12 Healthy vegetarian recipes for weight loss

Vegetarianism for weight loss

Going veggie isn’t just great for the planet. Research has shown that it’s good for you too.

Adopting a vegetarian diet requires you to cut out red and processed meats, which are associated with a higher risk of colorectal and cardiovascular disease, as well as overall mortality.(1)

It encourages you to include more fruit and vegetables in your diet, which - as we all know - is one of the best things you can do for your health.

What’s more, it may even help with weight loss. A meta-analysis by the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that vegetarian diets appeared to have significant benefits for those trying to shed a few pounds.(2)

All this to say: if you want to lose weight for health reasons, seeking out healthy vegetarian recipes for weight loss is one of the best approaches you can take.

Here, we’ve gathered a few of our favourites for you to explore. We’ve chosen them based on a few criteria.

All our veggie recipes:

• Are plant-based
• Contain ingredients specially selected to support your health and wellbeing
• Taste delicious and are a joy to eat
• Are satisfying and won’t leave you tempted to raid the snack cupboard at 10pm!

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at our top healthy vegetarian recipes for weight loss.

Tempeh bolognese

Calories per serving: 241 kcal

Just because you’re not eating meat anymore doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this classic pasta dish. Our version is made with tempeh, a fermented soy product similar to tofu. It has a firm texture with plenty of bite, making it an excellent option to replace minced beef.

Meanwhile, the pasta sauce has all the sun-ripened Italian flavours of the original. Crushed tomatoes and garlic transport you to the Mediterranean, while thyme and bay supply the herbal notes.

We like to serve this with courgetti when we feel like a light meal. However, when we’re looking for something more substantial, we pile it on top of a bowl of freshly cooked wholewheat spaghetti. Filling, delicious and packed with flavour!

TEMPEH BOLOGNESE RECIPE

Vegan poke bowl

Calories per serving: 480 kcal

Moving over from Italy to Hawaii, we find our tasty vegan poke bowl. Poke is traditionally made with freshly-caught fish, but its explosion in popularity all over the world has led to new versions popping up. Among these is vegan poke, which takes inspiration from the flavours of the original without any need for fish.

Here, tofu acts as your protein while mango adds a tropical flavour. Avocado, carrot and cucumber supply plenty of antioxidants and fibre. However the star of the show is our addictive poke dressing, made with soy, sriracha, apple cider vinegar and honey.

We freely admit to doubling up the dressing recipe so we can drizzle this over just about everything we eat the following day.

Serve with wholewheat soba noodles for a satisfying texture and plenty of fibre to keep you full.

POKE BOWL RECIPE

Vegan bean chilli recipe

Calories per serving: 185 kcal

This dish is a perfect winter warmer for cold days. It’s packed to the brim with healthy veg such as peppers, leeks and carrot, with kidney beans to provide protein and fibre.

We love making a big batch of this and serving to family and friends on wintry evenings. Serve with a scoop of brown rice and top with vegan soured cream or yoghurt.

Alternatively, try eating alongside a pack of our Rosemary Sweet Potato activated crackers. They are made with raw activated seeds rather than wheat and water, making every mouthful super nutritious.

VEGAN BEAN CHILLI RECIPE

Mushroom burger with tahini mayo

Calories per serving: 385 kcal

If hamburgers were your vice of choice before going veggie, good news: our mushroom burger is here to help you forget why you ever ate meat!

Unlike other mushroom burgers (loosely titled, as they are simply a portobello mushroom served in a bun), our patty is made with a combination of sautéed mushrooms, rice, red lentils, peppers and amaranth flour to bind it together.

As a result, it has a tender, toothsome texture that we find positively irresistible.

Any good burger is only as good as its toppings, and we like to serve ours with quick pickled pink onions and a divine tahini mayo. Add sweet potato wedges on the side if you’re feeling very hungry.

MUSHROOM BURGER RECIPE

Red lentil dal

Calories per serving: 245 kcal

As comfort foods go, dal is pretty hard to beat. Filling and satisfying, its creamy texture comes from red lentils which soften and break down as they cook. Add in comforting spices like earthy cumin and turmeric and you have a quick throw-together weeknight meal that is hard to beat.

The classic accompaniment for dal is rice. Indeed, rice and lentils is a beloved Ayurvedic combination which is thought to nourish all three doshas (life forces). As a result, dal is also the perfect food to eat if you’re feeling a bit under the weather and in need of some all-round nourishment.

However, if you fancy something different or perhaps a bit lighter, we love to serve our dal with our Organic Indian Spiced Crackers. They’re flavoured with garam masala, a classic spice blend featuring cumin, coriander and turmeric. Use them to scoop and dip into your dal for a delicious light meal.

RED LENTIL DAL RECIPE

Baked falafel

Calories per serving: 67 kcal

Falafel, with its warming spices and delicious texture - crisp on the outside, soft on the inside - is one of our favourite snacks. However, the traditional recipes tend to call for these delicious little chickpea patties to be deep fried. This seriously increases their caloric content and the amount of unhealthy fats per portion.

Our version is baked, not fried, meaning you can enjoy all the health benefits of the patty ingredients with none of the unwanted fat.

Falafel is made with chickpeas and spices such as garlic, cumin and black pepper, but we also like to sneak in extra veg such as carrots and courgettes. Extra fibre and antioxidants with minimum effort!

That said, our favourite thing about our baked falafel is the ingenious (if we do say so ourselves) addition of our Organic Hemp Seed Powder.

It’s high in plant-based protein and is a brilliant way to turn this tasty snack into a post-workout recovery meal.

Pile into a wholemeal pitta with some vegan yoghurt and plenty of crisp salad for a delicious lunch or dinner.

BAKED FALAFEL RECIPE

Summer rolls with bergamot dressing

Calories per serving: 200 kcal

If you’re looking for a light meal or an alternative to your usual lunchtime sandwich, look no further. These vegan summer rolls are light, refreshing and utterly delicious.

Pack your rice paper rolls with crunchy raw vegetables, fresh plum and crushed almonds and dip into our unique soy and bergamot dipping sauce.

If you haven't come across it before, bergamot has a sharp citrus flavour similar to bitter orange or grapefruit. It’s energising and refreshing; perfect to dip our summer rolls into just before eating.

SUMMER ROLLS RECIPE