Cooking burnout is real. It happens to the best cook you know, it happens to Instagram foodies and it happens to chefs (just ask ours). But there’s a way to eat well, even on days you’re busy with work and yoga practice and driving kids around. It’s called the no recipe-recipe: a loose guideline that relies on basic foods you already buy all the time, like veggies, beans and grains. The beauty of it is that there are no rules, which means you can throw more plants into whatever you’re making and never be wrong. All you need are a few ideas to get started, then you can improvise with different plant-based ingredients. Vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, flexitarians (and anybody just trying to add more plants to their plate), these are for you.
Have Half an Hour? Build a Bowl
Poke Bowl with Spicy Ginger Tuna
If your usual fallbacks are staples like burgers and tacos, the dinner bowl is about to be your new best friend. Start with your protein and fill the rest with plants, healthy carbs and lots of toppings and condiments. For busier nights, your bowl might look like black beans and rice with avocado, lettuce, salsa, plant-based cheese and a squeeze of fresh lime. With a little more time, you can build a burger bowl — swap the bun for a base of roasted sweet potatoes and sautéed bell peppers or mushrooms, top with our Plant-Based Classic Fish Burger, then pile on lettuce, tomato, onion and condiments.
Have 5 Minutes? Grains and Beans are Your Go-To
Spicy Tuna and Brown Rice Salad
A plant-based diet isn’t all kale and avocados. It also includes plenty of foods like lentils, chickpeas, beans, rice, quinoa, nuts and seeds. Texture, heartiness and nutrients are extra important for vegans and vegetarians. Cook a big batch of grains ahead of time for meal prep or open a can of beans and incorporate them into any pre-prepped salad (think kale Caesar with chickpeas, a Mediterranean couscous salad, or a Greek salad topped with quinoa). Good news: Good Catch plant-based seafood is made from a six-legume blend and packed with sustainable protein. Our Plant-Based Mediterranean Tuna and Plant-Based New England Style Crab Cakes are seriously tasty salad toppers.
Have Zero Time? Build a Board
Some people think charcuterie board, some people call it a ploughman’s lunch, but we’re into it for the concept of a part-snack, part-meal board that’s loaded with colors and flavors. Swap ingredients for more flexitarian or vegan options, slice your veg and pack your “board” for work or school lunch. Think cucumbers and bell peppers, berries, apples or grapes, and hummus, avocado or a tuna salad made with our Plant-Based Naked in Water Tuna. Throw in crackers or chips, plant-based cheese, and a few garnishes like radishes, carrots, olives or nuts and you’re ready for a leisurely picnic-inspired lunch on any random weekday.
Have a Great Idea? Show us!
We love a chef-created recipe, but we’re also into low-effort nights with simple meals like these. All in all, our chefs wanted to make plant-based eating easier for everyone. So next time you make something really easy and delicious, share the idea. Take a picture and tag us @goodcatchfoods!
Want even more recipe ideas? Check out our recipes page and subscribe to our YouTube channel to cook along with us!
