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Nutritional Therapist Shares Simple Recipes For A Plant-Based Diet

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- These days, more and more people are switching to plant-based diets to improve overall health, but where do you even begin and is it more time-consuming than other diet trends?

Nutritional therapist Amy Ruth Finegold has a few simple recipes you can make right at home.

lentilsoup
Lentil soup (Credit: CBS2)

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 large onion chopped
1.5 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
3 carrots peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
4 garlic cloves
Salt
Can of organic tomatoes (optional)
3 cups of soaked brown lentils (Soak 2 cups)
6 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups of water
4 sprigs of thyme
bag of spinach
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary

Directions:
Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic and vegetables. Add the tomatoes with their juices. Add the lentils and stir to coat. Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and rosemary. Pressure cook for 20 minutes. Add the spinach and salt at the end. Take out bay leaves and any sprigs. Take two cups of soup out (make sure they are two cups that have a lot of lentils in them). Puree these two cups in a blender. Then return back to the pot of soup. Garnish with parsley.

mexicanstuffedsweetpotatoes
Mexican stuffed sweet potatoes (Credit: CBS2)

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika

To garnish:
1 avocado mashed
Tahini
Hot sauce
Chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and prick with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and pepper and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add corn, black beans and spices and cook 2-3 more minutes.
4. When sweet potatoes are fork tender, remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice in half and place each half on a plate. Top with bean mixture, avocado and a drizzle of both tahini and hot sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of cilantro and enjoy!

QuinoaRatatouille
Quinoa ratatouille (Credit: CBS2)

Quinoa Ratatouille

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
4 tbsp of olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 medium diced zucchini
1 large sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 12 ounce can of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup of quinoa grain
1 cup of water

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cube the eggplant. Drizzle and coat with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion until soft. Add the zucchini and pepper and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the quinoa to saucepan along with the water. Stir the quinoa with the water and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. Then add the eggplant and cook until heated through. Then serve.

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