How would you describe your current diet - in one post?

[Korn]

As we know, there isn't one vegan diet. 'Vegan' actually doesn't define, specifically, what we eat. The focus of the definition of vegan is actually what we don't do/eat - not what we do/eat.

There are probably more variations in terms of what people eat as vegans than there is between other, more accurately defined diets. And although scientific research on eating vegan usually means good news about eating vegan, the fact that one vegan diet doesn't exist is often ignored.

So... How would you all describe your current diet? I'll start:

Breakfast
Fruit ("as "pre-breakfast"). More dark rye bread than wheat/spelt breads. Spreads: Sliced bananas, various kinds of sunflower spreads, raspberrry/strawberry jam (non-sugar), hazelnut butter, almond butter, avocado, tomato, cucumber and other green stuff, tamari, sometimes tahini sauce.

Dinner
My hot meals could be categorized as 'fusion', I guess, because I shamelessly steal and mix ideas from Indian, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Lebanese food trafitions. I eat lots of green stuff (lettuce, spinach, broccoli), and try to cover half the plate with lettuce etc when eating hot meals. I use beans/lentils/legumes every day. Other common ingredients: Beets, brocolli, spinach, onion, avocado, carrots, garlic, sometimes zucchini, coconut milk, tahini sauce, corn, organic/brown rice. Occasionally: potatoes

Fav. legumes
Black beans, chick peas, green/brown lentils (or red lentils if I'm in a hurry) in some kind of sauce.

Sauce ingredients
Tomatoes (fresh or pured/canned), coconut milk, tahini sauce + some tamari/soy sauce - mixed in various combinations + I occasionally mash some of the main ingredients (vegetables, lentils etc) in a food processor and use the paste to thicken the sauce.

Like/use, but don't eat/use often at the moment
Refried beans with salsa and guacamole. Pumpkin seeds (good for zinc levels). My pressure cooker.

Fav. Soups
Mulligatawny soups and all kinds of improvised, creamy, thick, hearthy soups with some spices/herbs and usually some garlic, ginger and a few Thai/Indian ingredients.

Fav. spices/herbs etc:
Coriander/cilantro seeds and leaves, cumin, fresh ginger and fresh garlic, turmeric powder, black pepper, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, kaffir lime, curry leaves, cinnamon (in apple deserts and home made apple jam), garam/tandori masala powder, Mild Madras Curry Powder/paste. Lemon!

Recently-ish discovered:
Fenugreek leaves

Most used oils
Sunflower, olive

Most used kitchen tools:
Stone mortar, citrus juicer and food processor. Plan to get a good raw juicer.

Fruits I use most often
Lemon (on hot curries and in guacamole, hummus, baba ganoush), avocado, bananas, oranges, apples, pineapple, grapes and grape fruit

Drink
Various sugar free juices (daily), water. No coffee, black tea occasionally.

Fav. nuts
Almonds (with raisins), peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachio, walnuts, cashew nuts

'Junk food'
Tortilla chips + dip, sometimes dark chocolate

Fav. fast food when not at home
Falafel/hummus and pita

I happen to never use
White bread, white rice, seaweeds, algae, tempeh

Other
Sunflower seeds (in a dry pan, no oil) roasted with tamari as a topping on hot meals.
Sesame rye crackers, ajvar sauce. Goma Sio. I sprinkle hemp seeds on dinners daily.

[RubyDuby]

Breakfast:
bananas, cereal bars, soy milk, coffee, or a latte from my fabulous espresso maker, sometimes just leftovers from dinner.

Lunch:
salad, soups (homemade or McDougall's), sandwiches made with Ezekiel (veggie meats or pb&j)

Dinner:
We have a lot of dinner salads with tofu or gimme lean beef, and Asian food, like General Tso, different curries, Thai veg dishes, spring rolls... also tacos, sloppy joes, quinoa-veg stir-fry, burgers and fries, burritos, fajitas... a little bit of everything.

Favorite Soups:
Split pea, lentil, potato, vegetable noodle, tom yum, tom kar, hot and sour, broccoli cheese...

Favorite herbs/spices:
Basil!, oregano, thyme, rosemary, turmeric, chili powder, cumin, coriander, ginger, cilantro, nutmeg, kala namak, salt and black pepper.

Most used vegetables:
onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, romaine and iceberg lettuce, spinach, arugula, broccoli, mushrooms.
some peppers, green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes.

junk food:
chocolate, pizza, fries, alcoholic bev, occasionally Doritos and Oreos.

snacks:
popcorn, peanuts, pistachios, cashews, almonds, walnuts

[Festered]

I have two

I eat to lose weight most of the week with two-three days off.
It works very well for me, as I love cooking and feel much better now some weight has dropped off me. I usually find my diet days are much more successful on days I am at work.

Diet days:

Breakfast-coffee
11am-ish cup of soup
lunch-soup or salad with dressing (I eat unlimited soup, providing it's less than 100 cals per cup, on these days)
Dinner, stir fried veg with home-made stocks, loads of herbs and spices,non-fried popadums, or, salad, soups (all home made)-I go easy on the starches in my dinners though.


Snacks, same really, soup, salad, veg , one carby snack allowed usually a popadum ad dip or similar or a savoury biscuit.

Non-Diet days:
Breakfast/brunch (as I am usually off work!)
Salad wraps with pulses, roast veg, avacado, non-dairy spread, non-dairy mayo/dressing.
Or-Tofu scramble, home-made bread, stir fry this time with pulses and my soups, but with more starch/pulses/oil-general substance!

I love popadums dipped in salsa and/or guacamole.

Dinners-hot meals, I take advantage of my calorie allowance! I make chillis, curries, potato wedges, I am not a fan of ready made stuff like burgers or sausages, prefer to make my own things. I make my own veg stock for soups and stir fries, make my own tomato sauces for anything I need it for-although my one weakness is instant noodles. I love them, and on occasions I will get one of those that comes in a pot (not pot noodles as they're unilever!) and I will cook it in a pan, adding tomatoes and spices so it's SLIGHTLY healthier!

I hardly ever buy ready made snacks or sweets but when I do, I like dairy free chocolate buttons and sweets that don't have gelatin in.

[cobweb]

This is a great thread. I'm very interested to read what other vegans eat, in an easy format like this, and it might shame me into improving my diet, here it is!:

Breakfast:
Mostly packet cereals, sometimes porridge made with organic Oats and sprinkled with Flax seeds and Almond meal.

Lunches:
Really rubbish here, can never be bothered!. So usually Cheezly Toastie, or a Houmous and Salad sandwich, or just sausages on their own .

Dinners:
Shepherds Pie (made with soya mince and lentils, tomatoes, onions, potatoes)
Tofu on fresh spinach with Corn Cobs and Potatoes
Roast Potatoes, various veggies, fake meats
Baked potatoes with various types of bean
Sausage and Mash
Chips, Burgers and Baked Beans
Spaghetti Bolognaise


Fav Soups:
Only one really, Potato & Leek, Lentil soup is ok.

Snacks:
Sausages, Apples, Carrots, Cucumbers, Fake Meats, Biscuits, Crisps, Pancakes with Ice Cream (and sometimes Chocolate but I try not to as it's a Migraine trigger for me).

Things I don't use often:
Pulses
Rice
Noodles
Herbs and Spices
Tempeh
Caffeine
Sugar

Junk Foods:
Half my normal daily foods really!. My diet definitely needs a make-over. I have slipped into eating quite poorly, partly because I have a very picky child and can't be bothered to make different meals for myself. I'm on a tight-ish budget so buy a little organic, but not very much. I dislike spicy/hot food. I have low blood pressure so add local Sea Salt to my dinners, and Flax Oil when I remember to!.

[Glen Lambert]

I'm pretty much the same as Korn.

For breakfast I usually have muesli with a chopped banana and soya milk.

Lunch is either a sandwich, leftovers from the night before or something that can be eaten cold (noodles with veg etc)

Dinner could be anything. Every few days I'll eat something really crappy and easy to cook. Mostly though it'd something spicy and I try to do at least one adventurous recipe per week.

I like Nak'd bars and my own baking. I'm also trying to perfect vegan Toad In The Hole.

[Clueless Git]

I'm also trying to perfect vegan Toad In The Hole.

Oooh ...

If you get that right, Glen, be sure to post it here!

[Clueless Git]

Mine ...

Breakfast.

5 cups of coffee and 5 cigarettes
On a rare occasion a cooked brekkers of bubble&squeak with veggie bacon and beans

Elevenses/Lunch

Bag of crisps with a peanut 'chaser'


Afternoon tea

Peanuts with a bag of crisps 'chaser'

Weekday Dinner

Potato, chick pea and spinach curry with rice
Baked potato with veggie-gammon, pineapple rings and sweetcorn salad
Cupids patented 'burns-u-both-ends' chili non carne with rice and chopped banana
Veggie sausages in onion gravy with brocolli and carrots
Keema curry (mince and peas) with rice
Shepherds pie (with real shepherds if I can catch any) and veg
Winter vegetable stew with herby dumplings
Chinese and Indian takeaways when I'm too tired to cook
Tofu scramble on toast with beans
Spaghetti bolognaise
Mince'n'Onions with mashed potato and peas

Sunday dinners

Pie (Linda McCartney or homemade) with roast potato's, roast veg, leafy green veg (cabbage, kale etc) stuffing and gravy

Banned by my picky daughter ...

Peanut and lentil layer
Broccoli and Cauliflower bake
Dal and tomato chutney with chapatti bread and/or rice

Fave Herbs'n'Spices

Chili, garlic, cumin, coriander, basil, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, oregano

[emmapresley]

until quite recently i was a bit of a junk food vegan, operating on the untruth that if it was vegan i could eat it cos it was healthy.

these days i suppose i'm quite self limited, but i'm liking it this way and i'm losing weight like crazy.

breakfast is fruit or bran and soya milk or something like beans mushrooms tomatoes, a cheeky sausage or maybe a rasher of fakey bacon.

i make a ton of soups, pasta, rice tofu scramble all kinds of yum.
chickpeas pulses, cous cous..soupy cous cous glop chips....(sliced up spuds, fry light and garlic powder baked til its chiplike and heavenly. sometime i indulge in my dirty (not so secret anymore) habit of cold tinned spaghetti. linda maccy sausages, sometimes sprouted things from jars or lazily packets from the market. sweet potato, variations of things in stock enticingly entitled 'soup'..'winter soup'...'hearty soup'..or more usually, glop (winter glop..hearty glop..and so on.)

"what's for tea mum?"
"glop"
*child looks disappointed and heads to the freezer for waffles*

it's all interchangeable lunches, dinners, leftovers etc.

i've quit bread, alcohol and fats..but the fats thing isn't unrealistic, should anyone feel the need to point it out
quit biscuits, cakey buns chocolate and crisps.
i had an oreo this week and it tasted unusual. i think my tastebuds have severly changed.
i've gone off tea and started drinking way too much coffee though, well infrequently but massive big cups like once every few days.

i'm pretty happy with what i'm eating now, always filled up, and feeling nice inside. and none of that nasty old bread either.

[Glen Lambert]

Bread..bread..bread.. I've been trying to give bread for ages, 'Emma'.

Longest I've managed is two weeks. I bought some on Friday and it's all gone now. I'm going to try and make it to February without buying more.

[Maranne]

Until recently I was a bit of a junk food vegan also. Okay, maybe more than a bit. I never met a vegan convenience food I didn't like. After I noticed I was really starting to pack on some pounds though, I saw the light and began following the Eat to Live Diet which consists of metric butt tons of raw fruit and veg as well as copious quantities of steamed veg and legumes. Occasionally I walk on the wild side and make something decadent like a tofu stir fry or a dahl. Since grains of any sort pretty much bypass my digestive system and just adhere directly to my stomach, thighs and bum I try to avoid them as well as anything containing added sodium. I also try to limit starchy vegetables to one serving a day. I feel much healthier eating like this and I hope I can keep it up and not succumb to the lure of veggie burgers and chips again.

[harpy]

Breakfast - usually toast with hemp, rapeseed or flax oil plus yeast extract and nut butter (not together!), raw veg (tomatoes, cucumber, sprouted seeds etc), fruit; occasionally porridge or muesli with fruit and nuts

Lunch - not very good at this, usually just hummus and rice cakes or similar, or (better) last night's leftovers. Fruit.

Dinner - something quick to prepare like veg and lentil soup or stew; tofu (or nut) and veg stir-fry with with brown rice; veg and beans with pasta or baked potatoes; "hearty" salads. Exact content depends on what's in the veg box we get delivered each week. Then fruit.

So the basics are reasonably healthy but we seem to manage to cram rather a lot of chocolate etc into the corners

[sandra]

Breakfast - Toast and avocado, cup of black coffee with no sugar. Or, muesli with soya milk and a couple of spoonfuls of sugar.

Lunch - Chips

Dinner - Homemade lasagna or shepherd's pie or curry or if I'm being good........baby boiled potatoes, lots of curly kale, carrots/parsnips etc with some homemade onion gravy.

Snack foods - crispbread with houmous, celery sticks, raw carrot, nuts, apples, biscuits, sweets e.g. mints, cola cubes, liquorice, raspberry ruffles etc.

I like making homemade soup............potato and leek, tomato, creamy celery, French onion, and vegetable broth.

My favourite spices are chilli, ginger and corriander (although I hate fresh corriander for some reason).

I also like the odd glass of wine and LOVE cider.
(But mostly drink still or sparkling water)

[emmapresley]

'glen'..try harder!

if you need an anti bread buddy i can send you daily negative messages about the evils of dough. be strong. bread is NOT your friend.

[cobweb]

I feel a bit less bad about my 'diet' now actually, I think I just need to cut out the sugary snacks really.
What is it about bread that's so bad, emmap and Glen?.

[sandra]

Yes, I'm wondering that too Cobweb.............isn't it just flour, yeast and water?
I don't eat a lot of bread but I do like wholemeal bread.............is it any healthier do you think?

[emmapresley]

i think the gluten in it is pretty energy sapping
i also reckon it's a dirty habit, like smoking. haha.
it's a filler, not really necessary. and when i look at the price of a loaf of say a white farmhouse loaf, it might be somthing like £1.35. i think about how much it will have cost to produce it..loads less than £1.35. i know it's really nice toasted with some yeast extract and baked beans on top..just think its another one of those things they have us by the balls with. like fizzy drinks and fags.

[emmapresley]

it's friggin evil..EVIL i tellsya

[harpy]

Hmm, I feel there's bread and bread.

I make my own with (partly) wholegrain spelt flour, nuts, seeds and so on and the result is probably reasonably nutritious. I'm sure one shouldn't go overboard, and I suspect white bread is better avoided (though I don't always as some of it is nice, e.g. ciabatta!).

I don't think gluten is particularly harmful unless you have a sensitivity or allergy? But obviously if you feel better without it then there's no point in having it (though to be 100% consistent I think you'd have to be careful about fake meats as well as a lot of those contain some gluten I think?).

[sandra]

I suppose it's a matter of moderation in all things...............like everything else!

[fiamma]

Breakfast: usually vegan croissants or jam tart; occasionally bread or toast with jam. Sometimes a banana. ALWAYS coffee

Lunch: Not a big fan of lunch, never have been. If I eat something substantial it's always starch-based (vegan filled pasta, spaghetti with garlic, chilli and olive oil, or pasta with home made pesto). Often I'll just eat fruit though.

Evening: protein based; normally tofu, seitan or legume based meal; green veggies like chard or chicory, or stuff I can easily pan-cook, like broccoli, green beans. Occasionally I'll be more adventurous and do stuffed mushrooms, lasagne or zucchini with lentil and walnut pate (just a few examples).

I rarely eat starch and protein together, and use very few spices; I love to cook simple meals from scratch with the minimum of fuss.
I love soups too and have been experimenting a lot with beans and pulses.
There's very little vegan processed food here, so it's something I really don't use. I drink very little alcohol and usually stick to plain water or herbal tea.
I don't think my diet is particularly varied but I think it's healthy, although I know I should eat more...

[Eat Y'self Fitter]

Ok... a lot of my diet lately is centered around cycling and working out so it's pretty freaking all over the place:

Breakfast. 12 oz cup of coffee or double espresso, big ass bowl of oatmeal, peanut butter toast, a banana or two and perhaps a fruit smoothie.

Pre work out: some sort of sports nutrition "gel" like a clif-shot, some fruit, something high in carbohydrates but not very filling...

During the work out: On rides over an hour you have to eat while riding your bike. Your body will become bogged down if you consume more than 300 calories an hour during an hour so.. I generally consume a cliff bar or gel per hour, or fruit such as bannas or figs. If it's a warmer day I'll fill the water bottles with coconut water or soak dried fruit in the water for a little extra potassium and carbohydrates. Perhaps a pre-made sports drink if it's exceptionally hot.

Post-Work out: Cliff Bars, peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain sprouted bread with a glass of chocolate soy milk or a protein shake using hemp protein, soy milk and fruit. If it's a hard work out or a race basically anything that's vegan will go into my mouth, I don't care and want calories. Sometimes I've consumed an entire bag of ginger snaps.

Lunch & dinner are usually focused around high quality carbs, protein and a dark leafy green. Usually it's brown rice, tofu and kale. It usually is in the form of an "asian-style stir fry", or spicy curry. I'm fanatical about Indian food.

If I go out to eat it's generally for Indian food such as Dosas and Curries or Falafel and other Mid-East goodies.

I snack a lot throughout the day and eat ample amounts of hummus.

Drinks: I drink far more caffeine than I should as I love a really good cup of coffee so, french-press coffee, espresso, latte, cappuccino et cetera. Hot chocolate. Not the largest tea fan as tea lacks body and a good mouth-feel opinion, but if it's been a long day and I can't handle anymore caffeine I drink herbal tea/tisanes because I have an affinity for warm beverages especially during winter.

For alcoholic drinks I only drink what we call in the United States craft beer, which is similar to the idea of "real ale" in the UK. I quite drinking for six months so I have no tolerance and it's not really good for recovery so I may only drink two beers a week if that. Since I don't drink often I like to drink some pretty high-octane beers that I can sit and drink for a while and appreciate. I like really strong Belgian beers that are 8%+ alcohol by volume, but also have an affinity for English style porters and Stouts. For American beers nothing beats our highly hopped IPAs.

I guess I don't really eat that much junk food, occasionally I'll bake something but day to day I'm pretty junk food free other than store bought ginger snaps on the occasion. If I feel I've earned it beer is usually my dessert of choice.

It's hard for me to really make an accurate list, I pretty much eat all day. If you were to draw a caricature of me it would be with food in my hands. I eat well over 3,000 calories daily.

I also drink an absurd amount of water.

[pineappleprincess]

Breakfast
Either instant porridge (with cinnamon sugar) or toast with jam - usually raspberry jam or orange maramalade on multigrain bread - sometimes I have plamil chocolate orange spread or vegemite. I always have 2 cups of green tea as well.
On the weekends when there is more time I like blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and soy ice cream.
Lunch
Toast with lots of avocado and salt, or avocado sandwiches with tomato, lettuce, cucumber and carrot, Falafel wraps, Soup with bread (I like pumpkin soup the best ), Avocado Sushi Rolls and Miso soup, Ramen Noodles, Edamame or Vegan pies with tomato sauce.
I also love fake chicken schnitzel toasted sandwiches lol
Dinner
Soups, Mexican stuff (burritos, nachos, tacos etc) filled with refried or chilli beans, guacamole, corn, lettuce and tomato, Couscous with Morroccan style chickpeas and vegetables, Vegie stir fry with brown rice or hokkien noodles, Pasta with lentil bolognaise or napolitana or sauteed mushrooms, vegie burgers and fries, lentil loaf and roasted vegies, hot dogs, home made pizzas and calzones (we love potato pizza).
Fav. legumes
Chickpeas, split peas, brown lentils and black beans.
Fav Sauce Ingredients
For stir fry sauce I use sesame oil, tamari and maple syrup (like honey soy without the honey lol)
Like/use, but don't eat/use often at the moment
Tempeh coz I am the only one in the house who likes it, potatoes coz my daughter doesn't like it, cauliflower, kale...
Fav. Soups
Pumpkin soup, Cauliflower Leek and Potato soup, Split Pea and Vegetable Soup
Fav. spices/herbs etc:
Cinnamon!
Recently-ish discovered:
Edamame
Most used oils
Macadamia oil, Olive Oil, Rice Bran Oil
Most used kitchen tools:
Hand blender, food processor, pancake machine
Fruits I use most often
Avocado, Lemon, Grapes, Apples, Kiwi, dates...I use most of them I think
Drink
Coke , Water, Green Tea
Fav. nuts
Macadamias
'Junk food'
Cookies (white chocolate macadamia), Sorbet, Chocolate, Cake...
Fav. fast food when not at home
Lord of the fries
I happen to never use
White rice, tofu, sea vegetables other than nori, egg replacer, fake cheeses
Other
Date and Coconut Rolls are a favourite snack as well as wedges

[Tofu Monkey]

Breakfast
I often don't have a breakfast (bad I know) but when I do it consists of fruit, smoothie, soya milk.

Dinner
I eat a lot of stews, puy lentils and curries, especially green thai curry. I often go through a phase of eating a lot of pizza.

Favourite legumes
Chickpeas and Puy Lentils.

Sauce ingredients
Coconut milk, sweet chilli sauce and boullion stock.

Like, but don't eat often at the moment
Puy lentils in a tomato sauce, tofu.

Favourite Soups
Hearty soups include mushroom, various bean soups and general vegetable soup.

Favourite spices/herbs etc:
Garam Masala, rosemary, garlic, black pepper.

Recently discovered:
mixed seed crackers,

Most used oils
extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil

Most used kitchen tools:
wok and stew pot.

Fruits I use most often
avocado, apple, grapes.

Drink
Green tea, lots of water,black coffee as a treat after a long day at university and plenty of juices.

Fav. nuts
pistachio and cashew nuts

'Junk food'
crisps and hummus

Fav. fast food when not at home
Falafel and pita

I happen to never use
White bread

[RainInStarlight]

Breakfast: I tend not to eat breakfast.....(not healthy I know)...but when I do, it's usually oatmeal or fruit.
Lunch: Sandwich or pretzel sticks, or something microwaveable.
Dinner: Whatever my fiance is going to make (he's the cook in the house! lol), or, when I'm at work, I usually just eat something there or stop at Subway.

I'm definitely trying to change my habits, because I don't tend to eat very well lately. (Trying to get back to eating normally after having disordered eating for awhile.)

[Tigerlily]

It's the middle of winter and once again I'm in a food rut. It's okay, it will pass. My diet and my desire to eat changes with the seasons. All I want to do is eat junk food right now.

So right now this is what I'm eating regularly:

Breakfast:
COFFEE, cereal, bananas, toast, oatmeal

Lunch/Dinner: (I eat the same foods for either one)
Cereal, nachos, hashbrowns, french fries, soup (canned or homemade), stir fried veg with rice or noodles (am currently loving udon and vermicelli), toasted sandwich with some Tofurky or maybe just all veggies, veggie burgers, some sort of prepared/frozen/instant meal, maybe some salad

Snacks/Treats:
Chips and salsa, potato chips, 'buttery' toast, crackers, cookies, peanut butter and banana sandwiches, chocolate soy or almond milk, celery

Unfortunately, not a lot of veggies. But I am trying to include more but I'm just not in the mood.

[Greyowl55]

I have to say that my diet is a little extreme at present as I am still on my post Christmas detox and trying to lose 1lb a week in weight for 4 months.

Breakfast - 3 portions of fruit, several cups of green tea (yuk)
Dinner - 4 slices of Ryvita, 2 portions of fruit, 1/2 litre of unsweetened soya milk
Main meal - heaped plate of herb salad with a baked potato.

3 litres of water throughout the day, laced with apple cider vinegar.

Looking forward to eating properly again