Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals

Since I cook most of the week, I like to keep it simple and stick with dishes that are fairly quick and easy to prepare with fresh and healthy ingredients. Taste is important and so is nutrition. Featuring 100 nourishing one-dish vegan meals, Power Plates is just the type of cookbook I gravitate towards. Certified nutritionist, Gena Hamshaw has put together a collection of balanced recipes that deliver wholesome nutrition and sustained energy.

Power Plates

$16.19  at Amazon

Power Plates puts the focus on macronutrient-rich meals comprised of proteins, complex carbohydrates healthy fats. The chapters are broken down into Breakfasts, Salads, Soups, Bowls, Skillets & Stovetop and Bakes. I was especially happy to see that there is no chapter on desserts which always feels like a waste to me. There is a variety to the recipes with unexpected combinations and they cover a diverse range of cuisines that span the globe. A beautiful photograph accompanies each recipe. There is also a section that includes helpful tips and tricks for prep and cooking as well as how to take food on the go and cooking ahead.

We're not vegans, but we do eat more plant-based meals than anything else. This book is so inspiring and it makes  healthy eating easy and delicious.  I'm definitely going to be reaching for this book as I see so many recipes in there I want to try. The breakfast section is particularly inspiring with recipes like Tofu Migas and Cauliflower Scramble. I've never been one for traditional breakfast foods so I love seeing dishes that contain both protein and vegetables. And she has two recipes for savory oats which is the only way I'll have my oatmeal. I had been making a dish similar to this Rice, Beans, Tofu, and Greens but somehow I never thought to include tofu. I love how the addition incorporates another protein element so that I don't need to prepare one separately.  I like to make this with forbidden rice and I usually use kale or spinach. It's so simple and tasty.

Rice, Beans, Tofu, and Greens 

Makes 4 To 6 Servings

This dish grew out of my tremendous love of rice and beans, as well as my tendency to load up the dish with extras: greens, peppers, sautéed mushrooms, tofu or tempeh, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I love it because it’s fast and filling, and it all comes together in a single pot. I’m the sort of person who can eat plain tofu right out of the package, so adding unmarinated, uncooked tofu doesn’t bother me. If naked tofu is a turnoff for you, feel free to use 8 ounces (225 g) smoked or baked tofu instead.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 cups (270 g) cooked black beans, or 1 (15-oz, or 425-g) can, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-oz, or 411-g) can diced or crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 cup (185 g) white or brown basmati or long-grain white rice
2 3⁄4 cups (650 ml) water
1 (15-oz, or 425-g) block extra-firm tofu, preferably pressed (see page 15), cut into 3⁄4-inch (2-cm) cubes
1 small bunch collard greens or other greens, stemmed and cut into thin strips
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly squeezed lime juice

Optional Toppings
Crumbled corn chips, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika, and salt, then stir in the beans, tomatoes, rice, and water. Add the tofu and stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring gently from time to time, until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes for white rice or 40 minutes for brown rice.

2. Add the greens, cover, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Season with red pepper flakes and stir in lime juice to taste. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Serve right away, with any additional toppings you like.

Recipe from Power Plates, copyright © 2018 by Gena Hamshaw. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photograph copyright © 2018 by Ashley McLaughlin

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