EMBARKING ON A WHOLE FOOD, PLANT-BASED DIET

COOKING YOUR PLANT-BASED MEALS

There are a variety of ways that you can replace meat or dairy with plant-based products.

Replacing your major ingredients in a plant-based way

  • Vegan minced meat 

  • Vegan Salmon

  • Vegan Sausage

  • Vegan Ricotta

  • Vegan Haloumi

Creating your own creamy sauce

Ingredients 

  • 180g silken tofu

  • 30g nutritional yeast

  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

  • 80 ml of water

Method

  • Mix all the ingredients in a blender until a creamy sauce forms.

  • Pour into a pan and simmer for approximately 3 minutes.

  • You can serve it with pasta, rice, or use it as a creamy sauce in recipes.

Egg Substitutes

  • Flax seeds: 1 tablespoon = 1 egg When ground and combined with water and a bit of baking powder, the fats and moisture in the flax seeds can mimic an egg.

  • Chia seeds; 1 tablespoon = 1 egg. Handle it the same way as flax seeds, grinding and combining with water.  Chia seeds, when ground, will thicken more than flax seeds, creating a great binding agent for baked goods.

  • ½ mashed banana = 1 egg.

  • 3 tablespoon of chickpea flour (garbanzo, besan) mixed with 3 tablespoons of water = 1 egg,

  • Aquafaba: 2 tablespoons = 1 egg. Aquafaba is the viscous water from a tin of chickpeas (chickpea brine).

  • Silken tofu 40g = 1 egg.

  • 2 tablespoons of corn starch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water = 1 egg.

  • 65g of apple or pumpkin puree = 1 egg.

  • 1 tablespoon of agar-agar mixed with 1 tablespoon of water = 1 egg.  

  • 40g of vegan yogurt = 1 egg.

  • There are also store-bought egg alternatives.

A guided plant-based menu


Breakfast

  • Oats with 200 ml of soy milk and a banana

Lunch

  • 1 serving creamy lentil soup

  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds

  • ½ cup raisins

Snack

  • Hummus with carrot or celery sticks


Dinner

  • 1 serving spicy sauteed tofu with peas

  • 1 cup cooked bulger

  • 1 cup cooked spinach sprinkled with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

How to get 1000 mg of calcium a day?

  • Plant-based milk enriched with calcium – 240 ml (1 glass)

  • Broccoli – 100 g

  • Orange – 100 g (about half of the orange)

  • Dried figs – 2 pieces -30g

  • Tahini – 1 tablespoon (15g)

  • Almonds – 30g

  • Chickpeas – 85 g (weight after cooking)

  • Sunflower seeds 10g

  • Plant-based milk enriched with calcium – 240 ml (1 glass)

  • Sweet potatoes 150g

  • Almonds 15g

  • Kale 50g

  • Tofu – 100g


Sample weight loss plant-based menu

Breakfast

  • Toast with peanut butter 

  • 1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted

  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter

  • 1 banana, sliced, with cinnamon to taste

  • Morning Snack 

  • 50 g pumpkin seeds


Lunch  

  • Beetroot Salad 

  • 2 cups mixed salad greens

  • 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed

  • ½ medium raw beetroot, peeled and shredded (about 1/2 cup)

  • Dressing

  • 2 tablespoon teaspoons red-wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs of your choice

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Salt, Pepper


Afternoon Snack 

  • 2 cups air-popped popcorn tossed with 1 Tbsp. each olive oil and nutritional yeast


Dinner  

  • 380 g roasted cauliflower & potato curry

  • 1 small whole-wheat pita, toasted

  • 1/3 cup hummus