One-Pot Plant-Powered Dinners: Simplifying Busy Weeknights

Somehow the time between when work ends and dinner has to be on the table goes by in a blur. Even if you aren't feeding tiny humans, you've got better things to do on the daily than slave away in the kitchen and spend your time washing a ton of dishes.

Enter the world of one-pot plant-powered dinners, where simplicity meets nourishment, and cleanup becomes a breeze. These recipes not only save time but also work on incorporating more plants, making your busy evenings a lot more manageable, delicious and packed with nutrients.

1. Hearty Lentil and Vegetable Stew: This wholesome stew brings together earthy lentils, hearty vegetables, and aromatic herbs in a single pot. Let it simmer gently, allowing the flavors to meld and create a comforting meal that's both filling and nutritious.

2. Quinoa Primavera: Celebrate the season's bounty with quinoa primavera. Load up the pot with colorful bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and your favorite herbs. Quinoa adds a protein punch, making this dish both vibrant and satisfying.

3. Chickpea and Spinach Curry: Warm spices, tender chickpeas, and vibrant spinach come together in a rich curry that's as nourishing as it is flavorful. Serve it with a side of whole grain rice or naan for a complete meal.

4. Mushroom and Spinach Risotto: Creamy and comforting, a mushroom and spinach risotto is a true treat. The flavors of sautéed mushrooms and the creaminess of Arborio rice create a dish that's elegant enough for company but simple enough for a weeknight.

5. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili: Loaded with fiber and protein, sweet potato and black bean chili is the perfect cold-weather comfort food. Packed with spices, beans, and the goodness of sweet potatoes, this dish will leave you feeling nourished and satisfied. Bookmark this one for fall!

6. Tofu Stir-Fry with Brown Rice: A colorful tofu stir-fry is a quick way to get a nutritious meal on the table. Sauté your favorite vegetables, marinated tofu, and a flavorful sauce in a single pan. Serve it over brown rice for an energizing dinner. You can use any protein here if tofu isn't your jam.

7. Coconut Veggie Curry: Create a fragrant coconut veggie curry by simmering a variety of vegetables in a rich coconut milk-based sauce. With an array of textures and flavors, this dish showcases the versatility of plant-based ingredients.

8. Ratatouille with Polenta: Let your pot transform into a canvas for a ratatouille masterpiece. This colorful medley of eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes is served over creamy polenta for a wholesome and satisfying meal.

Want even more inspiration? Check out my offerings in the shop, including my 7-Day Vegan one-pan meal plan. Not even interested in cooking? There's a no-cook summer meal plan with your name on it!

Level Up Your Salad

Salads are one of my favorite meals and ways to pack in nutrients with leafy greens, healthy fats, and plant-based protein.

Here are some ways to level up your #basic salad:

Leafy Greens -

I am not talking about your iceberg wedge salad here. Hard pass - where is the flavor? Bring me spicy arugula, some chard, earthy kale, or even mild spinach. Take your pick but I love to mix/match my greens.

Mix up textures-

Salads don’t have to be raw, that isn’t nourishing in the colder months and gets boring, not to mention can get a bit taxing on your digestion. I love to lightly blanch my greens, or roast and stir fry veggies to add to my raw ingredients, the combo of crunchy raw + softer cooked is more interesting for sure.

Think outside the salad box -

My favorite signature salad often includes things you don’t expect to see in a salad. Roasted Brussel sprouts? Sure! Stir fry cabbage? Yes! Sweet potato chips? Ahuh honey. The only limit to your salad experience is your creativity. Cooking your veggies in spices also ensures your salad has alot of flavor. I love garlic, Trader Joe's Umami & Everything But the Bagel Seasonings.

Follow the rainbow -

How many colors can you get into your salad? Challenge yourself to see how bright you can make it, green, purple, orange, red all belong in your salad. It should be pretty to look at and eat!

Get friendly with fat -

Fat = flavor. Throw some avocado, hemp seeds, nuts and a homemade dressing on it. Do it.

Grains for gains -

If a salad doesn’t usually fill you up, add some whole grains. My favorites are farro & quinoa which both pack some extra proteins so you can keep your #gains.

Perfect Protein -

Your plant-based fat and grain choices will provide a lot of protein to your salad, and news flash = PLANTS HAVE PROTEIN. But if you want to take it one step further, throw some tofu, lentils, or beans on there to really #levelup

Adding flavor, fat, and protein ensure your salad is not just a snack or something that leaves you rummaging around in the cabinet looking for a snack a little later. What are your favorite salad add-ins?

Check out some of my salad recipes here!

#nourishedwaynutrition #levelup #plantbased #tips

Hearty Harvest Salad

I really look forward to fall for the leaves changing, pumpkin everything, and all of the delicious and nutritious foods that are in season during this transition. Or at least that's what I tell myself to cope with the colder, shorter days :)

I love eating salads year round but I don't love just noshing on cold, raw veggies in the winter. There's a reason you crave cooling foods that are high in water in the summer like watermelon and cucumber and warming foods in the winter like soups and certain spices like cinnamon we commonly see in dishes and baked goods. There is also some evidence to show that by eating warming foods, less energy is required to create heat in the digestive tract and thus, leaves more energy for digestion and allows the body to better absorb it's nutrients.

From a nutrition standpoint, this salad achieves balance with a plant based protein (farro), a leafy green (kale), an acid for digestion (vinegar), healthy fats (oil and nuts), warming spices (cinnamon), and seasonal produce (kale, squash and apple). Yay!

This salad comes together easily and can be your main dish or an easy side. Serve this beauty right away or keep in the fridge for a few days. I recommend warming for a tiny bit in the microwave if taking directly out of the fridge (if you're ok with using this, a quick nuke shouldn't affect the nutrients too much) or just letting sit at room temperature for a bit before eating.

Let me know if you make it, and how you like it! Do you enjoy this time of year? What's your favorite squash?

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Hearty Harvest Salad

Prep Time : 10 minutes | Total time : 20 minutes | 4 servings

Ingredients :

1 large bag of pre-washed kale or 2 heads of kale washed and de-stemmed

1/2 large butternut squash

1 honeycrisp or other seasonal apple

3/4 cup farro

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1.5 tablespoons dijon mustard

Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions :

1. Preheat oven to 425. Peel and cube butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces, toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a dash of salt & pepper, and cinnamon. Place in oven for about 20 minutes until cooked and browned, stir once.

2. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil, add farro. Boil for 10 minutes and drain excess water, allow to cool.

3. While squash is cooking, place kale in a large bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and vinegar and begin to massage. Work the oil and vinegar into the leaves for a few minutes until they soften and darken in color.

4. Chop apple into 1/2 inch cubes and toss with kale. Add cooked farro to bowl and toss to combine. Add chopped walnuts.

5. Remove squash from oven, allow to cool slightly and combine with other salad ingredients.

6. Combine remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard and salt & pepper to taste and pour over salad, stir to coat.

7. Enjoy!