I have been trying to commit the family to Meatless Monday dinners for the past few months. I wouldn’t say it is a struggle, but I also wouldn’t say everyone is 100% on board to plant-based proteins.

We’re creatures of habit. And our habits, or go-tos, are beef, chicken or fish with a veg and a starch most meals. It’s easy, I can knock them off quickly and I don’t deal with a lot of eye-rolling. But easy isn’t always best and I finally came to the realization, that I don’t care if my husband and kids LOVE everything I make. They don’t even need to like it. I really believe it’s healthier for us and for the planet to eat more vegan and vegetarian meals. So there.

But where to begin? I mean, there is just SO much available online: recipes, video tutorials and blogs, you have a world of recipes at your finger tips. It’s great, but it can be also really overwhelming.

I scour the Internet (and magazines and cookbook) regulalry for recipes to use at home and for classes and workshops. Here are my favourite sources:

All you need is a blender, some water and a cauliflower and voila! You have cauliflower rice. I sauteed this with onions, cumin, turmeric and garlic, added white kidney beans for protein and topped with cilantro and spring onions. Delicious, vegan dinner ready in less than 20 minutes. Did they love it? Nope. But they ate it and it did not kill them.

My Go-To Sites for Vegan and Vegetarian Meals

• The Minimalist Baker— excellent source for vegan recipes and the recipes are well written and really tasty one pot meals made in under 30 minutes
• The Spruce Eats — not strictly vegan recipes (but they have a lot), recipes are well written
• Food 52 — massive library of recipes and the reviews and notes help a tonne
• Cookie and Kate — great recipes (vegetarian and vegan) and have recipes easily sorted through cuisines and dietary restrictions

And in recipes that have been a genuine hit at home are these grillable vegan burgers and vegan burrito bowls (you have to substitute vegan cheese to make this one vegan).

And, as always, if your kids really don’t like it, encourage them to make a dinner they will like!

Adios,

Lisa