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PlantPlate.com is here to provide the recipes, information, and practical advice needed to follow a healthy plant-based diet. Whether you're interested in improving your health, losing weight, or eating more sustainably, a whole foods plant-based diet may be the perfect solution for you.

My name's Emma, and I started PlantPlate in 2013 with the help of my husband Scott, a web developer and fellow plantivore. I’m a certified Plant-Based Nutritionist who loves to cook, and I've followed a plant-based diet for over a decade. Having lived in various locations throughout the world - sometimes on a shoestring budget, and often with irregular and demanding work schedules - I’ve had to constantly adapt my diet in order to make it work. It’s taught me a lot, and it’s motivated me to show others just how accessible and enjoyable this way of eating can be.

The recipes featured on PlantPlate are based on minimally processed plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. They're free from all animal products, processed oils and refined carbohydrates, and are made with simple and affordable ingredients. Our articles are aimed at providing you with plant-based know-how when it comes to shopping, cooking, nutrition and day-to-day living. We have answers to common questions and share practical knowledge that we have acquired through experience. Finally, the resources section contains links to books, DVDs, and video presentations from some of the world's leading experts on plant-based nutrition. It is our hope that these resources will help you to fully understand and evaluate the health benefits of this wonderful way of eating.

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Tofu and Vermicelli San Choy Bow

RECIPE By PlantPlate
We've swapped the animal ingredients for tofu and shiitake mushrooms in our plant-based version of this traditional Chinese appetizer.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Yield: Serves 2 as a main; serves 4 as an appetiser

Notes:

San Choy Bao is a fun family option, as kids really enjoy taking part in the assembly of their lettuce wraps at the dinner table. Just make sure that you've got plenty of napkins on stand by!

Shiitake mushrooms add a wonderful flavor and texture to this dish, but you can substitute regular mushrooms in their place if need be. This recipe uses brown rice vermicelli, a type of thin noodle that's available in most health food stores and Asian grocers.

Ingredients:

  • 100g brown rice vermicelli, cooked and drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tbsp. minced ginger
  • 1 red chili, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery, finely diced
  • 150g shiitake mushrooms (stalks removed), finely diced
  • 1/2 cup finely sliced bamboo shoots
  • 300g extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
  • 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions (spring onions)
  • 8-10 whole iceberg or bibb lettuce leaves

Instructions:

  1. Wash lettuce leaves and pat dry with a towel, then arrange on a serving plate.
  2. Heat 1/4 cup of water in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, chili, carrots and celery, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add shiitakes and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots, tofu, cooked vermicelli and soy sauce and mix well until all ingredients are combined.
  3. Remove the wok or pan from the heat before stirring through the rice vinegar, cilantro and scallions.
  4. To serve, transfer the tofu vermicelli filling to a large bowl, and serve alongside the lettuce leaves. Take turns to fill your lettuce cups with the tofu vermicelli mixture, folding the lettuce over the filling (like a mini burrito) before eating.