Hi there!

I remember feeling annoyed as a child whenever my Mum would ask me what I wanted for dinner. I never had the answer and she would always reply ‘wait till you have to cook every night and see how difficult it is to come up with ideas!’ Flash forward to a fully-fledged adult and I can finally see what she was talking about!

When Francis and I first met, we would go out to eat most nights. It was fun discovering lots of new vegan restaurants but it wasn’t overly healthy or cost effective. Nowadays, we eat out once a week. I love to cook and have found it so rewarding.

We recently came up with a 7 day dinner meal plan (with one night off) so we never have to stress about what to cook after a long day at work. Plus, it allows us to shop in bulk. The meal plan has been tried, tested and 100% approved! Obviously we can mix it up but every single meal is filled with whole, nutritious foods.

I wanted to share our weekly meal plan to provide others with healthy, easy options for dinner. Feel free to replicate the entire plan, use parts of it or send me your own vegan meal plans.

MONDAY – VEGAN BURRITO BOWLS 

I already wrote a blog post on these yummy, healthy bowls, so please click here for the recipe!

TUESDAY – STUFFED PLANT-BASED PEPPERS 

Yum! Red, green, yellow, orange who cares? Purchase 4 big Capsicums, hollow them out and set on a baking tray. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C and begin cooking the filling. I steam some corn cous cous, then cook it with mint peas & olives. I also like to add in paprika, cumin and some cracked pepper to give it flavour. Once the mixture is ready, fill your capsicums and pop in the oven with the ‘lids’ on top. Cook for about 25-30 mins (this can depend on the oven) and serve! Eat the whole thing, not just the filling! There is so much nutrition in the flesh of the capsicum, as well as plenty of water! Tasty & simple!

WEDNESDAY– COCONUT TOFU CURRY  

I love this meal! It’s probably my favourite from the list of weekly dinners. Prepare your fresh vegetables, cube some firm, organic tofu and cook all together in a pan with some curry powder & coconut milk. Steam some basmati rice and pour your curry on top. It’s ridiculously tasty & healthy!

THURSDAY –  BAKED POTATO LETTUCE CUPS

Baked potatoes are incredibly nutritious. Purchase a large sweet potato & a bag of Dutch Cream potatoes. Cut the sweet potato in half, pierce holes all over both halves and wrap them in foil. Bake in the oven for an hour on 200C. In the meantime, wash & scrub your Dutch Cream’s but keep the skins on (there is so much nutrition in the outer layer, so no peeling). Chop your potatoes into wedges or strips and bring a pot of water to boil. Once it starts bubbling, put all of your potatoes in and let them cook for 5 mins. Drain and put the potatoes back in the pot. Add a tablespoon of All Purpose flour & cracked pepper, cover the pot and shake it so all of the potatoes are covered evenly. Spread them over a couple of trays and pop in the oven for 25 mins. Take out all of your potatoes and add them to your bowls with fresh lettuce cups & chopped baby cucumber. The chips should be super crispy!

FRIDAY –  WHOLEMEAL PASTA w LOW SODIUM SAUCE 

Who doesn’t love pasta? I can’t get enough! I usually use wholemeal pasta but in this picture, I’ve used Spinach Fettuccine that we picked up at World Vegan Day! Cook your pasta without any salt. In a separate pan, use water to cook your chopped onions, broccolini & olives (I sometimes mix it up with baby corn, baby spinach & asparagus). Add a low sodium sauce & top with fresh basil. Drain your pasta & combine with the sauce. Serve!

SATURDAY – FREE NIGHT OFF! 

Saturday is our night off, where we can enjoy all the vegan options in our area. Our favourite takeaway food? Veggie dumplings. They are super healthy and filling. I get these from Dumpling King, just down the road from our apartment.

SUNDAY – VEGAN CHILLI 

The week would not be complete without some hearty, warming chili! In a pan, empty a can of organic tomatoes and cook with a can of mixed beans. Add corn kernels, diced pumpkin & carrot. Use a teaspoon of chili powder, paprika, pepper & a squeeze of lime juice. I like to top my bowl with spiralised zoodles. It’s so filling but if any males reading this feel that’s not enough, you can add wraps like Francis does.

Finally, I just want to add a ‘Nice Cream’ recipe that I recently discovered! All you need is 3-4 frozen bananas, baby spinach, frozen mango & frozen pineapple chunks. Blend all together with a little bit of water and serve! It is beyond delicious! I highly recommend you try it.

So there you have it! 7 vegan dinner options for your week! I tried to make them all simple, with plenty of variety. Feel free to offer any suggestions on how to improve these meals. I hope you enjoyed and I welcome all comments & feedback.

Peace & Love xoxo