Enjoy Easy Vegan Meals and Power Through Equipment Free Workouts From Home!

My Free Easy Vegan Plan is a chance to test the plant based waters with Healthy, Easy, DELICIOUS meals.

Over 7 Days: I’ll share yummy plant based recipes, daily equipment free fat blasting workouts and also help you build the self belief and clarity that makes your best eating and exercising choices simple and sustainable.

Learn what works so far as a sustainable plant based lifestyle that lets you sculpt a fit, strong, healthy body without feeling restricted or bored or like you have to spend a heap of time in the kitchen. 

Are you in? Try 7 Days Easy Vegan and see how it works for you! 

If you’re anything like me you might be fearful that it’s hard, boring and just not practical to be fit, strong and healthy without animal products. I was Vego for 23 years for ethical reasons however Vegan seemed extreme! 

To cut to the chase: Eating plant based is sooo much easier than I expected. 

The best part is that now my actions feel aligned with my beliefs. I feel congruent and like by doing what’s right for the animals and for the planet I’m also doing what’s right for me. 

So, let’s do this!

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 1

Breakfast: The Green Supreme.

handful of kale

a large’ish broccoli stem or handful of baby spinach

1/4 cucumber

1/2 teaspoon Spirulina

1/2 medium green apple or pear

50 grams fresh / frozen raspberries or strawberries

300 mils water

1 scoop vegan protein powder (I’m a fan of SunWarrior Classic Plus Chocolate)

Lunch: 20+ Veg Salad with Protein Pimped Hummus and Pesto.

Dinner: Smokey Eggplant Curry with Zoodles.

Day 1 WORKOUT:

1. Split Squat pyramid (8 full reps + 8 low pulses, then 7 reps and 7 pulses right down to 1 on the first leg then swap legs). This is like a lunge with your back foot elevated. Aim for 90 degrees at each knee joint at the bottom end of the movement. Great for your butt! Keep your weight through your front heel. Keep your torso nice and upright and your shoulders set down and back.

2. Walk out with optional extra push ups (6 reps + 3 extra push ups each leg). This is like a single legged deadlift into a push up. Maintain neutral spine (the natural curvature – no rounding of your back) as you bow / flex forward from your hip joint and come down into that push up. You can drop to you knees for the push up if you need too – you’ll still be working hard!

3. Bodyweight get up (12 reps alternating legs). Start lying on your back with one leg crossed under the other. Use a little momentum from your torso as you sit up (or spot yourself with your hand on the floor as you learn this move) and drive up through the heel of the straight leg to stand up (like a single leg squat movement). Alternate legs and reverse the move to get back to the lying / starting position with the other leg crossed.

Aim for 3 circuits. (the split squats are killer!)

Day 1 MINDSET: Are you a Rules or a Guidelines Eater?

Are you the RULES Eater? 

That’s the person that likes to have a plan to stick to. You actually find it FREEING to not have to worry about what to eat when.

You just want to know it’s going to work. You don’t want to ever waste energy thinking “Is this ok?” or “Can I get away with this?”

I’m a rules eater. 

I feel calmer knowing I have a routine to follow. I like that I spend as little energy as possible thinking about what and when and how and how much with my food – it’s on auto-pilot, fairly systemised, following my rules.

Perhaps you’re freaking out just hearing about the mere existence of my rules? 

Maybe, in contrast you’re the GUIDELINES Eater?

That’s the person that hates the exact plan to stick to. You’d see it as RESTRICTIVE and BORING and you like to eat what you happen to feel like eating on the day, at that time… and you certainly don’t know what that’ll be in advance!

Either can work. 

I’m going to share 6 Easy Vegan recipes for each main meal this week for the RULES eater. The 6th day is all about eating out tips. From the GUIDELINES angle you can follow my exact recipes OR go with these 3 simple guidelines:

1. Start with a serving of lean protein.

This may be 50-100 grams of lentils, beans or chickpeas, 50 grams of vegan cheese, nuts or nut butter, 1 tablespoon of hemp, chia, pumpkin or other seeds, 1-2 scoops of vegan protein powder… or any combination of the above.

2. Add a serving or 4 of filling fibrous veg or micronutrient rich fruit.

This may be 1-4 cups of any combination of spinach, kale, mushroom, capsicum, cauliflower, zucchini, tomato etc or 50 – 100 grams of berries, apple or any fresh (not canned or dried) fruit of your choice. 

3. Finish with a satisfying good fat.

That might be a tablespoon of coconut, avocado or macadamia oil. Or 50 grams of avocado. Or perhaps you’ve already covered it with 50 grams of nuts / a tablespoon of nut butter or seeds.

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 2

Breakfast: Funky Monkey.

handful of baby spinach

1/2 a small zucchini

1 tablespoon hemp seeds

30 grams raw cashews

1/4 mango

200 mils unsweetened almond milk plus 100 mils water

1 scoop vegan chocolate protein powder

Optional: 1 medjool date to sweeten.

Blend all ingredients.

Lunch: Stuffed Capsicums.

This recipe is for 4 serves. I made this last night and left out the salsa (by mistake!) and it was still delicious. So let’s say the salsa is optional! It cooked in half the time as I used mini capsicum. 

4 large red capsicum, halved and seeds removed

1 cup cauli-rice or quinoa (will need longer cooking time)

1/2-2 cups vegan vegetable stock 

1/2 a 425 gram can unsalted black beans, drained  

120 grams raw cashews

1 cup whole kernel corn, drained

1/2 cup salsa (bought or made with no added sugar)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dulse flakes or 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

coconut oil for cooking

To top:

1/2 ripe avocado, sliced

fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon hemp seeds per serve

coriander, chopped

red onion, finely sliced

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C, brush capsicum halves with coconut oil and place on baking dish lined with cooking paper.

Blend raw cashews in food processor. Cook cauli-rice or quinoa in vegetable stock (Cauli needs 1/2 cup of stock and quinoa closer to 2 cups. Cauli needs a couple of minutes and quinoa up to 20 minutes). 

Transfer cauli / quinoa to a large bowl and add remaining ingredients (cashews – dulse flakes). Mix well and season more as necessary. 

Stuff peppers generously with cauli / quinoa mix and cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes covered. Remove foil, increase heat to 250 degrees and cook for another 15-20 minutes until capsicum are golden brown.

Serve with, 1 tablespoon hemp seeds (per serve), 1/2 ripe avocado sliced (over 4 capsicums), a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a sprinkle of coriander and a sprinkle of red onion.

Dinner: Eggplant Cannelloni.

This recipe is for 4 serves. 

2 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise in 1/2 inch slices

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 brown onions, sliced thinly

2 field mushrooms, sliced

2 roasted red peppers, sliced

1 400 gram can of tomatoes (no added sugar)

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

small handful of fresh ripped basil

small handful of minced rosemary and/or oregano

2 heaped tablespoons of (homemade) cashew cheese

100 grams (bought) vegan cheese

8-12 sun-dried tomato halves, sliced

12 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

Extra olive/coconut oil to coat eggplant

Heat oil in a heavy based pan and cook onions and garlic until soft and golden (around 5 minutes). Add tomatoes and roasted peppers. Bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, rosemary and oregano and continue to simmer for 5 further minutes. Stir through basil and turn off heat.

Lightly brush eggplants with oil and cook on a baking sheet until golden on both sides, (around 5 minutes).

Mash sun-dried tomato and olives into bought vegan cheese. Place 1 tablespoon of cheese filling at the end of each eggplant slice and roll up. Lay seam side down in a baking dish (whatever size will fit cannelloni in one snug layer). Pour over tomato mix. Sprinkle with cashew cheese. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 180-200 degrees C.

To make the cashew cheese: 

You’ll have leftover and it freezes well.

2 heaped tablespoons Nutritional yeast

1 cup raw cashews (soaked for a couple of hours or covered in boiling water for a couple of minutes)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I put them in boiling water with the cashews for a couple of minutes)

1 tablespoon of garlic powder

1 tablespoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of chili flakes

1 teaspoon of sea salt

Drain the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes. Use food processor to blend both with 2 heaped tablespoons nutritional yeast and also the garlic powder, onion powder, chill flakes and sea salt.

Day 2 WORKOUT:

Abs + a tad of chest / shoulders today.

DAY 2 MINDSET: Sugar cravings. Focus. Micronutrients.

To my fellow emotional eaters / rules eaters the thing I’ve found is you absolutely 100% crave what you eat. 

I used to have such a sweet tooth. Now that I’ve cut all refined sugar / low value sugars from my life I honestly do not have to deal with pesky cravings! It’s so much easier. However if you’re the guidelines eater (I discussed rules v guidelines eaters in the Mindset video for day 1) then perhaps eliminating refined sugar completely sounds too extreme?!!

Regardless of what you decide, what you choose to focus on is super important.

Focus first on what you’re GIVING your body. The huge, delicious, colourful meals that are chocka block full of micronutrients.

Very often beyond the simple fact that you crave what you eat, cravings can be your body calling out for the micronutrients it’s missing.

It’s honesty not calling out for chocolate biscuits. Or ice cream. Even though I know the need does seem real when you’re stuck in what I UN-lovingly call the carb-o-la crap-o-la cycle!

Back to those micronutrients, a few to look out for on a plant based diet are: Calcium. Iron. B12. Zinc. Omega 3’s.

I have them well covered in the 7 Day Easy Vegan Plan however for more info on some high value micronutrient rich foods check out this post (and all the supporting posts I link to from it).

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 3

Breakfast: Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding.

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1 scoop vegan protein powder (or other sweetener like 1 sachet of Natvia)

10 raw or roasted almonds, roughly chopped

Optional: unsweetened coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, thinly sliced pear / apple, a drizzle of almond butter.

Mix all ingredients except nuts in a jar or other container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or even overnight.

Add nuts (and any optional extras) just before eating.

Lunch: Cauli-Kale Tabouli

This meal is fab to make on mass. The tabouli mix to follow makes a huge bowl which will keep you going most of the week. 

(around 4 serves). 

1/2 medium head cauliflower, chopped (or 1/2 cauli and 1/2 brussels)

1/2 bunch kale, ripped into pieces

1/4 cup basil and oregano, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1 red capsicum, finely sliced

2 spring onions, finely sliced

12 sun-dried tomato halves, finely sliced

sea salt to taste

2-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2-4 tablespoons hemp seeds

1-2 tablespoons macadamia or avocado oil

To stir through each serve: 6 roasted pecans and a few slices of avocado. 

Place Cauli in food processor and pulse until it resembles rice (rather than mush!). Transfer cauli to a large bowl and next process the kale until finely chopped. As kale is nearly done add pumpkin seeds and pulse a couple of times.

Add kale, pumpkin seeds plus all remaining ingredients to the cauli and mix well.

Top with roasted pecans and avocado. 

Dinner: Portobello Cap Pizza

I made a big batch to serve 4 people. You’ll need:

8 Portobello’s (or large mushrooms of choice)

Hemp seeds (around 1/2 tablespoon per mushroom)

Vegan pesto (around 1-1 1/2 teaspoons per mushroom)

Nutritional yeast (2 heaped tablespoons for the cashew cheese PLUS an extra 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom)

1 cup raw cashews (soaked for a couple of hours or covered in boiling water for a couple of minutes)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I put them in boiling water with the cashews for a couple of minutes)

1 tablespoon of garlic powder.

1 tablespoon of onion powder.

1 teaspoon of chili flakes.

1 teaspoon of sea salt.

Veggies of choice. I used: 1 large red capsicum char grilled then skin removed and sliced. 3 lengthwise slices of a large eggplant baked with a little coconut oil, chili, onion powder and mixed herbs then sliced. 1 small zucchini in peels. Several thin slices of red onion. 1/4 of a green capsicum sliced. 1/2 a small jar of marinated artichokes sliced. 

To make the cashew cheese: Drain the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes. Use food processor to blend both with 2 heaped tablespoons nutritional yeast and also the garlic powder, onion powder, chill flakes and sea salt.

Cook the Portobello’s (around 200 degrees) in a tray (or 2) on baking paper with a sprinkle each of extra garlic powder, onion powder, chill flakes. Plus in each cap 1 teaspoon of vegan pesto and a sprinkle of thinly sliced of red onion. Time is dependant on size, I cooked them for around 5 minutes then added the rest of the veg and also the 1/2 tablespoon hemp seeds per mushroom. I finished with the zucchini strips (3 strips per mushroom crossed over the top of the caps to try and hold everything in a bit. 

I then added another 1/2 teaspoon of vegan pesto in and a 1/2 teaspoon of nutritional yeast to each cap. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes and for the last few minutes add a tablespoons of cashew cheese to each cap. 

Day 3 WORKOUT: 

1. Reverse Lunge Squat Jump (20 reps total alternating legs). You want 90 degrees at both knees at the bottom of that lunge. Keep your torso upright and your shoulders set down and back. Focus through your heels with the squat. 

2. Dip (12 reps). The straighter your legs are the harder it is. Keep your elbows narrow (close to your ribs) and your butt close to the bench. 

3. Sumo In Out Jump Squat (12 reps). Stay low and slow. Focus through your heels and keep your chest proud & shoulders set down and back. 

4. Side Plank Leg Raise (10-20 each leg). Inner thigh love! A bench is a good height to start with as it’s tougher than it looks. Please warm up first.

Aim for 3 circuits.

Day 3 MINDSET: Dairy Substitutes. The Reframe.

It’s said the most common block – the biggest “But” in trying Veganish is…. cheese. 

Not surprisingly cheese is also meant to be the most addictive food ever created.

In today’s live I want to address cheese – in fact all dairy and deliver a double barreled solution to escaping the dairy addiction. 

One: Let’s first chat scrumptious substitutes.

For cheese, milk, yoghurt. They do exist. In fact the bought versions are getting better by the day. And home made options are so much easier than you might expect. Remember I’m a lazy cook! 

My main caveat here is perhaps you can’t always expect the same texture and taste. Sometimes you can however for easy options like the cashew sun dried tomato cheese recipe I shared yesterday it does not taste just like cheese. It’s delicious, just not the same. However my second solution might help you out with that little discrepancy…

Two: The Reframe. 

This is one of my fab mind games to play with yourself! In fact, I dedicate Day 6 of my 30 Day Plant Strong Jumpstart purely to the power of The Reframe. It means finding the more beneficial way to view a situation. Or the way that will cause you to take the action you want to take. 

Let’s check out a few ways to reframe dairy and hopefully at least one will resonate with you:

If you’re trying Veganish for the animals: rather than cheese being that supreme deliciousness that makes everything better see it as the reason calves are separated from their mothers at birth or at most a day or two after birth… and either (for the boys) slaughtered as veal or (for the girls) sold into slavery as a dairy cow where they suffer around 5 years in horrific conditions (instead of 20) before they get less efficient and are slaughtered.

If you’re trying Veganish for the planet: Next time you consider dairy also consider, a farm with 2,500 dairy cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people. And, 15x more protein can be produced on any given area of land with plants, rather than cows. And, 1,000 gallons of water are required to produce 1 gallon of milk.

If you’re trying Veganish for your waist line: rather than milk being that thing your have to have in your coffee see it as the most perfect fuel to grow a baby calf from around 86 pounds at birth to 1,300 pounds or more in just 2 years!

It’s not about giving yourself grief or feeling any guilt. Rather it’s about finding the reframe that makes it easier on YOU to take the actions aligned with your values and beliefs. 

Here are a couple of useful links:

5 Ways To Eat Less Dairy Without Sacrificing Protein:

Cowspiracy Facts:

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 4

Breakfast: Chickpea Scramble.

This recipe is for 1 serve.

1/2 can chickpeas (drained, half mashed)

1/2 red onion (medium, chopped)

1/2 red capsicum (small, diced)

1-2 stems spring onion (diced)

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil 

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

2 stems coriander (finely diced)

salt and pepper

In large pan heat oil and cook onion, capsicum and garlic for 5 minutes. Add chickpeas plus spring onion and stir to combine. Next add spices. Finally near end of cooking add coriander plus salt and pepper to taste. 

To serve:

1/4 avocado, sliced

fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon hemp seeds and / or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

Lunch: Burger Bowl.

This is my lazy meal! I use a bought burger. There are now some really good plant based options at your local supermarket. I will also share a burger recipe tomorrow though if you prefer homemade. Sometimes I’ll even buy falefal to serve over a home made salad. Your options are limitless however here are some ideas.

1 plant based burger patty or a serving of falafel. 

salad greens or zoodles (from spiralized zucchini) .

1/3 avocado sliced.

half a grated beetroot.

hummus.

tahini or vegan mayo.

kimchi.

1 tablespoon hemp seeds or sunflower seeds. 

Dinner: Cauli-crust Pizza.

This makes 2 huge serves for dinner or 4 serves for lunch. The recipe is curtesy of edgarraw on Instagram. I’ve just added more toppings and a side of green veg.

For the pizza crust,

2 cups cauli-rice (raw cauli shredded in food processor)

4 tablespoons chia seeds

8 tablespoons water

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup of oat or chickpea flour

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon pink salt

black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Mix chia seeds and water well and let sit for 6 minutes. Add all other ingredients and kneed into a dough. Shape into a round of your desired thickness (1/3-1/4 inch) and turn onto a cooking sheet lined with baking paper. (I also coated the paper lightly with coconut oil). Cooking time will vary based on thickness of crust. Around 30-35 minutes. Once crust bottom is nice and golden let it cool on a cooling rake for 30 minutes. 

For the marinated mushrooms,

1 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce

1 teaspoon coconut sugar or maple syrup

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

dash of chilli or chipotle powder

black pepper to taste

Mix all marinade ingredients and pour over mushrooms in a shallow dish. Sit in fridge for an hour or more. Cook mushrooms on baking paper in 200 degree oven for around 10 minutes.

To top,

2-3 heaped tablespoons vegan pesto

multi-coloured cherry tomatoes, sliced

1/8 red onion, finely sliced

1/2 ripe avocado, sliced

2-3 heaped tablespoons cashew sun-dried tomato cheese

For the veg side dish,

1 bunch of asparagus + 1 bunch of broccolini 

1 teaspoon coconut oil

sprinkle of chilli flakes, onion powder, dried herbs to taste 

1 tablespoon each of nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds.

Wash greens and slice any large bits of broccolini in half length ways so they’re a similar size to asparagus. Heat coconut oil in a baking dish and coat greens in oil. Sprinkle flavourings over greens and toss to coat. Cook greens 200 degree oven for around 10 minutes.

To assemble,

Spread pizza crust with pesto. Arrange tomatoes, onion and mushrooms. Add avocado to centre of pizza. Sprinkle with cashew cheese. 

Now place pizza under grill for a further 5 minutes and serve with green veg. 

Day 4 WORKOUT: 

Abs + a tad of shoulders today. You’ll need a couple of large water bottles for this one! 

1. Plank star-jump (20 reps – legs in and out equals 1 rep). Keep your hips low aligned with your shoulders. Keep your knees soft and your abs tight. Have your hands under your shoulders.

2. Side hip dip (10 reps each side). Get in a side plank position with the shoulder holding your weight / bottom arm over your elbow and your hand aligned with your elbow. 1 repetition is 3 dips of your hip to ground + 1 sweep under your chest with your top / free arm.

3. Scissors (20 reps legs across each other + 20 reps up and down). Lie on your back propped up by your elbows at 90 degrees. Tight through your deeper abdominal muscles. Sweep legs across each other 20 reps then up and down 20 reps. 

4. Side raise, front raise, upright row, shoulder press (10 reps) Stand tall with shoulders set down and back. With soft elbows raise water bottle to your sides up to shoulder height, then in front up to shoulder height, then in an upright row leading with your elbows, finally into an above your head press. That is 1 rep.

Aim for 3 circuits. (HA, tricky video work with this last one!)

Day 4 MINDSET: Do You Have A Beat Or A Best Body Mindset?

The beat body mindset is all about tricking, fighting, restricting and punishing your body. It’s a constant struggle. 

You’re attracted to the quick fix and might say things like: “I’ll rest when I’m dead!”

The best body mindset recognises you and your body are a team. It’s about respect and appreciation.

You take the actions that are best for you and your body long term.

To help cultivate a best body mindset focused on taking the actions best for you and your body long term here are 3 questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to prioritise an action:

1. Is there value in doing this?
2. Will delaying make it any easier to do?
3. Do I need to ask for help to make a start?

I’d love you to apply these questions to any action you might have been stalling on… or hunting that quick fix for (beat body style!). For more info on creating your Best Body Mindset check out my 30 Day Plant Strong Jumpstart:

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 5

Breakfast: Pink Minx.

1/2 a Beetroot

1/4 Cucumber

100gm Watermelon

100gm Raspberries / Strawberries

8 cubes Coconut Water frozen

1 scoop Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder

1/2 cm Ginger grated

Optional: 1 tablespoon nuts / seeds + fruit / edible flowers to garnish!

Mix all ingredients except nuts in a jar or other container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or even overnight.

Add nuts (and any optional extras) just before eating.

Lunch: Cauliflower-rice Sushi.

This recipe is for 2 large serves or 4 small serves.

4 Nori sheets

1/4 of a cauliflower head

1/4 teaspoon himalayan salt

1/4 of a fresh lime

2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

Filling 1,

baked eggplant slices cooked with chili, smoked paprika and coconut oil

1/3 a sweet potato baked with a sprinkle of cinnamon and mashed with fork (skin removed)

finely diced 1/4 red onion with similar quantity of finely chopped fresh coriander (stalks + leaves) with 4 sun-dried tomato halves finely chopped

1/4 of a small avocado sliced

1/2 a grated zucchini tossed with 1 teaspoon of spirulina

1 tablespoon of hemp seeds

Filling 2,

mix of 1/2 large grated carrot + 1/2 a large grated beetroot tossed with 1 teaspoon of dulse flakes

fresh peels of asparagus (3 stalks)

1/4 red capsicum sliced into strips

1/4 of a small avocado sliced

1 tablespoon of vegan pesto

1 tablespoon of hemp seeds

To make rice either pulse cauli in food processor till rice like or steam/microwave until soft and mash with a potato masher. Add nutritional yeast, salt, lime and mix well.

Place 4 nori sheets (one at a time) on a damp cutting board and spread upper middle of each sheet with 1/4 of rice mix. Add/layer fillings as desired. Sprinkle each sheet with 1/2 tablespoon of hemp seeds. Fold over the top of the nori and roll. Use a very sharp knife to slice in rolls.

Dinner: Falafel Portobello Burger.

I’m a huge mushroom fan however if you’re not you can absolutely make a batch of burger patties and have them with salad instead or even with another veg as a burger roll substitute such as perhaps baked rounds of eggplant.

For the burger patties (makes 4-8 dependant on how big you like them),

2 400g canned chickpeas

2 tablespoons psyllium husks

1 carrot, grated

1 onion, diced

1 cup fresh kale finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, crushed

4 tablespoons chickpea flour, or any other type of flour

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons tahini

olive / coconut oil (2-3 tablespoons) for frying

Blend chickpeas in the food processor till they have a paste-like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in all the other ingredients, except the oil.

Heat some oil in a non-stick frying pan. Make the patties 2 tablespoons per patty. Fry them 3 minutes on each side or till cooked. Drain the falafel patties on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Other ingredients per serve by order of assembly,

2 cooked Portobello caps, one spread with vegan basil pesto

2 thick slices of tomato and some thin slices of red onion

1 handful of rocket or baby spinach

Falafel (or your fav) burger pattie

1 thick slice of eggplant

1/4 avocado mashed with a little fresh coriander

Optional: a tablespoon of zucchini hummus 

Prepare salad veg (rocket, tomato, onion) and mash coriander into avocado. Brush the eggplant and mushrooms with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. BBQ or grill.

Assemble as above. These are great with Brussel or Kale crisps or Kale-slaw (made with coconut yoghurt)

Day 5 WORKOUT: 

Day 5 MINDSET: Weekly wrap + Yes to you is not selfish!

Food: My chia seed pudding. Breakie day 3. This thing is like a dessert for breakfast. So easy, healthy and delicious! My takeaway: bother to make your meals visually appealing to your stomachs eye for the win!

Exercise: Body weight exercises. These 7 days of equipment free body weight workouts have been kicking my butt! It’s a timely reminder for this little gym rat that you 100% do not need equipment to work out hard and effectively. No equipment. No excuses. 

Recommendation: Yes to you is not selfish! 

Selfish is: the Oxygen Mask principal.

To be of any help to others you first need to look after yourself.

Selfish is also: the Not To Do List.

Your not to do list needs to be pro-active. What are 3 things to Stop doing today? A clue is: Resentment. What are you currently saying Yes to that you resent? It means you waste energy before, during AND after!

Selfish is also: being ok with saying Yes to YOU.

Let go of any guilt that by definition you can’t also say Yes to everyone else all of the time.

To be selfish in the short term can very often give you the opportunity to be incredibly generous in the long term.

Struggle-street: A conversation with my dad. We’ve had our verbal battles over the years! Especially surrounding animal agriculture.

Takeaways: Hold strong opinions loosely. Be open to new information. Being able to change your mind when you get better information is wise not weak.

Pick your battles. Why waste energy on the person you’re trying to convince or convert?

We each have our own unique map of the world. Values, beliefs, life experiences. Know that each time you butt heads with someone with an opposing point of view you’re building the muscle so far as being able to effectively communicate your point of view. 

Green Planet Tip: To save time, money and ENERGY toss a clean, dry towel in the drier with your wet clothes.

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 6

Instead of recipes today I’m sharing tips for healthy plant based eating when eating out.

Of course the easiest approach is to do your homework in advance and choose the cafe / restaurant that has AMAZING plant based options. Like the deliciousness in my pictures.

However I know that’s very often NOT possible so here are a few tips to keep your meals nutritious, delicious and free from low value refined carbs. (I LOVE carbs however I want to choose high quality carbs rather than resort to processed crap-o-la)

Breakfast:

Have a green juice instead of a fruit juice… always feel free to ask for that extra sweetener to be omitted when ordering a made to order smoothie – most don’t need honey. Still on that green juice… Ask for extra spinach / kale / a scoop of plant based protein powder.

Make it a personal standard to start the day as you mean to continue. That means no dessert (like pancakes, hotcakes, muffins or pastries!) for breakfast. Unless of course it’s your cheat / treat meal. The alternative? Build your breakie as you would any other meal around one ingredient fibrous veg, protein and good fat.

I’m a huge fan of keeping refined carbs (like bread glorious bread) to the weekend. So if it’s the weekend I’ll order a grainy bread and have it with any of the sides on offer PLUS any of the plant based foods I see in other dishes. Stuff like: mushroom, spinach, kale, avocado, tomato, baked beans and even though I’m not a huge fan of tofu (for it’s estrogen mimicking effects) I’ll order a tofu scramble at breakfast once in a why.

Lunch:

When it comes to fries and wedges it’s 100 times easier to ask for the meal without them rather than attempt to leave them on your plate.

If a sandwich/roll is the only option eat it as an open sandwich and skip the top layer of bread. Even better, order that sandwich without the bread. Many cafes will do this and you’ll generally get a lot more of the fillings they can skimp on when they’re padded by bread.

If pasta is the only option order an entree size and an extra side of the yummiest looking green veg.

If burgers are the only option ask for your burger naked or leave the bun… it’s just a zero value filler. OR, if you see portobello mushroom on the menu anywhere ask for a couple of them as the buns. I’ve done this before and I’ll do it again!

Make it a personal standard to not scavenge from your dining companions plate. I used to demolish my pizza plus the leftovers my parents couldn’t eat. Leaving food isn’t wasteful. Spending hours of your life trying to exercise off fat you accumulated through scavenging is wasteful! (I use that word with volition so that next time you’re tempted you’ll think twice!)

Dinner:

Make a booking whenever possible… to avoid time waiting at the bar drinking excess beverages and possibly nibbling mindlessly at whatever they have on offer.

Choose wine or a side of bread or dessert – never all 3.

So far as entrees, stick to the simple plant based option, this might come from the sides menu rather than the entrees.

Order an extra side of fibrous veg rather than fries, wedges or bread.

Still tempted? Order an EXTRA side of salad rather than fries, wedges or bread!

Ask for your main with no chips and any extra green veg instead of salad. I’m down with salad however the restaurant variety is generally super light weight and is going to have you eyeing off your companions chips!

If it looks like you’re stuck with that stodgy pizza or pasta or risotto it’s ALWAYS worth politely asking it there’s any lower carb option. It’s all in the asking. Perhaps start with a component of one of the meat/fish meals that looks nice and ask if it’s available somehow as a vegan meal.

Ask for your meal with no sauce/dressing or at least order it on the side. Then (if you must!) you can dip the tip of your fork in the likely high carb-fat-salt dressing instead of drowning your food in it. The key to this working is to order quality food that does not need to be disguised in copious amounts of sauce. I promise you when you give it a chance your taste buds will learn to love the fresh, clean taste of simple quality food.

If your meal is trying to sell itself as healthy think ‘Taco SALAD’ feel free, like very super free to ask for your salad minus those tacos. Unless of course it’s a low-carb-kale-crisps-cashew-cheese-Nacho’s like the recipe I’ll share with you tomorrow!

Make it a personal standard to never order according to cheapest. I get that at stages in your life that’s tough. From time to time I even resent my undersized serve of salad (minus the animal products!) that costs almost twice as much as someone else’s hearty pizza or burger. And then, I remind myself how important my goal is. That it’s important enough to eat out a little less often if I need to… or to have a good snack before and after the meal so that I can manage with entree size.

Bang-4-Your-Buck-Bonus-Point! I wouldn’t do this at a top notch restaurant however I absolutely do if I’m eating at a cafe, food court or take away. Order your meal minus the unnecessary refined carbs… so that may be the veggie burger without bun / fries or the salad combo that isn’t all cost-effective-carbie-filler. For example I love broccoli or kale or cauli based salads however they’re never substantial enough. This is the time to PIMP YOUR SERVE with a side of nuts. I love cashews and Yes, I have been known to buy 50 grams separately to add to a bought salad.

Here are 3 more ways to protein pimp your serve:

1. Add Seeds to a light weight salad, like Hemp or Pumpkin which are super easy to carry with you.
2. Follow that salad with vegan protein powder mixed with water.
3. Or even grab a jar of tahini / nut butter from that nearby supermarket (or carry a portion with you) when you’re faced with a light weight salad option. 

I actually believed the myth that you can’t get adequate protein eating a plant based diet. I believed that for years. It’s simply NOT true. You have so many options. Day 8 of the 30 Day Plant Strong Jumpstart is all about my fav plant based proteins and how to include them in each of your main meals.

Day 6 WORKOUT: 

Today is cardio’ish day! NOT my fav day and you’ll see I look a little uncomfortable in this (yet to be edited) video. Plus my lovely camera man couldn’t turn the video off at the end. Hey, I’m creating this on the fly for you and I’m sure you get the idea!

For the 30 second intervals choose either butt kicks (I start with these) or high knees (I do these next) or skip (you don’t want to see me attempt to skip!) or sprint (my fav however not so good for video).

1). 30 seconds Butt kicks or High knees or Skip or Sprint.

2). Walking Lunges (15 in one direction and then 15 back). You want 90 degrees at both knees at the bottom of each lunge. Keep your torso upright and your shoulders set down and back. Focus through the heel of your front foot as you sink down and come back up from the lunge.

3). 30 seconds Butt kicks or High knees or Skip or Sprint.

4). Push ups (15 reps) + Double leg lowers with a Reverse crunch (15 reps). Tight core with both. Hands slightly wider than shoulder width with push ups. Aim to come right down to 90 degrees at elbows. With leg lower component squash the small of your back into the ground and slowly straighten and lower legs from a starting position of 90 degrees down to the ground as lower as straight as you can while maintaining the pressure of small of your back pushed into the ground. With the reverse crunch component drive your heels up to the ceiling / sky as you lift your hips up off the ground.

5). 30 seconds Butt kicks or High knees or Skip or Sprint.

6). Body weight deadlift (15 each leg). Start standing tall with shoulders set down and back. Maintain neutral spine (the natural curvature – no rounding of your back) as you bow / flex forward from your hip joint and come down to let your hands lightly touch the ground. Work towards the foot that is going in the air getting to parallel to ground (180 degrees) and not touching the ground after each rep. Focus through your glutes and hammies.

Aim for 3 circuits.

Day 6 MINDSET: Healthy Vegan Eating Out Tips.

These 3 key points apply to any meal you eat out:

1. Plan what and where. Don’t end up at a steak or burger joint and expect you’ll be ok with a boring, unsatisfying green salad while everyone else chows down hearty burgers and crispy fries.

2. Be fine with moving if it’s not what you expected. What? You’re not down with letting the people you choose to spend time with see how you prioritise giving your body the fuel that keeps it healthy?

You teach your loved ones how to treat you. It’s 100% your choice what standards you set and keep for your body and the fuel you give it… they will follow your lead.

3. Ask for adjustments to the menu. Be polite, be appreciative, and be fine with your fussiness!

Ordinary or ‘normal’ is now unhealthy, unfit and over-weight. If you want extraordinary or simply just healthy vegan, it’ll take extra-ordinary behaviour. I like to think the more I (and you) ask, the sooner our preferences will be available as a standard (fuss-free!) order.

7 Day Easy Vegan Plan – Day 7

Breakfast: Bread and Avocado.

No recipe needed right?

In this pic you see my mum’s stunning homemade olive and focaccia bread.

So good (YES, I ate all that).

When at home I just eat Bakers delight cape-seed rolls

(2 rolls).

Still totally delish PLUS a good hit of protein

(12.8 grams per 1 roll). 

Lunch: Kale Crisp Nacho’s

For the nacho chips: Kale crisps are the yummiest way to keep this recipe low carb (makes 2 serves)

1/2 bunch kale 

1 teaspoon olive / coconut oil

Celtic sea salt to taste

Optional: 1 heaped tablespoon of nutritional yeast

Place washed (and patted dry with paper towel) kale into a plastic bag with oil. Shake well to coat. Transfer kale onto a baking sheet in a thin layer (use multiple pans if making lots and cover baking sheets with cooking paper for easy clean-up). Season with salt, or really whatever you like… chili, nutritional yeast, paprika, herbs. Cook slow or fast 150-250 degrees.

Watch carefully till it starts to brown and crisp up. The time varies but around 20 minutes.

For the cheese: (same recipe as portobello pizza – whichever you make first you’ll have leftover)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup raw cashews (soak for 2 hours and drain)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp sea salt

Throw all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

For the chilli: (makes 4 serves – freeze leftovers)

2-3 cups cubed eggplant and cauliflower

1 grated carrot

1 red capsicum sliced (or even better char grill it first)

1 red onion and 1 brown onion sliced

1 400 gram can of tomatoes (no added sugar) or equivalent of fresh tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalapeño chili sliced (I keep most of seeds)

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

fresh chopped oregano, rosemary and marjoram to taste

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

Optional: 1 tablespoon vegan basil pesto and/or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast.

In a large heavy based pan heat oil and add both onions, garlic and chili. Cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add cubed eggplant and cauli mix and cook another 5 minutes while stirring. Now add all remaining ingredients except fresh oregano and season, bring to the simmer and then reduce heat to medium low and cook covered for another 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly. At the end of cooking stir through fresh oregano and add pesto and/or nutritional yeast if using. Remove from heat.

For the guacamole: (makes 2-4 serves)

1 ripe avocado

1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice

1/2 teaspoon spirulina

A pinch of paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, chili flakes to taste

1/8 tsp ground garlic

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mash avocado first then stir in remaining ingredients.

To top:

Sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced olives, sliced spring onion, fresh corn, 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds per serve. I also like some crisp, fresh baby cos leaves to balance out the heavier flavours and lighten this dish up.

To serve cover a large plate with an outer ring of crispy kale chips followed by a ring of baby cos lettuce leaves. Add the chilli mix to the centre of the plate, sprinkle over other veg/seeds top with guacamole and finish with cheese.

Dinner: Cauli-steak and Vege Skewers.

For 2 serves of cauli-steaks,

1 small cauliflower cut into rounds / steaks

(you’ll have left over non steak-like bits to use as rice, mash, or in cauli-kale tabouli)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

coconut oil

Preheat oven to around 220 degrees celsius. Slice the cauli into 2.5cm rounds. Brush with oil and season to taste. Lay cauli steaks on an oven proof tray and bake for around 25 minutes. Turn cauli at the half way mark to ensure it’s all golden and crispy.

For 2 serves of Vege skewers,

1 zucchini

1 red onion

1/2 green capsicum

1/2 red capsicum

200g mushrooms

1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes.

Marinade:

1-2 large handfuls of basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon lemon/lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Sauce:

1 handful of basil leaves or coriander (small handful – part leaves part stems)

1 avocado

1 tablespoon lime juice

3-4 tablespoons coconut cream

Salt to taste

Soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes.

Chop zucchini, red onion and capsicum into pieces that are roughly the same size and thickness. Chop the mushrooms in half. Place all veg + tomatoes in a bowl.  

Combine basil, garlic, oil, lemon/lime juice in a food processor and blend till very finely chopped. Pour marinade mix over the veg.

Ensure all are well coated – get your hands dirty! Marinade for at least 15 minutes, or even overnight in the fridge.

Combine marinated chucks on skewers and season with salt and pepper. Best thrown on the BBQ! Also just fine on a grill at medium-high heat. Turn while cooking – time will vary from around 8-12 minutes.

Dipping Sauce: Finely chop basil in the food processor. Add avocado, lime juice, coconut cream and blend until smooth. Season with salt.