15 Lighter Plant-Based Versions of Your All-Time Comfort Foods! – One Green Planet

Who said comfort foods are just for the winter? You should enjoy yourself during the summer as well! So, we’ve gathered 15 recipes that are the perfect comfort foods for summer. Fresh ingredients you’ve been yearning for will fill you, keep you satisfied, and oh-so-happy during the warm season! Let our Food Monster App recipes inspire you to try out some new comfort food this summer!

1. Deep Dish Quiche Pizza 

A sweet potato crust is made from millet and chickpea flours pressed into a cake pan to make it deep dish. lt’s topped with a rich, homemade tomato sauce and filled with a fluffy tofu ricotta and kale filling, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, or any vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle it with some cheesy tahini sauce for the perfect finish on this Deep Dish Quiche Pizza!

2. Creamy 3-Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

To make this Creamy 3-Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna, you sautée spinach, combine it with mushrooms and cream cheese, and then lay it down on a dish for the base. From there, the lasagna alternates between tender layers of pasta and velvety cheese sauce, and eventually is topped with sliced tomatoes and a sprinkling of grated “cheese.”

3. Mediterranean Chickpea Socca Pizza

In this pizza, the chickpea crust is baked in the oven before being topped with fresh vegetables, covered in vegan parmesan, and then crisped up in the oven. Invite all your friends over for this Mediterranean Chickpea Socca Pizza!

4. Zucchini Basil Pesto Lasagna 

Zucchini, cashew cheese, basil pesto, and tomatoes are all combined together to create an explosion of flavor in this Zucchini Basil Pesto Lasagna. Crunchiness from the zucchini and tomatoes, and creaminess of the cashew cheese and the pesto creates a delicious meal!

5. Zucchini Chickpea Fritters

These Zucchini Chickpea Fritters could easily be the fastest, yummiest fritters you can make ever! They’re very, very simple and unbelievably fluffy and soft, even without using baking powder. Serve it in a bun with a lot of your favorite veggies!

6. Thai Green Vegetable Curry 

In this Thai Green Vegetable Curry has combined a bunch of different vegetables to create a heavenly delicious blend of all the good nutrients in vegetables and the healing spices of curry. You can make different variations by changing out with your favorite vegetables, and add fresh herbs e.g. parsley or cilantro. Add some beans or tofu for extra protein!

7. Pineapple Pizza Tacos

Are you craving a really good pizza crust? You should definitely try to make some mini pizzas with tortillas! These Pineapple Pizza Tacos are topped with roasted chickpeas, corn, juicy pineapple, creamy avocado, and a drizzle of Sriracha – truly flavorful and delicious!

8. Protein-Rich Veggie and Lentil Dalcha Curry

This Protein-Rich Veggie and Lentil Dalcha Curry is healthy, filled with protein and flavored with garam masala. For this recipe, chickpeas, pigeon peas, cauliflower, onion, and carrots are the main ingredients. They are tempered with red chilis, garlic, cumin, and curry leaves to create an interesting and unique dish!

9. Penne in Creamy Carrot Sauce

This Penne in Creamy Carrot Sauce dish has a creamy sauce, even without the cream! It has rich flavors and is completely oil-free. Magic! You only need seven ingredients to make the dish, and it would easily become a new favorite for summer!

10. Red Pozole: Mexican Stew With Jackfruit, Corn, and Chiles 

This dish is based on the traditional Mexican stew made from corn, lime, and chiles. In this Red Pozole: Mexican Stew With Jackfruit, Corn, and Chiles is an updated take on the regular dish, and savory jackfruit is added for some extra texture.

11. Easy Chickpea and Vegetable Stroganoff 

Make pasta night exciting with this simple stroganoff! It’s made from chickpeas, meaty mushrooms, and other flavorful veggies cooked in a savory tomato sauce. You only need around 20 minutes to make this Easy Chickpea and Vegetable Stroganoff, so what are you waiting for?

12. Polenta Pizza With Avocado Pesto

Polenta Pizza With Avocado Pesto anyone? This recipe makes a delicious dish, with a crust only made with polenta seasoned with Italian herbs and some hot sauce. The creamy avocado pesto is made from fresh basil and roasted hazelnuts and then it’s all topped with spicy arugula and fresh peas – yum!

13. Carrot and White Bean Ribollita

Everything is great about this Carrot and White Bean Ribollita: the texture, the flavors, and the richness. Perfect for colder summer nights when you want something warmer and filling!

14. Freezable Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos 

These Freezable Buffalo Chickpea Taquitos are spicy, cheesy, creamy, and so much more! They are also very easy to make, you need  canned chickpeas and frozen artichoke hearts. Also, they’re great to freeze to have a quick meal throughout the week!

15. Grilled Zucchini Ribbons With Sriracha Marinade 

These grilled zucchini ribbons are a fantastic side option at any barbecue, or to eat alone as they are! The Grilled Zucchini Ribbons With Sriracha Marinade are marinated in zesty Sriracha and grilled tender. Perfect for summer!

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet is known to Support various health benefits, including reducing chronic inflammation, improving heart health, enhancing mental well-being, achieving fitness goals, meeting nutritional needs, managing allergies, and promoting gut health, among others. Dairy consumption has also been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer,  prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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