Adventures in Polishland

One goal I have for this blog, and my online content in general, is to share more about the food I make regularly as someone who eats a vegan diet. Now that I’ve been vegan for over three years, what I eat is normal to me. That being said, I know my diet can be quite different than the average American’s. I hope that by sharing an overview of what I eat, I can help to encourage others to try more plant-based foods. I started off 2020 with a pretty healthy week. It was my first full work week since before Christmas, and I attempted to slow down with the holiday treats. Here is a quick look at what I ate last week, the recipes I made, and how I modified them to fit my tastes.

Before I jump right into some of my meals from last week, I want to quickly point out that I am not a nutritionist or medical professional, and this blog post is not a guide to vegan nutrition. Instead, it’s an example of how a vegan person eats. You will not see every single meal, snack, dessert, or supplement I take in these blog posts. That being said, if you have any questions about vegan food, please leave me a comment and I will try to answer it! I am also using affiliate links to share some of my favorite food products with you, and will earn a small commission if you shop using those links. Thank you!

Breakfast

I typically keep my breakfasts quick and easy. Lately, I’ve been on a huge oatmeal kick. I use quick oats and mix about one cup with Silk Soy Milk Original (my favorite is the red carton). I cook it for two minutes in the microwave, and top with 100% Pure Maple Syrup and cinnamon. It might not look appealing, but it’s delicious and keeps me full until lunchtime!

Lunch

I aim to make at least four lunches each week for Monday through Thursday that I can easily transport to work. One of my favorite options is this Southwestern Edamame Salad from the blog Yummy Healthy Easy. My mom actually discovered this recipe a few years ago and shared it with me. I modify it by using half a bag of frozen edamame instead of a full bag, and by leaving out both the black beans and scallions. The result is a refreshing and delicious salad. The recipe is about two lunches for me, with each one containing about 32g of protein. I love how easy and quick this salad is to make!

My other lunch option last week was the Mediterranean Lentil Salad from Yummy Mummy Kitchen. I’ve made this salad a few times, and it is a newer favorite of mine. I tend to use a regular cucumber instead of a Persian cucumber, a white onion instead of a red onion, and I leave out the feta cheese. This past week I even used Goya Canned Lentils, which saved me about 20 minutes of cooking time. What makes this salad so delicious is the homemade dressing, and I look forward to the next time I make it!

Dinner

When it comes to dinners, I also try to make 1-2 recipes per week. One budget-friendly recipe that is extremely delicious is “homemade” pizza. I put homemade in quotations because I use a store-bought pizza crust and tomato sauce. I definitely want to try making my own dough to cut down on plastic packaging, but if you’re in a pinch this can be a great option. I top my pizza with Daiya Mozzarella Shreds, and with any veggies I have on hand. Last week, I added some baby spinach and Roma tomatoes. I can make one pizza for under $5.00, which is a huge discount from nearby pizza shops.

My other dinner option last week was the 1-Pot Vegan Minestrone from Minimalist Baker. This soup is beyond delicious, hearty, and healthy. I use whole wheat pasta instead of the gluten free one listed in the recipe, but I otherwise follow the ingredients exactly. I get about four dinners out of one batch of this soup. I’ve also discovered that this soup is very freezer friendly, even though it contains pasta! I love having this soup in my recipe rotation, and have made a double batch before to have freezer meals on hand.

I hope you enjoyed this first installment in the What I Ate Last Week blog series! I hope to share my food with you 1-2 times per month. I am still trying to expand on the recipes I use regularly, so please share one of your favorites in the comments! If you would like to see what I eat on a more regular basis, please follow me on Instagram.