Alternatives to your favorite non-vegan dishes aside, being vegan is really about cultivating a plant-based diet. And with a filling, colorful and flavor-packed recipe like this in your bag of vegan tricks, that won't be hard to do.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (you should get about 5-6 cups)
2 teaspoons and 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bunch of curly kale, washed, stem removed and chopped (you should get 7-8 cups)
Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 large avocado, pitted and diced
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/4 cup chopped red onion

Lemon Tahini Dressing:
1/2 cup tahini
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-6 tablespoons warm water, depending on how thick you want the dressing

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. On a large sheet pan, toss together the diced sweet potato with 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Bake sweet potato until fork tender, 35-40 minutes, flipping once.

Prepare the kale while the sweet potatoes are baking. Add the chopped kale to a large bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice of 1/2 a large lemon and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to massage the kale and make sure everything is mixed together, about 1 minute. Set kale aside until sweet potatoes are finished baking.

Make the dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until a creamy dressing is formed. Add the water slowly until desired consistency is reached.

There are two ways you can assemble the salad: You can add all ingredients to the bowl with the kale and mix until combined. Add desired amount of dressing to each individual serving. Or, you can add the kale mixture to separate bowls and evenly top with remaining ingredients.

Source: She Likes Food

Sometimes you just can't shake that feeling of needing some good ol' comfort food. Satisfy that urge with this vegan mashed potato recipe.

Ingredients:
6-8 medium Yukon gold potatoes (if large, cut in half)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
5-6 cloves roasted garlic (or, sub minced garlic sauteed for 3 minutes in olive oil)
3-4 Tablespoons vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), melted/softened
1/4 cup fresh chives for topping

Instructions:
Place potatoes in a large saucepan or pot and cover with water. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until very tender. They should effortlessly slide off a knife when pierced.

While the potatoes are cooking, chop up your chives and measure your butter. Once tender, drain your potatoes and place them back in the hot pot off the heat for 1 minute to evaporate any additional water. Then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Mash your potatoes using either a potato masher or a hand mixer until fluffy. Add in butter, garlic, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Lastly, top with chives, stir and serve as is or topped with your favorite gravy.

Source: Minimalist Baker

Recovering carb loaders, this one is for you. When the need for a carby, cheese-heavy meal hits new-to-the-scene vegans, resist the lure by whipping up this easy-peasy vegan pasta recipe.

Ingredients:
1 box (340 g/12 ounces) rotini or fusilli pasta
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 to 1/2 cup hummus
1/4 cup hemp hearts
Fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions:
Add water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, gather the rest of the ingredients. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, add the pasta, and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook the pasta according to the package Instructions, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta sticking.

Drain the cooked pasta well and place it back into the pot. Stir in the marinara, hummus, and hemp hearts until combined. Taste and add a bit of salt or other mix-ins if desired. Heat over low until warmed throughout. If serving this pasta to a little one, spread a scoop of pasta out on a plate to gently cool it before serving.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. To reheat, add the pasta into a pot along with a bit of extra marinara sauce (this adds moisture back) and stir to combine. Heat over medium-low heat until warmed throughout.

Source: Oh She Glows

This chocolate mousse is not only full of antioxidants and healthy fats; it's also delectable. Feel free to swat non-vegan hands away from nearby spoons, as this recipe only makes two servings.

Ingredients:
For Mousse
1 large ripe avocado
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup almond milk
7 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 teaspoons liquid stevia
1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Almond Creme:
1/4 cup soaked almonds
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar, or 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:
To make the mousse, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for about 1 minute, until creamy. Divide the mixture among 2 individual custard cups.

To make the almond creme, in a clean blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend on high till smooth.

Top each mousse cup with a large dollop of the almond creme, cover, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Source: Urban Remedy

Yes, you can have barbeque as a vegan. It's just in a salad. A filling, rainbow-colored, gloriously crunchy salad that won't leave you comatose with a bellyache like some baby back rib eaters we know.

Ingredients:
1 19oz can of chickpeas or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce (check ingredients to make sure it is vegan)
6 cups romaine lettuce (about two romaine hearts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup cucumber slices
Red onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 cup cooked corn kernels
Lime wedges for garnish
6 Tablespoons vegan creamy ranch dressing

Instructions:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to a sauce pan with the BBQ sauce over medium heat. Let the chickpeas simmer in the sauce for about 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and sticks to the chickpeas. Remove from heat.

Chop up the romaine lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, slice the cucumber and thinly slice the red onion.

For two meal-sized salads, divide the lettuce among two large bowls. Then divide all of the vegetable and the BBQ chickpeas on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with creamy vegan ranch dressing and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Source: It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken