For most people, vegetarian food means boring, bland and tasteless food. When we ask someone to think of vegetarian food; all they can picture is a sad looking salad. It is such a misunderstood subject that we felt compelled to create a recipe guide which would absolutely shatter all these false assumptions that have been created against vegetarian food. Vegetarian food could not only be much more than just veggies, but equally as rich and fingerlickin’ good (yes, that was a KFC reference) as any non vegetarian food is. These recipes are going to provide you with lunch bowls ideas that range from being dense in protein, to creamy meals that are going to satiate you for the day. You want to fix a quick lunch that keeps you going through the rest of the day, this is the stop for you so hop on and thank us later!

Protein Loaded Vegetarian Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups cooked chickpeas, divided
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 13 oz potatoes, diced into wedges
• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 large beetroot, peeled and chopped
• ¾ medium cauliflower, chopped into florets
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• Pinch of sea salt flakes
• 12 oz silken tofu (about 350 gm)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup/agave
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh dill
• 2.5 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp black sesame seeds
• Pinch of fresh ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. After gathering all the ingredients, preheat the oven to 400°F (or 204.44°C) using the fan assist mode.
2. Lay parchment paper on a large empty baking tray to prepare the potatoes first.
3. Combine most of the spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, chili powder and salt in a small bowl.
4. Add half of the olive oil and half of the prepared spice mixture to the diced potatoes. After uniformly distributing the potatoes on the tray, bake them for 20 minutes on the top rack.
5. Prepare the beetroot by lining a smaller dish with parchment paper while the potatoes bake. Peel and slice the beets into small pieces, then arrange on the tray.
6. Place this tray on the middle rack in the oven and broil for about 30 minutes.
7. Once that is done, remove this tray from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
8. Add one cup of chickpeas along with the cauliflower florets, with the remaining olive oil and spice mixture in that same bowl of the potatoes.
9. Place this mixture on the potato tray and return to the oven.
10. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, till the chickpeas are crunchy and the veggies are golden.
11. In a high-speed blender, combine roasted beetroot, silken tofu, remaining ½ cup chickpeas, lime juice, maple syrup/agave, minced garlic, and salt. Blitz until smooth.
12. Pour the sauce into serving dishes. Top it with roasted potatoes, chickpeas, and cauliflower. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions, fresh dill, pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Relish your protein loaded bowl of deliciousness.

Loaded Almond, Tofu and Quinoa Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm tofu, drained
• ¾ cup cabbage, shredded
• ¾ cup red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup sweet corn, boiled
• 1 ½ medium carrot - peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 3 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 cup uncooked quinoa)
• ⅓ cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp maple syrup/agave
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ⅓ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp red chili flakes
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 2 tsp hemp seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, or 350°F. Prep a baking sheet with greased parchment. Place it aside for some time.
2. Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to the directions given on the package.
3. After putting the tofu on a plate and wrapping it in absorbent kitchen paper, add a substantial weight on top of it, such as the back of a small pan or any hardcover book. Wait for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the tofu marinade by whisking together sesame oil, cornstarch, garlic powder, and ginger.
5. Divide the drained tofu into cubes and put them in a bowl with the marinade. Mix to coat the tofu. Set aside for 10 minutes.
6. Avoid touching the tofu cubes as you arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning them halfway through, or until they are golden and crispy.
7. Meanwhile, finely chop the cabbage, red bell pepper, and carrots. Keep aside.
8. Boil the corn along with that.
9. Combine all the ingredients for the almond butter dressing in a non-stick saucepan. Then set it to low-medium heat and keep whisking for it to mix. Cook it till it is slightly thickened.
10. Mix the baked tofu cubes into the creamy sauce.
11. To assemble the bowls, place ¾ cup cooked quinoa in the bottom of each bowl, followed by an equal amount of tofu and raw veggies.
12. To add more crunch and protein, sprinkle the hemp and sesame seeds on top (optional).

Citrus Roasted Veggie & Hummus Bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup diced zucchini (1-inch)
• 1 ½ tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup hummus
• 3 lemon wedges
• 1 small avocado
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano/Italian seasoning
• Pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. In case you would like to make the hummus if it is not available to you at the time, here is the recipe (otherwise, feel free to skip to step 2 if you have it at hand): Take one can of chickpeas that would be of 15 ounces or so. Then, make sure to drain the chickpeas and reserve some (about ¼ cup) of the liquid before draining them. Now add the drained chickpeas and the liquid that you have reserved to a food processor or high-speed blender. Combine some lime juice, tahini, garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, olive oil and salt to that blender/food processor. Blitz for about 2 to 3 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy texture.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F to 218°C before you delve into seasoning and chopping.
3. Take a rimmed baking tray and spread the cauliflower florets, broccoli florets, and the cloves of garlic on it. Season these veggies with salt and pepper. Also, drizzle some oil and give them a good toss so that everything is coated nicely. Roast these veggies for about 10 minutes.
4. Now, add in the bell pepper and the zucchini to the baking tray. Roast for another good 10 to 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are slightly on the tender side. They should also be lightly golden in colour.
5. Grate some lime zest over these roasted vegetables and set them aside to cool for 2-3 minutes before arranging them in the bowls.
6. Split the roasted vegetables into four single-serving containers.
7. Top with half a cup of quinoa and a quarter cup of hummus, followed by a lemon slice in each bowl.
8. Serve by squeezing the lemon wedge over the bowl and adding the diced fourth of an avocado on top. Enjoy this tangy and healthy vegetarian bowl for lunch!