Vegan for a Day - How to Add Meatless Meals to Your Diet

Are you considering a vegan or flexi-vegan diet, but it seems intimidating or impossible? Don’t worry, you are not alone. The vegan community makes up only 1% of the global population and approximately 6% in the US. Veganism requires commitment and lifestyle changes.  There is no set method or plan to follow. You have to go at your own pace and do what works best for you.  Many vegans opted to slowly transition to veganism by incorporating meatless meals. Replacing meals once or twice a week with a vegan meal can help bring tremendous changes to your health, the environment and possibly your budget.   

Let’s not bite off more than we can chew, we can take this one meatless bite at a time.  Here are some ideas and tips to help you incorporate meatless, nutrient rich and budget friendly meals once or twice a week.

Change your mindset

Instead of relating the change to taking away something you enjoy, you can view the change as adding to it. Focusing on the positive benefits reduces the stress associated with diet changes. Adding more fruits, vegetables, and protein rich grains can give you more energy, improve skin appearance, and improve overall health

Take your pick

Choose which day of the week you would like to add meatless meals. If you are cooking for a family or struggling to maintain motivation, make it an event with a catchy name giving you and your family something to look forward to at mealtime. You may consider joining a social media group or follow a Pinterest board like ‘Meatless Monday’. Meatless Monday was reintroduced to us via a social media hashtag. You can share your meals with others which can be an added source of support and motivation.

Does a whole day still seem like a huge commitment? No worries, try supplementing one meal. Taco Tuesday is a bit of a fading trend but its still a very easy meal to implement a meatless meal.

Off to the market

Planning your meals can increase the probability of success and reduce the time spent recipe hunting on Pinterest when you are hungry. As a beginner, you want to focus on beans, green vegetables, fruits and healthy fats. My go to items are zucchini, spinach, brussels sprouts, chick peas or hummus, avocados, bell peppers, cucumbers, apples, and grapefruit. Don’t load up on processed foods. You want to digest these items in moderation to avoid increasing your sodium intake.

Meat replacements

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are very versatile and flavorful. Though they are not high in protein, mushrooms are packed with B vitamins and zinc. Mushrooms are great in a quick stir fry and pasta dishes. My favorite way to use mushrooms is to make bacon. Its ability to absorb flavors really shows out.

Seitan

If you don’t have a gluten allergy, seitan can be a great option. Seitan is made from gluten flour that can mimic the texture of many of your well-known meat options, like chicken and beef. Seitan is rich with protein and presents a firmer texture. For beginners, seitan can be the main protein in a wrap or sandwich

Tofu

If you are a beginner, tofu can seem a bit advanced. That’s really not the case. There are several low sodium pressed options that can remove a lot of the guess work. I prefer to cook my tofu in an air fryer to achieve crispy texture. I would place extra virgin olive oil in a bowl with my favorite seasoning,, lightly toss the tofu in the oil and air fry for approximately 8 minutes.

Walnuts

Simply soak 1 cup of walnuts in plain water (just enough to cover the walnuts) for a few hours and place in a processor with the preferred seasonings, you will have a flavorful meat alternatives. Walnuts are my favorite taco meat substitute.

Where’s the meat?

If you incorporate more than two days, you could consider a 50-30-20 split. 50% of your plate should consist of vegetable, 30% lean meat, and 20% healthy whole grain.

As you embark on your journey, remember there’s no one method to incorporate a flexible diet. This post is a collection of some shared stories and suggestions I offer my friends and family.

VEGAN COOKBOOKS FOR BEGINNERS

Here are couple of cookbooks that can help give you some ideas:

• Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations by Tabitha Brown

• Unbelievably Vegan: 100+ Life-Changing, Plant-Based Recipes: A Cookbook by Charity Morgan