Did you try Veganuary this year? The month-long challenge that inspires people to go vegan through January (and beyond) began with a small, UK-based charity in 2014. Since then it has skyrocketed, with hundreds of thousands of Veganuary hashtags shared on social media. Whether you’re planning to indulge in meat and cheese on the first of February or to go fully vegan, you deserve to see the delicious side of a meat-free diet for your efforts. So, we’re sharing two mouthwatering recipes that will have you ending Veganuary on a high note this year!
Quinoa Primavera from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook
Makes: 4 to 6
Time: 25 minutes
Quinoa is the rare plant protein that contains all nine essential amino acids, making it “complete.” Whether this actually matters is up for debate, but quinoa certainly rounds out a lot of our meals. Paired with loads of vegetables, this dish becomes a one-pot meal. 
CITRUS-PICKLED SHALLOTS
• 2 large shallots, sliced in half, then into half-moons
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Pinch of sugar
QUINOA
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, soaked at least 2 hours or overnight, rinsed, and drained
• 2 cups frozen artichoke hearts or one 14-ounce can artichoke hearts packed in water, halved or quartered if large
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped fine
• 3 scallions (white and light green parts), sliced thin
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
1. To make the shallots, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (The shallots can be refrigerated overnight or up to 3 days.)
2. To make the quinoa, combine the water and quinoa in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then add the artichokes, garlic, tarragon, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, the dill, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the peas, carrots, bell pepper, and scallions. Cover and cook until the vegetables are heated through, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and zest and the sunflower seeds, fluff with a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Serve, topping each portion with the shallots. (Leftovers can be served cold.)
Pesto Bread from The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Book
Preparation time 15 minutes • Rising time 1 hour • Baking time 25 minutes • Cooling time 30 minutes • Makes one 8-inch round loaf
Our Pesto Bread is the star of any breakfast table. It looks amazing and smells even better. It’s sensational even when just eaten plain! 
FOR THE DOUGH
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 cups spelt flour, plus more for rolling the dough
- 1 teaspoon salt
FOR THE PESTO
- 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Generous 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/3 cup olive oil
1.To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in a cup in 2/3 cup lukewarm water. Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2.With a wooden spoon, stir the dissolved yeast into the spelt flour, then knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Cover the bowl and put in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
3.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4.Meanwhile, to make the pesto, place the basil, salt, pepper, almonds, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a food processor or high-speed blender and process until smooth. With the motor running at high speed, drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified.
5.Punch down the dough. Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Roll out the dough to a 14 × 20-inch rectangle. Spread the top evenly with the pesto, then roll up from the longer side. Twist the roll a few times, place on the prepared pan and shape into a ring.
6.Brush with cold water and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool at least 30 minutes in the pan before serving.
TIP: Instead of the pesto, you can use 3/4 cup olive tapenade in this recipe. Or for a sweet alternative, use a filling made of 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 2 tablespoons cinnamon.
