7 Vegan Meal Plan Ideas for Healthy Eating and Gut Restoration
A vegan meal plan can potentially restore your gut health. Occasionally opting for vegan meals allow your gut to rest, reduce any inflammation, and cultivate healthy flora. If you want to try vegan food, you may start with any of the meals included in our 7-day vegan diet plan. All of these food ideas are really easy to make, even for beginners.
Restore Gut Health: Easy Vegan Meal Plan Ideas!
7-Day Vegan Meal Plan:
Day 1:
Breakfast: Homemade Granola with Banana!
Granola is pretty easy to put together on your own. You just need to gather the basic ingredients such as oats, almonds, pecans, and dried fruits. To make your homemade granola extra healthy, add fresh, sliced bananas.
Lunch: Chickpeas and Artichoke Salad!
You can whip up a salad made with chickpeas and artichoke for lunch at home or work. Throw in some thinly sliced raw onions and garlic, and use apple cider vinegar and olive oil for the dressing.
Dinner: Burrito Bowl!
Fill a bowl with brown rice, seasoned black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, avocado, onions, garlic, and corn to make your own burrito. You can easily customize this dish, but don't forget the main ingredients because they're good for your gut.
Day 2:
Breakfast: Blueberry Smoothie Bowl with Fresh Bananas!
You only need to blend healthy ingredients like blueberries, rolled oats, and almond milk to make a smoothie bowl. Add any toppings you want, like bananas, chopped raw almonds, and fresh strawberries.
Lunch: Kimchi Fried Rice!
Kimchi fried rice is among the easiest meals you can cook. To make the dish vegan, don't include eggs in the mix. Just stir fry the kimchi, your choice of vegetables, and green onions. You can also add a dried seaweed sheet, thinly sliced before you serve the fried rice.
Note: Use brown rice instead of white rice because it's richer in fiber, but don't overload the dish with brown rice. Too much of it may cause issues with your gut.
Dinner: Stir-Fry Mushroom with Miso Paste and a Side of Kimchi!
Stir-frying food is a simple way to go about dinner. Just stir-fry your favorite mushroom in vegetable oil, add some miso paste and other seasonings you like for flavor, and you'll have a hassle-free meal for dinner. Have a side of kimchi to make it healthier for your gut.
Tip: Use coconut oil to stir-fry your veggies.
Day 3:
Breakfast: Quinoa with Blackberries and Toasted Nuts!
Make sure to follow this ratio when cooking quinoa: one cup of quinoa, two cups liquids. You can use water or milk, or combine both. Once it's done, add blackberries and toasted nuts of your choice like almonds or pecans.
Lunch: Jerusalem Artichoke Salad!
Thinly slice the Jerusalem artichoke, place it in a bowl, and top it with ingredients you like--toasted nuts, kale, onions, and garlic, etc. Use extra virgin olive oil with any citrus juice or apple cider vinegar for the dressing.
Dinner: Veggie Noodles!
Zucchini is a popular ingredient to make veggie noodles. Of course, you can use carrots, squash, cucumber, and other vegetables. Just use a spiralizer to shape them into noodles. Options for the sauce are practically endless. For starters, you can make an avocado and basil sauce or a miso-based sauce.
Day 4:
Breakfast: Chia Seeds Breakfast Bowl!
Prepare chia seeds the night before by soaking it in almond milk or coconut milk. Start with around 3 to 4 tablespoons of chia seeds and around 3 cups of milk. You can adjust the consistency as you please. The next day, you can add organic agave nectar, fruits, and coconut flakes for more texture and flavor.
Lunch: Chickpeas and Brussel Sprouts Salad!
To begin making chickpeas and brussel sprouts salad, rinse and drain chickpeas before placing them in a bowl. Add the Brussel sprouts that are already cleaned and cut. Drizzle it with olive oil and your seasoning of choice. Lightly toss the ingredients, then, spread them on a baking sheet. Let it roast for about 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated 400F oven. Once done, you can add more olive oil or other toppings.
Dinner: Teriyaki Tempeh!
Use teriyaki or hoisin sauce to marinate the tempeh for about 30 minutes. Add sesame oil, pure honey, garlic, and ginger to make the marinade more flavorful. While the tempeh soaks up the flavors, slice bell pepper, onions, and pineapple. Take out the tempeh and saute for about 5 to 7 minutes or until brown. Add the rest of the marinade along with the sliced vegetables.
Day 5:
Breakfast: Raw Vegan Cookies!
Making raw vegan cookies is possible with a food processor. Use two kinds of nuts and unsweetened peanut butter, about a half-cup each, along with vanilla extract, and any organic sweetener. Process the ingredients until they reach a dough-like texture. Form dough balls and line them on a baking sheet. Press these with a fork, then refrigerate.
Lunch: Vegan Burrito!
For your burrito wrap, use a grain-free tortilla. Gather all basic vegan burrito ingredients like black beans, cooked brown rice, avocado, salsa, and onions. Arrange all these on a tortilla, then, wrap them.
Dinner: Polenta with Green Veggies!
For one cup of polenta, you need 4 cups of water. Cook it as the instructions say. Then, top it with sauteed green vegetables like spinach and collard greens. Roasted mushrooms, carrots, and beets work well, too.
Day 6:
Breakfast: Vegan Oatmeal with Banana Slices and Blueberries!
Prepare your rolled oats the usual way you do it. Top it with fresh bananas and blueberries. Drizzle it with natural sweetener, if it needs it.
Lunch: Stir-Fry Broccoli with Bell Peppers and Miso!
Stir-fry broccoli, bell peppers, and other vegetables. Add in miso and other seasonings as desired. You can also combine this dish with raw veggie noodles.
Dinner: Tempeh Steak!
Marinate tempeh steak in soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, and pepper for about 30 minutes. Pan sear it for 4 minutes on each side or until brown. Eat with a side of kimchi or sauerkraut.
Day 7:
Breakfast: Chickpea, Onion, and Garlic Omelette!
For a cup of chickpea flour, add a teaspoon of baking powder. Season it with salt and pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add a cup of water and stir until the batter is smooth. You can saute any vegetable you like for the toppings.
Lunch: Black Bean and Quinoa Salad!
Simply combine the cooked quinoa and black beans in a bowl. You can add an array of raw or sauteed vegetables, olive oil, garlic, and lime juice.
Dinner: Baked Portobello Mushrooms!
Marinate the mushrooms in soy sauce, olive oil, and herbs for about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F. Lay mushrooms on a sheet and let it bake for 15 minutes or until the cap is golden. Serve the baked portobello mushrooms with a vegetable salad and kimchi.
More Vegan Meal Plan Ideas:
Vegan Snacks!
For snacks, simply make a smoothie or grab a piece of fruit or a small handful of nuts. You can also soak chia seeds and store them in the fridge. Prepare all these healthy snacks and place them in small containers to control your portions.
Vegan Food List to Boost Gut Health!
Food good for gut bacteria:
- Bananas
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Legumes
- Fermented Plant-Based Food
- Blueberries
- Polenta
- Cruciferous Vegetables
- Garlic
- Slow Carbs (sweet potatoes and butternut squash)
- Mushrooms
Whole grains to eat in moderation, few of these:
- Brown rice
- Polenta
- Rolled Oats
What You Must Avoid
- Dairy
- Gluten
- Sugar
- Fried Food
- GMO food (for soy-based products, get them from good sources)
- Eggs
Learn more about what to include in your vegan meal plan in this video by RainbowPlantLife:
You can easily come up with your own vegan meal plan after you try a couple of the food ideas we've included in our list. Just remember that even if a food is vegan, it's not automatically gut-restoring. So, make sure you avoid food that can damage your gut and load up on food that boosts gut bacteria.
What do you think of our vegan meal plan? Let us know in the comments section below.
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