Rob Hobson’s health-boosting Vitamin C rich dishes will help keep colds at bay (and make vegan meal planning super easy!)
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Pack your diet with vitamin C to help you feel your best with this wholesome vegan meal plan.
Monday
Breakfast
Yoghurt and fruit
150g (5¼oz) fortified soya yoghurt topped with sliced kiwi and pomegranate. You could also add other fruit like strawberries and blueberries and some chopped walnuts.
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Lunch
Avocado on rye
1 slice of dark rye bread spread with ½ an avocado (mashed) and lime juice. Top with ½ a red pepper (thinly sliced). Plus 1 handful of berries.
Dinner
Fruity Moroccan tagine
- Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add ½ an onion (chopped) and soften.
- Add 100g (3½oz) vegan soya mince to the pan with 1 tsp cumin, ¼ tsp cinnamon and ½ tsp turmeric then stir.
- Now add 2-4 tbsp dried apricots (quartered), ½ a red pepper (finely sliced) and 150ml (5fl oz) vegetable stock.
- Bring to the boil then simmer gently for 15 minutes.
- Serve with 180g (6oz) cooked wholegrain couscous combined with chopped coriander and mint.
Snack
80g (3oz) blanched Tenderstem broccoli with 1 tbsp tahini.
Tuesday
Breakfast
Cereal and fruit
50g (1¾oz) high-fibre breakfast cereal with 200ml (6¾fl oz) fortified plant milk (soya or nut) and topped with sliced banana.
Lunch
Tomato and quinoa soup
1 pot of fresh bean and tomato-based soup. Place a handful of ready-cooked quinoa in the bottom of the bowl and pour over the hot soup. Serve with two dark rye crispbreads or a slice of sprouted bread.
Dinner
Spanish stuffed peppers
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4.
- Slice 1 side of a red Romano pepper to create a pouch.
- In a bowl, combine 125g (4½oz) cooked Spanish-style rice with ½ a red chilli (finely diced) and ¼ of a red onion (finely diced).
- Place the rice mixture inside the pepper. Now combine 1 tsp olive oil with 1 tsp harissa and drizzle over the pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
- When cooked, top with coconut milk yoghurt, ¼ of an avocado (chopped) and lime juice. Serve with salad.
Snack
125g (4½oz) coconut milk yoghurt with dried mango or pear.
Wednesday
Breakfast
Winter smoothie
Blend 200ml (6¾fl oz) fortified oat milk, 1 tbsp fortified soya yoghurt, ½ a banana, 2 tbsp pumpkin purée and a pinch of ground cinnamon to make a smoothie.
Lunch
Warm super green salad
Arrange 80g (2¾oz) blanched green beans (cooled), ½ a can of lentils, ½ a celery stick (finely diced), ¼ of a red onion (thinly sliced), 50g (1¾oz) roasted red peppers (jar, sliced), 30g (1oz) rocket and chopped coriander in a bowl. Squeeze over a little lemon juice. Serve with a dressing of 2 tbsp fortified soya yoghurt, chopped chives and lemon zest.
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Dinner
Red lentil curry
- Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add ¼ of a red onion (chopped) and cook to soften.
- Add ½ a garlic clove (crushed), a small piece of fresh ginger (grated), ½ a red chilli (chopped), ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp cumin and cook for 1 minute.
- Add ½ a sweet potato (chopped) and 60g (2oz) red lentils and stir, then add 200ml (6¾fl oz) vegetable stock.
- Simmer for 20 minutes. Season then stir through a handful of spinach and coriander.
- Serve with wholemeal pitta bread.
Snack
50g (1¾oz) guacamole with 1 red pepper (sliced).
Thursday
Breakfast
Fruit and nut porridge
4 tbsp oats and 275ml (9¼fl oz) fortified oat milk. Stir through 2 tsp almond butter and top with blueberries and pumpkin seeds.
Lunch
Zesty chickpea salad
- Place ½ a red onion in a bowl with a pinch of salt and ½ a lemon (juiced) and leave for 5 minutes.
- Peel ½ a cucumber then slice into half-moons.
- Place the cucumber in a bowl with ½ a 400g (14oz) can of chickpeas, ½ a small yellow pepper (diced), mint (chopped), a handful of spinach leaves (sliced), 1 tbsp fortified soya yoghurt, ½ tsp nigella seeds and salt.
- Serve with red onions.
Dinner
Spiced tofu with cauliflower couscous
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6.
- Remove the leaves from ½ a small cauliflower and place the florets in a food processor. Blitz to a course, crumbly texture.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a lined baking tray, season with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden but still tender.
- Allow the cauliflower couscous to cool then place in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, the juice of ½ a lemon, 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds, 1 tbsp pistachio kernels (chopped) and 1 tbsp each of chopped parsley, mint and coriander.
- Serve with 2 slices of grilled spiced tofu.
Snack
2 small oatcakes topped with mashed avocado and chilli flakes (optional).
Friday
Breakfast
Tropical yoghurt
150g (5¼oz) fortified soya yoghurt topped with pomegranate, dried coconut shavings and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds.
Lunch
Vegetable and bean soup
- Heat 1 tsp olive oil in pan. Add ½ a red onion (sliced), 1 tbsp grated ginger and 1 garlic clove (crushed), then fry.
- Add 200ml (6¾fl oz) vegetable stock, 1 celery stick (chopped) and 1 carrot (diced), then boil for 12 minutes.
- Add ½ a 400g (14oz) can of aduki beans, ½ a diced courgette, a little lemon zest and fresh coriander and boil for 5 minutes.
- Serve with 1 slice of rye bread.
Dinner
Pesto roasted veg
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4.
- Place ½ a can of butter beans, 4 cooked artichokes and 5 cherry tomatoes on a baking tray.
- Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and season. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Make a pesto by blitzing 40g (1½oz) cashew nuts, 1 small handful of spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp water, a small handful of basil and salt. Peel 1 courgette into small ribbons and place on a plate.
- Top with the roasted bean mixture and pesto.
Snack
1 large rice cake topped with nut butter and sliced bananas.
Saturday
Breakfast
Vegan fry up
Two vegan sausages, wilted spinach, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and scrambled tofu.
Lunch
Stuffed pittas
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4.
- Place ½ a 400g (14oz) can of chickpeas and 2 large carrots (scrubbed, trimmed and quartered lengthways) on a baking tray.
- Scatter over ½ a red onion (finely sliced), ½ tsp mixed herbs, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Serve with a dressing of 1 tbsp coconut milk yoghurt, a pinch each of za’atar, cumin and the zest and juice of ½ a lemon. Serve with 1 wholemeal pitta.
Dinner
Crispy tofu stir fry
- Add 1 tbsp grated ginger, 1 large garlic clove (sliced), 2 tsp maple syrup, 1½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil and chilli flakes to a bowl and combine.
- Add 150g (5¼oz) firm tofu (cubed) and 2 small pak choi (quartered through the stalk) and coat well. Leave to sit for 20 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan or griddle then cook the tofu until crisp on all sides and the pak choi until wilted.
- Place the tofu and pak choi on a plate and pour over any remaining marinade.
- Serve with brown rice, coriander and lime juice.
Snack
2 tbsp roasted chickpeas.
Sunday
Breakfast
Nutty guacamole
Combine 1 tbsp each of toasted cashew nuts and hazelnuts and 1 tsp each of toasted sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. Add to a bowl with 1 small avocado, lime juice, chives, 2 tbsp lentil sprouts and salt.
Lunch
Mexican wraps
- Marinate 100g (3½oz) vegan Quorn pieces (or tempeh) with lime juice, ¼ tsp chilli powder and ½ a garlic clove (crushed).
- Fry the Quorn or tempeh pieces for a few minutes.
- Mash ½ an avocado and spread over a wholemeal wrap.
- Add 1 roasted red pepper (sliced), the Quorn/tempeh, 2 tsp pumpkin seeds, coriander and 1 tbsp fortified soya yoghurt.
Dinner
Butternut squash gnocchi
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas Mark 6.
- Place ½ a butternut squash on a baking tray and roast for 45 minutes, until tender.
- Once cooked, scoop out the flesh and place in a bowl with 5 tbsp of flour, 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mash together and then form into 4 even-sized balls.
- Chill for 30 minutes before rolling each ball into a log shape on a floured surface. Cut each log into thumb-sized pieces.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the gnocchi, cooking for 2 minutes.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the cooked gnocchi. Fry until browned then add frozen peas and sage leaves. Fry for 1 minute before serving.
Snack
2 satsumas.
More on Vitamin C: Why we need it and where to get it on a vegan diet