Two weeks ago I decided to try out a Vegan diet to see how I would feel and how my body would change. I never thought it would give me more energy and make me feel so good. Not only that but the meals we had were easy to prepare and my family enjoyed them! (They are kind of picky eaters!)
Now I would be lying if I said it was easy, and if I said I didn't crave dairy, and meat BUT I did feel great while I was doing it, and I have since limited my intake on animal products. Our kids even agreed to going vegan 4 days a week, and limited animal products on the days we are allowing it. Our oldest daughter (15 years old) even said that she felt better and more energetic on day 4!
During this week I aloud myself to have eggs a few days only because we were going on vacation and we needed to use them before we left and a little Feta.
Before going to the grocery store we planned out all of our meals, and made a shopping list. We got almost EVERYTHING from Aldis, and it was 90% ORGANIC! (which I LOVE) Another plus about this is we had more than enough food for the week of vegan meals PLUS into the next week for less than $100!!!!
Who said eating healthy had to be expensive!?! NOT ME!
Here is the meal plan that we followed with the recipes that we made!! :) SO SO good!
Breakfast Daily was 1/2 a grapefruit with agave nectar, and fruit salad (pineapple, watermelon, strawberries, and apples) and on three days I added in 5 asparagus stems and 2 poached eggs.
Snack 1 Daily was Greenberry Shakeology & Water
Snack 2 Daily was 12 Almonds
DAY 1: Monday
Sweet potato hunks with guacamole and onion
&
White Bean Avocado Salad
- 1 can white beans
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1 Roma tomato, chopped
- 1/4 sweet onion chopped (or less or none if you're not a fan of onions)
That's the salad base and here's the vinaigrette:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- dried basil to taste
- garlic powder to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Follow the cooking directions for the beans if you get them in a bag otherwise use the canned white beans (much easier). I put it all in a bowl and just mixed it together, and let me tell you... SO GOOD!
Dinner:
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
1 cup quinoa
2 peppers cut in half
1 can of Corn
1 can of Black Beans
2 Roma Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper
Follow the quinoa cooking instructions then mix everything together in a bowl and stuff the pepper halves with the mix. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and cook at 450 for about 20 minutes.
DAY 2: Tuesday!
DETOX Salad (Directions here!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 10 raw, unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
- 3 strawberries, sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled & sliced
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced
- 1/4 cup raspberries
Directions
- Massage kale in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes, or until broken down and tender. Combine with spinach and cabbage, then turn out onto a plate. Top with remaining ingredients, then drizzle with a good, olive-oil based salad dressing.
Dinner- MUSHROOM BOURGUIGNON
Here is the recipe I used!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds portobello, shiitake or crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup pearl onions, peeled and ends trimmed (thawed if frozen)
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 heaping teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
- 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup full-bodied red wine
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
To serve
- Farro (I used pearled farro)
In a large dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over high heat, add mushrooms and pearl onions, sear until they begin to take on a little coloring, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove from pot and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, add one tablespoon of oil. Add the carrots, onions, thyme, salt and pepper, saute for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Slowly add the wine to the pot and scrap any bits that are stuck to the bottom or sides. Turn heat to high and reduce wine by half. Stir in tomato paste and broth, mix. Add in mushrooms and pearl onions, including any juices that have collected, back to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Let simmer, covered or cover askewed, stirring occasionally and enjoy the wonderful aroma.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining tablespoon oil, or water, with flour to make a paste, stir into the stew. Simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to the right consistency. Season to taste.
Lunch- Spinach Salad
This one was simple-
Spinach, avocado, tomato, sunflower seeds, carrots, and Raspberry vinaigrette!
Dinner- Quinoa Enchiladas!
-Quinoa (follow cooking instructions)-Tomato
-Black beans
-Corn
-Jalapenos
-Cilantro
Mix it all together- then put the mix into whole grain shells, roll them up, put them in a pan then pour a can of enchilada sauce over the top, along with extras. Then cover with coleslaw mix and sprinkle a little feta and bake at 400 for about 30 minutes! :)
DAY 4: Thursday
Lunch- Simple Spinach salad (again)
Spinach, avocado, tomato, sunflower seeds, carrots, and Raspberry vinaigrette!
Dinner- Cauliflower Buffalo Bites
Ingredients- 1 head cauliflower; chopped into bite size piece
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup water
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch of granulated garlic powder
- Non-stick spray
- ***Sauce***
- 1 tsp. Earth Balance butter substitute; melted
- ½ cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- In a small bowl, combine brown rice flour, water, garlic powder and salt. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
- Dip cauliflower pieces in the batter until coated evenly, then place on a lightly greased, non-stick baking sheet.
- Bake for about 10 minutes or until the batter hardens, then flip with a spatula and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Whisk together Frank’s Red Hot sauce and Earth Balance butter substitute in a small bowl.
- When the cauliflower is finished, take a plastic pastry brush and evenly brush each piece with the hot sauce mixture.
- Bake coated cauliflower for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is crispy, and sauce looks absorbed.
- Remove from oven.
- Let cauliflower bites set out for at least 20 minutes before serving.
I didn't take pictures of mine because they were not pretty, but surprisingly tasted like buffalo chicken!! I found my recipe HERE-Clean Eating Machine!
DAY 5: Friday HOME STRETCH!! ( I am not going to lie I was REALLY missing Cheese this day!)
Lunch- Detox Salad again! (see above)
Dinner- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Pasta noodles
Mushrooms
Garlic
Onions
2 Roma Tomatoes
2 tbls Flour
Basil
Oregano
Salt
Olive Oil
Put water on to boil and cook noodles. In separate pan put olive oil minced garlic, chopped onion, mushrooms in and cook until mushrooms are soft. When noodles are done mix in the garlic, onions, mushrooms, seasoning, and flour in with 2 more tbls of olive oil and 2 Roma tomatoes and mix.
I was so hungry I forgot to take a pic of this one!
I challenge YOU to try going Vegan for a week!! Use the hashtag #VeganForAWeek with your pictures so we can see the meals you chose!! :)
Thanks for reading!! Comment below with any questions or comments! :)
xoxo Steph
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