New Plant-Based Meatless Monday Cookbook Will Get the Whole Family to Eat Their Veggies

Looking for some culinary inspiration for your next round of Meatless Monday meals? Well, we have some EXCITING news: The first Meatless Monday cookbook is finally here, and with over 100 delicious, better-for-you plant-based recipes you’ll be able to whip up a meat-free meal for any type of eater — from experimental flexitarians to new vegans to the staunchest of carnivores.

The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook, by Jenn Sebestyen, emphasizes the limitless potential of plant-based cooking. The recipes are nutritious, easy-to-prepare, and mimic the look, taste, and texture of comfort-food favorites (you’ve got to check out the lentil Bolognese, butternut-squash mac and cheese, and “meaty” mushroom stew). The book, whose foreword is written by Sid Lerner, founder of the global Meatless Monday initiative and The Monday Campaigns, is based on the Meatless Monday philosophy of cutting out meat one day a week for your health and the health of the planet.

And as its title suggest, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook is designed for the whole family, because when kids are involved in the prepping and cooking process, they develop a greater appreciation, understanding, and respect for the food in front of them. We’ve included a few recipe highlights so you can get a taste of what a day of Meatless Monday meals can mean for your family.

Garlicky White Bean Avocado Toast with BBQ Drizzle

This recipe marries the best traits of avocado toast with the enticing aroma and flavor of cannellini beans slowly sautéed with fresh garlic and olive oil. The mixture is spooned on to the avocado-smeared toast and drizzled with a sweet and tangy homemade barbecue sauce.

Pumpkin Maple-Glazed Penne with Roasted Fall Vegetables

With butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts, you’re getting all the best that autumn has to offer. The subtle maple glaze adds a surprisingly subtle sweetness that pairs nicely with the fall vegetables.

Meaty Mushroom Stew over Garlic Mashed Potatoes

There’s nothing cozier than a hearty stew and some mashed potatoes. This recipe, which uses cremini and shitake mushrooms and a healthy dose of tamari, is an homage to umami. Ladle it over a scoop of mashed potatoes for some pure plant-based bliss.

Creamy Vegetable Noodle Soup

It’s like a chicken potpie — minus the chicken and the pie. No animal products are necessary for this smooth and sultry creamy vegetable noodle soup. Vegetable broth, almond milk, nutritional yeast, and a whole lot of seasonings and aromatics make this soup satisfying and delicious.

Very Berry Quinoa Salad with Cinnamon Toasted Pecans

This salad is light and fresh yet has plenty of protein from the quinoa and pecans. Fresh summer berries are little powerhouses of vitamins and are super kid-friendly. The toasted pecans take this dish to the next level.

Rice and Bean Pan Grilled Burritos

A burrito is engineered to include an entire meal’s worth of goodies wrapped in one, warm, fluffy package. Chocked full of smoky pinto beans, cilantro rice, lettuce, and an avocado green chile sauce, be prepared for requests for seconds.

BBQ Chickpea Veggie Bowls

Channeling the hot smoke of the barbecue pit, this BBQ chickpea veggie bowl is charred, sweet, and tangy with a satisfying crunch. The recipe calls for roasted broccoli, red peppers, onions, and chickpeas, but you can top your brown rice bowl with any variety of vegetables. Just don’t forget to drizzle over some homemade sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce.

Sweet-and-Spicy BBQ Sauce

The proper blend of sweet and heat, this BBQ sauce uses smoky chipotles, tart apple-cider vinegar, maple syrup, and a blend of spices. Squeeze a little bit any meatless Monday meal to take it to the next level.

About the author: Jenn Sebestyen is the creator of VeggieInspired.com. She was inspired to write The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook to help moms and dads get both picky kids and die-hard carnivores to eat more veggies. She offers tips and tricks that have worked for getting her kids on board with a veggie-heavy Meatless Monday plan.

Interested in learning more about Meatless Monday? Click here for more recipes, cooking tips, and ways that you can spread the Meatless Monday message to your community. For a chance to be featured in our next recipe roundup, make sure to tag @MeatlessMonday or use the hashtag #meatlessmonday the next time you post a meatless or plant-based recipe.