This fuss-free weekly vegan meal plan will help guide you through your first seven days on a vegan diet.

Monday

Breakfast

Porridge and fruit

• 50g (1¾oz) oats with 200ml (6¾floz) fortified plant milk (soya, oat, almond — whichever you prefer) and topped with 1 banana (sliced).

Lunch

Sweet quinoa salad

1. Place 125g (4½oz) ready-cooked quinoa in a bowl with 1 tbsp of dried cherries, ¼ of a small red onion (finely chopped), ½ a yellow pepper (finely diced), 2 tbsp raw pistachios (chopped), 10 mint leaves (chopped) and a small handful of rocket.
2. In a small bowl whisk 1 tbsp light olive oil, ½ a lemon (juiced) and 1 tsp maple syrup.
3. Add the dressing to the salad, season with salt and combine well.

Dinner

Thai red curry

1. Heat 1 tsp of light olive oil in a small saucepan set over a medium heat.
2. Add ½ a tbsp red Thai curry paste (check it’s vegan), 1 tsp peanut butter, 1 sweet potato (peeled and diced), 100ml (3¼floz) coconut milk and 50ml (1¾floz) water.
3. Simmer for 20-25 minutes then remove from the heat.
4. Stir through 1 small handful of spinach and serve with brown rice or quinoa.

Snack

1. 80g (2¾oz) blanched cauliflower florets with 1 tbsp tahini.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Mushrooms on toast

• 100g (3½oz) mixed mushrooms and chopped tarragon (sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil) served on 1 slice of toasted rye bread.

Lunch

Mexican jacket potato

1. Mash ½ an avocado in a bowl with ½ a lime (juiced).
2. Stir in ½ a chilli (chopped), 1 tomato (finely chopped), coriander (chopped), ½ a small red onion (finely chopped) and ½ a can of red kidney beans.
3. Serve on top of 1 baked sweet potato.

Dinner

Tomato and chilli pasta

1. Cook 75g (2½oz) wholemeal pasta for 12 minutes in boiling water.
2. While cooking, lightly fry 1 garlic clove (crushed) in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 red pepper (chopped), 10 black olives, a pinch of chilli, salt, pepper and a tin of tomatoes.
3. Drain the pasta and combine with the mixture.

Snack

• 30g (1oz) raw cashew nuts.

Wednesday

Breakfast

Crunchy topped yoghurt

• 150g (5¼oz) soya yoghurt topped with sliced kiwi fruit and pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Crunchy supergreen salad

1. Remove the tough stalks from 2 large handfuls of kale, chop, then place in a large bowl.
2. Add 1 tsp of olive oil and 1 tsp lemon juice and massage the kale for a few minutes to soften.
3. Add 1 small handful each of coriander (chopped) and flat-leaf parsley (chopped), 1 tsp toasted seeds, 1 small handful of walnuts (lightly crushed), 100g (3½oz) ready-cooked quinoa and grated zest of half a small orange.
4. Now blitz together 1 tbsp light tahini, 1 tbsp light olive oil, ½ a garlic clove, 3 tbsp warm water, 2 tbsp orange juice, salt and black pepper.
5. Dress the salad and save any leftover dressing for another time.

Dinner

Tofu stir fry

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a wok. Add ½ a bag of ready-prepared sliced vegetables. Fry for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water halfway through.
2. Add 80g (2¾oz) marinated tofu to the wok and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add 1 handful of ready-prepared rice noodles and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Take off the heat and add 1 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ a lime (juiced) and fresh coriander (chopped).

Snack

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

Thursday

Breakfast

Banana and almond porridge

• Porridge made with 4 tbsp oats and 275ml (9¼floz) fortified oat milk. Stir though 1 tbsp of almond butter and top with banana.

Lunch

Sweet potato toast

1. Peel one large sweet potato then cut into slices. Take 3 slices and bag the rest to keep in the fridge.
2. Toast the potato slices in a toaster for 5-10 minutes.
3. Place ½ an avocado, ½ a lime (juiced) and salt to a bowl then mash.
4. Spread the sweet potato toasts with avocado then top with pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and sunflower seeds.

Dinner

Cauliflower couscous

1. Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
2. Place ½ a cauliflower in a food processor and blitz until crumbled.
3. Spread the cauliflower ‘couscous’ out on a baking tray, season and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
4. Once cooled place the ‘couscous’ in a bowl with a handful each of cashew nuts (chopped), chives (chopped), coriander (chopped), 4 mint leaves (chopped), 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ a lemon (juiced).
5. Serve with tofu or falafel.

Snack

• A small bowl of fruit soya yoghurt.

Friday

Breakfast

Cinnamon smoothie

1. Place 250ml (8½floz) fortified almond milk in a blender with 1 tbsp almond butter, ½ a ripe banana, ½ a small avocado, 1 tbsp oats and a pinch of cinnamon.
2. Blitz until smooth.

Lunch

Loaded quinoa bowl

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a small saucepan then add ½ a garlic clove (sliced), 1 tbsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp tomato purée, ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika.
2. Fry for 30 seconds before adding 75g (2½oz) quinoa, 150ml (5floz) vegetable stock and ¼ of a can of chopped tomatoes.
3. Cook for 12 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
4. Take off the heat, season with salt and stir through 1 handful of spinach.
5. Serve in a bowl and top with sliced avocado, sliced spring onions, lime juice and coriander.

Dinner

Pesto pasta

1. Cook 75g (2½oz) buckwheat pasta.
2. Place ½ a garlic clove, a small handful each of basil, coriander and baby spinach leaves, 100g (3½oz) frozen soya beans (defrosted), ¼ of a lemon (juiced), 1 tsp olive oil and salt to a small blender and blitz until almost smooth (add water as you go).
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and add ¼ of a red onion (sliced) and 1 handful of mushrooms (sliced). Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the pesto and pasta to the pan and heat through before serving.

Snack

• 1 large rice cake topped with avocado.

Saturday

Breakfast

Chia porridge

1. Place 4 tbsp chia seeds in a small bowl with 250ml (8½floz) fortified plant-milk of choice and 1-2 tsp of maple syrup.
2. Mix well then leave for 1-2 hours or overnight. The pudding should be thick and not liquidy.
3. Serve the pudding with any topping including fruits, nuts, seeds or nut butters.

Lunch

Falafel and pitta bread

1. Combine ½ a cucumber (cored and finely diced), 2 tomatoes (seeds removed and finely diced), ¼ of a small red onion (finely diced), parsley (finely chopped), lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
2. Serve with 3 small falafel, 1 tbsp reduced-fat hummus and 1 large wholemeal pitta bread.

Dinner

Warm lentil salad

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 5.
2. Cut 150g (5¼oz) carrots lengthways and then place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle over ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp chilli flakes, ½ tsp za’atar and salt then roast for 20 minutes.
3. Now whisk ½ tbsp mustard with ½ a lemon (juiced) and 125g (4¼oz) ready to eat beluga lentils together in a bowl.
4. Add 1 handful of rocket and 1 tbsp dill (chopped) to the bowl.
5. Add the carrots and serve.

Snack

• 2 dates stuffed with almond butter.

Sunday

Breakfast

Scrambled tofu

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan and add ½ a small onion (finely chopped). Cook for 8 minutes to soften completely.
2. Stir in ½ a garlic clove (crushed), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp ground cumin and ¼ tsp smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute.
3. Mash 140g (5oz) extra firm tofu in a bowl using a fork then add to the pan and fry for 3 minutes.
4. Set the heat high and add 6 cherry tomatoes (quartered) then cook for 5 minutes more.
5. Stir in 1 tbsp chopped parsley, season and serve on toast.

Lunch

Butternut squash soup

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 5.
2. Place the flesh of half a butternut squash on a baking tray with ½ a red onion (sliced) and roast until tender. Once cooked, remove from the oven.
3. Now bring 300ml (10floz) vegetable stock to the boil then turn down the heat and add 100ml (3¼floz) coconut milk.
4. Add the squash to the pan along with ½ tsp dried chillies. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.
5. Serve with rye bread.

Snack

• 1 sliced pear served with 1 tbsp nut butter

Dinner

Bean tacos

1. Heat a non stick pan and add 80g (2¾oz) tofu (squeezed dry and crumbled) and a pinch of turmeric then cook for 8 minutes.
2. Add ½ a tin of pinto beans and 1 tsp of chipotle en adobo sauce then cook for 5 minutes.
3. Serve mixture in 2 taco shells with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and red onion.

Are you taking part in Veganuary this year? Take the stress out of meal-planning with these easy Veganuary dinner recipes.