10 Best Homemade Vegan Dishes in July

Summer is a blissful season for vegetarians. There are many kinds of local fruits and vegetables to enjoy. I usually buy fresh vegetables from local farmers directly. One of my friends grows and harvests organic vegetables such as potatoes, onions, basil, green beans, okra and morning glory. Some of them are very difficult to find fresh, because not many farms grow subtropical vegetables like holy basil and green beans. They are usually very expensive or I can only find them frozen. But I can get fresh ones at very cheap prices thanks to my friend. In the summer, I particularly enjoy cooking by myself. I picked the 10 best homemade dishes I’ve prepared and eaten during the month of July.

1. Vegan Steak with Green Beans

Although I rarely eat canned food, this sweet canned vegan steak is one of my favorite and most convenient foods. It is very delicious with stir fried green beans. I bought freshly grown green beans from my friend. It is a very convenient and simple meal, but quite delicious and reminds me of something I would eat at a luxurious restaurant.

1. Nasi Goreng with green beans and morning glory

Nasi goreng is a staple food from Indonesia. I bought Kecap Manis, a sweet soy sauce, and Sambal Asli, a chili sauce, when I went to Indonesia. Since my trip there, I often cook Nasi Goreng for myself at home. It is a great way to use leftover cooked rice. This time, I added fresh green beans and morning glory while stir frying the rice. They go very well with Nasi Goreng.

1. Banana pancakes with fresh fruit

I enjoy recreating food that I discovered and enjoyed in different locations while traveling. The pancakes and fruit are a very delicious and satisfying breakfast. Hotels and guest houses in Thailand and Bali often provide this delicious combination. I used flaxseed powder as a replacement for eggs to cook the pancakes. The great thing about this meal in the summer is that there are so many kinds of fresh fruits to eat with the pancakes.

1. Tofu & Veggies with Holy Basil

Of all the foods I learned to cook at my cooking class in Thailand, this one was one of my favorites. Although it takes very little time to cook and is very simple, it is still delicious. You combine tofu, any type of vegetables you like, and fresh holy basil to the final product in the last minute before turning off the stove/burner. Luckily, I was able to get holy basil from my friend so it was possible to enjoy this dish at home!

1. Open toast with grilled vegetables

This is a very filling brunch plate. First I spread homemade basil pesto onto the bread, and then layer grilled fresh local seasonal vegetables on top! This is not a common meal for me because I prefer to eat sweet dishes in the morning, but sometimes I enjoy this for brunch or lunch.

1. Vegan Pad Thai Kung

I often cook Pad Thai at home because it doesn't require many ingredients and is always tasty. This summer, it is not just vegan "Pad Thai", it is vegan "Pad Thai Kung”, because I used vegan shrimp made of vegetable jelly.

1. Veggie Balls Pasta with Basil

I made tomato pasta with veggie balls, topped off with a handful of fresh basil leaves I grew at home. Basil is very easy to grow at home, and very handy. It can be used in many kinds of dishes to make the presentation of food beautiful and fragrant. I also made cashew parmesan out of nutritional yeast and cashews, which is a must-have vegan item!

1. Vegan Breakfast Burrito

I just tried making this for the first time recently, and it was a very filling breakfast, in addition to being very easy to make. I fill the tortilla with tofu scramble, baked potatoes, onions and cabbages, as well as some soy mayo. This dish also works well for lunch.

1. Sweet and sour tempeh

This is another memorable dish I ate during my trip to Indonesia. Lucky, we can also find tempeh in Korea online. I often eat tempeh instead of tofu, because it requires less time to prepare. There are various plates with tempeh, and of my favorites is sweet and sour tempeh. With the addition of coconut oil, the taste is even more wonderful.

1. Stir fried morning glory & Green beans

Green beans go well with tomatoes, and I cook morning glory in soy sauce. I have to be careful not to put too much soy sauce in when cooking morning glory, because it can turn out too salty. This combination reminds me of eating at affordable but tasty restaurants in Malaysia.