Elevate Your Weight Loss Journey With Our Top 3 Healthy Vegetarian Recipes
As we celebrate National Vegetarian Week, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore some healthy vegetarian recipes to support your weight loss journey. Incorporating more plant-based meals into your diet can be both nutritious and satisfying. Here are some of our top vegetarian recipes to try that are packed with flavour and essential nutrients.
Healthy Veggie Burgers
Prep Time: Less than 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: Makes 4 burgers
Dietary: Vegetarian
These healthy veggie burgers are simple to make and cost-effective. The burgers can be frozen and cooked directly from frozen as needed!
Ingredients:
- 400g tin chickpeas or beans (drained and rinsed)
- 300g cooked, mashed vegetables (e.g., carrot, squash, sweet potato)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tbsp oil
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Spices (e.g., ground cumin, coriander, paprika)
- Optional: 1 tbsp tahini, breadcrumbs, or crushed crackers for coating
- Low Fat Buns
- Handful of lettuce, tomatoes, finely slices onions.
- 4 tbsp greek yoghurt
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6).
- Mash the chickpeas/beans and mix with mashed vegetables, garlic, and spices.
- Shape into 4 burgers, coating with sesame seeds or breadcrumbs if desired.
- Drizzle oil on a baking tray, place burgers on top, and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning halfway.
- Serve between buns with lettuce, tomatoes, and finely sliced onions and top with greek yoghurt.
Vegetarian Stew
Prep Time: Less than 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Dietary: Vegetarian
This healthy vegetarian stew is a simple and budget-friendly recipe. Perfect for batch cooking, simply divide into individual portions for quick meals!
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small butternut squash, chopped
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 parsnips, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 3 tbsp pesto (optional)
- 350ml hot vegetable stock
- 100g young spinach leaves (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- Optional low fat crusty bread
Method:
- Heat oil in a frying pan, add vegetables, and fry for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a large pot with a lid, sprinkle with flour, and add chopped tomatoes, purée, chilli flakes, pesto, and stock. Stir and cover with lid.
- Leave to cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally (add water if it thickens too much). Stir in the spinach at the end.
- Serve with optional low fat crusty bread for dipping.
Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Prep Time: Less than 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 to 2 hours
Serves: 4
Dietary: Vegetarian
This delicious vegetarian shepherd’s pie uses lentil soup to add bulk and flavour, making it a quick and easy recipe that’s perfect for batch cooking.
Ingredients:
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large brown onion, chopped
- 300g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
- 2 tins lentil soup (400g each)
- 50g tomato purée
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- Fresh rosemary and thyme
- 800g floury potatoes
- 40g unsalted low fat butter
- Splash of milk
- Salt
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas mark 6). Roast the butternut squash for 30-40 minutes.
- In a frying pan, cook the onion until golden, add mushrooms, and then stir in lentil soup, tomato purée, and herbs. Simmer to thicken.
- Boil potatoes until tender, mash with low fat butter and milk, season with salt.
- In a baking dish, combine roasted squash and mushroom mixture. Top with mashed potato and bake for 25-35 minutes until golden.
National Vegetarian Week is the perfect time to explore the benefits of a vegetarian diet. We hope you enjoy making these vegetarian recipes as part of your weight loss journey.