Cooking Tips for Plant-Based Meals

Whether you’re just getting started with eating more plant-based foods or you’ve been practicing it for years, there are a few nuances to plant-based cooking. These simple cooking tips can help make your meals tastier and easier to prepare.

Since so much of our nutrition philosophy is around eating more plant-based, whole foods, we’ve learned a few hacks that you can use to navigate plant-based cooking to make sure each meal is equally delicious and nutritious!

1. Do All of Your Chopping, Slicing, and Dicing Ahead of Time

If you’re planning on cooking something the day of, rather than meal prepping, you may have a meal prep day for all of the chopping, slicing, and dicing, so it’s ready to grab and go instead of needing to do the chopping the day of.

With salad greens, for example, have a big container of lettuce that’s already washed and cut and stored in an air-tight container. That just removes one more step when you go to make a meal.

2. Cook Vegetables by Category

Cook your vegetables based on their category. This will allow you to batch cook a lot of vegetables at the same time but will help make sure that they all finish at the same time.

For example, if you want to roast different vegetables at the same time, put one category of vegetables per pan so they take out the same length to cook and you can pull them out when they’re done even if another pan needs extra time.

3. Soak Beans and Legumes

Soaking beans helps reduce the amount of time it takes to cook them and enhances their flavor. It also makes them easier for your body to digest. To soak your beans, cover them with water in a bowl with a bit of baking soda, let them sit for at least six hours, preferably overnight, then strain and cook.

4. Change Up the Texture of Tofu

If you don’t like the soft, spongy texture of tofu, freeze it in its container with the liquid, then thaw it and press it to drain the water. This will give it a texture more consistent with chicken.

5. Learn How to Blanch

Blanching vegetables is a great way to make them crisp and tender at the same time. It also helps preserve food and retain nutrients. Submerge the veggies in boiling water for a few minutes, then stop the cooking process by putting them in an ice bath.

6. Play with The Temperature You Serve It

Experiment with serving plant-based foods hot or cold to change up the flavors and textures. Many foods can be enjoyed in different ways depending on the temperature.

7. Make Your Own Freezer Meals

Make extra of your plant-based meals and store them as freezer meals for busy days. This way, you always have a nutritious meal on hand.

8. Cook Grains in Vegetable Broth

Cooking grains in vegetable broth adds flavor and nutrients to your dishes. It’s a great way to use up vegetable scraps and enhance the taste of your meals.

9. Add Lemon to Greens

Adding a squeeze of lemon to dishes with greens not only brightens the flavor but also helps with the absorption of nutrients like iron. It’s a simple way to elevate your plant-based meals.

Putting these cooking tips into practice can help you create nutritious and delicious plant-based meals. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated, and with these hacks, you can make cooking easier and more enjoyable.

Try incorporating these tips into your meal prep this week and see how they enhance your plant-based cooking experience!

If you’re feeling stressed about food and your relationship with eating, consider watching a free masterclass to learn how to break free from diet obsession and cultivate a positive relationship with food.

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