Despite the range of vegan foods available for consumption, being more than vast, the choice of what to eat, is a large and seemingly impossible task for many newly found and aspiring vegans. In order to lend a hand to those whom this issue may concern, I have assembled a list of vegan foods, that will cover all your dietary needs, from breakfast, lunch and dinner, and all essential macronutrients and if not all, most micronutrients.
Vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds, herb, spices and some supplements, are the preferred, if not essential foods listed. I have listed options in each category, pick and choose what you wish and if further help and information are needed, consult with your preferred dietary and health professional, enjoy.
SHOPPING LIST
Meat substitutes- Non-GMO tofu, tempeh, seitan (avoid if gluten intolerant), veggie patties
Milk substitutes- almond, cashew, non-GMO soy
Nut butter- almond, peanut
Preferred grains- Oats, rice noodles, rice, buckwheat flour, fortified cereals
Optional grains- pasta, corn chips, tortillas, gluten-free wholemeal bread, gnocchi, flour
Nuts- almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachio, Brazil
Seeds- pumpkin, chia, sunflower, flax
Legumes- kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, lentils
Starch vegetables- Potatoes/sweet potatoes/yams
Green vegetables- spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli, peas, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cucumber
Other vegetables- capsicums/peppers, onions, chillies, beetroot, carrot, cauliflower, mushrooms
Frozen fruits- mixed, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries
Fresh fruits- bananas, apples, tomatoes, avocados, pineapple, blueberries, cranberries
Dried fruits- figs, goji berries, dates
Herbs and spices- pink or grey salts, black pepper, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, basil, ginger, parsley
Oils- olive, coconut, flax seed
Nutritional yeast
Supplements- B12 (if not obtained through fortified foods), D3, iodine, ALA, magnesium (optional), zinc (optional), creatine(optional), protein powder (optional, however, I do advise)
EXAMPLE MEALS
Below I’ve listed a few meals I consume on a somewhat regular basis using some ingredients from above. Hopefully, these examples give you an idea of how one can mix the various food categories listed above into one’s daily diet.
BREAKFAST
Smoothie bowl
Smoothie
- 200ml water
- 1 scoop of protein, 30g of protein
- 5g of creatine monohydrate
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
- 1/2 cup of frozen cherries
Toppings
- Tbsp. of pumpkin seeds
- Tbsp. of chia seeds
- Tbsp. of goji berries
- Chopped dates
- Chopped walnuts
Oats with dried fruit, nuts and seeds
- 1 cup of oats, cooked
- 1 whole apple
- 4 dried figs
- A handful of nuts, cashew/walnut
- A handful of dried fruit, goji berries/ginger
- Tablespoon of chia, flax, pumpkin or sunflower seeds
LUNCH
Lentil curry
Curry sauce
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon of pink salt
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 4 cans of lentils
- 4 Tbsp. of tomato paste
- 1 can of coconut cream
- 1 cup of steamed rice
Tofu curry
Curry sauce
- 114g can of vegan Massaman curry paste (any vegan curry paste will do)
- 1/2 an onion
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- A handful of cashews
- 1 chilli
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup of coconut cream
- A serve of tofu (roughly 100g)
- 1 cup of steamed rice
DINNER
Gnocchi w/ pasta sauce, vegan cheese, herb bread and an avocado and spinach salad
Gnocchi
Jar of organic pasta sauce
Homemade vegan cheese (recipe from minimalist baker)
- 1 cup of raw cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 3 heaped tbsp. of nutritional yeast
- 3 cloves of garlic
Blend
Herb bread
- 2 cups of gluten-free flour
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- A heaped teaspoon of dry yeast
- 1/3rd teaspoon of bicarb soda
- 2/3rd teaspoon of cream of tartar
- 3 cloves of garlic
- a handful of cashews
- 2/3rd a cup of cold water
- 1/3rd a cup of hot water
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
Mix together, knead, shape, sprinkle topping and then bake for 15 minutes at moderate heat.
Avocado and spinach salad
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
- Artichokes
- Olives
- Peppers
- Sundried tomato
- Avocado
- Tbsp. of each olive oil and balsamic vinegar
For more vegan recipes, simply search Steemit, for the many vegan food bloggers, visit the minimalist baker website and or purchase her books or any other vegan cookbooks you may find.