Eating a diet with more focus on fruits, veggies, and grains instead of meats has clear health benefits and can provide a wealth of nutrients in pleasurable ways. Some of the dishes in Cooking Light Plant-Based Recipes do contain lean meats, poultry, and seafood, but only in small amounts and as more of a flavor accent rather than the main part of the dish. This compilation of over 65 Cooking Light recipes is for those who are moving toward eating less meat (“flexitarians”) as well as those following a vegetarian lifestyle. Featured recipes include grain bowls, stir-fries, pastas, pizzas, and pressure-cooker recipes. Complete nutrition information is provided with every recipe.
MASTHEAD
INTRODUCTION
WHAT HEALTHY MEANS NOW
A PERFECT PUMPKIN LOAF • This breakfast bread serves up comforting autumnal aromas with fewer calories, less saturated fat, and more fiber than the classic coffeehouse loaf.
GUIDE TO PLANT-BASED MILKS • If you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative to cow’s milk, there are a number of nondairy “milks” on store shelves. Here’s how popular alternatives to cow’s milk stack up, cup for cup.
4 GO-WITH-ANYTHING SIDES • Use seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables to make these easy salads and side dishes that can round out any meal.
BOWL BENEFITS • GET YOUR PROTEIN FROM A BOWL FILLED WITH HEARTY, HIGH-FIBER GRAINS, PROTEIN-PACKED BEANS, AND FRESH VEGGIES.
SALAD DAYS • START WITH CRISP FRESH GREENS AND PILE ON ADDITIONAL VEGGIES, FRUITS, AND PROTEINS. MEAT IS ALWAYS OPTIONAL.
GREEK VEGETABLE COOKING • “This is the traditional way people eat in Greece—lots of vegetables,” says Aglaia Kremezi, chef instructor and cookbook author. “Meat was not something people ate every day; it was scarce,” she says. “The traditional Mediterranean diet is vegetarian not by choice but by necessity.” Greek home cooks made necessity the mother of deliciousness, concocting celebrated dishes from a bounty of fresh seasonal produce.
STIR CRAZY • FRESH VEGGIES ARE FRONT AND CENTER IN THESE CRISP, FLAVOR-PACKED ONE-PAN MEAL STIR-FRIES.
PASTA & PIZZA • MINIMIZE THE MEAT AND MAXIMIZE THE VEGGIES IN THESE HEARTY PIES AND NOODLE DISHES.
VIETNAMESE VEGETABLE COOKING • Bring the vibrant colors and flavors of Vietnam to your table with dishes that light up the senses. “Vietnamese cuisine is based on resourcefulness, not extravagance,” says cooking instructor Andrea Nguyen. Meat was sparse, but vegetables were abundant: Dishes evolved as a play among their colors, textures, and flavors—ripe or unripe, slowly charred or cool and crisp—changing again and again in unexpected ways. “By the time you get to the meat, it’s practically a garnish.”
PERFECT UNDER PRESSURE • MAXIMIZE THE FLAVOR OF FRESH PRODUCE WITH THE PRESSURE COOKER FUNCTION OF A MULTICOOKER.
MEXICAN VEGETABLE COOKING • At its roots, Mexican cooking is one of the world’s most plant-forward cuisines. Many plant-based cornerstones of the global kitchen are native to Mexico: corn, beans, chiles, tomatoes, avocados, even chocolate and vanilla.
HOLIDAY FAVORITES • MOVE THE MEAT ASIDE AND LET THESE FRUIT, VEGGIE, AND GRAIN DISHES TAKE CENTER STAGE AT YOUR HOLIDAY FEAST.
SWEET TREATS • ADD MORE FRUIT TO YOUR DAY IN THE SWEETEST WAY WITH THESE SEASONAL DESSERTS.
COOKING LIGHT ALL ACCESS
RECIPE INDEX • COOKING LIGHT | PLANT-BASED RECIPES
