To ask for vegan light lunch ideas?

[DilemmaDelilah]

We have unexpected (but welcome) guests coming for lunch on Friday and I'm working every day up until then, plus I'm not well and get exhausted quickly, and they have specified a light lunch because they're travelling. One is vegan, one is not, we are not.

I don't want to cook anything so it will probably be food I have got from the supermarket or just put together in the morning. Any ideas as to what I can do that will suit the omnivores and provide some tasty options for the vegan?

I would normally do cold roast chicken or quiche with baked potatoes or bread and salad for omnivores, but then what do I get for the vegan? I don't want it to be a 'well just don't eat the meat' type of meal - this is my BIL and I like him. I do know what vegans can and cannot eat and want to make sure he has a proper meal with protein as well as carbs and veg. What nice kind of protein can I offer? So far I can only think of hummus, bean salad or baked beans. I would love to have some vegan ideas that I can just get from the supermarket. Last time they came I cooked some proper meals for him but I don't have the time or the energy to do that this time.

The brand Higgly Piggly has vegan quiches from chickpeas, I like them and I'm an omnivore. Then regular quiches for the others and a nice green salad with shallot vinaigrette.

I was going to suggest this, particularly as you won't have time to cook (like preparing homemade soup) - it's what you would do normally, just with a vegan quiche, and then some vegan spread for the bread.

It's perfectly possible to buy vegan quiche and vegan cold "meats" in any supermarket so you don't really have to deviate much from your usual meal plan. As someone who was vegan for many years, I would just beg you not to give him vegan cheese! It is universally horrible - it doesn't look, taste or behave like cheese and as for the smell.... Don't forget to have some oat milk in the fridge and, if you're offering bread or baked potatoes, some dairy free spread too.

My lunch today is gluten free and vegan and super simple. Salad of leaves, red onion, cherry tomatoes, corn, beetroot. Served with Gosh Vduja Falafacini balls (10 mins in oven, they also have a pesto ball option both are tasty) and hummus. Very quick and light and you could serve the same salad with quiche for everyone else.

Falafel, hummus, olives and salad in wrap or flatbread. You can buy it all from the shop, warm the falafel and flatbread before serving. I’d serve with normal or sweet potato wedges chucked in the air fryer if you have one. Could add some boiled eggs on the side for anyone who wants them.

I echo soup, probably because I am in the middle of making some! I am not a vegan, or even a vegetarian, but I prefer vegetable soups to meaty ones and my soups are usually vegan. You could do a couple though so that people have an option.

I put lots of butter with my bread, but obviously that is optional!

I would go with fajitas. Mushrooms for the vegan guest and chicken for the others with some sautéed onions and peppers. Not a lot of prep is needed - maximum around 10 mins if you use store bought salsa and/or guacamole.

There are some excellent ideas in here, thank you. After some discussion with a vegan colleague I have decided to go for a selection of pizzas, including a vegan one, with some extra toppings for those who want them, a selection of bought salads including a bean salad and one with chickpeas, as well as fresh salad, and then fresh fruit to follow. Luckily I already have a pack of that oat milk concentrate that you just dilute that BIL can have if he wants a cup of tea. No butter or butter substitute required. I may make a tomatoey garlic mushroom dish the day before as I will have some mushrooms as extra toppings and DH isn't keen on them, so it would be a way of eating them up. I don't mind garlic mushrooms and they usually go down quite well.

You can do a similar thing to this with chickpeas, and it's even nicer IMO. Google Chickpea mayo sandwich filler and you should get some recipes!

But, TBH I'm vegan and I like nothing more than hummus and falafels with a nice side salad and some pita, a hummus and sundried tomato sandwich, or half and avocado mashed with lime, sea salt and chili flakes, either on toast or with a nice grain or bean-based salad.

If you do want to add a vegan "meat" into the mix, then I find that squeaky bean ham is the nicest.

Wraps with hummus, falafel, salad, pickles / lightly pickled red onions

Crusty bread with tapenade, pesto, dun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers plus mozzarella for the non vegans

Indian spiced chick pea burgers in buns with mango chutney

Samosa chaat - broken up samosas with chickpeas, tamarind chutney, coriander, etc

Roasted beetroot and carrots with puy lentils and a nice dressing with lots of parsley plus feta for the non vegans

Flatbreads with a few dips - baba ganoush, a tomatoey aubergine one, hummus, plus falafel and a salad with Char grilled courgette

Pasta with a home made pesto that's a bit different eg with almond and lemon and parsley with a nice salad on the side

Aldi has a great vegan range - in the chilled section and the freezer.

I'm a vegan and I regularly eat bagels, falafel, chickpeas, avocado, Aldi vegan ham / chicken slices, beans, lentils, pasta, mushrooms / courgette etc on toast.

I love pickled gherkins & hummus and whatever veg I've got in a sandwich.

Sainsbury's 'La Vie' bacon is the best.

Amanda ducks on YouTube has some great recipe ideas too.

cook a 1kg bag of frozen peas in enough water to cover them plus maybe 1cm on top. Add 2 veggie stock cubes

when cooked, pour in a can of drained cannellini beans and a few handfuls of fresh mint leaves

Pour whole lot into a food processor and whizz up. Season with salt and pepper

serve with posh bread and dairy free butter. maybe swirl some vegan yogurt into soup.

Vegan Cathederal city is good vegan cheese. Have you tried it?

This sounds lovely 😍

I certainly have and I stand by what I said. It is foul. In fact I always have some in the fridge for another family member but I don't like using it or even opening the packet because the smell is awful. I'm prepared to concede that I might be a bit over sensitive though. 😊