Many people are trying to eat more vegan and vegetarian meals, even if they don’t follow such lifestyles to a tee. Going vegan or vegetarian is a good way to do our part in saving the environment. Plus, reducing the amount of meat we consume is also healthier for most of us.

At the same time, many of us also don’t have much room in our schedules for cooking up complicated recipes every day or even once a week. Even if you’re aware of how to meal prep like a pro (How to Meal Prep Like a Pro), it’s not always easy to make meat-free, plant-based meals for the whole family. It’s not just about finding the right ingredients, but also about staying within a tight budget and coming up with quick meals.

Fortunately, there are several recipes and books available online that can help us in whipping up quick, healthy, and delicious vegan/vegetarian meals almost every day. Let’s take a look at some of the meal ideas firs, and then move on to some cookbooks that can help us even further:

Vegan Pancakes and Berry Compote

Pancakes and berries:

Vegan and vegetarian diets usually get a bad rap for being no fun, but sweet recipes like these prove that this is a myth. You can easily whip up some fluffy pancakes and top them up with a healthy, yummy berry compote for a special Sunday treat. If you’re meal prepping, freeze some mixed berries beforehand to make things even easier.

Fortunately, this recipe just takes half an hour to put together. You can make the compote by cooking the berries in a pan with some lemon juice and icing sugar. After five to ten minutes, you’ll get a runny sauce that can serve as a syrup for the pancakes. Keep this compote aside to cool.

For the pancakes, you can use almond milk to mix up flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and caster sugar. You can then make the pancakes in an oiled nonstick pan. Your vegan breakfast is all ready!

If you simply want a vegetarian option, use regular milk and even eggs in the pancake mix. The exact ratio of ingredients can be found here, though you can increase or decrease the amounts as needed.

Hummus

Hummus with pita bread:

This Middle Eastern staple is surprisingly easy to make. It’s simply a blended combination of boiled chickpeas, a bit of tahini, olive oil, and some seasonings. You can eyeball the ingredients and change them up according to your taste. Add some lemon juice for a little zing, and perhaps a garlic clove for more flavor.

What’s even better is that hummus can be part of your weekly meal prep. Simply boil a huge batch of chickpeas, pour them in a food processor, add the tahini sauce and other ingredients, and then give it all a good spin. You can easily freeze the hummus in small portions. Take it out during the week for an easy dip with some pita bread at lunch, or serve with cut vegetables as a snack. Get an easy recipe here.

You can even eave out the tahini from your hummus in case there’s none on hand. It’s quite easy to make tahini at home; all you have to do is grind some sesame seeds with a bit of olive oil. If that’s not possible, leave that ingredient out or substitute it with some natural peanut butter!

Cheesy Zucchini Gratin

Zucchini gratin:

If you’re looking to eat low-carb as well as vegan, zucchini is a lifesaver. It’s easy to make and can substitute for a lot of carb-rich foods that we might indulge in otherwise. While you can use this healthy vegetable in zoodles or just sauté it for a salad, try making a cheesy gratin with it as well. While this recipe is simply vegetarian, it’ll help you fulfill your cheese cravings in a healthier way.

What’s more, you can make this casserole ahead of time and freeze it for later. It’s also a nut-free and gluten-free option, along with being keto-friendly to boot. It just takes about ten minutes to peel and slice three medium zucchinis into quarter-inch slices. Sprinkle these with salt, and set them in a colander over the sink for draining. This will take about 45 minutes, so make sure you have enough time.

Once the slices are drained (this is an important step, so don’t skip it), you’ll layer them in a casserole dish with any kind of sharp shredded cheese. For the white sauce, combine some cheese, butter, milk, and garlic on the stove.

You can then bake the whole thing for around half an hour at 400 degrees. Use Italian seasoning, black pepper, and sea salt for more flavor if required. Make sure the zucchini is tender and soft when you take it out. For more detailed instructions, go here.

Other Ideas:

Guacamole on toast:

Several other quick vegan and/or vegetarian recipes are always on hand to provide a quick meal or snack. Toss some boiled chickpeas in oil and seasonings, then roast them in the oven. You can also process avocados with some lemon juice for some delicious guacamole. Simple recipes like these could change up your menu and get some healthy nutrients into your family without much hassle. You can also note down some easy salad ideas to fill everyone up.( Easy to Make Salad Ideas)

Conclusion

Cooking healthy meals for yourself and your family is a commendable job, but that doesn’t mean slaving over a hot stove all the time. Grab a cookbook and make some of these easy recipes your go-to meal ideas when you’re in a rut. If you get some kitchen gadgets that can save time and labor (Essential Kitchen Gadgets that Save Time and Labor), you’d hopefully find the task of cooking more enjoyable