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To inspire you to start to incorporate vegetarian meals into your weekly cooking routine, today’s Diet & Nutrition Guide shares a few tasty and healthy vegetarian recipes that will tantalize your tastebuds.

Adding vegetables to dishes helps to fill you up (since they’re high in fiber), in addition to providing essential vitamins and nutrients that detox your skin and body. To show you that healthy vegetarian recipes can taste great, in addition to being good for you, here are 3 recipes that you’ll enjoy.

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes That Help Detox Your Skin and Body

If you think that healthy vegetarian recipes are boring, think again! By incorporating a variety of flavorful, nutrient-rich vegetables into your meals not only helps to promote wellness (as it supports your immune system), it also helps to detox your body and skin. Plus, veggies offer a range of flavors, colors, and textures, which bring dishes to life. 

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes - Honey Balsamic Brussels

In recent years, Brussels sprouts have become one of the most popular vegetables to cook with, and for good reason – when cooked properly, they’re delicious! While most recipes often include bacon, Chef Nate Weir (Director of Culinary for the restaurant chain, Modern Market Eatery) shares his healthy vegetarian version of this fan favorite veggie dish.

Healthy Vegetarian Recipe: Honey Balsamic Brussels

[Makes about 6 portions.]

Ingredients:

  • Honey 3 Tbs 
  • Balsamic Vinegar 1½ Tbs
  • Walnuts shelled ½ cup 
  • Brussels Sprouts 2 lbs 
  • Olive Oil 1 Tbs 
  • Salt, kosher to taste, about 1 Tsp 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. While oven is heating, fill a pot with 4 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. 
  2. Prepare sprouts by removing the woody stem end, then cutting in half. Discard any loose leaves. Rinse well in a colander and allow to drain. 
  3. Spread walnuts on a baking tray in a single layer. Once the oven is hot, cook walnuts until they are golden brown and smell toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove tray from oven and set aside to cool. 
  4. Add cut and washed Brussels sprouts to boiling water. Cook for 4 minutes, then drain in a colander. Immediately spread out in a single layer on another baking tray, and allow them to cool to room temp, about 30 minutes. This step lets moisture steam away from the blanched sprouts, which will help them roast. 
  5. While sprouts are cooling, roughly chop the toasted walnuts into smaller pieces. Whisk together honey and balsamic vinegar to make a thick, smooth glaze. At this point, all ingredients can be saved and cooked as much as 3 days later, if desired. 
  6. When ready to serve, preheat oven broiler. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil. Toss sprouts with 1 TBS olive oil, then spread onto a tray in a single layer. Roast in a hot oven under the broiler, shaking the tray occasionally, until sprouts are fully hot, toasted, and starting to char. The sprouts should have some dark, almost burnt leaves. 
  7. Remove roasted sprouts from the oven. Pour honey glaze over top, then toss to coat with glaze. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a serving dish, and top with toasted walnuts. 

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes - Lentil Pilaf

This next healthy vegetarian recipe comes courtesy of celebrity Chef Kevin Templeton, the executive chef of three local restaurants in San Diego: barleymash, The Smoking Gun and Spill the Beans. Just in case you didn’t know, Kevin has appeared on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and countless local TV programs – so you could say, he knows a thing or two about how to whip up delicious recipes. 

As a great substitute for rice or pasta, hearty lentils are renowned for their health benefits, in addition to being full of flavor. That’s why it’s a wonderful base for a vegetarian pilaf. 

Healthy Vegetarian Recipe: Lentil Pilaf

[Serves 3]

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp. coconut oil (divided) 
  • 3 tbsp. minced shallots 
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
  • 1 cup lentils, any color 
  • ¼ cup chopped cauliflower 
  • ¼ cup chopped carrots 
  • ¼ cup chopped onions 
  • ¼ cup chopped celery 
  • Salt and pepper, for taste 

Instructions:

  1. Heat 1 tbsp. coconut oil in a saucepan and stir in shallots. Sauté shallots until they are a nice golden brown (about 10 minutes).
  2. Add stock (chicken or veggie) and bring to a boil. 
  3. Stir in lentils and reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until lentils are tender but not too soft. Be aware: Different types of lentils take less or more time to cook. 
  4. Drain excess liquid and set aside. 
  5. Heat remaining 2 tbsp. coconut oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Stir in cauliflower, carrots, onions, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. 
  6. Add lentils and sauté for 2 more minutes. 
  7. Season with salt and pepper. 

Healthy Vegetarian Recipes - Sweet Potato Pudding

Since I’m often whipping up healthy vegetarian recipes at home, one of my favorite vegetarian desserts that I’ve come up with not only tastes incredible, but it’s also great for our skin. Chock full of Vitamin A, sweet potatoes are one of the best foods to eat for clear, radiant skin. Plus, they’re naturally sweet, so they make for an excellent dessert.

Healthy Vegetarian Recipe – Sweet Potato Pudding

[Makes 4 small servings]

Ingredients:

  • 1 large can of sweet potatoes
  • ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
  • ½ cup toasted shredded coconut
  • 2 tbsp. avocado oil
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • dash of sea salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mash up the sweet potatoes until they form a pudding consistency.
  3. Mix in the avocado oil, ground cinnamon, and a dash of sea salt. Stir ingredients together.
  4. Grease the bottom of a baking pan with a small amount of avocado oil. Scoop mixture into a baking pan.
  5. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and shredded coconut on top.
  6. Bake for 40-minutes until the top turns golden brown. Scoop into small bowls and serve hot.

For more inspiring recipes, check out the Diet & Nutrition section on I&C.


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