and provide sustained energy. In addition, the act of cooking and preparing whole foods can be a therapeutic and relaxing activity that can help to improve your mental well-being.

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, apricots, sweet potatoes, peaches, plums, melons, eggplant, lemons, lettuce, green beans, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach, corn, Swiss chard, celery, beets, onions, cauliflower, cherries, bananas, mushrooms, parsnips, turnips, ...

Is Pasta Vegan? Unfortunately, not all pasta is vegan. We've found pastas of all varieties, from spaghetti to lasagna noodles, with eggs in the ingredient lists. But don't worry—there are widely available vegan pastas that don't involve eggs or dairy and don't skimp on the texture you've come to love.

Vegans can eat bread that does not contain animal products or byproducts. This includes breads that only use some variation on flour, water, yeast, and salt including ciabatta, baguette, focaccia, sourdough, pita, and ezekiel breads.