One way to help the environment is to incorporate more plant-based products into your eating habits and fewer animal products. This can be done by doing something like Meatless Mondays, where you avoid eating meat once a week. According to Monday Campaigns, “Skipping one serving of beef every Monday for a year saves the equivalent emissions to driving 348 miles in a car.”
Need some recipes or inspiration? Here are a few of my favorite staples.
- Baked Buffalo/Barbecue Cauliflower Wings are a loved one in my house. It’s an easy way to get a vegetable in, especially if you’re someone who has a hard time getting enough or enjoying eating vegetables. A lot of people get nervous with cauliflower, but regardless if you’re vegan or not, you’ll love these. I usually pair this with asparagus, mashed potatoes, and/or macaroni and cheese. This is a great option to replace barbecue or buffalo chicken wings on Monday nights!
- I have also made this Vegan Pot Pie once and it was an amazing meal if you have the time to make it. Pot pie is a perfect example of a food I never thought could be veganized, and this proves that almost anything can work with the right ingredients!
- I have a huge sweet tooth. One of my favorite things to eat is pastries and bread of all sorts. This Banana Bread is something I make often, and everyone enjoys it. I often top it with butter and/or honey, but that is completely optional, or you could even substitute it for vegan butter and/or agave. This recipe is perfect in the fall, but banana bread is good, in my opinion, any time of the year.
- Southern food is one of my favorite things to eat, and this Cornbread Recipe is the best for completing any southern meal.
- And any recipe list is not complete without chocolate chip cookies. Here are my favorite vegan ones!
- Speaking of chocolate chips… I had a whole ordeal in October where all I ate were these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. The flavor of pumpkin combined with the chocolate chips all in one, fluffy concoction makes me feel like they are a match made in heaven. I consider these best to be devoured around Halloween, but they can work well any time of the year you crave them.
It’s important to remember that you do not have to be vegan or vegetarian to help the planet. But switching from dairy milk to plant-based milk in your recipes if you can, can make an impact. It’s all about doing what you are able to do! So, if you can and want to, try these recipes out—they are truly, fabulously delicious.