Weekly meal plans

Loveinapril wrote: »

I have been doing well in reducing my meat intake but am getting sick of lasagne, chilli, bolognese, fajitas, curries and enchiladas (with and without quorn). There is a meal plan thread on the cooking forum but I would love some vegetarian specific inspiration to help me plan my shopping.

This week all I have planned is a lentil shepherds pie and a roasted red pepper pasta. I would love some every day dishes if anyone would like to share!

Here are five staple foods to include in your bulking up program, based on their nutrient-to-calorie ratios and caloric density:

Oats
Potatoes
Beans and lentils
Brown rice
Bananas and other fruits
With variations of just these five staple foods alone, you can create lots of variety and overall nutrition to help you in your bulking efforts.

Now, let’s put that in action…

Sample Meal Plan 1 with 2,500 Calories
Breakfast

Oatmeal

1 cup cooked spelt
2 tablespoons sunflower butter
1 tablespoon raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sliced banana
Mix together in a bowl
634 calories, 95 g carbohydrates, 17.6 g protein, 20.4 g fat, 14 g fiber

Snack

Edamame

1 cup
189 calories, 15 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 8 g fat, 8 g fiber

Snack

Fruit

2 cups blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries, or any combination of the three
92 calories, 20 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 0 g fat, 3 g fiber

Lunch

Spinach and Kale Salad

1 cup raw spinach
1 cup raw kale
½ cup cooked brown lentils
Any type of veggies you like
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
½ cooked sweet potato
2 tablespoons Follow Your Heart brand vegan honey mustard dressing
495 calories, 71 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 16.3 g fat, 12.3 g fiber

Snack

Nuts and Seeds

Handful of raw nuts and seeds (no oil or salt): peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
441 calories, 14 g carbohydrates, 15.2 g protein, 36 g fat, 9 g fiber

Dinner

Rice and Bean Bowl

½ cup cooked black rice
½ cup chickpeas
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 cup cooked broccoli or asparagus
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Mix together on a plate
343 calories, 64 g carbohydrates, 15 g protein , 3 g fat, 10 g fiber

Snack

2 Banana Protein Muffins

4 bananas
1 cup dry oats
2 scoops protein powder
½ cup coconut flakes
½ cup walnuts
¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
Preheat the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Mix in the remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined. Form into 12 balls and place on a cookie sheet or in a muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.
For 2 banana muffins: 259 calories, 34.8 g carbohydrates, 10 g protein, 14.8 g fat, 5.6 g fiber

Totals

2,453 calories, 313.8 g carbohydrates, 93.8 g protein, 98.5 g fat, 61.9 g fiber

Sample Meal Plan 2 with 2,900 Calories
Breakfast

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter
2 tablespoons chia
1 banana
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
699 calories, 96 g carbohydrates, 23.8 g protein, 24.4 g fat, 20 g fiber

Snack

Fruit and Nut Butter

Apple and 1 tablespoon peanut butter
275 calories, 31 g carbohydrates, 7.5 g protein, 15.3 g fat, 6.4 g fiber

Or, Protein Shake

Vegan protein shake with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, water, and ice
211 calories, 13 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 7g fat, 5 g fiber

Lunch

Sweet Potato Plate

6 ounces baked tofu using different types of seasoning
½ cup sweet potatoes
2 cups roasted or steamed veggies
698 calories, 62 g carbohydrates, 45 g protein, 30 g fat, 5 g fiber

Snack

Veggies and Hummus

Raw veggies of any kind (I like to keep chopped up celery, carrots, cucumbers, and radishes in the fridge)
2 tablespoons hummus
78 calories, 9 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 3.8 g fat, 2 g fiber

Snack

Nuts and Seeds

Handful raw nuts and seeds (no oil or salt): peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
441 calories, 14 g carbohydrates, 15.2 g protein, 36 g fat, 9 g fiber

Dinner

Black Bean Bowl

1 cup black beans
1 cup cooked brown basmati or black rice, farro, or quinoa
½ avocado, diced
½ cup salsa of your choice
Sprinkle nutritional yeast
Mix together in a bowl
658 calories, 96.6 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 18.3 g fat, 26.2 g fiber

Snack

Fruit

1 cup strawberries and 1 cup blueberries
122 calories, 28 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 0 g fat, 6 g fiber

Or, Protein Shake

Vegan protein shake with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, water, and ice
211 calories, 13 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 7 g fat, 5 g fiber

Totals

2,971 calories, 336.6 g carbohydrates, 122.5 g protein, 127.8 g fat, 74.6 g fiber