Brainstorming healthy meals can be a difficult task when on a college student schedule and budget. Unfortunately, this task becomes exponentially more difficult as a vegetarian. While I’m not currently vegetarian, I try to reduce my meat intake and have plenty of experience testing out vegetarian recipes and meat substitutes. Through this experimental phase, I’ve encountered some hits and (more often than not) some misses. Ultimately, I’ve found some trusty food bloggers that I continue to count on for delicious vegetarian recipes. After sharing with friends, I can confirm, these blogs are vegetarian and non-vegetarian approved. Here is the vegetarian's guide to food blogs.
Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum was one of the first food blogs I stumbled upon. I began searching Pinch of yum for quick and easy recipes to make for my family back in high school. However, these recipes have become some of my classic repeats, following me well into my college years. Pinch of Yum highlights delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with several snacks and sweet treats. Amongst these are recipes for every dietary restriction, from gluten-free to sugar-free, and of course vegetarian (and vegan!). My favorite vegetarian options are the Coconut Curry Noodle Bowls, Roasted Cauliflower Lettuce Wraps with Korean BBQ-Inspired Sauce, Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Green Tahini, and the Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado Crema.
Love & Lemons
Love & Lemons is the most aesthetically pleasing of these blogs with a minimalist white layout and colorful high-quality photos. As indicated by the ability to filter recipes by ingredients-- which includes a lengthy list of fresh fruits and vegetables-- there’s a clear focus on health and fresh produce. Beyond this, you can sort recipes by dietary need, allowing you to see breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes that are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy free. When you filter by vegetarian, you are left with 1126 results to choose from. While I can’t say I’ve tried all 1126, I imagine they don’t disappoint. I’m such a fan of these recipes that I even purchased Love & Lemons’ Jeanine Donofrio’s cookbook, “Love & Lemons Everyday”, which I HIGHLY recommend. My vegetarian favorites are the Bibimbap (so delicious), No Bake Energy Balls, Crispy Baked Falafel, and the Best Black Bean Burger.
Half-Baked Harvest
With almost 4 million followers on Instagram, Tieghan Gerard’s “Half Baked Harvest” is certainly a fan favorite. Off my list, this blog is likely the least health-conscious -- but it makes up for it in taste. Like the others, you can filter recipes by diet: Gluten-free, Healthy-ish, Vegan, or Vegetarian. And, for the over 21 crowd, there are quite a few cocktails worth trying-- from palomas to mules to margaritas. While I’ve tried some of the healthy-ish options (the Indian Coconut Cauliflower Curry is a must-try), the desserts and not-so-healthy-ish options are especially enticing; the Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka and Baked Butter Pecan French Toast are definite crowd pleasers.
Next time you’re struggling to choose what to make for dinner and considering giving in to the powerful lure of Postmates and Uber Eats, consider looking at one of these three blogs. With easy, delicious, and diet-sensitive options, Pinch of Yum, Love & Lemons, and Half Baked Harvest, are a vegetarian’s holy trinity.