Seven-Day Vegan Meal Plan For New Vegans

Want to go vegan but you just don’t know where to start? We guide you through your first week of vegan eating with this easy-to-follow vegan meal plan.

Vegan Meal Plan

Monday

Breakfast

Yoghurt and berries

150g (5¼oz) fortified coconut soya yoghurt topped with 1 handful of berries and 1 tbsp of sunflower seeds.

Lunch

Falafel salad

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.

Serve with 3 small falafel, 1 tbsp reduced-fat hummus and 1 dark rye cracker bread. Plus 1 handful of berries.

Dinner

Warm lentil salad with roasted veg

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6 and roast 200g (7oz) beetroot (cubed) and 100g (3½oz) new potatoes (halved).
2. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large frying pan and add ½ a garlic clove (chopped) and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add ½ a pack of cooked puy lentils to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Combine the lentils with roasted veg, rocket,  juice of ½ a lime and chopped dill. Serve with a dollop of coconut yoghurt.

Snack

Rice cracker with 1 level tbsp of nut butter.

Tuesday

Breakfast

Oat and berry bowl

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

Lunch

Soup

1 pot of ready-made soup made with lentils or pulses. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp of mixed toasted seeds and serve with 1 slice of dark rye bread. Plus 1 handful of strawberries.

Dinner

Tofu and bean tacos

1. Heat a non-stick pan and add 80g (2¾oz) of 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 two taco shells with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and chopped red onion.

Snack

25g (¾oz) unsalted mixed nuts

Wednesday

Breakfast

Banana and oat smoothie

Blend ½ a banana, 1 tbsp oats, 80g (2¾oz)frozen berries and 200ml (6¾fl oz) fortified oat milk to make a smoothie.

Lunch

Superfood salad

1. Blitz ½ an avocado, 1 tsp olive oil, juice of ½ a lemon, 1 tbsp chopped chives, salt and pepper in a small food processor until smooth.
2. In a bowl, add ½ a can of chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1 tbsp toasted cashew nuts, 2 spring onions (finely sliced), 4 radishes (quartered), 100g (3½oz) cherry tomatoes (halved) and 1 large courgette (julienned with a peeler).
3. Add the avocado dressing to the salad and combine well. Top with toasted sunflower seeds. 

Dinner

Three-bean chilli

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan and add ½ an onion (chopped). Fry for 6 minutes to soften and brown.
2. Add ½ a carrot (finely diced), ½ a celery stick (sliced) and ½ a red pepper (finely diced). Fry for 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 garlic clove (crushed), 1 tbsp ginger (grated) and ½ a red chilli (chopped) and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add 100g (3½oz) tinned pinto beans, 50g (1¾oz) tinned black beans, 50g (1¾oz) tinned red kidney beans, ¼ of a tin of cherry tomatoes, ¼ tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp paprika and 50ml (1¾fl oz) water then simmer for 25 minutes until soft.
5. Serve with a salad of ¼ of an avocado, red onion (finely chopped), lime juice, salt and coriander.

Snack

2 dates stuffed with almond butter (open each one, remove stone and fill with 1 tsp
of nut butter).

Thursday

Breakfast

Berries on rye bread toast

1 slice of toasted dark rye bread topped with 2 tbsp coconut milk yoghurt (Coyo), a handful of blueberries, 1 tbsp toasted seeds, 1 tbsp crushed hazelnuts and 1 tsp agave.

Lunch

Kale, walnut and quinoa 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 ½ 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 left over dressing for another time. 

Dinner

Mushroom and tofu noodles

1. Add 1 tsp light olive oil to a wok then stir-fry 75g (2¾oz) shiitake mushrooms.
2. Add 50g (1¾oz) marinated tofu pieces and a handful of shredded cabbage. Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add 150g (5¼oz) cooked noodles, ½ a chilli (sliced), 1 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp mirin and cook for 1 minute.
4. Garnish with sliced spring onions.

Snack

50g (1¾oz) guacamole with 1 red pepper (sliced).

Friday

Breakfast

Avocado on wholegrain toast

1 slice of wholegrain toast topped with 1 small mashed avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, coriander and 1 tsp pumpkin seeds.

Lunch

Chilli sweet potato

1. Mash ½ an avocado in a bowl with the juice of ½ a lime.
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

Grilled tofu and quinoa salad

1. In a bowl, add 125g (4½oz) ready to eat quinoa, 2 plum tomatoes (diced), ½ a yellow pepper (seeded and finely diced), ¼ of a small red onion (finely sliced), ¼ of a cucumber (peeled, seeded and sliced), ½ an avocado (diced), 1 tbsp each of parsley, coriander and mint, 25g (¾oz) pomegranate seeds and 1 handful of rocket. 
2. In another bowl combine 1 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp agave, ½ a garlic clove (crushed) and salt. 
3. Dress the quinoa salad and serve with grilled tofu slices (coat these with a blend of ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander and salt before grilling). 

Snack

Dark rye crispbread with 1 small ripe banana (mashed) and cinnamon.

Saturday

Breakfast

Tahini and date porridge

Porridge made with 4 tbsp oats and 275ml (9¼fl oz) fortified oat milk and 1 tsp of tahini and topped with 2 dates (chopped) and 2 tsp sesame seeds.

Lunch

Zingy vegetable soup

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add ½ a red onion (sliced), 1 tbsp grated ginger and 1 garlic clove (crushed) then fry.
2. Add 200ml (6¾fl oz) veg stock, 1 celery stick (chopped) and 1 carrot (diced) and boil for 12 minutes.
3. Add ½ a can of aduki beans, ½ a diced courgette, lemon zest and fresh coriander and boil for 5 minutes.
4. Serve with 1 slice of rye bread.

Dinner

Thai vegetable 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, 2cm (¾in) 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 (6¾fl oz) coconut milk, ½ a 400g (14oz) can of chickpeas, 1 handful of frozen soya beans and ½ a small red pepper (sliced) and 1 small handful of mange tout then cook for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
4. Serve in a bowl with chopped coriander and rice. 

Snack

1 large carrot (chopped) with 2 tbsp reduced-fat hummus.

Sunday

Breakfast

Creamy coconut smoothie

1. Add ½ a small banana (frozen), ½ an avocado, 1 tbsp coconut oil, 75g (2¾oz)frozen blueberries, 1 pitted date and 100ml (3¼fl oz) coconut water to a blender and blitz.
2. Place the thick smoothie in a bowl and top with 1 tsp each of nuts, seeds and coconut flakes.

Lunch

Lentil burger and spring onion salad

1. Add 1 tbsp sunflower seeds, ¼ of a small white cabbage (finely shredded), 50g (1¾oz) mange tout (sliced thinly), 1 spring onion (finely sliced), handful of coriander (chopped), 2 mint leaves (sliced), juice of ½ a lemon and 1 tbsp olive oil to a mixing bowl and combine well then set aside.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Drain and rinse 100g (3½oz) each of canned beluga (or puy) and red lentils then pat dry with kitchen roll.
4. Place the lentils in a mixing bowl with ½ tsp cumin, ½ a spring onion (sliced), fresh coriander and mint (chopped), zest of ½ a lemon, 1 tbsp cashew nuts, 2 tbsp fortified soya milk and 2 tsp flour then mix well. 
5. Shape the mixture into a burger and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds before cooking in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with salad. 

Dinner

Cauliflower couscous

1. 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, then blitz to a course, crumbly texture.
2. 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.
3. Allow the cauliflower couscous to cool then place in a bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil, juice of ½ a lemon, 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds, 1 tbsp pistachio kernels (chopped) and 1 tbsp each of chopped parsley, mint and coriander.
4. Serve with 2 slices of vegan cheese alternative.

Snack

1 small apple (sliced) with 1 tbsp nut butter.

Get Rob’s high protein vegan meal plan here!