Easy Vegan Meal Ideas

So many people state that they would be vegan if it was easier.... But the good news is, it IS easy and there are so many vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods available to help the transition to a more plant based diet. These transition foods are such door openers to eating a plant based diet because they prove the point that eating vegan is not restrictive in the least. I rarely use recipes that have hard to find ingredients. All of the recipes I use include ingredients that can be found in your local grocery store. When cooking vegan, its good idea to think in terms of swapping things out. For instance, you are not eliminating meat, you are swapping it out for something healthier. You are not eliminating eggs in your cake recipe, you are swapping them out for something else. Here is a list (not complete by any means) of meals that can easily be made vegan just by swapping out an ingredient or two:

Spaghetti- sub meat with mushrooms, veg meat substitute, or other veggies
Lentil loaf- instead of meat loaf
Barley and vegetable soup- using veggie broth
Tacos- black beans instead of beef or chicken
Homemade pizza- use hummus instead of sauce and top with veggies OR use tomato sauce, veggies, and vegan cheese ( I recommend daiya) or no cheese!
Stir fry- sub meat with quinoa or nuts! Peanuts make for a fabulous stir fry
Burgers- grill a portabella mushroom and stick it on a bun with your favorite toppings, buy or make black bean burger, quinoa burgers, soy burgers, etc....
Assorted wraps- fill with hummus, beans, etc... And veggies
Explore salads- nuts, beans, fruits, veggies, etc
Steak- grill or sautée portabella mushroom and serve with steak sauce and a baked potato and veggies... Yum yum yum
Soups! - sooooo many vegan soup recipes online!
And don't forget to look up vegan desserts! They are amazing!

As you can see, transitioning to vegan eating is not as difficult as it may sound! You certainly aren't deprived and you will have no challenges getting the proper nutrients your body needs. It's just a matter of swapping a few animal products for healthier alternatives and you are ready to move to a move plant based diet. You do your body good, save your wallet some cash, and make many positive impacts on our world and those that live in it! I encourage you to go vegan for 30 days and think about how you feel physically and emotionally, and other changes you see in yourself. After 30 days, make a decision if it's something you want to keep up with or not. It's totally worth it, trust me!