Vegan diets can offer a huge range of health benefits, such as helping weight management and aiding resistance to certain chronic diseases. However, finding balanced, easy-to-make meals can often be difficult and hard to maintain. As well as trying to shift to balanced and tasty substitutes, if not properly managed vegan diets can cause nutritional deficiencies and dietary health problems.

We have provided an easy-to-make breakfast, lunch and dinner plan, plus a vegan snack recipe, to help you get started and see how to use ingredients to get a balanced and delicious meal easily! 

Breakfast - Vegan Overnight Soaked Oats

Feeds 1 person

Method

1. Add 1/2 cup rolled organic oats to a bowl or jar.
2. Pour 1/2 cup non-dairy milk of choice into a bowl with the oats, you can use coconut, almond, cashew, even oat milk if you want. It can be sweetened or unsweetened, depending on your preferences.
3. Add a couple of tbsp of non-dairy yoghurt, 1 x grated apple, 1 tsp chia seeds & half a mashed banana and stir.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. In the morning you can top fresh and dried fruit of choice. You may also wish to add nuts and other seeds, peanut butter, spirulina powder and maybe a drizzle of agave syrup. 

Snacks

Vegan Energy Balls
Energy balls are full of nutrients, made with superfood and whole food, high in protein, healthy carbs, fats, and fiber, which helps build lean muscle mass, boost energy and aid weight maintenance. Essentially, they are simply the guilt-free, energy hit and the perfect snack!

Peanut Butter Brownie Balls

Prep time: 10 minutes

• 2 cups raw almonds
• 20 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cacao powder
• 1/2 cup all-natural peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

• Place almonds into a food processor and process on high until you’ve created a fine almond meal.
• Next, pit 20 Medjool dates. Then, add those into the food processor along with the cacao powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, and sea salt. Process on high until everything is pulverized. You may need to add a few teaspoons of water to the mixture depending on how sticky your dates are.
• Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough into your hands and roll into a ball. Repeat.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Lunch - Carrot & Chickpea Salad

Feeds 2-3 People

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots
• 1 tin chickpeas drained
• 1 small piece of grated ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 orange
• 3 tbsp. sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
• Half a bunch fresh coriander

Method

1. Peel and slice the carrots and boil for approximately 6 minutes so they are al dente
2. Place in a bowl with the chickpeas and the sweet chilli sauce, the garlic, the zest of one orange (save the juice for later), salt and pepper and then bake in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 17-20 minutes
3. On a separate tray toast the sesame seeds for approximately 2 minutes
4. Allow the carrot and seed mixture to cool, then add the orange juice, chopped fresh coriander and mix before serving.

Dinner - Vegan Katsu Curry

Feeds 2 people

Ingredients

• 2 large flat mushrooms
• 1 ½ cups of panko breadcrumbs
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 large white onion
• 1 tbsp. nigella seeds
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 red chilli chopped finely
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 carrot grated
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 vegan stock cube
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 cup of unsweetened vegan milk of choice (e.g. soya, almond)
• 2 tbsp. mild curry powder
• 2 tbsp. turmeric
• 1 tbsp. ginger powder
• 1 medium piece fresh ginger
• 1 cup of jasmine rice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lime
• 1 sprig of fresh coriander
• Sunflower oil

Method for the Breaded Mushroom

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Remove the stalk from both the mushrooms and in a large bowl mix the flour, milk, baking powder, soy sauce and the salt and pepper and whisk together to create a smooth consistency.
3. In a separate bowl add the breadcrumbs, nigella seeds, ginger powder, chilli flakes, the grated zest of the lemon, garlic and 1 tbsp. of oil and combine.
4. Dip each mushroom in the liquid mixture first and then roll in the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated.
5. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until golden.

Method for the Katsu Sauce

1. Heat up a saucepan on a medium heat
2. Once hot add a tbsp. of oil
3. Sauté the chopped onions with the fresh ginger, chilli, 1 tbsp. turmeric powder, 1 tbsp. curry powder and salt and pepper then sauté stirring constantly for approximately 7-8 minutes.
4. Add the grated carrot and sauté for another 2 minutes
5. Add ¾ tin of coconut milk, ½ cup cold water and the stock cube saving the rest of the tin for later and allow the sauce to boil for 30 minutes on a low heat
6. Blend the sauce with a blender until smooth

Method for the Rice

1. Boil 2 cups of water and add a tsp salt, once boiled add the rice and boil on a medium heat until cooked according to the rice packet instructions. Once cooked add the rest of the coconut milk and some chopped coriander and squeeze the juice of half a lime over it.

Serve the breaded mushroom on top of the rice and drizzle the katsu sauce over the top.

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