How are you celebrating Earth Day? Planting trees? Recycling party? Picking up trash on the side of the street? How about with food that’s delicious and sustainable? Many people don’t realize it, but of all the choices they make daily, the one that perhaps has the largest impact on the planet starts on their plates.
Animal agriculture is at the core of our current environmental crisis. Over 50 percent of the world’s arable land resources are dedicated to grazing livestock or growing their feed. In addition, this destructive industry uses a majority of our freshwater supplies, all while driving deforestation and emitting an enormous amount of air and water Pollution. The UN estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for around 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while the Worldwatch Institute estimates it could be as high as 51 percent. And despite all this, 850 million people still suffer from food scarcity. The fact is, our food system is broken.
This all might seem incredibly daunting, but the good news is all it takes to reduce this massive impact is some delicious plant-based food. Yes, delicious food can save the world.
“The real war against Climate change is being fought on our plates, multiple times a day with every food choice we make,” says Preeta Sinha, Founder of One Green Planet, “By choosing to eat more plant-based foods, we can drastically cut our carbon footprint, save precious water supplies, help ensure that vital crop resources are fed to people, rather than livestock and give thousands of species a fighting chance for survival. We have the potential to make an enormous positive impact by just changing the way we eat.”
Since One Green Planet is the site with the largest vegan recipe database, eating for the planet has never been easier or more delicious. We have recipes for every food you could ever want, from macaroni and cheese to meaty burgers, and pizzas that you thought existed only in your dreams.
We have only one planet, so this Earth Day, try one of these 10 recipes from the Food Monster App that are both sustainable and delicious.
We also highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy!
1. Barbecue Pulled Jackfruit Bowl
Source: Barbecue Jackfruit Bowl
Jackfruit is a giant tropical fruit that’s a relative of mulberries. It’s still relatively new to us, but in East Asia, it’s been around for several years as a substitute for meat in dishes due to its meaty, pull-apart texture. The jackfruit in Cassidy Payne‘s Barbecue Jackfruit Bowl is served on a bed of rice, with tender, cooked broccoli and a crunchy peanut cabbage slaw. The coleslaw sauce is packed with an infusion of peanuts, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice for a beautiful balance of flavors that are complementary to the jackfruit. The meaty jackfruit has a slightly chewy, yet tender texture, like pulled pork.
2. Black Bean and Beet Burgers
Source: Beet and Black Bean Burgers
Forget beef and get ready for warmer weather with these hearty Beet and Black Bean Burgers by Veronica and Amy Pearce! Beets give them their gorgeous pink color and earthy flavor while freshly cooked black beans add a meaty texture. Serve these topped with sprouts, fried onion, and mushrooms with sweet potato fries on the side.
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3. Easy Smoked Tofu Fajitas
Source: Easy Smoked Tofu Fajitas
Typically, fajitas refer to any kind of grilled meat in Tex-Mex cuisine. But, you know what they say — it’s all about the seasoning and we can recreate the flavors we’ve come to love with plant-based foods. In Florian Nouh‘s Easy Smoked Tofu Fajitas, tofu is covered in the marinated in a savory sauce and baked until crisp on the outside. Once the onions and peppers are chopped and ready, the whole dish comes together in one fell swoop. This colorful dish is crunchy, fresh, and smokey-tasting. Plus, if the weather is nice, all the components can be grilled outside!
4. Baked Herb-Crusted Cashew-Almond Cheese
Source: Baked Herb-Crusted Cashew-Almond Cheese
You better believe that cheese isn’t off the table when you cut dairy out of your life. We can make cheese from nuts and seeds, or we can make cheese sauces from beans and vegetables. If you’re looking for something decadent to snack on, then Meredith Youngson‘s recipe for Baked Herb-Crusted Cashew-Almond Cheese is top-notch. Lemon juice combined with nutritional yeast gives it a tangy, “authentic” flavor that’s just begging to be served with sweet, fruity flavors. You can even alternate what flavors you serve this cashew-almond cheese with, so experiment to your heart’s delight! The base of this cheese would also pair beautifully with dried cranberries, figs, and sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Lentil Veggie Loaf
Source: Lentil Veggie Loaf
If you’re looking for an effortless meal that doesn’t disappoint, then you have to make Gabrielle St. Claire‘s Lentil Veggie Loaf. What makes this meaty dish so wonderful is not only its heartiness but also its versatility. You can pack it with whatever vegetables you want and still achieve something delicious. It’s topped with a spicy homemade barbecue sauce for extra flavor.
6. Fish-Style Parsnip Fillets
Source: Fish-Style Parsnip Fillets
You won’t even miss seafood when you make Trine Rask‘s Fish-Style Parsnip Fillets! Parsnip and fish may not have much in common, but it’s what you do with seasoning that counts. Lemon pepper, bread crumbs, oil, remoulade, lemon juice, and dill is what takes this humble vegetable to the next level.
7. Cauliflower Steak Sandwich With Romesco Sauce
Source: Cauliflower Steak Sandwiches
Garlicky cauliflower is smothered in tangy Romesco tomato sauce and topped with a dollop of creamy coleslaw in Aysegul Sanford‘s Cauliflower Steak Sandwiches. To say that they’re hearty and flavorful would be an understatement. We guarantee you’ll have one of those moments where you’re so satisfied and full, but are dying to go back in time just so you can relive eating this sandwich. Try it and you’ll see this is not a dramatization.
8. Creamy ChocolateTurtle Squares
Source: Creamy Chocolate Turtle Squares
Margaux Morton‘s silky, Creamy Chocolate Turtle Squares are the perfect balance of refreshing matcha and sweet, creamy chocolate. Chickpeas give these treats their soft texture, while the dates provide their rich flavor. Enjoy these with a cold glass of almond milk.
9. Roasted Strawberry Milk Ice Cream
Source: Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream
If there’s one device that people hardly regret buying it’s an ice cream maker. Once you’ve entered an era of being able to know exactly what’s in your ice cream, down to the last ingredient, it’s hard to go back to store-bought pints. This Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream by Courtney West has a coconut milk base and is creamy, sweet, and studded with flavorful strawberries. Enjoy it on your favorite pie with a dollop of coconut whipped cream.
10. Raw Baklava Cheesecake
Source: Raw Baklava Cheesecake
Inspired by the famous dessert from the Ottoman Empire, Dani Venn‘s smooth, creamy Raw Baklava Cheesecake sits on a crunchy, cinnamon-spiced crust. The best part about this cake is that, even though it’s one of the most impressive things you’ll ever taste or see, it’s incredibly easy to make. You need only use your food processor twice — once for the crust and again for the base.
How are you celebrating Earth Day? Tell us in the comments!
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Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help withchronic inflammation,heart health,mental wellbeing,fitness goals,nutritional needs,allergies,gut health,andmore!Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, includingacne,hormonal imbalance,cancer,prostate cancerand has manyside effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading theFood Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmentalandhealth benefitsof aplant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
- Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
- Plant-Based Health Resources
- Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
- The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
- Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
- High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
- Plant-Based Meal Prep
Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
- Eat Less Meat:DownloadFood Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of ourfavorite vegan cookbooks.
- Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint:Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands likeTiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
- Support Independent Media:Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please considersupporting usby donating!
- Sign a Petition:Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list ofmust-sign petitionsto help people, animals, and the planet.
- Stay Informed:Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing toour newsletter!
- Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!
