One of the many reasons I love summer/fall is because of the numerous farmers markets that are open. Whether I am staying local, or on the road traveling, I feel like there are generally plenty of options to stop for fresh produce. Check out this awesome farmers market directory for a thorough database of markets near you.
A few weeks ago, my mom and I check out the Carmel Farmers Market. There were many vendors with fresh produce, baked goods, prepared food, food related services like knife sharpening, coffee and tea, dog treats, and plenty of other options. One of the booths I stumbled upon was called Pure Eating Way. This local company specializes in plant-based meal delivery. It is always so nice talking with others who share similar values and whose goals are to help others get healthy.
This was my first time visiting the Carmel market so I did not not know what to expect. The only goal I had in mind was to find something I could make for my dinners for the week. During the week, I generally meal prep one large dinner to eat Monday through Thursday. At one of the produce booths, some vibrant oriental eggplants caught my eye. I rarely cook with eggplant but it was too pretty not to buy. That booth also had bright orange sweet peppers. With both of these items in mind, I decided I'd make a stir-fry of sorts for my dinners. I picked up some mini sweet onions and zucchini to finish off the veggie portion of my stir-fry.
For dinner, I chopped all my veggies and began cooking them in a large skillet with a little bit of water. I always cook with water or vegetable broth rather than oil. I added sweet chili paste, soy sauce, and Thai seasoning to give the veggies some extra flavor. I also sautéed tofu and cooked a big batch of brown rice.
This meal was so simple to put together and took less than an hour (brown rice takes a little time to cook) to whip up. Half the time when I cook, I don't follow a recipe I just through things together. I like cooking this way sometimes because it's easy, I get to use ingredients I have on hand, and I get to use a little creativity. :)
Plant-based meals can be incredibly easy (and CHEAP) to put together. If you are new to plant-based eating, are just experimenting with the occasional PB meal, or have been eating this way for years, allow yourself the freedom to experiment in the kitchen and to try new things.
Comment below with your favorite experimental meal!