Seven-Day Healthy Wholefood Vegan Meal Plan

Take the guesswork out of ensuring you’re eating a balance plant-based diet with this healthy vegan meal plan.

Monday

BREAKFAST

Berry smoothie

Blend ½ a banana, 1 tbsp oats, 1 handful of frozen berries, 1 handful of spinach and 200ml (7floz) fortified oat milk to make a creamy smoothie.

LUNCH

Zingy quinoa salad

1. Add to a bowl 125g (4½oz) ready to eat quinoa, ¼ of a cucumber (diced), ½ an avocado (diced), ½ a small yellow pepper (diced), 1 small handful of frozen peas (thawed), 1 small handful of baby spinach leaves, mint and coriander (chopped).
2. In a small bowl combine 2 tsp light tahini, 2 tsp sweet miso, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1-2 tbsp hot water, 1 tsp grated ginger and whisk well.
3. Dress salad and serve.

DINNER

Thai curry

1. Make a paste by blitzing 2 spring onions, 1 garlic clove, ½ a lemongrass stalk, 1 lime leaf, ½ a red chilli, 1 tsp soy sauce, a 2cm piece of ginger (peeled) and 2 tsp groundnut oil in a food processor.
2. Place the paste in a saucepan and heat for 2 minutes.
3. Add 200ml (7oz) coconut milk, ½ a 400g (7oz) can of chickpeas, 1 handful of frozen soya beans, ½ a small red pepper (sliced) and 1 small handful of mange tout then cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender (cook less for more crunchy veggies).
4. Serve in a bowl with chopped coriander.

SNACK

1 slice of fruit bread topped with 1 tbsp nut butter (almond, cashew or peanut).

Tuesday

BREAKFAST

Avocado on rye

1 slice of toasted rye bread (drizzled with 2 tsp olive oil) topped with 1 handful of cherry tomatoes (roasted) and ½ an avocado (mashed).

LUNCH

Buddha bowl

Combine 100g (3½oz) cooked spelt, 2 tbsp chickpeas, 25g (¾oz) baby spinach (chopped), 50g (1¾oz) red cabbage (finely shredded), ½ a celery stick (finely sliced) and 100g (3½oz) mange tout (shredded) in a bowl. Add ½ a lemon (juiced), 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ a small garlic clove (crushed).

DINNER

Spiced squash with black rice

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Gas Mark 4. Place ½ a medium butternut squash (peeled and sliced) on a baking tray with ½ a pack of ready cooked black rice and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle over ½ tsp sumac, ½ a lemon (zested) and salt and bake for 30 minutes. While cooking, place ½ a small red onion (finely sliced) in a bowl with ½ a lemon (juiced), ½ tbsp olive oil, ½ tbsp za’atar and salt then leave to soak. Scatter onions and dressing over the cooked rice and squash.

SNACK

1 small handful of almonds.

Wednesday

BREAKFAST

Peanut butter & banana on toast

2 slices of toasted rye bread topped with 2 tbsp almond butter and 1 banana (sliced).

LUNCH

Crispbreads with beetroot hummus

1. Combine 50g (1¾oz) frozen soya beans (defrosted) with 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds, 1 tsp sesame seeds, squeeze of lime juice and 1 tsp sesame oil.
2. Serve with two dark rye crispbreads spread with beetroot hummus.

DINNER

Lentil and sweet potato curry

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan then add ½ a garlic clove (crushed), ½ tbsp ginger (grated) and 1 spring onion (chopped) and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Now add 50g (1¾oz) red lentils, ½ a sweet potato (peeled and cubed), 50g (1¾oz) cherry tomatoes, 3 cardamom pods, 2 cloves, ½ tsp turmeric and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add 100ml (vegetable stock and simmer for 15 minutes).
4. Add 100ml (3½floz) coconut milk, season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Remove cardamom and cloves before serving with 1 wholemeal pitta bread.

SNACK

2 tbsp guacamole with 1 red pepper (sliced).

Thursday

BREAKFAST

Yoghurt and fruit

150g (5¼oz) coconut milk yoghurt topped with 4 strawberries (sliced) and ½ a banana (sliced).

LUNCH

Crunchy courgettes

1. Place two courgettes (julienned) in a bowl. On a large chopping board, place a handful each of cashew nuts, mint, basil, mixed seeds (toasted) and frozen peas (defrosted) then chop coarsely.
2. Place the pea mixture on top of the courgette then drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

DINNER

Tofu stir fry

1. Combine 1½ tbsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp orange juice and ¼ of a red chilli (chopped) to make a dressing.
2. Prepare 1 stick of soba noodles and rinse under cold water when cooked.
3. Place the noodles in a large bowl with 100g (3½oz) soya beans, ½ a cucumber (peeled, seeded and sliced), a handful of beansprouts, 2 spring onions (sliced), coriander (chopped) and ½ tsp sesame oil.
4. Dress the salad and set to one side.
5. Prepare 125g (4¼oz) tofu (pat dry with kitchen towel first) by cutting into ‘steaks’ lengthways. Sprinkle with cornflour, season with salt then fry in a hot pan with 2 tsp of oil.
6. Serve tofu with salad.

SNACK

1 dark rye cracker bread topped with nut butter and sliced banana.

Friday

BREAKFAST

Cereal with dates

50g (1¾oz) high-fibre breakfast cereal with 200ml (7floz) fortified plant milk (soya or nut). Top with 3 pitted dates (chopped).

LUNCH

Sweet potato toast

1. Peel a large sweet potato then cut into ½cm slices. Take 3 slices and bag the remaining potato to keep in the fridge for another day.
2. Toast the potato slices in a toaster for 5-10 minutes until tender. While toasting, place the flesh of ½ a lime (juiced) and salt to a bowl then mash.
3. Spread the sweet potato toasts with avocado then top with pomegranate seeds, crushed hazelnuts and sunflower seeds. Serve with salad.

DINNER

Aubergine curry

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add ½ an aubergine cut into small chunks and fry for 8 minutes, until tender, then remove from the pan.
2. Now add 100g (3½oz) of butter beans (canned) to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, then remove from the pan.
3. Now add ¼ of an onion (chopped) to the pan and cook until soft. Add ¼ tsp mustard seeds and 1½ tsp curry powder and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add 75ml (2½floz) vegetable stock and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
5. Stir in 50g (1¾oz) low fat soya yoghurt and 2 tsp mango chutney.
6. Now add the aubergine and butter beans, combining gently and warming through. Garnish with coriander and serve with wholemeal pitta bread.

SNACK

1 large rice cake topped with 1 banana (mashed) and 1 tsp raw cacao.

Saturday

BREAKFAST

Toasted coconut oats

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Place 75g (2½oz) oats in a bowl with 1 tsp olive oil and 25ml (¾floz) fortified soya milk then mix well.
2. Spread the oats out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 12 minutes. When cooled, place in a bowl with 1 tbsp flaked coconut and 1 tbsp goji berries.
3. Pour over a ready-made juice with beetroot. Add a dollop of fortified coconut soya yoghurt.

LUNCH

Basil and tomato pasta

Place a small handful of blanched almonds in a pestle and mortar with 1 small handful of fresh basil, ¼ of a garlic clove, ¼ of a lemon (juiced), 1 tbsp olive oil and salt then crush into a rough paste. Stir the pesto through the wholemeal pasta and add some chopped cherry tomatoes.

DINNER

Mexican roasted veg

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Place 1 small carrot (sliced), ½ a red pepper (sliced) and ½ a yellow pepper (sliced) on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
2. Now blitz together 2 tbsp olive oil and ½ a red onion in a food processor then fry in a saucepan.
3. Add 1 tsp of cumin seeds and 1 tsp smoked paprika to the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add 75ml (2½floz) water to the pan and bring to the boil.
5. Add 200g (7oz) black beans (canned) and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
6. Serve the beans topped with roasted vegetables and chopped coriander.

SNACK

1 sliced apple served with 1 tbsp nut butter.

Sunday

BREAKFAST

Banana and nut yoghurt bowl

150g (5¼oz) soya or coconut yoghurt topped with 1 banana (sliced), 1 tbsp almond butter and 1 small handful of crushed almonds.

LUNCH

Vegetable soup with toasted rye

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan then add 1 large carrot (chopped), ½ an onion (chopped), ½ a stick of celery (chopped), ½ a garlic clove (chopped). Fry for 10 minutes then pour in 250ml (8¾floz) vegetable stock and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper then blitz until smooth.

Combine 1 tbsp soya yoghurt with ½ tbsp tahini and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve soup with yoghurt and toasted rye bread.

DINNER

Sweet and spicy tofu

1. In a large bowl, combine a 1in piece of ginger (grated), 1 garlic clove (sliced), ½ tbsp maple syrup, a pinch of chilli flakes, 150g (5¼oz) firm tofu (sliced) and two small pak choi (quartered). Marinate for 25 minutes.
2. Cook the tofu and pak choi in a hot griddle pan, then pour over the dressing and a squeeze of lime. Serve with brown rice.

SNACK

100g (3¼oz) blanched Tenderstem broccoli with 1 tbsp tahini.