Any vegans??

Any other vegans on here?? What are your favourite low cal meals? Can you share recipes and calorie amount? :)

Replies

  • dlatorre80s
    dlatorre80s Posts: 11 Member
    I’m vegan 🌱
  • FireyChimera
    FireyChimera Posts: 155 Member
    Past vegan here, and I don't count calories :) Potatoes, beans, rice, oats, homemade wheat bread, lentils, and other starches are staple foods.
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
    I'm plant based, not a vegan. I don't really have recipes to share, as I cook from scratch and just throw stuff together. Lol.

    One of my favs is a grain bowl or Buddha bowl. I start with raw greens in my bowl then add the grain du jour. (rice, millet, quinoa, etc), top with misc veggies that I have roasted, sauteed, steamed, etc, add sauce and usually some toppings like crushed nuts or pepitos. And voila, delicious meal usually under 500 calories.

    If you have access to YouTube there's a ton of vegan chefs with a lot of great meal videos. My fav is Rachel Ama
  • teresamoore1030
    teresamoore1030 Posts: 1 Member
    I switched to a plant-based/vegan, dairy free diet a little over a month ago. My son and his family have been for years and they’ve encouraged me. After even just a month I am feeling the benefits. This change came from 4-5 (or more) years of eating out 2-3 times per day. I like the changes and I’m learning something new every day. It was at the 30-day mark that I decided to join MFP.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,724 Member
    I'm not vegan, but have been vegetarian for a really long time (45 years). I don't have recipes (I just make stuff), and calories depend on portioning (though ideas below are fairly calorie efficient). Some of my recent meal themes lately that are vegan include these:

    Tofu noodles or edamame fettuccine, assorted veggies, and peanut sauce made with partially-defatted peanut powder (Tbsp or two peanut powder, vegan chile paste, rice wine vinegar to appropriate thinness).

    A wrap/soft taco with Ezekiel tortilla, smoked tofu, mustard, thin-sliced onions, raw sauerkraut, and optionally vegan cheese. This is quick; I just put it in the microwave (before adding the sauerkraut) to heat. Needs more veggies on the side, or a green salad.

    Chickpea pasta, topped with a sauce made from fire-roasted diced canned tomatoes, cooked lentils, and food-processor-pulverized dried mushrooms, with the usual seasonings (oregano, garlic, basil - that sort of thing). You can sprinkle on a bit of nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor, if you like.

    Black bean or lentil soup with nutritional yeast, and whatever veggies desired, maybe with something like quinoa in it if I have more calories left (it has some protein, but a bit more carbs, so lower protein to calorie ratio - I prioritize protein).

    Veggie chili with the usual stuff including beans of course, but the trick is to add some (I use about a tablespoon) of unsweetened cocoa powder. That adds complexity and richness for few calories, plus some nice antioxidants.

    Veggie white chili with white beans, veggie broth as the base, and whole hominy. I especially like this spiced up with smoked peppers (like chipotle, for example) for extra tastiness.

    For most soup/stew kind of stuff (like the chilis), I recommend starting by slow-browning a whole onion (or more) in a heavy pan (cast iron ideal) in a small amount of oil until rich and brown. Packs a lot of flavor. I usually start that going on low heat, covered (make sure it doesn't burn), before I start getting the other ingredients going.

    Besides cocoa powder or powdered mushrooms to add richness (and that umami flavor), another good add is dark miso, or sun-dried or roasted tomatoes. It can go in lots of soups, stews, sauces, marinades for tofu, etc.