Week 1.
Get started with a plant-based diet.
Welcome to Ella Mill’s Plant-Based Challenge, which is kicking-off on World Food Day on October 16. For the next five weeks, we’ll serve up practical tips and tricks to help you put more healthy and tasty plant-based food in your diet.
Tasty tips & tricks for easy plant-based meals.
We have a food culture of all or nothing/on or off a bandwagon, but we know that diets don’t work, so lose the binary thinking – instead, what one new healthy recipe could you try this week?
Batch cooking makes healthy living much easier. Either freeze the leftovers, or just use throughout the week, e.g., a lentil Bolognese with spaghetti one night, in a jacket potato another and mixed with quick steamed veggies a third time.
There is a common concern that getting enough protein will be difficult on a plant-rich diet, but this isn’t the case. Easy sources include beans, legumes, hummus, nuts, nut butters, seeds, tofu, edamame, peas and quinoa.
Ultra-processed vegan food is on the rise, it has its place but it won’t provide the same health benefits, so prioritise bean burgers versus meat alternatives.
Think about increasing your intake of colourful fruits and vegetables, as these increase your vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, which benefit your overall health and wellbeing.
Breakfast
Blueberry breakfast bowl
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What you'll need.
Ingredients (Serves 1)
- 1 banana, frozen
- 1½ tablespoons chia seeds
- 1½ tablespoons porridge oats
- 50g blueberries
- 150ml oat or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
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Blitz in the blender.
Place the banana, chia seeds, porridge oats, ¾ of the blueberries and oat milk in a high speed blender and blitz.
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Grab a bowl and garnish.
Pour into a bowl and top with the peanut butter, the remaining blueberries and sprinkle with pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
Lunch
Creamy kale and tofu salad.
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What you'll need.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 200g medium-firm tofu
- drizzle olive oil
- pinch of sea salt & black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 4 large handfuls curly kale, stalks removed & torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 avocado, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
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Tear and squeeze the tofu.
Using clean hands, tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces. On a clean surface, sandwich the tofu between 2 sheets of kitchen roll. Press down to release as much water as possible. Repeat the process again with more clean, dry kitchen roll. If you have the time, repeat the process again – the more water you release from the tofu, the better it will taste as it will turn perfectly golden and crispy when cooked.
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Into the frying pan.
In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the dried tofu and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so, until golden and crispy all over. Then add the tamari and maple syrup and cook for 1 minute, until the tofu has absorbed some of the flavour. Remove from the heat.
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Prepare the kale salad.
Place the kale into a large bowl. Pour over the olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard and sprinkle with salt. Using clean hands, massage for 2-3 minutes until softened and darkened in colour.
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Layer it into bowls.
Place a bed of kale into each serving bowl, top with avocado, tofu and sunflower seeds; drizzle any extra cooking glaze from the pan on top.
Snack
Apple & almond butter toast
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What you'll need.
Ingredients (Serves 1)
- 1 slice of bread, we love sourdough - you can use your favourite
- 1 apple
- 2 teaspoons of almond butter
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
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Toast and spread.
Place bread in toaster. When it is done spread with almond butter, top with the apple slices and finish with a dusting of cinnamon and drizzle of maple syrup.
Dinner
One-pan quinoa, chickpeas and peas
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What you'll need.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- drizzle olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium white onion, peeled & finely chopped
- small thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled & finely chopped
- pinch sea salt & black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 200g quinoa
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
- 200ml light coconut milk
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 200g tenderstem broccoli
- 150g frozen peas
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Start by softening.
Place a heavy-bottomed casserole dish over medium–high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, ginger and a sprinkle of salt and pepper; cook for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the ground cumin, coriander and turmeric; cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
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Begin adding ingredients.
Add the quinoa and stir to coat. Then add the drained chickpeas, coconut milk, vegetable stock and stir to combine.
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Simmer and cover.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until almost cooked – it will finish cooking once you add the greens.
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Add the broccoli and peas.
After 15 minutes, remove the lid and top the quinoa and chickpeas with the tenderstem broccoli and frozen peas. Lower the heat slightly, cover again and bake for a further 5 minutes. Resist the temptation to remove the lid during this time, so that the vegetables can cook in the steam.
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Serve in bowls.
Once the quinoa is cooked and the vegetables are vibrant green and tender, serve in bowls, drizzled with a little olive oil.
