I subscribe to dozens of recipe newsletters. Most are plant-based, and some feature meat and dairy a bit more frequently than I’d like. (Serious Eats, that’s you). Yet, they all have one feature in common: Recipes so good that I save them in a dedicated Gmail folder. When deciding what to cook for dinner, my impulse used to be to open a cookbook. These days, my “Recipes” folder, stored somewhere in the Cloud, is more often than not my first go-to resource. I can use it whenever and wherever I’m doing menu planning, even while I’m shopping for food (yes, I am that annoying person who blocks the grocery store aisle while scrolling through my phone).
This year, I did an audit of the recipes I’ve saved. Surprisingly, at least 90% come from only a handful of websites. So, instead of basing my “Best of” list on the personality of a recipe-creator, or their A+ food photography or writing, I’m sharing the websites with the most useful recipes. Dishes that are easy to whip up on a weekday, are dinner party-worthy, leave me wanting another serving (I try to squelch that impulse), and have easy-to-follow instructions. In other words, repeaters.
Consider the list my Holiday Gift to you. Enjoy!
In no particular order:
1. Connoisseursus Veg: Tuscan Kale Soup made with creamy white beans, Asian Slaw with sesame ginger dressing, and Mediterranean Pasta with cherry tomatoes, olives, artichoke hearts and basil, are among Alissa’s (recipe creator behind the website) most popular recipes. What keeps me coming back are time-saving posts like 15 Must-Try Burgers, and Delicious Holiday Recipes. The sheer number and variety of Alissa’s recipes makes me wonder if she ever makes it out of the kitchen. I discovered this site years ago, when I was searching for a seitan recipe. Are you seitan-curious? It’s a high-protein, low-fat, all natural (made from the protein stripped from flour), 100% plant-based meat replacement. You can buy it, typically near the tofu in the grocery store, but no store-bought brand comes close to Alissa’s recipes for pork, beef, or chicken-flavored seitan. And for that I say, thank you! Sign up in the upper-right corner of the site.
2. Olives for Dinner: I was late to the party on this one — the site has been featured in HuffPost and Bon Apetit. I stumbled upon it while researching High Protein Plant-based Meals. Because the first question I get — always! — when I mention that I don’t eat meat or dairy, is “but where do you get your protein?” The Cattleman’s Beef Association has done one helluva job on its social media and influencers campaign, convincing us we don’t get enough protein. There’s about as much truth to that as there is to Tr**p claiming food prices have come down since he took office. High Protein Vegan Dinners provides as many high-protein options as you want. But we need more fiber, not more protein! My favorite section of this site is Pick Your Mood Food, with choices like umami, spicy, smokey, crispy and salty. Sign up by scrolling down to the bottom of the site.
3. VegOut: More of an on-line magazine than newsletter, this site is chock full of recipes, as well as news on restaurants, grocery store finds, and new product launches. Among my favorite posts are the most creative: “This vegan mushroom risotto is the only recipe I need when I’m trying to impress someone,” and “These 5 weeknight dishes come together faster than delivery — and taste better, too.” If only all clickbait headlines were as useful as these. Sign up for the weekly newsletter here. (It comes with a free Starter Guide).
4. GoodNewsVeg: This is me! Did you know I maintain an extensive Recipe file? Breakfast, Bowls, Stir Fry, One Pot Meals, there are dozens of Marla-approved recipes at your fingertips.
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