One Day of Vegan Meals

Have you ever tried vegan food? If not, you might have a few misconceptions. You might think eating vegan is super expensive or that the food isn’t very tasty. In my experience, exploring vegan cooking has been really fun and I have found so many amazing recipes with ingredients I usually have in my house. So, here are 3 of my favorites for a whole day of vegan eating.

Breakfast: Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients: 

• 1 heaping cup organic frozen mixed berries

• 1 small ripe banana (sliced and frozen)

• 2-3 Tbsp light coconut or almond milk (plus more as needed)

Toppings (some suggestions):

• 1 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

• 1 Tbsp chia seeds

• Granola 

• Fruit 

Instructions:

• Add frozen berries and banana to a blender and blend on low until small bits remain (it should kinda look like dippin’ dots)

• Add a bit of coconut or almond milk and blend on low again, scraping down sides as needed, until the mixture reaches a soft serve consistency.

• Scoop into 1-2 serving bowls and top with desired toppings. My favorite toppings are fresh berries, chia seeds, walnuts, and coconut, but you can do anything you want.

Lunch:  Kale Quinoa Salad 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup dry quinoa (3 cups cooked)

• 1 bunch Tuscan kale (also labeled as Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale, or cavolo nero)

• 15-ounce can chickpeas

• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (or red onion or green onion)

• 1 bell pepper

• 2 carrots

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 small pinch curry powder*

• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Make the quinoa: Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package.

2. Chop the kale: Sprinkle the kale with 1 pinch of salt. Coat your hands with a few drops of olive oil and massage the kale leaves for 2 to 3 minutes until all pieces are tender.

3. Chop the other veggies: Peel and dice the carrots, dice the pepper, and finely chop the onion/shallot. 

4. Mix the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, curry powder, and grated garlic.

5. Mix the salad: Mix the quinoa and vegetables together with the dressing and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Dinner: General Tso’s Tofu 

Ingredients:

For the general Tso’s tofu

• 10 ounces firm tofu (275 g), cubed

• 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 6 tbsp cornstarch

• Oil of your choice, I used extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar, see notes

• 3 tbsp vegetable stock or water

• 3 tbsp cane, coconut or brown sugar

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions:

1. Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish.

2. Add the marinade ingredients (2 tbsp of tamari and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar), stir and let rest for at least 5 minutes, preferably overnight.

3. Drain the tofu and discard the marinade.

4. Transfer 1/3 of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tbsp of cornstarch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with the rest of the tofu cubes and cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed.

5. Once the tofu cubes are coated with the cornstarch, heat some oil in a skillet and add the tofu cubes. I used extra virgin olive oil, but any oil will do.

6. Cook the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.

7. Add the garlic to the skillet (add more oil if needed) and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown. Set aside.

8. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl (tamari or soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, vegetable stock or water, sugar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes). Set aside.

9. Add the sauce to the skillet where you had your cooked garlic and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently. 

10. Finally, add the tofu cubes, stir and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes. Serve over rice and top with chives or sesame seeds. 

Bonus: Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pureed or well-mashed avocado

• 1/4 cup avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3/4 cup cane sugar (or granulated sugar)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup water (I like to instead use 1/2 cup brewed coffee + 1/4 cup water)

• 1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees F). Grease an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pureed avocado and olive oil until smooth. 

3. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and water (or coffee + water). Stir until smooth. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

4. Pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly throughout the pan. Sprinkle with an additional 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips on top. 

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (there may be some melted chocolate chips in there).  If you overbake, the brownies will have a cake-like texture.

6. Remove and let the brownies sit out for at least 20 minutes before serving. 

I hope you enjoy these recipes! 

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