Vegan meal plan for 7 days

1. Mash the avocado and beans with the lemon juice and crushed garlic into a smooth spread. Season with salt, pepper and chili.
2. Spread the mixture on the slices of bread and top with tomato slices.

Canned beans work, too—just drain and rinse them.

1. Wash the apple, remove the core, and cut it into wedges.
2. Spread the peanut butter on the apple wedges, or dip them in it.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

For an on-the-go snack, drizzle the apple wedges with lemon juice to keep them from browning, and pack the peanut butter separately in a small jar.

1. Sauté the chopped onion in oil until softened, add the grated carrot and celery, and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the diced potatoes, bay leaf, and allspice berries. Pour in water and broth, then cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add the drained beans and tomato paste, then cook for another 10 minutes. For a thicker soup, blend some of it.
4. Season with marjoram, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Serve with rye bread.

Rinse canned beans well. Soak dried beans overnight and cook them (for about an hour) before adding them to the soup.

1. Cut the baguette into diagonal slices and toast them in the oven or toaster until golden.
2. Rub the hot slices with a cut clove of garlic.
3. Finely dice the tomato, mix it with olive oil, chopped basil, salt, and pepper, then spoon it onto the toast just before serving.

For a packed meal, keep the tomatoes separate and add them to the toast just before eating so it doesn't get soggy.

1. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them with cold water.
2. Dice the bell pepper, cucumber, and tomato, and finely chop the onion and parsley.
3. Mix the vegetables with the chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.

The salad tastes even better after chilling in the fridge for 15–20 minutes. It travels well, so it’s great to take with you.

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Mix the oats and sunflower seeds with the oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon.
2. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden.
3. Let the granola cool, transfer it to a bowl, pour over the soy milk, and add the sliced banana.

Bake several servings at once - granola will stay crunchy in an airtight jar for 2 weeks.

1. Mix the chia seeds with the almond drink and a few drops of vanilla extract.
2. After 5 minutes, stir again to prevent lumps, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Add fresh or thawed raspberries just before serving.

A pudding in a jar with a screw-top lid makes a convenient snack for work—prepare it the night before.

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
2. Heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion, garlic and grated carrot until softened. Add the turmeric, cumin, garam masala and ginger, and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the rinsed lentils, chopped tomatoes and water (2–3 times the amount of lentils). Cook for 15 minutes, stirring, until the lentils break down.
4. Season with salt and lemon juice. Serve with rice and cucumber slices sprinkled with cilantro.

Dal reheats well. Make a double batch for the next day and thin it with water if needed.

1. Slice the banana and freeze it with the strawberries for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Blend the frozen fruit with the soy drink until smooth and creamy.
3. Eat right away, or freeze for 15 minutes if you prefer firmer ice cream.

Ripe bananas with brown spots work best for ice cream—they’re the sweetest.

1. Slice the mushrooms, dice the onion, and sauté them in oil until the mushrooms are browned.
2. Drain the tofu, mash it with a fork, and add it to the pan with the turmeric and granulated garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring.
3. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until wilted. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

If you're not limiting carbs, serve the tofu scramble with a slice of rye bread.

1. Rinse the lentils and cook them in 2.5 times as much water for 12-15 minutes, until they break down.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion and grated carrot in oil until softened (5-6 minutes).
3. Blend the lentils with the vegetables, tomato paste, marjoram, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
4. Spread the paste on the bread and top with slices of pickled cucumber.

The spread thickens as it cools. Make a larger batch while you're at it—it will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

1. Peel the mandarins and separate them into segments.
2. Serve with a handful of almonds, raw or briefly toasted in a dry pan.

When mandarins are out of season, use an apple or pear instead. You can swap the almonds for hazelnuts.

1. Boil the broad beans in salted water for about 5 minutes, rinse under cold water, and remove the skins.
2. Heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until softened. Add the barley and cook for a minute, stirring.
3. Gradually pour in the hot stock, stirring, and cook for about 30 minutes, until the barley is tender. Add the peas 5 minutes before the end.
4. Stir in the broad beans, lemon juice, and chopped mint. Season with salt and pepper.

When broad beans and peas are out of season, use frozen ones—there’s no need to thaw them first.

1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dice the cooked beet.
2. Blend the chickpeas and beet with the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, a pinch of cumin, and salt. Add water one tablespoon at a time until smooth.
3. Cut the bell pepper and cucumber into sticks and dip them in the hummus.

The hummus will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can buy cooked beets vacuum-packed.

1. Rinse the quinoa and cook it in salted water for about 15 minutes. Add the edamame for the last 4 minutes, then drain.
2. Grate the carrot, slice the cucumber, and shred the cabbage very finely.
3. Mix the peanut butter with the soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, and 2–3 tablespoons of warm water until smooth.
4. Arrange the quinoa, edamame, and vegetables in a bowl, drizzle with the sauce, and sprinkle with chili.

You can find frozen edamame in most supermarkets. You can use green peas or chickpeas instead.

1. Rinse the millet in a sieve with hot water, pour in the soy drink, add the chopped dates, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla extract and blend until smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, add a little water.
3. Spoon into a bowl, top with raspberries (frozen ones work too), and sprinkle with shredded coconut.

The pudding thickens as it cools. You can make it in the evening and eat it cold, or warm it up with a little more soy drink.

1. Spread the almond butter on the rice cakes.
2. Top with banana slices and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

You can swap the almond butter for peanut butter, and the banana for apple slices or strawberries.

1. Dice the sweet potato, toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, and salt, and roast for 25 minutes at 200°C.
2. Rinse the quinoa and cook it in twice its volume of salted water for about 15 minutes.
3. Drain the beans and warm them with the cumin. Dice the avocado and tomato.
4. Arrange the quinoa, sweet potato, beans, vegetables, and arugula in a bowl. Drizzle with lime juice and season with pepper.

You can take this bowl to work. Dice the avocado just before eating and drizzle it with lime juice to keep it from turning brown.

1. Peel the orange and banana, then cut them into pieces.
2. Blend the fruit with the carrot juice, flaxseed, and a pinch of ginger until smooth.

Instead of ground ginger, you can grate in a piece of fresh ginger root for a bolder flavor.

1. Drain the tofu and mash it with a fork, then mix in the tahini, mustard, turmeric, salt, and pepper. The spread will have a texture similar to egg salad.
2. Finely dice the pickled cucumber, chop the chives, and stir them into the spread.
3. Spread the mixture on the bread slices.

If the spread seems dry, add a tablespoon of pickle brine or water.

1. Cover the peas (frozen is fine) with boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain.
2. Blend them with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper until smooth.
3. Spread the mixture on slices of bread, top with sliced radishes, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

The spread keeps in the fridge for 2 days. You can use chives or dill instead of mint.

1. Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits.
2. Blend the plums with the soy milk and a pinch of cinnamon until smooth.

Use frozen plums when they're out of season for a thick, chilled smoothie.

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.
2. Heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until softened. Add the chopped bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and chili. After a moment, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, drained beans, and corn. Simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Season with salt and oregano, and serve with rice.

You can freeze the chili in individual servings. It tastes just as good reheated.

1. Cut the dried apricots into strips.
2. Mix them with the almonds, hazelnuts, and pumpkin seeds.
3. Transfer the mix to a small container—it’s easy to take with you.

Make enough for the week and divide it into portions in small containers or bags.

1. Rinse the lentils. Soften the chopped onion and garlic in oil, add the grated carrot and celery, and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add the lentils, diced potatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaf. Pour in water and bouillon, then simmer for 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
3. Season with marjoram, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, then sprinkle with parsley.

You can use red lentils instead of green lentils. They’ll cook in 15 minutes, and the soup will be thicker.

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Mash the banana with a fork and mix it with the oats, soy milk, cinnamon, and half a teaspoon of baking powder.
2. Transfer the mixture to a small ovenproof dish. Arrange the pitted plum halves on top and sprinkle with chopped nuts.
3. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve warm or cold.

When plums are out of season, use an apple or frozen cherries instead. If you bake several servings at once, they’ll keep in the fridge for 3 days.

1. Mash the avocado flesh with a fork, then mix in the lime juice, crushed garlic, salt, and a pinch of chili.
2. Add the finely diced tomato and mix.
3. Peel the carrot and kohlrabi, cut them into sticks, and dip them in the guacamole.

Guacamole browns quickly. For an on-the-go meal, cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface.

1. Cook the noodles al dente. Pat the tofu dry, cut it into cubes, and pan-fry in oil until golden.
2. Mix the peanut butter with the soy sauce, lime juice, crushed garlic, ginger, and 3–4 tablespoons of hot water until smooth.
3. In the same pan, stir-fry the sliced bell pepper and carrot and shredded Napa cabbage for 3–4 minutes.
4. Add the noodles, tofu, and sauce. Stir and heat for a minute. Season with chili.

You can serve this with rice instead of wheat noodles—in that case, just pour the sauce over everything.

1. Heat the cooked corn on the cob for a few minutes in boiling salted water, on a grill pan, or in the microwave.
2. Brush it with olive oil and sprinkle with sweet paprika and salt.

Out of season, you can buy cooked, vacuum-packed corn on the cob—just heat it up.

1. Cut the bell peppers into quarters and the tomatoes in half. Drizzle with half the olive oil and roast at 220°C for 25 minutes.
2. Heat the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
3. Add the roasted vegetables, drained beans, and smoked paprika. Pour in enough stock to cover the vegetables, simmer for 5 minutes, then blend until smooth.
4. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with bread.

Canned beans just need to be rinsed. You can make the soup a day ahead—it tastes just as good reheated.

1. Heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until softened.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet paprika and marjoram. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down.
3. Add the drained beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
4. Toast the bread, spoon the beans on top and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

You can make the beans in tomato sauce the night before. In the morning, just heat them up and toast the bread.

1. Add frozen edamame to boiling salted water and cook for 4-5 minutes.
2. Drain, drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle with salt and a pinch of chili.

You’ll find edamame in the frozen food section. If you buy them in pods, eat only the beans, squeezing them out of the pods.

1. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until softened.
2. Add the diced squash and carrot, along with the rinsed lentils. Pour in enough water and stock to cover the vegetables, then simmer covered for 20 minutes.
3. Blend the soup until smooth, then season with salt, pepper, ginger, and nutmeg.
4. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan and sprinkle them over the soup.

You can use Hokkaido squash instead of butternut squash—it doesn't need to be peeled. The soup freezes well.

1. Wash the celery stalks, trim the ends, and cut them into finger-length pieces.
2. Fill the grooves in the celery stalks with peanut butter.
3. Top with raisins.

This snack is known as “ants on a log”—you can replace the raisins with chopped dried cranberries.

1. Cook the pasta al dente in salted water. Add the peas for the last 3 minutes, then drain, reserving a little cooking water.
2. Blend the parsley, nuts, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice with 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water to make a thick pesto. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Toss the pasta with the peas and pesto, thinning the sauce with a little cooking water if needed.

You can make the parsley pesto ahead of time. It will keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Sunflower seeds also work instead of walnuts.