The Best Plant-Based Seasonal Dishes

With each new season comes fresh ways to explore your plant-based diet. Here are some of The Best Plant-Based Seasonal Dishes. So, Pay attention to your local farmer’s market to get a hint of the most potent, nutritious, and ripe fruits and vegetables per time of year. We have cultivated a quick list below of our seasonal favorites as well as fun recipes to compliment the time of year.

Spring

Starting with Our Plant-Based Seasonal Dishes, During spring the earth and ourselves are at our lightest and most abundant. Use this time to explore colorful foods that can carry and supply you with the energy you need for the longer, more plentiful days. Here is a quick list of our favorite springtime fruits and vegetables:

• Apricots
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Carrots
• Chard
• Cherries
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi

Bring in the sunlight and embrace spring with this fun potluck pleasin’ carrot salad.

Spring Carrot Salad

What you’ll need:

• 6 large carrots
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons currants
• 8 tablespoons coconut flakes
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Coriander to taste
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 ½ juicy lime

What you’ll do:

1. Grate carrots coarsely place into a bowl.
2. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on carrots and begin to massage.
3. Slowly mix in sesame seeds, currants and flaked coconut.
4. In a separate, small bowl, mix olive oil and lime juice together in a bowl drizzle slowly over salad and mix.
5. Enjoy!

Related Article: Your 7-Day Guide to At-Home Vegan Clean-Eating Regimen

Summer

Long days, endless activities, heat, sunshine, and good times. This is our time to fully express who we are and what makes us happy. Make summer a little sweeter with our favorites listed below!

• Apples
• Green onions
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mangoes 
• Nectarines
• Onions
• Peaches
• Peas
• Radicchio 
• Plums
• Watermelon

One more thing summer brings…barbeques! Check out our favorite plant-based recipe for thriving around the grill.

Grilled Tofu Skewers

What you’ll need:

For the grilled tofu skewers:

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 red onion

For the spicy peanut sauce:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

What you’ll do:

1. Cut tofu into eight long sticks. Add the soy sauce, water, and garlic powder to a bowl and mix. Add the tofu to the mixture and let marinate covered in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. For the spicy peanut sauce, mix together ALL the ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Thread the tofu onto skewers lengthwise Interlacing with peppers and onion. Grill on medium-high heat. When hot, grill the skewers for 10 – 15 minutes, turning as needed until grill marks form on each side. Serve hot with the spicy peanut sauce on the side for dipping. Decorate with any garnishes you like. We suggest lime or crushed peanuts!

Related Article: A Q&A Session with a Plant-Based Transformational Coach

Fall

Chillier days, colorful leaves, and a softness to the world.  Fall is an amazing time to recommit to your relationship to our planet.  A simple way to do this each and every day is by adopting a plant-based lifestyle.  Here’s our favorite fall fruits and veggies:

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cranberries
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Pears
• Persimmons
• Pineapple
• Pumpkin

A pancake recipe that is sure to warm up your morning is below.

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

What you’ll need:

• 1-1/4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

What you’ll do:

1. Turn stove to medium heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, combine non-dairy milk and vinegar. Whisk well.
4. Set aside for 10 minutes.
5. Whisk together the non-dairy milk mixture, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract.
6. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry mix. Begin to mix until smooth.
7. Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil or alternative butter on pan.
8. Scoop a ladle of batter onto the pan.
9. When you see the bubbles in the batter have stopped opening and closing, flip the pancakes carefully.
10. Continue to cook until the pancake is cooked through.
11. Enjoy!

Related Article: Chef Guest: Five of the Best Chicken Alternatives We’re Trying This Week

Winter

Arguably the hardest time of the year. Wellness, mindfulness, and self-care become an absolute non-negotiable. Keep your spirits and immune system high with in-season produce.

• Collard Greens
• Date Plums
• Dates
• Kale
• Kiwi
• Oranges
• Passionfruit
• Pears
• Tangerines

Cold mornings can pose a challenge. Make them a bit more manageable with a cup of hot cacao and this special muffin recipe:

Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Muffins

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup quick-cooking oatmea
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp flax seed powder + 4 tbsp water
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 6 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp hemp hearts

What you’ll do:

1. Mix flaxseed powder and water; keep aside.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl, stir oil and peanut butter, add the mashed banana, flax seed and 1 cup water.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix till everything is combined.
5. Spoon them into greased muffins tray and top each muffin with few hemp hearts seeds.
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Hopefully this Plant-Based Seasonal Dishes will be most help when you need it in any season.