Veganuary anyone?

[mnpeasantry]

So, never had a lot of luck with launching popular threads but wondered if anyone was game for a bit of vegan January?

My plan is to eat a plant based diet and cut out booze for all except 3 pre planned events in January.

I've put together a list of meals that sound good to me and not too arduous to put together on top of working and caring for two under 3.

Meals include:

Chips
Quinoa and sweet potato cakes
Avocado
Guacamole and tortilla chips
Veg chilli
Lentil soup
Brocolli and cashew stir fry
Spicy coconut noodles
Onion bhaji
Aubergine curry
Hummus
Sweet potato and white bean chilli
Curried coconut veg noodles
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/veggie-noodles-with-curried-coconut-sauce/
Sweet potato chickpea curry
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/sweet-potato-chickpea-amp-spinach-curry/
Pumpkin, chickpeas and coconut curry
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/pumpkin-chickpea-coconut-curry/
Vegan shepherds pie
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/vegan-shepherd-s-pie/
Best vegan burger
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/the-best-vegan-burger/

Why? Feeling a bit fat after Christmas and still need to lose a bit of baby weight. I feel that I have become a bit meat based in my meal planning lately and would like to diversify a bit. I'm aware of environmental and ethical issues surrounding the consumption of meat and I feel like I'm starting to believe that dairy doesn't really agree with me and triggers a number of allergies in my family.

So, is anybody with me? Let's (hopefully) improve our health and fitness, complexions, environment, digestion, etc! Feeling hopeful.

Good morning everyone- sorry for silence,,- difficult week for us with very very sick animals and sick children etc.

This week we have eaten alot of soups- as I am too tired and drained of energy to do more. Not because of the vegan thing, but because of the emotional stuff going on, which hopefully is settled. So, minestrones and lentil soups etc. Last night I went wild and made roast vegetables - loads of roasted potatoes etc, everything we love from a roast. Tonight is a veg and bean soup with crusty bread.

Sweet potatoes, Lorelei. - My favourite way is just baked in their jackets, split topped with masses of vegan butter, a sprinkle of cinammon and some diced tinned pineapple. Sounds awful, but it wrks for me!

Also lorelei you suggested on the tube strike thread on Sunday I pre-order a taxi as I was being really anxious.I meant to g back and say thanks.:) I did pre-order and it made things relatively smooth and I got home a bit after 9 pm which was fine. Thanks for such a really sensible suggestion that I had actually not really thought of because I was worrying too much!!

Does anyone read vegan blogs? I love blogs, and there is a blog I used to read when I was vegan years ago. She seems to have stopped blogging herself, but keeps her blog roll current on the left hand side of the bar. I am loving some of the UK based blogs.

travelingvegan.blogspot.co.uk/

Sorry to hear about your tricky week shiny. It's hard enough to do when things are going ok! I a writing a blog but it's very casual and quite basic! Just a light hearted look at what I'm doing. I don't think I'm allowed to advertise it here though.

I think there is no problem linking your blog if you want! I have been on some other threads where people did - because the aim was to share info etc. I'd love to read it if you are happy to share!

sarahcol.wordpress.com
It's not recipes really, more just how I feel and family stuff about how they feel etc.
Bit shy now!!

Yes please link! I follow lots of vegan accounts on instagram but the only food blog I read is about eating for brain health. Vegans probably don't enjoy the greatest brain or other health! At some point I'll start eating fish I think, not that I feel ok about it on compassionate basis.

Tried seitan in a restaurant in Valencia and didn't like it, have serious misgivings about gluten (definitely not good for brain health but too late for me).

About sweet potatoes - I just cube and season (maybe add oil if not being neurotic about fat) and roast for 25-30 minutes. Add them as they are to anything, blend to make soups or sauces (they make a great 'cheese' sauce I shared the recipe a few pages ago) you definitely can't overdose on them!

A few people have mentioned B12 - I managed to give myself severe anemia when I had a rough year and didn't take care of my diet (carnivore). I got a B12 injection, I paid for it privately for speed and it was miraculous. Not just for energy, but my mental health. Reduced B12 levels contribute to depression/anxiety. I cannot recommend it enough. Please get one if you are feeling tired or low. (I am not a doctor caveat!)

Since going vegan I am feeling better, I stuffed my face with all the food over Christmas, moderation and greens have been brilliant for me so far.

What have people got planned for the long term? I'm not sure if most posters plan to stay vegan.

Unsurprisingly I'm planning to stay vegan. I have a fantastic varied diet now, it was worth pushing through the first couple of months of establishing what worked well for me and what didn't.

Me too!

Nutritional yeast is a wonderful way to get your B12. I sprinkle on vegan pizza, pasta, baked potatoes!! It's a nutty "cheesy" taste

Thanks for the tips everyone
Shiny, glad that worked out for you.

Re brain health, one reason I wanted to do this was that I feel the vegans I know are in great health in all ways but they definitely have way more brain power than I do. Couldn't say how hard that is though

I am 50/50 atm re whether I will stay vegan. I'm finding it surprisingly ok (easier than I thought) to cope with this week. I've tried to be vegan a couple of times before and found it so much harder. I think there are more options now and more people are vegan which makes it a little easier. I do think that being vegan is the way forward. The more I read about farming animals the more revolting I find the whole concept. Any health benefits to me would be a lovely added bonus, but it's definitely the ick factor which has motivated me most to try vegan.

Any reduction people make in their consumption of animal products has to be a help. I'll stick with veganism for as long as it feels right for me.

Psycho I also think any reduction is good
I was wondering if there's such a thing as decently produced cheese.

I think it depends where in the world it's produced, Germany have the highest standards with the best enforcement (according to my daughter, farm animal law around the world is her thing).

I've not lost any weight, but it has stopped me having random biscuits etc, which is good.

Food wise - recent successes have been vegan paella, and a roast mushroom burger. Using mushrooms to give that umami flavour and meaty texture is working well for me. Still miss the tea!

I won't become vegan long term, but I might do a vegan day each week, swap some lunches to vegan, etc.

Thanks pyscho
Had a lovely baked sweet potato for lunch with some lentils
Only when you work at home, yay.
I am thinking to bake some apples later. I don't normally do this but now I'm off anything majorly sugary, a fruit compote seems fair enough.

Top, cross post
Yes it's funny how being vegan has made me go all "meh" at things that previously I'd have found tempting.

Just made a really nice curry. I just chucked things in rather than follow a recipe! Chick peas, peppers, onions garlic, potatoes etc with tomatoes coconut milk, curry paste, root ginger and chillis
Very nice indeed! Just demolished more Oreos though!!!!

That sounds yum str4nge!

I had lentil bolognese. It was really nice too. Even (fussy) DH said it was lovely and the toddler ate it too, without complaint. Hurrah!

I'm having a none-too-healthy glass of wine this evening, (vegan - it says so in black and white on the label this time)! It's felt like a bit of a long week.

I've kind of worked out that lentils are a good replacement for mince and chick peas for chicken (if that makes sense!)

Just had a rather nice salad with roast sweet potato wedges - simple but tasty, and I have coconut yoghurt for pudding. I've been missing fats, with no dairy, so had avocado, roasted peppers, rocket and pine nuts in the salad, which really felt filling.

My favourite so far has been spicy courgette fritters made with gram and rice flour, but I am heartily fed up of the chickpea. Tonight DH was out so I've had guacamole on crispbreads and a G&T.

As many have said already, Veganuary has really forced me to think about what I put in my mouth, and is a real test of my willpower as I am famous for giving up at the first fence.
Sunday I am hosting my second vegan dinner party. I don't tell guests in advance, and I think at least 1 of last Saturday's was a bit sideswiped by the news, but he tucked in and had seconds. Chia seed pudding = never again.

Ugh had some very stressful news about my DBro last night, so ended up having 3 glasses of (vegan) wine .

Menu today is:

B: peanut butter and jam on toast
L: smoothie bowl (atoning for the wine and jam )
T: either Thai veg curry and rice / noodles or breaded tofu, baked potato and salad

I will have managed a full week of no slip ups (that I know of) tomorrow. It's been a lot easier since I came home from visiting family.

I've said to DH that I want to have a vegan household after January, so eat vegan at home and eat non vegan stuff only on special occasions when we go out, which is really rarely (saddos ). Even then I would probably try to order vegan or at least meat and dairy free. We have some things to use up, but after they are gone, or by the end of Feb, (whichever comes first), I want to keep a vegan household. DH was a bit , but I'm going to keep discussing till we reach a good compromise for the whole family.

Wow Klingy, is your husband happy to be vegan too? What if he wants to eat meat/dairy?

I've had a good vegan, gluten free week, I think. Not done well at eating breakfasts and have mostly had trek or nakd snack bars, fruit, porridge a few times, I failed at a chia pudding experiment - definitely need to follow recipes for that one I think! I've made better ones before.

Lunches I've had carrot & mung bean salad again, quinoa & roast veggies salad, spicy roast veggie wraps, and lasagne - I made a massive lasagne with layers of vegetable/tomato sauce and cashew ricotta/spinach sauce, made my own gf pasta, had it for meals throughout the week, and it was yum. Think I'll experiment more with different things for the white sauce though.

Another dinner was veggie burgers, based on Jamie Oliver's vegan burger recipe (chickpeas/sweetcorn) but I did a 'pizza' flavour with tomato purée, sundried tomatoes, basil, oregano and nutritional yeast, and coated in a mix of chickpea flour, polenta and more nutritional yeast before frying them. Had them with potato wedges, and some really impressive homemade vegan mayo i made using aquafaba - the water drained from the chickpeas. Ridiculously easy and so good. Last night I had mushroom risotto, and think I'm going to do some arancini with the leftovers today. Some other snacks have been plaintain chips, popcorn, veggie sticks/oatcakes with hummus, fruit, coyo yoghurt, nakd bars/nibbles. Also found some Amy's Kitchen soups are both vegan and gluten free for a super quick meal.

I'm really enjoying eating vegan so far. I've got so many ideas and things I want to experiment with. I lost 4lbs in the first week as well, only going to check my weight once a week, I have about 3-4 stone to lose really.

Phoenix, hmmmm he's been happy to eat vegan at home so far. I'd like to do it long term, but he certainly hasn't agreed to it yet! He was all at the suggestion but I'm hoping if we both continue to enjoy the vegan meals during veganuary he might be persuaded!