Netflix opened the New Year with a bombshell of a documentary series. You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment is the latest in the streaming platform’s groundbreaking revelation in health and wellness.

Just like the previous documentaries, such as Game Changers (2018), What the Health (2017), Cowspiracy (2014), and Forks Over Knives (2011), You Are What You Eat shows the profound impact of vegan diet on human health. 

The controlled experiment revealed the outcomes of both vegan and omnivore diets to the twin subjects. Though the results for the omnivore one were considerable, the results of the vegan diet were through the roof. Key findings included lower levels of LDL cholesterol and insulin, lower inflammation markers, and a longer lifespan, among other benefits. And this was only after eights weeks of the vegan diet. 

This documentary will surely convince you, if not to switch to the vegan diet entirely, to make plant-based diet a bigger part of your lifestyle this 2024.

If you’ve always thought vegan foods are dry and dull, the documentary as well as this article will hopefully convince you otherwise. 

Beyond the salads, here are 10 simple plant-based recipes that can change the way you perceive the plant-based diet. 

Spicy Coconut Noodles

Most reluctant about the vegan or plant-based diet wrongly perceive that they’ll miss out on flavors. But that’s hardly the case. Vegan food can be fresh and flavorful, just like this spicy coconut noodle dish, where the sauce is a simple concoction of coconut milk, tomato paste, chili powder and paste. Simply stir in the  noodles, and top with blanched scallions, green onions, bean sprout, and coconut, if desired.

Get the recipe here: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spicy-coconut-noodles

Winter Lentil Soup

A lot of the flak vegan diets get is from the belief that it is protein-deficient. But the truth is, many plants are rich in proteins. Consider this winter lentil soup recipe, for example. Its main ingredient is lentil, which is made of 25% protein, making it a healthy meat alternative. Lentils are edible seeds from the legume family that are also packed with B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. They also contain heaps of fiber.

This recipe is a one-pot soup that’s so easy to cook. All you have to do is to bring all these ingredients together in a pot, bring to a boil, and voila! Besides the lentils, this nutrient-rich dish contains other whole ingredients that are good for you: whole tomatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, and fresh thyme.

Get the recipe here: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/winter-lentil-soup

Easy Vegan Curry Rice

This vegan curry recipe is filling as it is nutritious. The best part? It’s an easy-peasy one-pot dish, where you gather all the ingredients in one go, and you’re done in as little as 20 minutes. Perfect for those with busy calendars.

Whoever said that plant-based, vegan, or vegetarian food is dull will be proven wrong. Any vegan will enlighten you, it’s all about utilizing flavors and spices. In this case, for this recipe, cayenne pepper, paprika, and curry will do the work. This is a great meal for lunch, as it is a heavy meal with rice. Feel free to use a type of rice that you desire, whether it’s long-grain, basmati, or brown rice. Best consumed freshly-cooked and hot. You may adjust the heat level, as desired.

Get the recipe here: https://veganinthefreezer.com/easy-curry-rice/

Asian-Inspired Crispy Tofu 

Tofu is a staple ingredient for vegans. For most, who were meat eaters before becoming vegan, the rule of thumb is: replace the meat with tofu, and use the same ingredients for recipes you love. For example, if you love Filipino adobo, which usually uses chicken and pork, simply replace the meat with tofu.

Not only does tofu have a great texture, and readily absorbs all the flavors, but is also rich in protein and calcium.

This is a tasty Asian recipe, which combines crispy tofu (you toss in cornstarch, and deep-fry in high heat to make it crispy), green onions and green peas, and coat them in Asian flavors–soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and ginger. This is a very flavorful dish which you can eat as is, or pair with rice.

Watch out for the oil, however. It’s vegan, but it’s still an oily dish. So it would be best to choose the oil you’ll use carefully, or eat this in moderation, for the good of your health.

Get the recipe here: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/crispy-tofu-with-black-pepper-sauce/

(READ MORE: Be an know it oil: everything you need to know about cooking oils)

Portobello Mushroom Burger

There’s a memorable scene in You Are What You Eat, wherein twins Charlie and Michael Kalish decide to have burgers for lunch. Michael, who was on the omnivore diet, was overcome with glee with his Angus beef patty and cheeses he was spoilt for choice with, while Charlie, on the other hand, is using portobello mushrooms as his burger’s “beef patty.” And so, we’re including a portobello mushroom burger that for this recipe is garnished with red pesto, rocket, and vegan aioli.

Get the recipe here:

https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mushroom-burger/

(READ MORE: Mushrooms and Health Benefits)

Vegan Meatballs

Tender, juicy, and full of flavor, meatballs are one of the most popular comfort foods. Whether eaten as is, added onto pasta, or sandwiched in between buns as a sub, meatballs make for a filling and delicious meal. To enjoy this, simply substitute the meat with a plant-based option, whether that’s frozen vegan meat you buy from the grocery (there are plenty of options out there), or you can make your own using eggplants, and mushrooms, just like this recipe.  This is a quick, easy cook you can squeeze in from work. Pop in relaxing music, and start making those vegan meatballs.

Get the recipe here: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/eggplant-mushroom-meatball-sub

Hot and Sour Dumpling Noodle Soup

During cold winter months, nothing beats a bowl of soup to comfort and warm one’s senses. All the better when the soup contains nutrients and is planet-friendly. This hot and sour dumpling noodle soup is one among thousands of recipes of Filipino vegan cook and content creator The Foodie Takes Flight.

What makes this recipe special is the components, the heat, the noodles, and the wontons! Spicy, savory and acidic, this is one soul-nourishing dish you need to bookmark right now. The best part? It’s vegan!

Get the recipe: https://thefoodietakesflight.com/hot-and-sour-dumpling-noodle-soup/

Creamy Tomato Vegan Pasta

Pressed for time? Pasta is the answer. This robust dish puts two key components – tomatoes and cream in one glorious dish. The result tastes like heaven! Instead of dairy or whipping cream, create homemade cashew cream, which is simply softened cashews blended with water until smooth. The fresh tomatoes and basil splendidly rounds out this vegan dish. 

Get the recipe here: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a42156905/creamy-tomato-vegan-pasta-recipe/

Falafel Balls with Rice

Make your own authentic falafel dish featuring one of the most beloved plant-based ingredients, chickpeas! This recipe is Street Cart Style Falafel Bowls, inspired by the street food carts in New York. To be honest, making falafel requires a bit of prep time, so you might want to prepare the falafel beforehand. The rest of the cooking’s a breeze, not to mention the pay-off at the end, which is when you get the first bite of the dish, is so worth it. Of course, don’t forget the red and white sauce to drizzle over the rice and falafel.

Also, falafel are not only flavor bombs, they pack a wallop of nutrition too. Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, a type of legume, is a complete protein because they contain nine essential amino acids – building blocks that help strengthen the immune system. It’s a great source of protein too, making chickpeas a favorite among vegans and vegetarians. You can play around chickpeas, as it can be used in a great many recipes.

Get the falafel recipe here: https://www.hermodernkitchen.com/street-cart-style-falafel-and-rice-bowls/

Cauliflower Chicken

A lot of meat eaters counter that they will miss the flavor or the taste of meat. But come to think of it, meat really doesn’t taste like anything. They’re bland, and blank canvases, acquiring their taste only through the ingredients they’re cooked with. 

Enter Cauliflower Chicken aka Chick’un. It’s essentially the same way you’ll cook fried chicken, except you’ll be substituting the fowl with cauliflower. As Today wrote, it tastes like the real thing, but even better. No animal will be harmed. No unwanted cholesterol too.

Feel free to replace the ingredients with what you like in a fried chicken, like buffalo style or Korean soy garlic. It’s really all up to you

Get the recipe here: https://www.today.com/recipes/cauliflower-chicken-recipe-t245895

One of the revolutionary findings of You Are What You Eat is that the twins who kept a vegan diet reduced inflammation in their bodies, and strengthened their immunity. However, there are some critics who question the findings – is it really possible in just two months? There are also those who question the real intent from the Stanford scientists who conducted the experiment series. What is their agenda here?

You watch the series for yourself, or better yet, try the vegan diet, and observe the changes in your body. If you need recipes, the 10 recipes above can help jumpstart your plant-based journey. Good luck, and happy eating!

Credits to the websites and their recipes.

References:

https://time.com/6551606/is-plant-based-diet-healthier-you-are-what-you-eat/https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chickpeas-nutrition-benefits