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No one can deny that consuming less meat, especially the intensive farming kind, is a positive habit. If we were to skip eating meat just one day a week, not only is it healthier for you, it’ll help out the planet a whole lot. And what better way to go meatless than on the start of the week, Monday. While you’re out smashing deadlines and meeting quotas, we’ve found delicious and healthy recipes for you to try. And who doesn’t like having Asian food for dinner? Chinese, Cantonese, Indian, Indonesian, we’ve got your back. Here are ten delicious Asian-inspired green recipes to help you eat delicious dinners AND reduce your carbon footprint. Happy Monday!
Vegetarian Pho
Given that pho is eaten for breakfast, it’s sort of like Vietnamese cereal, right? But really though, who is going to deny themselves a delicious bowl of pho at any given hour of the day? Pho (pronounced fuh, not faux) is traditionally made with beef broth but the folks at Vegetarian Times swap that out with vegetable broth instead made with onion, garlic and spices. Throw in noodles, herbs and tofu and you’ve got yourself a delectable dinner.
Photo courtesy of Vegetarian Times
Get The Recipe: Vegetarian Pho
Veggie Tofu Stir Fry
Jazzing up a basic dish like stir fry, our fave Minimalist Baker gives us some helpful hints to avoid cooking soggy tofu (yuck!). After letting the tofu dry, bake it at a high temperature to brown it and then dry it some more. This will allow the bean curd to soak up the delicious sauce you’re cooking in.
Photo courtesy of Minimalist Baker
Get The Recipe: Veggie Tofu Stir Fry
Vegetarian Mee Goreng
A traditional Indonesian noodle dish normally made with meat and shrimp, we love this plant-based Mee Goreng from Oh My Veggies made especially great thanks to the author’s awesome tip: squeeze some lime juice on your noodles before serving to balance out the sweetness from the sauce!
Photo courtesy of Oh My Veggies
Get The Recipe: Mee Goreng with Tofu and Bok Choy
Chinese Chive Frittata
We absolutely love the recipes from The Woks of Life and this Chinese take on Italian frittata is a great way to break up the monotony of noodles or tofu. PSA: garlic chives are easy to find at any wet market or grocery store around the city, and they are super crunchy and delicious. Quick, easy, and ho fai, pair it with some rice and you’re good to go.
Photo courtesy of The Woks of Life
Get The Recipe: Chinese Chive Frittata
Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
Cookie and Kate makes this awesome vegetarian dish, combining caramelized brussel sprouts with extra crispy tofu and brown rice, smothered with an amazing sweet-and-spicy glaze for a perfect weeknight meal.
Photo courtesy of Cookie and Kate
Get The Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze
General Tso’s Tofu
General Tso’s chicken gets a lot of love from menu takeouts, but this sweet, piquant meatless version from the folks at The Kitchn will win hearts. Just substitute tofu, throw in veggies and stir fry with some sauces (and a touch of ketchup!) and you’ll see!
Photo courtesy of The Kitchn
Get The Recipe: General Tso’s Tofu
Chickpeas in Turmeric and Peanut Butter Curry
We are loving this Indian curry from Vegan Richa’s vast vegan recipe index. Switch things up with a peanut or almond butter sauce with Indian spices, seasonal veggies and turmeric, and you have yourself some lush curry teeming with freshness and flavor.
Photo courtesy of Vegan Richa
Get The Recipe: Chickpeas in Turmeric and Peanut Butter Curry
Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice with Crispy Ginger
This simple recipe of rice and shiitake mushrooms is a popular East Asian dish but we love how Season and Spice uses fresh ginger cut into thin matchsticks and then fried to add as a garnish. The oil from the ginger is then used to flavor the entire dish. Paging our childhood!
Photo courtesy of Season and Spice
Get The Recipe: Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice with Crispy Ginger
Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
Not gonna lie, sweet and sour pork is our guilty pleasure. Arguably the most well-known Chinese recipe in the world, we are all about The Veg Life’s vegan take on this classic dish using a vegan version of buttermilk (almond milk + vinegar). This is a must-try!
Photo courtesy of The Veg Life
Get The Recipe: Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
Quinoa Fried Rice
This gorgeous dish packs quite a healthy punch – in addition to being gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian, all the ingredients used from Girl Makes Food are a great source of magnesium, namely soybeans, spinach and quinoa.
Photo courtesy of Girl Makes Food
Get The Recipe: Quinoa Fried Rice
Lead image courtesy of Vegetarian Times.
