Before going vegan, many people think that a vegan diet is limited to bland salads, but this is just not the case!
With the explosion of veganism over the past few years more and more delicious recipes have been circulating and making their way into people’s kitchens. Eating a vegan diet does not mean you have to compromise on taste or the enjoyment of a meal.
As a leading ethical coffee shop franchise, we know how important ethical and suitable options are. We also know that not everyone is a professional chef, so we’ve come up with five simple vegan lunch ideas that you can try at home!
Pasta Salad
This meal is a little more interesting than a plain salad, and the pasta will do an excellent job of filling you up to face the afternoon ahead. This kind of recipe also works great with leftovers which is another bonus for people who are conscious about not throwing away food.
This idea can be customised to suit your preference. This is a very simple recipe; all you need is pasta, cooked or cold salad, veggies and a sauce or ranch dressing.
Simply cook your chosen pasta, chop up your salad components like tomatoes, cucumber, peppers or olives and add some kind of vegan dressing or vinaigrette. This idea gives you lots of scope to experiment with different flavours and combinations!
Variations of this recipe include:
• Vegan macaroni salad
• Lemon broccoli pasta salad
• Fresh cucumber pasta salad
• Winter vegetable pasta salad
Mediterranean Pitta Pockets
This is a great alternative for when sandwiches get a little boring. It is straightforward to make and is bursting with flavour.
For your pitta filling, you can mix together a tabbouleh, which is a mixture made from some kind of grain and assortment of herbs or vegetables. Traditional tabbouleh is made from bulgur wheat and parsley salad, but deviating from this is another chance to get creative with your meal. Other great additions include mint, lemon, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and olives.
When you have decided on a tabbouleh mixture, simply spread some hummus on the inside of your pitta pocket and load up with the veggie-packed mixture.
For those who are in a hurry, tabbouleh can also be shop-bought.
Thai Noodle Salad
It is important to have a varied diet and eat a range of cuisines if you want to maintain a healthy and suitable lifestyle. This lunch idea offers some great Thai flavours without the need to include any meat or dairy ingredients.
Similar to a pasta salad, this dish is simple to make and bursting with delicious flavour combinations. The main bulk of this dish comes from the noodles; brown rice noodles are a brilliant option, but you could swap this out for any other kind of whole-grain noodle as well.
To make the salad chop up some spring onions, bean sprouts, carrots and unsalted peanuts. Add these to your cooked noodles and season with fresh lime juice, soy sauce and brown rice syrup.
Chickpea Curry Baked Potato
This idea is great for when you feel like you need something a little bit heartier or more substantial. Chickpeas are a wonderful source of protein for vegans; this lunch is delicious while also having lots of nutritional value.
The curry topping is made by frying a chopped onion with coconut oil and cumin seeds before adding garlic, tikka masala paste, chopped tomatoes and chickpeas to the mix. It’s a simple case of adding all your ingredients to a saucepan and simmering them together before they start releasing some amazing smells!
After you have baked your potato slice it down the middle and pour on the curry goodness. You could use either regular or sweet potatoes, depending on your preference.
You could enjoy this lunch hot or cold!
No-Cook Burrito
This meal won’t require any cooking and is perfect for when you’re in a rush and just need to throw something together.
To make the burrito filling, combine the following:
• Pre-cooked bulgur wheat
• Cherry tomatoes
• Kidney beans
• Sweetcorn
• Smoked tofu
• Avocado
• Tahini
When you have combined these ingredients, you can roll them up in a tortilla wrap and enjoy! Again, this dish lends itself well to experimentation and customisation. You could also add chilli for a fiery kick, or different seasoning packets to explore a variety of different flavours.
Our Esquires Coffee establishments are favoured for their strong ethical ethos and quality products. For more information about our ethically conscious ideals or regional coffee franchise licenses, please browse our website or get in touch today!
About the author - Jack Anderson
Jack has been working in the franchise sector for over 12 years and is our in-house guru on all things business! Jack is also a keen hiker and can be found in some of the UK's best walking spots on the weekends.