Best New Recipes I Tried In 2018 | Meatless Meals

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I love cooking meatless meals! No, really, I enjoy the process of making a meal from scratch and tweaking a recipe. Let’s be clear, by no means am I a great chef, nor am I inventive, or even exceptional. Of course, I can still throw down as needed, but I am pretty regular in the kitchen. However, I do enjoy variety so a couple of years ago I went on a quest to find 50 meals that I would not mind making over and over again. Well, I met that goal and they were mostly meaty meals, so when it came to meatless options I continued to find myself looking for new recipes.

Recipe Lover

Contributing to my search for new recipes was a commitment to myself at the beginning of the year to eat less meat. I recognize the issues farming presents for our environment, and I know that eating less meat is a simple way to help save our planet. This means that I needed to experiment more and find tasty meat-free recipes. I wanted to discover recipes that did not use meat substitutes or any foods that are meant to taste just like meat. Instead, I wanted delicious, nutritious meals that did not need meat to satisfy.

I do acknowledge that I could simply eat pasta or turn to the frozen food aisle, and avoid searching for new meals. That route would have been easy, but I did not want to go down that road because I wanted to learn more about cooking without meat. To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about this undertaking because I wasn’t sure whether I would be left hungry, or if I would be relegating myself to just salads. Funny enough, I did eat lots of salad this year, but that is because now I enjoy the salads I make. I actually enjoy eating vegetables much more than I did when the year began, and I find myself eating a wider variety of foods in general now that I stick to eating only 1 lb of meat a week.

The Sources

When I thought about how to find meatless meals, I immediately thought of two options: Pinterest and Youtube. I figured the best way to find tasty meatless recipes was to turn to those who do not eat meat, consequently people who eat a Vegetarian or Vegan diet. Upon entering that internet space, I quickly redefined my parameters and added Tofu, Seitan, and Tempeh (I have yet to enjoy Seitan) to my options. Are these meat substitutes? Only if I use them as such. I realized that I shouldn’t miss out on these soy-based options for protein just because I can use them as a meat substitute. Instead, I think of tofu and tempeh as a source of protein to keep me full and add variety to dishes.

One of the first channels I found on Youtube dedicated to a healthy vegan diet is SweetPotatoSoul. I find her recipes to be the most pleasing for my palette, and I enjoy the fact that she showcases the ingredients with a focus on nutrients to provide that full feeling as an effective way to plan my meals. SweetPotatoSoul.com houses my absolute favorite recipes for veggie burgers. She shares several variations on a black bean burger, but my favorite two are the Black Bean Hemp and Sweet Potato Burgers. The combination of nuts, beans, seeds, and spices truly make these burgers exceptionally good, plus the sweet potato adds just the right amount of sweetness for my sugar craving palette. I also enjoy her sauce recipes and various southern soul food options. Lastly, her formula for perfect salads helps to create a delicious, filling salad that isn’t too heavy yet satiating enough to not snack between meals. 

Another vegan Youtuber I enjoy is Caitlin Shoemaker of From My Bowl. Caitlin taught me how to make baked crispy tofu, and the delicious sauces to accompany a tofu stir fry. I truly enjoy every sauce Caitlin creates, alongside a bowl of soft crispy veggies. I also enjoy her Bliss Balls for a quick easy snack that tastes like a treat. She frequently posts ‘What I Eat’ videos, which give me an idea of how any meal fits into a day and encourages me to choose in-season produce to help plan my meals. Caitlin is also just creative, so I often apply some of her ideas to my meaty meals as well.

The last vegan Youtuber I found is Pick Up Limes, and I enjoy her channel for much more than recipes. Atmospherically, the content Sadia creates is amazing, and her videos are a whole entire vibe. It is from Pickup Limes that I learned how to round out a bowl of oatmeal for optimal nutrition and to keep myself full. For several months of 2018, I ate a Nourish Bowl for lunch Monday thru Friday and was able to create lots of variations based on Sadia’s formula. I also completely subscribe to her Plate Method for a nutritionally balanced meal (both meat and meat-free dishes). 

A side effect of trying lots of meat-free meals was an increase in my desire for a Food Processor. I didn’t need a food processor to create any of the recipes shared, but I realized owning a food processor really would contribute to my options. Black bean burgers come together incredibly quickly, and sauces meld together a little better with a Food Processor. After looking around for a bit, I decided on a Cusinart Food Processor that fits the bill.

Expanding My Diet

On the meaty side of my diet, I pretty much stuck with the recipes I adore and worked to tweak them to move toward perfection. My plan is to continue to enjoy the meals I love that contain meat, and to continue to expand my meatless meal repertoire. I truly think I have a good hold on meatless meals and do not miss eating more meat every week. Plus, I added several new recipes to my arsenal that add variety to the foods I choose to eat. In 2019, I plan to figure out seafood. Yes, I live in Florida and do not practice much variety besides choosing different types of seafood to enjoy. So help a sista out by sharing your favorite seafood dishes and/or recipes you love in the comments box below.