A Week of Meatless Meals
If you’ve tried vegetarian recipes before, you’ve likely stumbled across a couple that didn’t taste all that great. However, eating meatless meals doesn’t have to feel like “rabbit food”! The recipes below are high in protein, nutrients, and flavor to keep you and your family fueled throughout the week.
One more reason to incorporate more vegetarian meals? It tends to save you money and be a more affordable meal when you aren’t including meat. One study found that adopting more of a plant-based diet could slash your food bill by up to one-third!
MEAL ONE:
Roasted Cauliflower Taco Bowl
If you’ve checked out one of these meal plans before, you know that I’m a sucker for a delicious Mexican-style meal! Beans are an affordable source of fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and other important nutrients. Combining beans with a grain, like brown rice, makes them a complete protein. This means that together they provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs and can take the place of high-quality animal proteins!
MEAL TWO:
Weeknight Tofu Stir Fry
Soy has gotten a bad reputation lately, as it was thought to increase the risk of breast cancer. Luckily, there is no proof soy causes cancer. Swapping tofu in stir fry recipes is an easy way to incorporate more plant-based protein and can be a nice change up from your usual recipe. Extra firm tofu works best in a stir fry because it holds its shape and turns crispy. Keep in mind that you will need to press excess liquid out of the tofu before cooking, which can easily be done using paper towels. Take a look at the recipe page for more details on how to do this!
MEAL THREE:
5 Ingredient Gnocchi, Broccoli and White Bean Bake
Take a break from chicken nuggets with these nutrient powerhouse fish nuggets instead! Fatty fish, like cod or salmon, are a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. These are important for building the structure of children’s brains. Fish is also a great source of protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and magnesium, which are all needed for growing children. Pair these nuggets with baked sweet potato wedges and a fresh vegetable or fruit salad to make it a complete meal! With Sweet Potato Wedges
MEAL FOUR:
Chickpea Sloppy Joes
A meatless meal that not only tastes delicious but is packed full of nutrients! Beans are another brain boosting food, full of zinc, protein, iron, folate, and choline. Pair this with a whole wheat bun and traditional hamburger toppings or keep it simple and serve with a fresh vegetable, veggie sticks, sweet potato fries, or a fruit salad on the side.
MEAL FIVE:
Italian-Style Lentil Meatballs
Just like chickpeas, beans, and peas, lentils are a legume. They are highly nutritious, containing B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and are an excellent source of iron. A one-cup serving of cooked lentils provides 18 grams of protein, 16 grams of fiber, 37% of the daily recommendation for iron, 90% of the daily recommendation for folate, as well as other key nutrients. Serve these meatless meatballs with vegetable noodles or whole wheat pasta and a side salad for a balanced meal!