Easy Zucchini Lasagna - A Healthy Plant-Based Recipe

I promise this is my last zucchini recipe (for this month anyway).  I'm still on a zucchini kick, but since the zucchini at the farmer's stand is slowly coming to an end, so will my zucchini recipes.     .

 I've been experimenting with different ways to use it up. This time, I made a simple plant-based zucchini lasagna using slices of zucchini as my noodles with just four main ingredients: zucchini, marinara sauce, mushrooms, and tofu. (If you don't care for tofu and you eat dairy, substitute ricotta cheese).  

One Pot Tofu Recipe | Easy Vegan Skillet Dinner

                                                                                        

This one-pot tofu skillet dinner has become a favorite in our house because it's simple, hearty, and incredibly versatile. You can make it with rice or quinoa, depending on what you have on hand, and it's also an easy way to use up whatever vegetables are in your refrigerator. It's not the prettiest or most photogenic dish I'll admit. 

Scrambled Tofu (Better Than Scrambled Eggs?)

You say scrambled eggs, I say scrambled tofu! 

The resemblance is almost uncanny—both in taste and texture—making this plant-based version a satisfying swap for a classic breakfast favorite.

Easy Mushroom, Pepper, and Onion Pasta Sauce (One-Skillet Comfort Food)

Craving a tasty pasta dinner that’s big on flavor but low on effort? This hearty mushroom, pepper, and onion pasta sauce delivers comfort, convenience, and serious savory goodness—all in one skillet.

Let’s be honest—no matter how good the pasta is, the magic is always in the sauce. And this one? It’s one of my go-to favorites.

Tofu Entree With Mushroom and Onion Gravy- Part of A Plant-based Thanksgiving Meal 2025

Wondering what I ate for a plant-based and gluten-free holiday entrée? This amazing tofu with mushroom gravy to start off a full plant-based holiday menu that even non-vegans loved.

A few people asked what I was planning to serve as my vegan Thanksgiving entrée this year. After thinking it over, I settled on tofu smothered in a rich flavorful onion-and-mushroom gravy. We ate it over warm rice, and the whole thing turned into one of those dishes that seems humble at first but somehow becomes the star of the plate—simple, satisfying, and surprisingly good. Paired with the butternut squash and fresh cranberry casserole, the dishes carried all the flavors of Thanksgiving.

I’ll admit, I took a shortcut with the mushroom gravy and grabbed a vegan, gluten-free mushroom gravy from Whole Foods. It turned out to be painfully bland, so I rescued it with freshly grated ginger, tamari, generous amounts of rice vinegar, and a little sugar. Honestly, I should’ve just made my own gravy with potato starch to begin with.

We spent the holiday with three other couples—none of them vegetarian—and yet not a single spoonful of the butternut squash casserole survived. Half the mushroom tofu disappeared too, even though there was plenty of turkey and other sides at the celebration at my friend's home.

People often ask what vegans actually eat for Thanksgiving, so I'm sharing a sample menu that I would serve if I were the host. 

Everything is vegan and gluten-free.

My entree is a mushroom and onion gravy with cubes of tofu over rice. 

Tofu mushrooms and onion over rice in a casserole

Ingredients:

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into 1/2 moons

2 containers of fresh white or portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 block of organic firm tofu, drained well and cubed

Sauce 

1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons of potato starch (or cornstarch)

1/4 cup of water

1/3 cup of tamari sauce 

1/3 cup of rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of sugar (of your choice)

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

freshly grated black pepper 

Topping: sliced scallions

 

Directions: 

In a large rimmed skillet, sauté onions and mushrooms in 1/4 cup of water or vegetable broth (or oil if your prefer) on a low flame until soft. Add tofu and continue to sauté adding a little more water or broth if needed to prevent burning. While sautéing, assemble sauce in a bowl. Add all ingredient and mix well. Pour over the sautéed vegetables and tofu and continue to cook on low for 5 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning if desired. 

Place cooked warm rice in a pyrex casserole and flatten - add the tofu mushroom mixture to the top, decorate with scallions and serve. 

Take a look at my full plant-based Thanksgiving Menu Suggestions

A Plant-Based Thanksgiving Menu 2025

Entree:
Tofu smothered with mushroom and onion gravy, served over rice

Side:
Butternut Squash (or sweet potato), Apple, and Fresh Cranberry Bake

Vegetable:
Green Bean Medley — bright, crisp, and green

Salad:
Tasty Mediterranean salad with nuts or my grated carrot–cranberry salad — both are interesting company-worthy options

Dessert:
Vegan Pumpkin Pie — blender recipe, crustless

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That’s what I’m sharing for this holiday season — a hearty plant-based menu with ingredients that truly feel like Thanksgiving that everyone can enjoy!

How was your Thanksgiving? What did you make that you really enjoyed?

My Notes: 

1. Try quinoa in place of rice

2. Use butternut squash or sweet potato for the bake 

I was visiting Angie at her truly inspirational recipe blog at Angie's Recipes and saw this quote: I had to repeat.. thanks Angie.

 Americans have more food to eat than any other people and more diets to keep them from eating it. ~Anonymous 

Egg Roll In A Bowl: Skip the Wrapper, Keep The Flavor

Egg-roll fixings in a bowl without the wrapper? It's everything that you love about egg rolls but in a bowl.

I was looking for easy meals and came across this clever idea when I was visiting Crystal Lopez at her blog called Crystal and Company. When I saw her recipe for Whole 30 Egg Roll in a Bowl in the Instant Pot. It caught my attention immediately, and I knew I wanted to try it. 

It is a simple recipe, can be made in the Instant Pot or stove top, and is an easy summertime recipe. look below for my vegan version.

Simple Tofu Scramble

Do you ever cook with tofu?

This versatile, plant-based protein has long been a staple in Asian cuisine. You might’ve come across it in miso soup or served atop stir-fried vegetables at your favorite Chinese restaurant.

Today, I’m sharing a super simple tofu scramble recipe. 

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps -PF Chang's Copy Cat Recipe

Have you ever eaten at PF Chang's? 

It is a Chinese restaurant chain that is popular throughout the US. One of the few gluten-free and vegan options on their menu is their vegetarian tofu lettuce wraps which are gluten-free optional (meaning you must request them to be made GF). I really like them and decided to try and make/create something like them at home.

Vegan Sushi Bake In A Pan- No Rolling

Do you like sushi? I tried this recipe for a simple easy sushi pie bake in a spring form or pie pan. It is interesting, easy to make, versatile and makes a beautiful interesting presentation-especially for company. 

Crunchy Tofu Bites: A Delicious Way To Eat Tofu

If you wonder what to do with tofu, you may want to try this quick recipe for simple "tofu bites" which are easy to make, come out crunchy, and are quite tasty.

One Pot UnStuffed Vegan Cabbage Rolls ; A No-Fuss Plant-Based Meal

The weather has cooled off a bit, and I'm already thinking of heartier foods! One of my favorites is stuffed cabbage BUT it's way too labor intensive for me to want to sit and roll the cabbage, so I make an "unstuffed cabbage roll" version instead, which is an easy one pot plant-based (GF) recipe with no rolling involved!

Asian Cold Noodle Salad : Beat The Heat

It's going to be 98 humid degrees again this week here in Philadelphia area, which is feeling oppressively HOT!! Since it's too hot for me to want to do any real cooking, I'm started thinking about making an Asian cold noodle salad. 

Scrambled Tofu With Wilted Greens

Are you a fan of tofu? You might enjoy this scrambled tofu which is the plant-based eater's scrambled eggs! It can be served as a breakfast or lunch food and is high in protein. 

What I Eat In A Day On A Plant-Based Diet

Do you ever think about eating less animal protein and eating more plant-based meals? 

In a world where not just adults but even children struggle with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer etc, scientific research proves that diet as the #1 culprit of these problems. See how you can eat a full day of plant-based meals and enjoy them. 

Baked Marinated Tofu

Would you like a new delicious easy recipe for making tofu? 

This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe I saw online for baked marinated Covina (a white fish). I loved the flavors of the marinade so much, I decided to give it a try using a plant-based protein such as tofu. 

The easy marinade is simple and consists of the juice of freshly squeezed oranges, lime, seasoning, and optional white wine. It is a citrusy marinade that adds a tangy flavor to the baked tofu.                       

Toasted Tofu Croutons

Have you tried tofu? This is a simple quick air-fryer recipe for tofu that's crispy and tasty. (You could also make it in the oven).

Tofu can be eaten in a variety of ways. Most recently, I've been obsessed with making tofu croutons in the air-fryer.

10 Favorite Plant-Based Asian Recipes- Gluten free

                                  Asian Soup in 10 Minutes  (Recipe Link)

I am quite a fan of Asian food. Are you?  It works very well with a vegan diet. For those looking to increase the amount of low fat plant-based foods to their diet, here are 10 of my favorite delicious and easy ideas. 

Vegetables With Crushed Roasted Peanuts -Delish

This colorful vegetable dish takes only 10 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to cook. You will be delighted with the delicious flavors  in a dish that lends itself to many variations! I love it.

Asian Mushroom Soup- Vegan and Gluten-Free

I bought a quart of baby portobello mushrooms for Thanksgiving and never used them, so I decided to make an Asian mushroom soup to use them up. This recipe is very similar (with just a few variations) to my original recipe for hot and sour soup (link) that I published way back in 2011. 

It is delicious and easy to make!

Plant Based Paella

Isn't this beautiful? I made it for dinner the other night!!

Paella is to Spain what spaghetti is to Italy! 

While visiting Barcelona this past May, we marveled at the different varieties of paella offered throughout the city. Of course, the only paella I tasted was the plant-based paella that we found in just a few restaurants. It was delicious, and I wanted to make it now that I'm home. This is an update of my previous recipe.