And now, our top whole food plant based recipes
Let’s get to the recipes! Here are some recipes we recommend for starting out with a WFPB diet, from main courses to whole food plant based breakfast and snacks. Turns out, a plant based diet includes some of the most delicious, satisfying and fun recipes out there! Here’s a bit more on what a WFPB diet is, how to transition, and some of our favorite recipes for getting started.
Whole food: Whole foods are minimally processed foods like vegetables and whole grains. Refined flours, sugars, and processed foods are not whole foods. Plant based: Plant based is eating foods that are mainly derived from plants and not animal products.
So, a whole food plant based diet is a diet that focuses on fresh, minimally processed foods that are mainly made of plants. It’s more of a healthy lifestyle than a strict diet. According to various sources including Harvard Medical School, a plant based diet has the flexibility to include some animal products. The focus is that it’s mainly plants, not that it’s strictly vegan in avoiding all animal products.
Fresh fruits and vegetables Whole grains like rice, quinoa, farro, and bulgur wheat (instead of pastas and breads, though they are fine in moderation) Plant based proteins like legumes, nuts, seeds, and tofu (instead of processed meats and plant-based meats) Healthy fats like olive oil Minimal sugar
Decide what’s right for you. Figure out how to make your diet sustainable. Alex and I eat about 90% vegetarian and vegan, and eat sustainable seafood or meat on occasion. We also eat about 90 to 95% whole foods, leaving room for occasional treats. Decide the percentages that are right for you. Start small. Find one or two of the recipes below that seem interesting, and make them to see if you like them. If not, move onto new ones! Stay on the path. It’s all about small steps. Don’t feel like you have to make a major change overnight. If you don’t find recipes you like at first, don’t worry! This is process; stay the course. Find a buddy. Some of our best advice for making a diet change is to find someone to hold you accountable! Alex and I transitioned to a mostly whole food plant based diet over a few months by doing it together. If you don’t have a spouse or life partner who is interested, find a friend who you can share recipes with.
