As a vegan I am regularly asked what on Earth do I eat…!
I was previously vegetarian and never got asked, but since I cut out dairy and all other animal products in January 2018, it’s something some people can’t quite get their head around.
The answer is everything!
I didn’t particularly like meat anyway and it was never the focus of my meals. I love fruits, vegetables and whole grains and simply enjoy these even more now.
Even if you love meat, pretty much every meat dish can be made as a healthier vegan alternative.
Read on for lots of quick vegan dinner ideas for inspiration from my vegan food diary. Discover links to lots more vegan recipe ideas and at the end too.
1. Quinoa & tofu bowl
Mixed veg and marinated tofu stir fried in a wok with a mixture of dried spices. Mixed with three colour quinoa to serve.
2. Burger & soup
Skip the chips with your burger and opt for a healthy nutritious soup on the side! Yum!
This is one of my favourite combinations. You can even skip all the condiments in the burger and dip it into the soup instead!
In these pictures I had a Jackfruit burger in wholemeal seeded bun with sliced tomato, vegan cheese, yellow mustard, tomato purée & vegan mayo.
Served with red pepper & lentil soup.
3. Patty and rainbow salad
Jamaican vegetable patty with salad and houmous
Patty: ready made from Ocado
Salad: mixed green leaves, carrot, onion, cucumber, beetroot, sweetcorn, bean sprouts, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar
4. Sweet potato wedges, southern fried tofu bites & pesto salad.
Salad: grated carrot, green salad leaves, onion, beansprouts, cucumber and onion mixed with green pesto & lemon juice.
Sweet potato wedges: chop off ends of sweet potato and discard. Slice the remainder into chunky wedges, mix with a bit of oil and bake for 40 minutes.
Related – 10 easy ways to eat sweet potato
5. Mild vegetable curry
Rehydrated soy chunks, onion, mushroom, steamed carrot, coconut milk, Pataks mild curry paste, wholegrain rice.
6. Veggie balls salad bowl
Goodlife veggie balls with houmous and pesto salad.
Salad: grated carrot, green salad leaves, onion, beansprouts, cucumber and onion mixed with green pesto & lemon juice.
7. Leftover curry & fresh salad
Got leftover curry? Heat up a small portion and serve with a fresh salad for a delicious lunch or dinner. I topped my leftover curry with sesame seeds to make it more interesting second time round.
Mild vegetable curry (as above): rehydrated soy chunks, onion, mushroom, carrot, coconut milk, Pataks mild curry paste, wholegrain rice & sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Salad: mixed green salad leaves, beetroot, raw courgette, sweetcorn, apple cider vinegar.
8. Flatbread pizza
Crosta & Mollica wholemeal flatbread with tomato purée, fresh garlic, onion, courgette, sweetcorn & sprinkle of vegan cheese.
9. Vegan potato skins
Baked potato skins with vegan cheese & fried off onion mixed in.
Topped with courgette & mushroom (cooked in own juices).
Served with salad: green salad leaves, sweetcorn, grated carrot, beetroot & apple cider vinegar.
10. Potato pancake cooked breakfast
Waffle, potato pancake, mushrooms, courgette, plum tomatoes, beans & 3x vegan sausages!
Potato pancake: grated potatoes rinsed and sieved, mix chopped onion, black pepper, grated vegan cheese and fresh chopped garlic in a bowl with the grated potatoes, add a few sprinkles of flour and half a cup of plant based milk, mix it well, pour into a warm frying pan with a little oil to cook.
For even more vegan food inspiration check out these blog posts:
Benefits of chilli flakes + quick, easy vegan chilli recipe
Plant based road trip food: vegan things to eat when you have no fridge
10 easy ways to eat sweet potato
21 easy vegan recipes for dinner anyone can make
Vegan healthy chocolate recipes
10 healthy + quick vegan snack ideas when working at home
Healthy snack ideas during lockdown
How to easily eat these 7 delicious super foods every week
21 easy vegan sandwich filling ideas for lunchboxes (without soy or added sugar)
My vegan family meal planner and dinner menu
Vegan recipes and go-to brands for a healthy chocolate fix
Easy + delicious homemade mini vegan pizzas