February 24, 2017 · Written by Foodtolive Team
4 Best Healthy Vegan Recipes for Surprise Guests
Are you having unexpected guests drop by right in time for dinner? This happens to everyone at times, and it’s natural to want to impress them even when the visit wasn’t planned. We would gladly share our collection of the best healthy vegan recipes that can be cooked fast. These dishes are simple, yet exotic and flavorful. Most importantly, they contain ingredients that usually can be found in a vegan’s fridge and pantry.
Remember that no recipe is set in stone (unless it has to do with baking) so you might change the ingredients a bit to make the dish suit your personal tastes.
Best Healthy Vegan Recipes to Make in 30 Minutes
Peanut Butter Tofu
This tofu is spicy, tasty, and goes well with any sauce. The dish is low-carb and gluten-free, so it everyone can enjoy it.
Ingredients:
- 16 oz extra firm tofu
- 2-3 garlic cloves (or to taste, diced)
- 5-7 inches of ginger root (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
Ingredients for Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Sriracha Rooster Sauce to taste
Instructions:
- Drain the tofu and dry the pieces further using paper towels. Cut the tofu into 1-inch strips.
- Mix and whisk together ingredients for the sauce.
- Brown the garlic and ginger root on peanut oil. Then remove them carefully, placing the tofu pieces into the now fragrant oil. Turn over often so that they are equally browned on all sides. Cook for about 7 minutes.
- Add the sauce to the pan with tofu and cook for a few minutes. Take off the heat when the sauce starts to turn thick. Be careful not to overcook.
Eggplant Sandwich with Pesto
If you have any eggplants and other veggies lying around, this would be a magnificent choice of a dish. It can’t fail to impress your guests and you can show off your personal culinary talents by getting creative with the toppings and spices. The best thing is that it can be cooked extremely fast. You can use any pesto in this recipe.
Ingredients:
- ½ eggplant
- 1 baguette
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella
- 4 tomato slices
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- Olive oil
Instructions:
- Slice the eggplant into 2-inch wide strips, drizzle olive oil onto them and arrange the pieces on a baking sheet.
- Arrange tomato and pepper slices on a different baking sheet. Coat them with oil as well.
- Preheat an oven broiler to 500F and then put both sheets inside. Leave for about 10 minutes.
- Cut your baguette into sandwich-sized pieces and arrange them on yet another baking sheet. Coat each with pesto then, add mozzarella, eggplant, more mozzarella, tomato slices, peppers, mozzarella, spinach leaves, mozzarella (layered).
- Drizzle every sandwich with a bit of olive oil and put them back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
Sponsored by Food to live
Of all the best healthy vegan recipes for pesto we love this one the most:
- 1 cup cashews
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Water as needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Creamed Avocado Pasta
Pasta is one of the best dinner choices for unexpected guests because it’s easy and quick to make, so you should always have some dry pasta in your pantry. The contents of the pasta sauce may vary depending on your stores, but with avocado as your basis and some spices it’s bound to be good.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup dry pasta
- A handful of cilantro and basil, fresh and chopped
- 1 avocado
- 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Peel the avocado and process it in a blender with the rest of the ingredients to make a sauce.
- Cook the pasta and let it cool.
- Mix the pasta and sauce and serve cold.
Soba with Lentils
This is one of the best healthy vegan recipes for those who want to surprise their guests with something truly exotic and oriental-flavored. It’s also a great choice for a healthy family dinner.
Ingredients:
- 8 oz soba noodles
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 cups cooked green lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for Dressing:
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup white miso
- ¼ cup tahini
- Water as needed
Instructions:
- Split cauliflower into florets and toss it with olive oil and spices. Put on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven (475F) for 20 minutes.
- Cook the soba and rinse it with cold water so the noodles don’t stick together.
- Make the dressing by combining ingredients in a blender and adding enough water to make it as thin as you want.
- Serve in bowls. First soba, then a layer of lentils, roasted cauliflower, and a large helping of sauce.
We hope both you and your guests enjoy these delicious dishes.
