FAQ8 With A Vegan Chef: How to transition into veganism and vegan cooking

In today's FAQ With A Vegan Chef video we talk all about how to transition to a vegan diet and a new way of cooking. When I went vegan almost 10 years ago there were not a lot of vegan substitutes. I had to actually learn about new foods and teach myself how to cook! It was kind of a blessing because I never became a junk food vegan and learning to cook is what motivated me to go to culinary school at The Natural Epicurean

So now we have all kinds of vegan substitutes like veggie burgers, hot dawgs, sausages, yogurt, sour cream, you name it and there's a vegan substitute for it. Even vegan seafood is available! While those foods can be very helpful when someone is transitioning to a vegan diet I think it's most important to focus on whole foods and learning how to cook real food. Would you agree? I eat these foods on occasion but most my diet is made up on whole foods like veggies, fruit, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. 

(Please click through to the post to view the video if reading this in email!)

But who has time to cook? There are so many great meals you can make in under 30 minutes! As I said in this post, keep things simple for the greatest success. 

Here are some suggestions for easy meals to make at home, some of which came from our Facebook community! But first stock your kitchen with all the tools you need!

1. My go-to is the basic vegan bowl – includes a grain, a bean (tofu or tempeh) and a green with a sauce

2. Veggie stir-fry with or without tofu

3. A wrap that includes hummus or beans with lots of veggies

4. Veggie burgers made with beans/grains/nuts/seeds (can make a big batch and freeze)

5. Tacos, either with cooked veggies and beans or raw tacos with nut meat or cashew red pepper spread and veggies

6. Lentil or bean soups, vegetable soups and stews (easy to freeze for later)

7. Huge salad with greens, veggies, avocado, beans and oil-free dressing

8. Casseroles (easy to freeze for later)

9. Pasta dishes with veggies and a light sauce

10. Massaged kale salad with marinate tempeh or tofu

11. Loaded nachos with oil-free nacho cheeze sauce, beans, tomatoes, lettuce and salsa

12. Tortilla or pita bread pizza with tomato sauce and lot of veggies

13. Sandwich with hummus, veggies and sprouts

14. "Chicken" salad on a bed of greens

15. Sloppy Joes or Janes, especially this lentil version

16. Tofu scramble with lot of veggies or in a wrap

17. Crockpot chili

18. Raw pasta salad

What quick meals do you make at home? Please share with us in the comments!

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9 Comments

  1. A green smoothie for breakfast and after work with varied greens, banana, berries, chia seeds , flax seeds,quinoa, cinnamon, carrot juice and honey. All organic

  2. Christy, this was a great post.  And perfectly timed!  My sister and her family just went vegan two weeks ago.  I was glad to be able to share. 

  3. When thinking quick meals I often resort to my vitamix and a green smoothie but recently have found another great tool in the kitchen for quick easy meals, it's the rice cooker. I throw in some black, red, or brown rice or quinoa or pearled barley to get it going and when it's close to done will add a can of drained black, kidney, pinto, or garbanzo beans along with the desired spices. Cube up some veggies and let steam in the cooker's basket while the rice cooks and have a side dish or add to the mixture and with little effort and less than an hour you have a meal with plenty to share. 

    After seeing your video on spiral slicers I ordered one and I think it will be a great addition to my quick meal arsenal as well. 

    1. A rice cooker can be such a savior! I personally don’t have one because I’m old school and like to control everything. I do love my pressure cooker though, and use it in a similar way to a rice cooker. Yes the spiralizer is awesome!! Let me know how you like it!

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