Bland *vegan* foods for a sensitive stomach

emirandah

Hi all, I'm dealing with morning sickness right now, and am looking for food suggestions. I've had some luck with bananas, bread, applesauce, and potatoes, but am hoping to expand my diet, especially since I can't keep my prenatal down. (Vegan only please--I appreciate all suggestions, but my stomach can't handle animal products right now.) Thoughts???

PennWalker

Can you eat oatmeal? I eat plain oatmeal with sliced apple for breakfast (and sometimes dinner).
What about boxed cereal with cashew milk or cooked grits with fruit?
Good luck. I hope you feel better soon.

drivennightrunner87

how about steamed whole-grain brown rice with broccoli topped with a sesame ginger soy sauce

drivennightrunner87

i guess u can limit the sauce if it's too much sodium...definitely tastes better with tho

drivennightrunner87

pb and bananas may work too... also: gluten-free brown rice pasta topped with a light sauce/fave veggies

emirandah

Thanks, guys. I hadn't tried oatmeal or brown rice lately, but both sound good. Broccoli hasn't been sitting well with me lately, but I'll experiment with different vegetables too. I also bought some watermelon last night, so hoping that sits well for additional vitamins.

AnarchistKitchen

If oatmeal and bananas work then make a smoothie. I LOVE banana oatmeal smoothies with almond milk. I make mine with cocoa powder, vegan protein powder and hemp seeds but those could be left out.
https://richbitchcooking.wordpress.com/2016/10/11/vegan-oatmeal-smoothie-chocolate-protein-thick-creamy/

pebble4321

Would soft polenta work for you? I love it with cheese stirred in at the end so it disappears into the polenta, but if you can't stomach that, just cook it in veggie stock for a little flavour.

What about pikelets (little soft pancakes). They are quick to mix and you can cook them ahead of time and eat them cold or heat them up.
If you can tolerate the egg (whole egg or egg white) in a cooked product like this, it would be a way to get a little more protein in there, but you could just as easily substitute mashed banana or apple sauce and soy or almond milk to make it vegan.

Toast and vegemite is my staple meal when I have an upset stomach or don't feel well - it's crispy and salty. But if you aren't an Aussie, go very easy on the vegemite, don't spread it like peanut butter!

If you can manage smoothies, then I like to blend bananas or strawberries and oatmeal with coconut milk powder. And I usually add green stuff like spinach, but that might not work for you right now!

Oh, another suggestion for oatmeal is to add in grated zucchini while it cooks - it almost disappears into the oatmeal but would add a little bit of goodness to it. (I usually have it with grated carrot, zucchini, cheese and an egg cooked in there too, but you could add any veggies you like the sound of - mashed sweet potato maybe?).

Or oatmeal with grated apple and some ground nuts in there - something like hazelnut or almond meal would not overwhelm it with flavour but gives you a bit of nice protein and fats.

Could you manage roast veggies - potato, sweet potato, zucchini (or any other veg you can eat) etc with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper?

lynn_glenmont

Agar-based gelatin made with fruit juice?

Plain, air-popped popcorn (or with a little nutritional yeast, if that doesn't upset your stomach).

Winter squash, like acorn or butternut, or root vegetables (carrots, beets) cooked and mashed -- I always find "soft" foods go down a little easier when I'm queasy. You could add in whatever vegan fat your stomach will tolerate if you're having a hard time getting enough fat or enough calories overall.

If you can tolerate nut butters, either by themselves or on bread, in oatmeal, etc., that would give you a boost in calories if that's part of what you need.

If you normally eat veggies that you cook from fresh or frozen, you might give canned veggies (e.g., green or wax beans, asparagus, peas, etc.) a try -- they're so overcooked that you might find them blander and easier on your stomach.

And--this may sound weird--but you might try canned baby food (obviously just the vegan flavors). It's all pureed and unseasoned, and essentially made to be easy to digest.

Best of luck. I hope the morning sickness passes soon. And congratulations!


ETA: can't believe I forgot -- nothing is blander than plain tofu. Maybe get the soft kind and blend it into a banana smoothie, with a little soy milk -- good protein boost! Or cube it into veggie broth (low-salt or home-made, if the salt bothers you), with a bit of egg-free noodles.

tcunbeliever

celestial seasonings sleepy time tea - did wonders for my morning sickness

klkarlen

I've been feeding my elderly mother with a sensitive digestive system cream of rice cereal every morning with her morning medications. Seems to help.

veggie16mfp

adding some ginger or mint to your dishes should help. Also sipping on ginger or mint tea should help. My secret to success with morning sickness was never to let myself get hungry so keeping gingernuts by the bed so I could graze helped me greatly. Wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy!

AllOutof_Bubblegum

drivennightrunner87 wrote: »

how about steamed whole-grain brown rice with broccoli topped with a sesame ginger soy sauce

This is a great idea, especially since ginger is a natural anti-emetic (suppresses nausea and vomiting).

OP, have you tried Preggie Pops? They are really good morning sickness candies that can help ease morning sickness long enough to get some food down. I went through a box my last pregnancy, and I didn't puke once.

eminpdx

There is a vegan blog called The Minimalist Baker that might help you. Their recipes are easy and really delish!