Eating Less meat is a great way to start your journey towards a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. By reducing the amount of meat and dairy in your diet, you’ll cut emissions and boost your health. This could be easier than you think, try starting small and choose one day a week to eat only plant-based meals. The ecobirmingham team have been busy in the kitchen to help you get started. See below our favourite meat free meals. Enjoy!
Suzzie (Project Coordinator – Sustainable Communities) recommends this Spicy Red Lentil & Chickpea Soup she found on the BBC Good Food website. Make this delicious soup and top with Crispy Air-Fryer Chickpea Croutons and you’re onto a winner! Suzzie was inspired to give this recipe a try by our upcoming ‘Air Fryer’ Community Cooking Courses as part of our Building Greener Communities project (funded by the National Lottery) Watch this space!
Suzie’s Tips:
✨ Pat your drained chickpeas dry with a kitchen towel for maximum crispiness (dry = crispy!).
✨ Finish your soup with freshly chopped herbs like parsley, mint, or coriander, a squeeze of lemon for acidity, and a sprinkle of feta. (optional).
Kam our CEO has a love for Porridge, with all the toppings! This is Kam’s go to and breakfast of choice most days during the winter months. Try this recipe for a hearty, healthy start to your day.
Anne (Education Coordinator) & her daughter Florentina made some fab sweet potato pastry star parcels together over the Christmas break. Very festive and very tasty, a great family activity and with all the ingredients easy to find at your local supermarket it’s a great one to try.
Lisa (Communications and Active Travel Coordinator) is a lover of quick and easy, no hassle vegan friendly dinners that make you say Mmm… out loud. Sharing four great recipes, because how can you choose just one.
Sausage & Lentil Hotpot – This is always a crowd pleaser. Yes, even the meat eaters love it. A hearty meal packed full of protein, this one soothes the soul on a winter evening. The link suggests Sainsburys plant-based sausages, but I prefer Co-op’s GRO Sizzlin’ Sausages as a cheaper (£1.85) and in my opinion tastier option. I also like to go plastic free where possible so try and pick up any type of loose mushrooms from the supermarket, this is also often cheaper.
Carrot, Cheese and Mango Chutney Pastries – Tasty treat and great for parties. This also travels well so is perfect as a snack on the go. Be careful though, eating just one is never enough! For this recipe I use Violife Epic Cheddar Cheese Alternative, it melts well and tastes great.
English Tea Loaf – So, so, so easy to make and has to beat any store-bought fruit bread. You will never want to eat malt loaf again and the fruit cake at your local cafe just isn’t the same. A few slices of this English Tea Loaf makes a lovely Sunday morning breakfast, toasted, smothered in butter and served with a proper brew! FYI, that’s tea made with soya milk.
Curry Lentil Soup – A quick, tasty and nourishing meal that makes you feel cozy inside. Great served with buttered, crusty bread. I could easily eat this every night of the week. Nom, nom, nom!
We hope you are inspired by our recipe ideas, give them a try and let us know how they turn out! Tag @ecobirmingham on all the socials .