Meatless Monday Series: Meal Plan Ideas

Happy Labor Day!!!

While summer is now unofficially over, :(, if you haven’t started going #MeatlessMonday this is a perfect time to start!

Last week I discussed the rewards that you and the world you live in experience from going meatless one day a week, and this week I’m providing a simple menu that will make your new (or continued) weekly tradition a piece of cake! And don’t worry- going meatless doesn’t mean you’ll only be eating grass or salads and starving all day!

Note: I’ve provided several options for each meal so you can pick & choose according to personal preferences and tastes. For the most part, options are vegan and free of mock-meats.

Breakfast:

• Oatmeal and berries sprinkled with chia or flax seeds (or both!)
• Green smoothie
• Nut butter sammie: Spread 1 tablespoon of your favorite nut/seed butter on whole grain bread with a sliced banana or fruit of choice.
• Eggs any way with veggies and fruit

Lunch:

• Avocado toast: Create an open-faced sandwich on whole grain or ezekiel bread with half of a sliced avocado, tomato, and sprouts, with a sprinkle of black pepper and sea salt.
• Quinoa salad: Use this high protein grain to boost a salad of your favorite veggies. Try adding some grilled portobello mushrooms too…it will maximize your satisfaction!
• Black bean burrito: Black beans, salsa, avocado, sprouts, wrapped up in a high-fiber whole wheat tortilla.

Dinner:

• Black bean burgers and sweet potato fries
• White bean and spinach sauté over grains of your choice (bulgar, quinoa, brown rice…you pick!). Sauté onions and garlic until translucent in olive oil and vegetable broth, add spinach, white beans, black pepper, salt, oregano, and Mrs. Dash, simmer until cooked through. Serve over your favorite ancient grain. 
• Veggie stir fry: Sauté broccoli, string beans, bean sprouts, mushrooms, onions, edamame, and peppers in a tsp of olive oil and chopped garlic, adding water as you cook, so nothing sticks to the pan (this is a great way to reduce oil used to save calories + fat). When mostly cooked, add red chile flakes, black pepper, extra garlic to taste, and soy sauce to taste. Choose low sodium soy sauce and watch the amount you add because even “low sodium” is high in salt!
• Lasagna: Alternate layers of zucchini ribbons and whole wheat noodles to boost veggie intake, as shown in this recipe.
• Breakfast for dinner! Try an omelet, whole wheat pancakes, or any other meat-free breakfast meal!

Snacks:

• Watermelon & Feta salad. Combine 1 cup of watermelon with a chopped cucumber and a sprinkle of feta. Greek-inspired perfection!
• Popcorn + Pepitas. Place ¼ cup kernels in a brown paper bag and roll down the top. Microwave for 2 minutes, or until popping stops. Mix with a tbsp of raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and add spices to taste (I like some salt and chili powder). If you want a salt alternative, try sprinkling some seaweed snacks!
• Fruit + Greek yogurt. So easy for on-the-go.
• DIY trail mix: Combine 10 almonds, 10 raisins, ½ c. high fiber, whole grain cereal, and 10 dark chocolate chips into small baggie and enjoy!
• Fruit smoothie. Combine any fruit + soy milk + ice in blender with a tbsp chia seeds (to thicken) and start slurping!

There are ENDLESS possibilities of what you can eat without meat! Put your thinking cap on, plan ahead, and this healthy tradition is easy, peezy, lemon squeezy! Bon appetite!

Did you pick up on my low-cal cooking tips in this post? What secrets do you have?