Healthy Vegan Recipes

Inspired by the classic mojito cocktail, this festive and healthy fruit salad gets zing from rum, lime and mint. The optional piment d'Espelette--a sweet, spicy ground pepper from the Basque region of France--adds a hint of heat that's a nice contrast to the sweet fruit. Look for this spice at specialty stores, well-stocked markets or online. You could also swap in chile-lime seasoning blend (such as Tajín) for a similar subtle kick or omit the spice altogether. Feel free to skip the rum if you prefer an alcohol-free salad. With or without the rum, this salad has summertime backyard BBQ written all over it.

Potatoes and beans make this tomato-based crock-pot vegetable stew super-hearty. You could also add briefly sautéed chunks of zucchini or fresh corn kernels just before serving, or add another can of cannellini beans for more substance. A dollop of pesto on top is also super-delicious. Adding homemade garlic croutons is an easy way to elevate this healthy dinner.

Minced olives add a briny flavor to this healthy homemade salad dressing. The dressing keeps for several days in the fridge, so make a big batch to use on your favorite dinner salads and side salads. Try it on a salad with sliced red onion and fresh oranges.

Try this zippy healthy homemade salad dressing on a steak salad with corn and tomatoes.

This healthy homemade salad dressing has just the right amount of sweetness without being cloying. Try it on a salad with fresh strawberries and spinach or arugula.

You can use fresh dill or fennel fronds to make this healthy salad dressing. Serve it over a salad with shaved or sliced fennel for a super-fennel experience. It would also be wonderful with a simple tomato and cucumber salad.

This healthy salad dressing takes just a few minutes to whip together and keeps for several days in the fridge. Try it with spicy greens, such as arugula, or any of your favorite dinner salads.

Simply pour warm aromatic oil over a selection of olives to infuse them with loads of flavor fast. These olives are a wonderful easy party appetizer--add any leftovers to salads or simply snack on them.

Apple adds natural sweetness to this homemade sauce so you can cut down on the amount of added sugar for a delicious dip you can feel good about eating and serving to your kids. Try it on burgers and as a dip for oven-baked fries.

Use up your apple-picking haul in this easy applesauce recipe. All you need are five ingredients (and one of them is water!) and 25 minutes to make the classic, delicious fall favorite. You don't even have to peel the apples! We've seasoned the sauce with pumpkin pie spice, which works beautifully with apples, but feel free to sub in cinnamon or any other fall spice. The sauce makes a great healthy snack and it's also wonderful dolloped on pancakes.

Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, has a sweet, mellow flavor somewhat like sherry (which can be used as a substitute here). Serve this healthy vegetable side dish with steak or chicken or add it to a salad or grain bowl.

This healthy sweet and sour tofu stir-fry is easy to whip together on weeknights. Just be sure to plan ahead so that you can freeze the tofu in advance. It gives the tofu a meatier texture and helps it absorb the sauce.

A hit of Sriracha gives a sweet and spicy edge to this healthy vegetarian recipe. Traditional lo mein is made with fresh lo mein noodles, which can be found in Asian markets. You can also use fresh or dried linguine noodles--fresh linguine is in the refrigerated section of some grocery stores. This easy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes, so it's perfect for weeknights.

Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe.

Parsnips lend a wonderful sweet and nutty flavor to this healthy white bean chili. Using an Instant Pot (or any other pressure cooker) means this hearty chili can be ready in under an hour, but it still tastes like it's simmered away for hours. Pureeing some of the chili gives the stew a nice creaminess, but feel free to skip that step to save time. Garnish the chili with cheese and sour cream for a richer meal, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan.

Serve this rich vegan mushroom gravy with cauliflower steaks, over mashed potatoes or vegetables, with pan-fried tofu or--if you're not a vegetarian or vegan--with turkey or chicken.

Swapping tofu for the bread in these meal-prep Caesar salad bowls bumps up the satiety factor with 18 grams of protein. These crispy tofu croutons originally appeared in Lauren Grant's recipe for Diabetic Living magazine (see Associated Recipes). Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, has flat, dark green-blue leaves--and its tenderness makes it perfect for eating raw, like in this salad.

This creamy strawberry-mango nice cream is a delicious healthy ice cream alternative. It's all fruit, dairy-free, vegan and contains no added sugar. And this three-ingredient dessert is super-fast and easy to prep. Serve it as a snack or light dessert on the hottest days of the summer--or any time you want a refreshing treat.

Get all the tropical flavors you love in a piña colada in this creamy dairy-free dessert. This ice cream alternative gets its sweetness from pineapple and coconut and is just as delicious with or without the optional rum. Either way, it's sure to put you in a beachy state of mind--not bad for a treat that takes just 10 minutes to whip up in your food processor.

Popsicles take a boozy turn with these ginger, lime and vodka ice pops inspired by a classic Moscow Mule cocktail. These simple ice pops have only 47 calories per pop and take just 5 minutes to prep--just remember to stick them in the freezer at least 8 hours before you're ready to serve them.