Excerpted from PLANTYOU QUICKIES by Carleigh Bodrug. Copyright © 2026 by Carleigh Bodrug. Photography copyright © 2026 by Shahad Odah. Used by arrangement with Balance, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
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Simple Sheet Pan Soup
Ingredients
- 1 garlic head
- 3 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 2 large carrots, chopped roughly
- 1 medium-size sweet potato, peeled and
- chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped roughly
- 2 vine tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 1 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 21/2 cups vegetable broth
For Serving
- Coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, and/or chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a reusable baking mat or parchment paper. Slice the top off the head of garlic to expose the cloves and place it on the prepared pan, cut side up.
- Arrange the bell peppers, carrots, sweet potato, onion, and tomatoes on the prepared pan, placing the peppers skin side up. Sprinkle with the paprika, cumin, thyme, and salt, and drizzle with the olive oil (if using). Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the carrots and sweet potato are fork-tender.
- Once cooled slightly, remove the head of garlic and transfer the vegetables to a blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves, discarding the skin, into the blender, then add the beans, nutritional yeast, and vegetable broth. Blend until smooth, then pour into a large pot and heat over medium heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve hot. You can top this soup with a drizzle of coconut milk, pumpkin seeds, and parsley, as desired.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Edamame Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked rigatoni or gluten-free
- pasta of choice
- 1 cup frozen edamame or green peas, thawed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil or spinach
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup hulled sunflower seeds, hemp hearts,
- cashews, or walnuts
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
Directions
- Cook the rigatoni according to the package directions, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Combine the edamame, fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, and water in a food processor or high-speed blender. Process until a thick chunky pesto sauce is formed.
- Drain the pasta, and return it to its pot. Pour in the edamame pesto, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, if needed. Toss, adding more pasta water as required to get a creamy sauce.
STORAGE: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
BOOST: Add cherry tomatoes or roasted broccoli for more fiber or flavor.
Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 yellow or red bell pepper, seeded and
- chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and
- rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, or more
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
For Serving
- 1 handful fresh basil, torn
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a reusable baking mat or parchment paper.
- Spread the gnocchi, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and chickpeas on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil and coat with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oregano. Toss until evenly mixed.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are burst and the gnocchi have a slight crisp. In the last few minutes, you can broil to brown the gnocchi and tomatoes a bit, if desired.
- Serve immediately with fresh basil, balsamic glaze, and more nutritional yeast, as desired.
STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.