Veganuary - recipes without fake meat, tofu etc

[LikeNoYeah]

Can anyone recommend some tasty vegan recipes (dinners, lunches) that don’t include:

-fake meat
-fake dairy
-tofu, tempeh and the like

I’m planning to try a vegan diet for January and looking for inspiration.

Thank you 🙏

I'm not vegan or veggie (I was for a couple of years), but we eat a lot of meat free meals , and I also don’t use fake stuff. I find that oat milk is fine instead of milk, we have a lot of mushrooms, and Brown lentils are good in things like a bolognese or chili in place of mince. Various beans and nuts make good burgers and loaves. HTH.

get some bags of pre cooked chestnuts:

https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/chestnut-thyme-mushroom-casserole?srsltid=AfmBOorW9PLnEl52umcm36METl2BhhhgZLcXWvSoakg9o7pLM0CMwkvf

https://annajones.co.uk/recipes/squash-chestnut-roast

This is a fantastic chilli recipe;

https://annajones.co.uk/recipes/proper-chilli

Can I ask why you don't want tofu/tempeh etc?

https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/gochujang-roast-celeriac-noodle-bowls/

This is delicious 😋

Just look for bean recipes. Nats Nourishment on insta is good.

Lentils are incredibly versatile! Those, alongside quinoa and beans, are my staples.

There is a thread in MN classics (sorry can’t link am on my phone) which everyone put their failsafe recipes in a couple of years ago. One of them was a vegan bean chilli, which I make regularly for vegans, veggies and carnivores. I cook it in the oven, low and very slow and everyone always raves about it. I’ll try to find the thread.

Meera Sodha has some great recipes - I use her cook books all the time. I've been vegan for years and I hate fake meat (love tofu though).

This is the thread!!!

www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/4054598-Tinas-chestnut-stuffing-and-other-secret-and-not-so-secret-recipes

Can we have vegan Mayo?

If so, these fajitas are good if you use vegan mayo instead of the dairy.

Nearly all Indian veggie food is also naturally vegan without fake meat if you don't use ghee.

we really like this (obvs serve with vegan parmesan or go without) and it makes loads so good for stocking up the freezer. I've also used it as the basis for a veggie cottage pie by adding some chunkier veg to the defrosted bolognaise and topping with mash www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lentil-ragu

I have loved browsing that old thread again, and have hundreds of things to try. And I came across the vegan chilli. When I do it I put it in the oven at about 110c for at least 2-3 hours.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mumsnet_classics/4054598-Tinas-chestnut-stuffing-and-other-secret-and-not-so-secret-recipes?reply=101048003&utm_campaign=reply&utm_medium=share

Two easy lunches that I love:

Mushrooms and peppers fried, then lots of spinch wilted on top at the end.

Spread a thick layer of hummus on toast then top with the fried veg.

Sandwich filling or with salad:

1 carrot, 1 celery, 1 tin chickpeas and half cup of sunflower seeds chopped into tiny pieces.
Put in a bowl and mix with 1tsp lemon juice/apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup vegan mayo/yoghurt, salt and pepper.

The second one is from Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It's the book that got me into vegan cooking and baking: normal, natural ingredients and while there is a section on tofu, there are tons of recipes that use pulses, beans, seeds and nuts for the protein.

Soup and bread
Bean chilli
Indian food with pulses and vegetables
Falafel, hummus etc
Noodles with edamame beans and other veg
Thai curries with veg and chick peas (avoid fish sauce obviously)
Baked potatoes and beans
Beans on toast
Lentil bolognese or cottage pie

But if you're not planning to become an actual full time vegan and don't object to animal products on ethical grounds I don't see why it has to be all or nothing. You can just eat mostly plant based.

Beans are great

boldbeanco.com/blogs/beanspo-recipes/spicy-garlic-sesame-black-bean-noodles?srsltid=AfmBOop6x9uwEmeSqbWdpCbx9V3N2nAyLbKkws-zTohY8WL7qFQgsf3I

Amazing, thank you! 🙏

Thanks for the recommendations so far, all.

To answer a few questions, I just don’t like tofu, tempeh, quorn etc!

I have only eaten chicken and fish for years now, as I don’t like the taste or texture of other meat.

I want to try out a vegan, whole food diet for January, just as a healthy reset after Christmas. I’m also cutting out sugar (other than fruit). Vegan because otherwise I know I’ll just fall back on eggs and cheesy comfort food 😆

I can't stand tofu - I' e tried and tried, every which way, and decided we are forever destined to be strangers 🙁. Same with tempeh and Quorn.

Sweet potato and black bean chilli with avocado topping and cornbread or tortilla chips

Hey @LikeNoYeah

Wishing you well for veganuary! My family and I have been vegan for the past 6 years, and it's only in the last year or two (as I romp through perimenopause) that I recognise the importance of protein.

However you decide to do it, you would really benefit from aiming for around 30g to 50g of protein at each meal - this is based on you eating 3 decent sized meals each day.

Doing this will likely see your other macros reduce at each meal and any exercise you do really benefit from the increased protein boost each day. If you're not eating anything like this volume of protein each day I would slowly build up to it, it can be hard going on the tummy in the early days, for some people.

The only way I can hit this protein target each day is to consume 40g of protein via a powder that I sup on whilst I'm in the gym each morning (I like the powder by Form, Performance Protein in vanilla). The rest of the day is made up of tofu and pea protein meat substitutes. If you think protein first, and build the rest of your meal around that. I'm so full, there's no room in my tummy for snacks or excessive carbs.

Tofu is so good for you, as is tempeh. Tofu is so versatile, have you tried it cooked properly?

Using beans, lentils, legumes/pulses as your base OP, mix in various spices and herbs, topped with various roasted veg and nuts. Mix it up with marinated dried fruits. Pates and dips made with mushrooms and/or nuts and/or beans and chickpeas.

Pear barley, bulgar and farik/freekeh instead of rice all have higher protein content and also quinoa is the highest although not my personal favourite.

Tahini makes a good versitile ingredient, a dressing, a dip, in sweet and savoury foods.

I’m not vegan but I often make butternut squash, chilli and coconut curries. I google a recipe and then pretty much always 1. Ignore the suggestion to use ready chopped squash because to me it’s always watery and 2. Roast the chopped squash before adding it to the curry.

I agree with Exercisenow (can’t remember how to do a name in bold), protein is really important and it’s onlt in the last couple of months that I’ve tracked mine - quite a revelation. But on days when I’ve managed over 90g I do feel much fuller and generally better.
Tofu and tempeh have much higher levels than beans or pulses, but edamame (soy) beans are good too. I’ve also discovered high protein noodles such as udon, ramen or soba, which are much higher than egg noodles or rice. I hardly ever have rice now.
Miso soups are good, with said noodles in broth with spring onions, mushrooms, edamames, tofu, spinach - gotta keep up with your greens!
Meera Sodha has a white bean and celery Persian stew which is delish; chillis are great, and I’m pretty fond of the old nut roast.