The 21-Day Whole-Food Plant-Based Vegan Challenge: DINNERS FIRST WEEK: “The Week that Trader Joe’s Made”

    (Click here to return to : The 21-Day Whole-Food Plant-Based Vegan Challenge: Three Weeks of Vegan Meals)

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    Please be sure to read the singerstickynotes MEDICAL DISCLAIMER before following the advice presented in this post.
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    “A journey of 10,000 miles begins with a single step.“ So goes the famous Chinese proverb. The hardest step is that first one, so I’ve made this really easy for you.

    The strategy for your first week of dinners is to eat prepared foods mostly from Trader Joe’s. Sure, these aren’t as good as home-cooked meals, but as a newby at this kooky whole-food-plant-based-vegan-eating-thing, you need quick ideas and it needs not to be hard. There’s nothing more distressing when making big changes, than coming home at the end of a long day of work and being completely confused about what to eat. (“No meat, no milk, no fish means–what?!”)

    These meals are meant to be fun, tasty, easy, and something you’ll actually do. Notice there’s almost no real cooking this week: Mostly microwaving and boiling water. The oven meal is a pizza. By making (almost) everything come from Trader Joe’s, it’ll be easy. No excuses! I’ve hypertexted ingredients within each recipe to help you while shopping. If you’re really lost, someone at TJ’s can look at the link and find it for you. Your goal is to go one whole week eating good food which contains no animal products. Here goes . . .

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    Dinner #1:

    Vegan Tikka Masala

    This wonderful prepackaged frozen dinner is delicious, loaded with plant-based protein, and has the aroma and flavor of authentic Indian food. It’s nice to explore national foods, tapping into treasures from other cultures to jumpstart this journey. It’s microwaveable (thank God!). Add a nice side salad (not the huge one you had for lunch) with some balsamic vinegar (also available at Trader Joe’s). End with a piece of fruit. Enjoy. You’ve made it through the first day.

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    Dinner #2:

    Vegan pizza

    Trader Joe’s used to have a vegan pizza we ate all the time during Lent. Now they don’t (bummer!). I can recommend Amy’s brand, available at most supermarkets. But, don’t stop there! Add more toppings such as arugula, cut up tomatoes, cut up peppers, olives, vegan sausage, etc. Follow the directions on the package for time and temperature needed to cook it in the oven. After you’ve cooked the pizza, you may want to serve it with a side dish of hummus which you can use as a garnish on top of the pizza (extra protein). No need for a side salad—it’s already on the pizza! End with a piece of fruit.

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    Dinner #3:

    Trader Joe’s high-protein veggie burgers

    These vegan burgers are very satisfying—I’m never still hungry after eating one. And, they cook up in about 2 minutes in the microwave. They’re bland, so I like to top them with the rather spicy Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce. Dress them up as you would an ordinary burger, but be sure to use a whole grain bun. A side salad plus that piece of fruit, and you’ve got a meal.

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    Dinner #4:

    Black beans and brown rice (quick preparation…)

    Open a can of black beans and add that on top of some pre-cooked brown rice. Microwave that following the instructions on the package of rice and you’ve got dinner. A little guacamole on the side adds a nice touch. Also, some salsa verde for flavor. Make a nice side salad and eat some citrus fruit for desert. Very tasty and nutritious. Olé!

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    Dinner #5:

    Trader Joe’s Vegan Channa Masala

    I haven’t actually tried this product, but it comes highly recommended by two of my favorite YouTube-ers, Jessica and Brian Krock of “Krocks in the Kitchen” (highly recommend their channel!). The protein content is a little lower than the Tikka Masala from dinner #1, so I might add some sprouted organic tofu on the side. Add your side salad (or not) and a nice piece of fruit, and you’ve got a meal.

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    Dinner #6:

    Vegan Chicken nuggets

    Okay, okay. I admit I’m running out of ideas. But, what if you LOVE chicken nuggets and can’t bear life without them just because you’ve gone vegan? A few years back, my kid wanted these every day (now, he prefers loftier cuisine). Boil up some brown rice fussili pasta with some chopped up veggies and you’ve got a meal. When I first went vegan, it meant a lot to me to be able to eat something chicken-like while everyone else in the family was eating roasted chicken. Hey, try some mandarin oranges for desert for that “Chinese take-out” feel.

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    Dinner #7:

    Mary’s Mini–style potatoes and veggies

    Check out the “Krocks in the Kitchen” YouTube channel for a full explanation of what exactly is a Mary’s Mini. In a nutshell, you eat only potatoes and veggies, and it is meant to jumpstart weight loss. Not enough food? You can eat as many potatoes as you wish, so pile them on! (This is the first real cooking I’ve got you doing. Potatoes cook up beautifully after 20 minutes in boiling water. Leave the skins on; more nutrients!).

    Here are the Krocks to give you the lowdown on the Mary’s Mini:

    Bon appetite!

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    BONUS:

    “But, where do you get your protein?”

    If I had a nickel for every time a vegan is asked that question, I’d be a millionaire! This is a huge subject that won’t fit into a small space like this, but in a nutshell: #1) you don’t need all that much protein, and #2) you can get all the protein you need from plants. Really. REALLY!

    That said, my go-to’s for protein are brewers yeast, nutritional yeast, tofu, tempe, beans (black, kidney, chickpeas, lentils . . .) whole grains (especially whole-wheat), broccoli, cabbage, kale, bananas, apples, plant milks, and every other edible plant in the plant kingdom–they ALL have protein! Rip Esselstyn said it best when he said, “If you’re eating enough food, you’re getting enough protein.” ‘Nuff said.

    Here is Dr. Milton Mills with his answer to the question: “Where do you get your protein?“ Hope it helps.

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    (Click here to return to : The 21-Day Whole-Food Plant-Based Vegan Challenge: Three Weeks of Vegan Meals)

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    Please be sure to read the singerstickynotes MEDICAL DISCLAIMER before following the advice presented in this post.
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