Pealightful Plans: Week 1
This is the third post in a vegan meal planning series. For breakfast ideas, click here. For snack and treat, ideas click here. For background explanations and links to the other posts in the series, you can read here.
Here is the Pealightful Meal Plan for Week 1. Pea Pal’s plan is almost identical, but he has incorporated meat into a few meals. I’m hoping to work on that. Please keep in mind that these are just my meal suggestions for a friend trying to lose weight and lower cholesterol. I am not a physician and you may have different dietary needs, specifically when it comes to calories. Adjust your snacks accordingly.
Following the meal plan, I’ve included a grocery guide. You may or may not need everything on the list based on what you already have in your fridge and pantry. Remember that this plan is for one person, so you will have to buy more if you are feeding a family.
Day 1
*Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
*Lunch: Veggie sandwich on whole wheat w/tomato, cucumber, spinach, peppers, pickles and any other desired veggies & mustard, hummus or avocado + carrots and/or small side salad w/suggested dressings
Some store-bought dressings that are vegan and lower calorie/low-fat are:
Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette or Light Sesame Ginger Dressing AND
Annie’s Naturals Lite Gingerly Vinaigrette, Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette, Fat Free Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, Lite Herb Balsamic or Fat Free Mango Vinaigrette
Or you can make your own recipeas like Sesame Tahini Dressing, Domestic Goddess Dressing or Chipotle Zucchini Hummus
Use these dressings on salads throughout the week.
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
*Dinner: Veggie stir-fry over brown rice, save leftovers for lunch tomorrow
Recipe: Marinate drained and pressed tofu before leaving for work in 1 T. lemon juice, 3 T. reduced sodium soy sauce and 1 T. honey or agave.
When preparing stir-fry, remove tofu from marinade. Stir-fry in a pan coated with cooking spray until cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat.
Cook rice using rice cooker or according to package directions. You’ll want to make 2 servings.
In a small bowl combine, 1 T. hoisin sauce, 2 T. soy sauce, 1 T. minced ginger, 2 t. minced garlic, 2 T. lemon juice and 1 T. honey or agave.
In your pan that you’ve recoated with cooking spray, stir-fry 2 servings of broccoli florets, 1-2 c. sliced baby carrots, 2-3 stalks of sliced celery, ½ of a sliced onion, 2 handfuls of snow peas for 6-7 minutes until vegetables are tender but seared. Add tofu back to the pan. Remove pan from heat, add sauce and toss.
Serve half of stir-fry over half of brown rice and top with a few chopped almonds. Save remaining stir-fry for lunch tomorrow
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Day 2
Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Lunch: Last night’s stir-fry leftovers
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Dinner: Sweet Potato Pinto Stew & salad (spinach with desired veggies and dressing)
This will make about 4 servings, so save one serving for lunch tomorrow and freeze the rest or share with family.
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Day 3
Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Lunch: Last night’s stew leftovers + salad, if desired
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Dinner: Burger + salad
Recipe: Make two vegan veggie burgers, such as Morningstar Vegan Veggie Patties, Amy’s All American, Boca Vegan, etc. Or make your own using a recipea like Black Bean Burgers. Toast a whole wheat bun and top with a tomato slice, pickle slices, romaine leaf, ketchup and mustard. Save the other patty for lunch tomorrow. Enjoy burger with a large salad.
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Day 4
Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Lunch: Last night’s burger leftovers + salad, if desired
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Dinner: Lentil spaghetti and salad (spinach with desired veggies and dressing)
Recipe: Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare 2 servings of whole wheat spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
In a small pot, cook 1/2 c. dry lentils in 3/4 c. of water or vegetable broth (I like red lentils best, but any variety works.
When cooked through, drain any remaining liquid and add 2 servings of jarred pasta sauce (about 1 c.) to pan and heat through. Serve over 1 serving of noodles and pack up leftovers for tomorrow lunch. Enjoy with a large salad.
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Day 5
Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Lunch: Last night’s spaghetti leftovers + salad, if desired
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Dinner: Stuffed potato and salad (spinach with desired veggies and w/dressing)
Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scrub 1 large potato or two medium potatoes (can substitute sweet potatoes) and prick all over with a fork. Bake potato(es) for an hour or until skin is crisp but flesh is soft.
Meanwhile in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook 1 c. sliced onion until just starting to brown. Add 2- 3 c. broccoli florets, 2-3 c. sliced carrots, sliced zucchini and cook until veggies are tender (you are making a double batch here…these will be used for taco salad tomorrow night too). Add ½ t. chili powder, ½ t. cumin, 1 t. lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Use about ¼ of the batch of veggies to top a potato. Top with salsa and guacamole, or for a different flavor you can top with ½ c. of marinara.
Save another serving of veggies for tomorrow’s potato lunch, and then the remaining half of batch for taco salad.
Enjoy potato with a large salad.
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Day 6
Breakfast: choose your own from this list
*Morning Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Lunch: Last night’s stuffed potato leftovers + salad, if desired
*Afternoon Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Dinner: Taco salad
Recipe: Heat up a can of black beans or refried beans in the microwave or stove top. Fill a large bowl with spinach or romaine. Top with one serving of baked tortilla chips and one serving of beans. Top with ½ of leftover veggies, salsa, guacamole and sliced olives. Save leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Prepare guacamole according to recipea. Use only about ¼ of the batch and save the rest in a small bowl tightly wrapped with plastic wrap pressing against surface of guacamole.
*Evening Snack, if desired: choose your own from list
Grocery Guide
Costco:
Tub of organic spinach
1 pkg. bulk baby carrots (for recipes and snacking)
1 pkg. bulk snap peas (for recipes and snacking)
1 pkg. bulk broccoli florets (for recipes and snacking)
Regular grocery store:
Fruit for snacks (bananas, apples, oranges, pears, etc. get at least 6-8 pieces)
2-3 tomatoes (1 for sandwiches/burger, rest for salads)
1 head of romaine or leaf lettuce for sandwiches/burgers/taco salad
Bag of carrots (if you didn’t already buy at Costco)
1 zucchini
2-3 onions, depending on size
1 bunch of celery
1 avocado
1 bunch of cilantro
1 knob of ginger (can buy jar of minced)
1 head of garlic (can buy jar of minced)
1 bottle of lemon juice
2 Russet baker potatoes if they are reasonably sized, if they are huge, just get 1 (omit if using sweet potatoes for stuffed potatoes)
1 loaf whole wheat bread (read label…you want 100% whole wheat/whole grain)
1 package of whole wheat hamburger buns (same goes)
1/2 c. dry lentils
1 pkg. extra-firm tofu
Cooking spray
Honey or agave syrup
Pickles
Mustard
Ketchup (look for organic brands that don’t use high fructose corn syrup, like TJ’s, Annie’s or Heinz Organic)
Dressing, if not making your own
2 sweet potatoes or more if using for stuffed potatoes
1 can vegetable stock (you’ll need about 2 c.)
1 can pinto beans
1 can sliced olives
1 28 oz. can or 2 14 oz. cans Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes
1 jar organic spaghetti sauce
1 package whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1 package of brown rice (if you have and use a rice cooker, you can buy a bag of dry rice, or if preferred, you can buy the steam-in-pouch microwave variety. Just make sure it is 100% plain brown rice and not a seasoned blend.)
1 can vegetarian/low -fat refried beans or black beans (whichever you’d prefer for taco salad)
1 bottle low-sodium soy sauce
1 jar hoisin sauce (this will be next to the soy sauce)
Baked tortilla chips—either Guiltless Gourmet or Baked Tostitos
Check your spice rack, but you’ll need:
Chili powder
Cumin
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Salt and pepper
Whatever else you want from the snack list:
Whole grain crackers
Whole grain pretzels
Fruit leather
Larabars
Tofutti or So Delicious ice cream sandwiches
Natural PB and/or almond butter
All fruit preserves
Dark chocolate…at least 65% or higher
Frozen fruit for smoothies
Non-dairy milk for smoothies (we like SILK vanilla organic soy milk or Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
Whatever else you need for breakfasts
Happy eating this week!
what an awesome meal plan , I hope pea pal enjoys this plan and he might just go meat free ; ) who knows ! I just want to give you MAJOR kudos and appreciation for all the hard work you put into this for readers to see and use, you rock girl! Have a great night! : )
Thanks Katie, hope you have a good night too!
You are fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A truly tremendous amount of work must have gone into this, MP. Well done.
I did the work for Pea Pal, and then just slightly adapted it for my readers. I’m sure you do the meal planning all the time with clients. It’s kind of fun!
I love you! You make vegan living so apPEAling and apPEAtizing.
Can’t wait to start making some of these meals!
You are so punny.
This looks awesome!
Thank you so much – your time/effort is SO appreciated!
This is so awesome. A huge place where I fall short is in the meal-planning realm. I just sort of fly by the seat of my pants each day and it’s usually kind of nerve wracking.
I’m happy to share. I’m glad you appreciate it!
OMG MP!!
I was just checking out the Engine 2 website and watching the video and my hubby is like, “We should try that!” I was like, “Well, I was just happening to start it tomorrow…” 
Maybe he could be too!
What a great, comprehensive shopping list! I thought some of my trips were long and big, this would top it but thankfully I wouldnt have to buy the majority b/c I have it.
I love the Costco portion of the list. I never go there anymore. I just get it all at TJs or the reg groc store b/c even tho it’s probably slightly cheaper to go to Costco, the impulse buy/throw it in the cart factor that I have there…totally wipes out any “savings” from the bulk buying discount
I understand. I used to call Costco “the Hundred Dollar store.”
I am a vegan with several food allergies living amongst a family of carnivores so I am used to cooking for one. This is so helpful to me. Thank you!!!
I’m very glad, Kim.
I am definitely going to use this for the week!!! Looking forward to all my meals now
Hooray!
I would also like to say THANK YOU!!! I have been struggling with how to healthfully begin my meat-free life. This could not have come at a better time. You are amazing and I enjoy reading your blog on a daily basis. Thank you again for doing this.
You are very welcome. I hope this is a good guide for you to start down this path!
What a wonderful meal plan you have made! My boyfriend and I are currently “starving students” who are trying to eat healthfully on a small budget, which this plan makes very easy for us since we have a lot of the dry ingredients already and the meal plan utilizes leftovers. I wonder how long it will take him to realize he’s been eating vegan meals the whole week…
I won’t tell if you won’t…
Ohhhh thank you so much for all these ideas and lists Mama Pea!! Great post. <33
That’s a lot of work you have put in there. (Even if you claim you did it for PeaPal and just tweaked it for us, you still did the work for him and it’s still amazing!)
I hope your trip goes off great!
Love, happiness and muchos blessings!
Thanks so much….I still need to finish packing!!!
OH my gosh–I love this!! Thanks for the fantastic ideas!
Thank you so so so much for doing this! I have been toying with the idea of going vegan for a long/ or at least drastically cutting meat and animal products from my diet. I had no idea where to start and this is beyond helpful. As someone who is in a family of cattle ranchers I get looked at like I am crazy when I talk about it. It will be so nice to have tasty meals people in my family might actually like and will help me with my transition. THANK YOU!
I’m glad to give you a starting point…good luck!
Wow–You really put a lot of thought and effort into this!
Oh my word. So much work put into this! I’m on it!! Thanks for the simplicity of it – I’ll be eating extra healthy this week!! (And by golly, that scale better show it on Monday!)
You’ll at least feel good eating this way! At least I do!
So well-thought-out! I always eat tons of ‘cados, esp because i’ll be recreating the BOMB choco mousse recipe I had today:) I love restaurants!
Mmm, I love chocomole!
This looks amazing! Pea Pal started a good thing from which we can all benefit! Thanks! ~Sassy
I have to commend you on the amount of care and thought you put into this! It shows how much you care about the health of others! Well done Mama Pea!
It’s so incredibly generous of you to be sharing this cleverness with all of us! Thank you!
So excited! Thank you and your amazing work!
Raising two little girls, taking care of your family and writing a delicious Pealightful meal plan for Pea Pal & us, Mama Pea, you are amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing!
You are welcome. And I am tired.
wow. what a good service for vegan living. well done.
Looks like an amazing meal plan! I hate having leftovers the very next day, but this makes things easy to swap around so I don’t get tired of any one food!
I always make double of dinner and eat leftovers for lunch the next day.
You go Pea!! I love that you included the shopping list so there are no “doh!” moments regarding missing ingredients!!
I don’t know about you, but I’m totally considering doing this! I’d have to tweak some meals for the huz, but I love this. And I need to lose some weight.
Thank you so much for sharing! I know from experience that adapting to a new diet/meal plan can seem very daunting, but this is so easy and straight forward. I know that when I was presented with the list of food items I am allergic too, it was all about what I couldn’t eat, not about what I still could eat. It’s all in the perception!
I did my weekly grocery shopping this morning, and bought exactly the same items from Costco as you listed above. I obviously have no excuses not to try any of the recipes!
Ha ha, I love Costco. Our fridge is so full.
This is incredible! I am so impressed.
Thank you for sharing this wealth of great information! I’m not fully vegan but I do struggle with finding more ways to incorporate protein into my diet. I also can’t have dairy so this helps so much!
Thank you!!! This is awesome – I am excited about lentil spaghetti. I’ve never tired that before!
Thank you so much for this! I can’t believe you have it up before your trip – you are amazing! Have a safe & successful trip
Thanks Heather! I’m very excited!!!
I looooove this. I’m forwarding it to my parents, but it also gives me some really good meal ideas to switch things up. Thank you for sharing!
I’m going to send this list to my husband. He has such trouble following a meal plan. Maybe a well planned list like this will help him. (I’m hoping he won’t notice it’s vegan!)
This is great! Does your friend have someone to cook for him or does he do his own cooking? I’m just curious. Please keep us updated on his progress–I love success stories! (I know it will be a success story!
)
He’s doing his own cooking, though I suspect his wife may help…
Mama Pea your talents just keep expanding–thanks for the time and energy you invested to share this with us.
You are welcome. It’s actually kind of fun
Wow, this must have taken a lot of time! You are awesomely talented! I’ve been trying to eat a vegan diet the majority of the time, so this will help out a lot! Thanks!
Add me to the list of people that are so thankful that you have provided this meal plan to us. I am struggling with going vegan but I know this is going to help me. So thank you again! I can’t wait for your book!
Beyond amazing! Thank you for taking the time to do this-for Pea Pal-for your readers. Your family is truly blessed to have you as their mom, wife, daughter, sister and friend. Your readers are blessed by your inspiration, motivation, time, kindness, thoughtfulness. My belly says yum, yum and thank you…oh and the animals say THANK YOU too
Enjoy your trip–you deserve it!
Thank you, Stacie. I feel very blessed as well.
i try your recipes on a regular basis, but this is AMAZING!!!! I love the grocery list and details with leftovers – totally going to try this for next week!
Wonderful!
I love this series you did! I’m not vegan, but i defiantly don’t eat much meat. Sometimes it just makes me feel better to eat vegan for a week or so. It makes me so happy to see someone raising their kids to have such a happy and healthy life
Your family is simply adorable.
Thanks, Ashley. I’d like to think it shows a plant-based diet is accessible to everyone!
wow; you really put a lot of effort into this. I’m looking forward to trying it. Thanks!
that is such a great meal plan!!
Do you have a rough approximation of how many calories a day this plan would be?
I really don’t. It depends which snacks/breakfasts you choose. You can never eat too many fresh veggies though, so aim to make those your snacks if you are concerned.
So quick question….was budgeting a part of this process? Do you know about how much the meal plan for the week in groceries would look like price-wise?
Nope, not part of the process. There are ways to cut cost obviously, but I didn’t calculate the total.
Mama Pea, you’ve done it again! I can’t wait to try all of these!
i can’t imagine how much work this was. i’m so impressed & thankful that you’re posting these ideas! i can’t wait to try some of these dinners.
You are welcome. I appreciate the thanks.
Wow!! You are awesome for sharing this with your world of readers!! Thanks
LOVE that this utilizes all fresh, whole ingredients (so many veggies!) – nothing beats fresh food prepared simply!
I adopted the leftovers for lunch tactic when I first began to eat more healthfully. It makes life so much easier when you’re only cooking for one – good for your health and good for your wallet! I’m proud to say I’ve not had any fast food in approx. 3 years
Oh, one suggestion/question – I know Pea Pal is trying to lose weight, but can’t the poor guy get a little Smart Balance on his potato?! I love Earth Balance for baking, but on warm bread or a hot potato it’s all about the Smart Balance
He could certainly, but margarine & hummus or guac? Ew!
Yay, a meal plan for everyday of the week! Definitely worth following
I just want to say thank you. This is fabulous. I have been eating vegetarian (mostly vegan) for quite awhile now, but this really lays things out in a more organized fashion so I do not have to think as much. I have a family (including two active teenage boys) who are not vegetarians, and I do a lot of cooking for them. That leaves my eating to come last, and unfortunately it suffers. We are healthy eaters, lots of fruits and veggies, grains, and I am huge on buying organic. I would be embarrased to total my grocery bills (I shop at Costco, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s)!
Is there an easy way to print out this post????
You can copy and paste into a Word doc and print.
This looks awesome Mama Pea! Thanks so much for sharing with all of us! Quick question: is there a cooking spray that you’d recommend?
I just buy Trader Joe’s brand, but you could get your own spritzer for whatever oil you like.
Thanks Mama Pea for sharing this with us, especially for most of us who are contemplating on cutting animal products in our diet. As one reader mentioned, I did not know where to start either.
Thanks for giving us this meal plan for FREE!!!!
And thanks for the reminder not to eat everything and leave some for the next day.
You are welcome. That’ll be $100.
Kidding
oh there’s the catch! lol!
seriously, THANK YOU!
Mama Pea this is FABULOUS! I am so very glad that you are excited to put this together. I will reap the benefits from Pea Pal’s request.
Great post and meal plan, I’m always buying organic spinach and carrots from Costco – so much cheaper than Whole Foods.
Agreed!
I think this meal plan / grocery list looks amazing – the dinners look quick and easy, which is what I need during the week! I’m definitely going to incorporate the sweet potato recipe in this week!
Can I just say that you are amazing? I can’t believe how much dedication you have put into this for your readers. And I know you had to do servings for one for Pea Pal, but I CANNOT thank you enough for doing so. With it just being me and my husband it is so hard to get recipes that aren’t for 6 people.
My husband is diabetic and has graciously agreed to try the vegan diet with me and see where his blood sugars are. Hopefully next week I’ll have made a big enough transition to eat almost entirely from your menu.
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for letting me know that you and your husband will be using the plans. I hope to get great feedback from you next week!
I’m so thankful for these great vegan ideas to bring to my family
BIG thanks to you for doing this!
This is awesome. As a meat eater (sorry), it’s definitely encouraging me to think a lot more about what I eat. I hope to try out some of your great recipes. As a side note, I just saw that on tomorrow’s Oprah, they’ll be showing what happened when Harpo Studios employees went vegan for a week. I know a bunch of people would be interested in seeing it!
Don’t apologize! Everyone has their own path. I never judge anyone else’s.
I’ve got Oprah set on the DVR.
These posts are SO interesting!
I’m loving these meal ideas!! THANK YOU and keep em coming :>
Wonderful! I love that you included a shopping list
This meal plan is great and soo helpful that you’ve added shopping lists! I am definitely going to make some of these meals!
Question – I really want to make the green juice. Do I need a juicer or will a food processor work?
No, unfortunately you need a juicer to make juice.
This is fantastic. You did all the work, so we don’t have to. You rock!
What a wonderful gift you’ve given us! You totally rock.
this is SO AWESOME!!!!
I made your stuffed baked potato tonight – I sauteed onion, zucchini, red bell pepper, and the seasonings you suggested (plus some garlic powder). I also had a few spoonfuls of leftover veggie chili (from a can – whatever!), so I added that, and THEN I topped it all with some salsa and guac.
holy yum. it was a giant, messy, delicious pile.
i have about 900 ideas of what to do with the leftover veggies, but probably only 2 servings worth
can’t wait to see all your other recipe ideas!
Yes!!!!!
Thank you! I usually take notes when I read your blog but this is a gift from above to have it all in one place. I needed this!
I’m going to be following this plan starting tomorrow!
I bought my groceries tonight and am ready to go! I have a decent amount of weight to lose so I’ll let you know how it goes.
I’m so excited for you…let me know how it goes.
Just caught up on about a month’s worth of your blog and I’m so excited to see this! In Chicago, it’s easy to hide under the frumpy clothes for the winter and I’ve been looking for something to get me jump started into the spring! Thanks for the grocery list to make it even easier! Threw it all into a Peapod “basket” and it will be here Saturday! Can’t wait!
Hi!
First off, I think your blog is awesome. Though I’m a vegetarian and don’t really plan on being vegan, so many of your vegan recipes end up being my meals now, and in general, I end up consuming a lot less dairy now than I used to. (Also, your kids are adorable!)
Anyway, my dad seems like he’s going through the same realization as Pea Pal — needing to lose weight and generally just be healthier. I really want to help & support him with his goals, and since I’m going back to my parent’s home for spring break, I’m going to show him these plans! I really think he’ll like the idea of incorporating a lot of these things into his own plan.
Thanks so much for writing these out!! Much appreciated!
Thank you! I hope your dad is able to use these plans to make some healthful changes!
Thank you so much for putting this together. I’m on Day 3 following the meal plans. I’m hoping to lose a bit of weight and clean up my diet. This is the kick in the pants I need. Love the idea of cooking the dinner at night and using for lunch the next day. I’m always at a loss for lunch and sometimes skip so this is great!! Thank you!
By the way, I made the sweet potato/pinto stew – used my immersion blender and made it into soup because I’m not a “stew” person and it is amazing….
I have just started reading your blog and it didn’t take long to get addicted! While I don’t think I will ever truly be vegan or vegitarian, I have started making meals for my husband and I more plant based and less meat-centric thanks to the Whole Foods Health Starts Here plan and the E2 Diet… and now your blog! We don’t have meat every night, but it does still make it in to our diets a couple times a week. Now I just need to start working on my 2.5-year old’s diet and I’m hoping some of your recipies will help!
We made the red lentil spagetti last night for dinner and it was delish! My husband had never had lentils before and was amazed how good it was…. “who needs meat?!” he says! I added fresh spinach and crushed red pepper flakes (a staple in our house) to the sauce. YUM! I’m looking forward to trying more or your recpies. I think the “cheese” stuffed bean burgers are up next!
Thank you for sharing your stories and your love for food!
LOVE THIS! Thank you, Adrienne. I hope you have continued success with your transition and I’m always here if you need more recipeas or encouragement! Thanks for reading
I’ve been talking about your blog non stop to my husband. We both have been complaining of weight/fatigue. He suggested we try vegetarian for a while to see if this will help. I remember reading this plan a while back and showed it to him, he was super excited about the menu! Yesterday we made the stirfry and it was even better for lunch today!!
I’m happy to hear this, Katie! Best of luck to you both!
Dear MamaPea,
I don’t know you, but I’m pretty sure I love you. I’ve been a vegetarian for years, but had convinced myself that I could never be vegan because I would immediately die without cheese. Well, I just finished this first week, and I am not only alive, but full, satisfied, feeling great, and down a pound or two. Can’t wait for week two! Thank you!
Kristen, that is absolutely wonderful! I’m so happy you have had a delicious and joyful week! Congratulations