Asparagus Carrot Masala with Quinoa
The Purple Carrot meal kit service continues to inspire me with the weekly delivery of ingredients and recipe cards to make delicious plant-based meals with three noteworthy changes: I use less oil than the recipes call for, omit the jalapeño or hot peppers, and add more vegetables which generally turns a meal meant for two persons into four servings, or as a side dish for 6-8. The meals rely heavily on spices which add flavor to the dishes (which is why I leave out the jalapeño or hot peppers) and is a great way to introduce plant-based dishes to carnivores and vegetarians as a side dish. Read more 
Bean and Vegetable Chowder for a Crowd
This “meal in a pot” is easy, healthy (low in sodium and fat but high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber), and colorful with a hearty texture and delicious flavor.
When the weather starts turning cold, a big bowl of chowder – just another word for a thick soup – is just the dish to serve along with a salad for lunch or dinner. Using a bag of Frontier Soups Minnesota Heartland Eleven Bean Soup Mix (which contains dried beans, peas, lentils, and a bouquet garni of herbs and NO added salt), along with a few pantry staples (onion, carrot, celery, chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, and pasta) makes for one satisfying bowl of chowder to feed a crowd of 10-12 (or a smaller group with leftovers). Read more
Lettuce Wraps
My first experience with lettuce wraps – butter lettuce leaves offered with a wide variety of fillings and sauces – was at the Cheesecake Factory, which was an eye-opening foodie moment for me. Instead of soft tortillas, crispy green butter leaves can be used as a lighter alternative to hold raw vegetables (bean sprouts, minced scallions, carrot sticks, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado, thinly sliced cucumber or radishes) and/or cooked vegetables (sautéed mushrooms and/or onions, corn, tofu) blended with herbs (cilantro, mint, basil), and sauce (soy, teriyaki, peanut). The options are vast and only limited by what’s in the garden, pantry, or fridge. Read more
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad with Tempeh Croutons
Quinoa and Vegetable Salad with Tempeh Croutons is a protein and nutrient packed salad that contains a variety of vegetables (green beans, kale, red cabbage, red pepper, cucumber, and scallion) along with quinoa and nutty roasted tempeh. Drizzled with a homemade orange mustard vinaigrette, the salad is cornucopia of flavors and textures. Serve for dinner on a warm summer evening or as a side salad on a cool evening with a hot bowl of soup. Read more
Red Bean Chili Tacos
Tacos – whether soft or crunchy – are an American favorite. Add another classic dish – red bean chili – but one made with sweet potatoes, kidney beans, corn, onion, red pepper, and an abundance of spices – topped with diced avocado, and fresh cilantro and a nutritious and outrageously delicious meal emerges. Read more
Miso-Glazed Veggies with Rice Noodles
Warm summer evenings are the perfect time to enjoy a pasta salad made with savory vegetables – eggplant, zucchini, and spinach – and sweet, juicy nectarines marinated in a light Thai-influenced glaze over rice noodles. Easy to make and full of flavor, Miso-Glazed Veggies with Rice Noodles is a variation of the Purple Carrot’s recipe for Miso-Glazed Peaches and Eggplant with Rice Noodles and Spinach Mint Salad. Read more
How to Make a Plant-Based Plate
When making a vegan or plant-based dinner plate, there are four things to consider: color, texture, nutrition, and flavor. Starting with color, think multi as in orange and green (although there are infinite combinations). Bright orange sweet potatoes and green broccoli florets look fantastic together.
For texture, consider mushy and crisp because a combination of textures is simply more appealing. Nuts and seeds add crunch and flavor to steamed, baked, puréed, and roasted vegetables. A well-balanced meal will contain protein, carbohydrates, and fats along with vitamins and minerals. But, the most important factor is flavor. Choose plant-based food that tantalizes your taste buds and satisfies your appetite. Know that tofu – a bland high protein soy bean based food – needs seasoning (usually a sauce). Read more
The Purple Carrot
With our plant-based recipes, you’ll soon be cooking the world’s most delicious meals-
The Purple Carrot is an economical meal service provider of delicious entrees that will rock your culinary world by providing perfectly portioned fresh seasonal ingredients along with recipes to make it easy to cook up a flavorful plant-based meal at home in 30-40 minutes.
Everything is pre-measured (including spices) and of the highest possible quality, often organic, ethically sourced and always non-GMO so that all you have to do is follow the simple instructions for a delicious meal. Read more
Polenta with Roasted Vegetables
Farmer’s Markets are brimming with the harvest of summer vegetables: zucchini, squash, onions, tomatoes, green beans, cabbage, carrots, beets, and more. With temperatures warming up, a dinner plate of fresh roasted vegetables with polenta is the perfect summer feast.
Choose 4 or 5 vegetables and grab a cast iron pan, and you’ll have the makings of a deeply satisfying meal. Fresh polenta is the perfect accompaniment to roasted vegetables but if your tastes run more towards rice, quinoa, couscous or pasta, that works, too. Read more
Hungryroot Deliciousness
Pure. Comfort. Food. Vegetable-centric foods that satisfy on every level.
Anyone who eats vegetables knows the worst part of enjoying nature’s most nutritious food group is the chopping, cutting, shredding, and for those who love vegetable noodles – spiralizing which turns nearly any vegetable into a mound of noodles (provided you have a spiralizer, time, and muscles). Read more
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