Easy Plant Based Recipes to Make This Summer

By Sarah Kurtanich

Looking for a simple and healthy dinner to make this summer? Try these two easy plant based recipes — Portobello Taco Bowls and Sweet Potato and Black Bean Sliders!

Plant-based is a word being thrown around a lot lately. Have you heard it and thought, “that’s just another diet” or “I could never do that, I don’t want to go vegan?” Set your mind at ease. Plant-based simply means choosing to get more of your food from whole-food, plant sources. It does not mean you don’t ever eat meat or dairy.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most popular plant-based diets. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, depression, metabolic syndrome and other conditions. And, if there was ever a time to work towards adding more plants into your diet, summer is it! The plethora of produce available makes for easy access and you get the full delicious effect of eating things in season.

These two easy plant based recipes are great separately, but served together they make a delicious meal.

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Portobello Taco Bowls

This is a very scalable recipe, if serving as part of an appetizer spread or multi-dish meal, I’d recommend one portobello mushroom per person. It’s also highly adaptable. The mushroom/refried beans/sour cream are really the only things I’d say you must have, after that you can (and should) have fun with your toppings.

Portobello Mushroom Caps (1 Per Person)
Refried Beans (2 Tbsp Per Taco Bowl)
Dairy-Free Sour Cream (2 Tbsp Per Taco Bowl)
Taco Seasoning
Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
Diced Tomatoes
Vegan “Cheese” Of Choice
Tortilla Chips To Crumble On Top For A Little Crunch

Get started by cooking the portobello mushroom caps. You’ll first need to preheat a grill pan to medium heat. Next, liberally brush both sides of the portobello mushroom caps with olive oil or avocado oil and then sprinkle with some taco seasoning. When the pan is hot, cook the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes on the first side. Once you’ve got some good grill marks, flip the mushrooms and add a few tablespoons of water to the pan. Cook for about 5 more minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and allow to cool.

While the mushrooms are cooling, put a cup of sour cream in a bowl. Add a few tablespoons of taco seasonings. Taste and adjust, adding more seasoning if you want until it’s seasoned to your preference.

Layer the mushrooms with about 2 tbsp each of refried beans and seasoned sour cream then add the rest of your desired toppings. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato And Black Bean Sliders

Do you have an easy plant-based burger recipe to rely on in the summer? There are a lot of ready-to-cook veggie burger options out there, but they can be pricey and the ingredient list can be outrageously long. These sweet potato sliders are easy to make ahead of time. Plus, they’re very budget friendly.

1 1/2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Cooked
1 Cup Cooked Black Beans
1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Chopped Red Onion
1/8 Cup Fresh Basil
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
3 Tbsp Almond Flour
8+ Soft Slider Buns

First, mash your sweet potato in a large bowl and set aside. Next, in a food processor or high-power blender, add the black beans, brown rice, red onion, basil, and seasonings. Process or blend sweet potato. Add the almond flour and stir until everything is well incorporated.

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Using a 1/4 or 1/3 cup, measure out burger batter and then shape into patties on the parchment paper. The size cup you use will determine how many sliders you make. With a 1/3 cup, you should be able to make approximately nine slider patties.

Place the burger patties in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375° F and bake the burgers for 30 minutes. Allow to cool a little before stacking them on a soft slider bun with your toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Pro Tip: To keep things gluten free, swap out the buns for large lettuce leaves for wrapping.

Toppings to Try

Lettuce / leafy greens
Sliced tomato
Thinly sliced red onion
Sauerkraut
Avocado
Pickles or pickled veggies
BBQ sauce
Anything else you want!

This article originally appear in our Summer 2021 issue — The Eco Issue.

Sarah Kurtanich

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Sarah Kurtanich is a Fertility Awareness Practitioner and Health Coach on a mission to help shift how menstrators move through the world. Previously, she has served as the Chief Eating Officer at Taste Frederick Food Tours, the co-host of The Mustache Mesa podcast, and a Wild Woman Project Circle Leader. She believes in enjoying your food, taking care of yourself and doing things that make you feel good. She and her husband call Frederick, Maryland their home with their daughter and golden retriever.