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The healthiest diets in the world are all plant-based, and studies show that you don’t have to completely avoid animal products to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet.
So this week, we’re showing you how to create plant-based menus without giving up animal-based foods like dairy, eggs, chicken, seafood, and meat. We accomplished this goal by filling the menu with nuts, seeds, beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—providing the benefits of plant-based foods in everything from a chicken burrito bowl to pesto spaghetti. We also included some meatless meals that are hearty, filling, and high in protein.
What to eat this week, August 12, 2024
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Monday
Breakfast: Vegetable frittata muffins with fruit
Lunch: Tuna Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Dinner: Imitation Burrito Bowls
Snack of your choice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Whole grain toaster waffle with Greek yoghurt, berries and chia seeds
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Super Green Spaghetti with Zucchini Pesto and Shrimp
Snack of your choice
Wednesday
Breakfast: Vegetable frittata muffins with fruit
Lunch: Caprese pasta salad with chicken
Dinner: Teriyaki salmon from a pan
Snack of your choice
Thursday
Breakfast: Vegetable frittata muffins with fruit
Lunch: Tuna Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Dinner: Chicken with honey chilli, corn, zucchini and peppers on the tray
Snack of your choice
Friday
Breakfast: Whole grain toaster waffle with Greek yoghurt, berries and chia seeds
Lunch: Caprese pasta salad with chicken
Dinner: Chicken Pesto Smashed Burger with baked carrot fries
Snack of your choice
Breakfast
Mornings are stressful enough, so keep your breakfast simple. Make a batch of frittata muffins ahead of time to take with you, or throw together an easy meal with basic ingredients.
Vegetable Frittata Muffins by Joy Bauer
Serve with 1 cup or 1 piece of fruit.
Wholemeal toaster waffle with yoghurt and berries
Spread toasted waffles with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and garnish with berries and chia seeds.
Lunch
Staying on the plant-based theme, we have some plant-based ideas for you that you can easily implement on the day of your meal or shortly before.
Tuna Chickpea Salad Sandwich
To prepare, mix 1 can of tuna (drained), ½ can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained), 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds. Pour half of the mixture into a whole wheat pita bread filled with lettuce and tomatoes.
Caprese pasta salad with chicken by Laura Vitale
This pasta salad makes a filling lunch. With protein-rich chicken and plenty of veggies, this balanced meal will keep you full until dinner.
Dinner
We’ve put together five dinners that incorporate plants in different ways. For example, the spaghetti is a mix of vegetable and traditional pasta, and zucchini in pesto. You can apply these strategies to your family’s favorite dishes, too.
Replica Burrito Bowls by Casey Barber
This hearty bowl is basically a blueprint for a balanced diet. Carbs come from rice and beans (which also provide some protein), healthy fats come from avocado, and protein comes from the chicken. Plus, it’s topped with salsa to meet your veggie needs.
Supergreen spaghetti with zucchini pesto by Mia Rigden
This recipe offers the best of both worlds: A combination of spaghetti and zucchini noodles means you get the benefits of vegetables and the satisfaction of pasta. To balance your meal with some protein, use chickpea or lentil pasta, or serve with some chicken or shrimp.
One-Pan Teriyaki Salmon by Jessica Sepel
This dinner is a rarity—it’s as quick to prepare as it is impressive. And by cooking the vegetables directly on the sheet pan, you have a complete meal with little cleanup.
Chicken with honey chili, corn, zucchini and peppers on the sheet pan by Casey Barber
This sheet pan meal has all the elements of a balanced meal, so you don’t have to prep anything. Adding a dash of honey to your seasonings is a science-backed strategy to help you maintain healthy eating habits.
Chicken Pesto Smashed Burgers by Melissa Knific
Carrot fries by Joy Bauer
A delicious chicken burger with lots of lean protein, tasty pesto and melted cheese is a filling dinner. Serve with delicious carrot fries.
Snacks
Snacks that contain complete sources of protein and fiber are a winning formula that will keep you full for hours. Here are a few ideas:
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Clementine and nuts
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Cherry tomatoes and lentils (canned and rinsed), seasoned with lemon juice or vinegar.
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Pineapple and cottage cheese
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Red peppers with goat cheese pesto dip. How to prepare the dip: Mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Dilute with olive oil if necessary.
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Sugar snap peas and hummus
This article was originally published on TODAY.com.
