Welcome to Part II of my Sustainable and IBS Friendly Food Diary where I give you some of my favorite plant-based vegan and vegetarian breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes from the last few weeks. As you probably already know, I am neither vegan or vegetarian, just trying to eat more plant-based/sustainably, and I hope you will join me in doing so! :)
Breakfast
*Pumpkin Pie Oats ~ (Vegan, Gluten Free, Low Fodmap)
In a saucepan combine ½ cup rolled oats, 1 cup water (or plant-based milk if prefer,) 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ¼ cup pumpkin puree, and ½ tablespoon maple syrup.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for about 4 minutes or until desired consistency is reached, stirring often.
Transfer oats to a bowl and top with desired toppings. I recommend my homemade cinnamon spice granola (recipe below,) banana slices, coconut milk yoghurt, peanut butter, and/or coconut flakes.
*Cinnamon Spice Granola ~ (Vegan, Gluten Free, Low Fodmap)
In a bowl combine 3 cups of rolled oats, ⅓ cup uncooked quinoa, and a ¼ cup each pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds, and chopped pecans. (Feel free to substitute with different nuts or seeds that you prefer.)
Mix in ½ tablespoon cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
In another bowl combine ¼ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to dry ones, stirring with a spatula or spoon to combine.
Lay granola mixture out on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring halfway through.
Let granola cool completely before transferring to a jar or other container.
*Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie ~ (Vegan, Gluten Free, Low Fodmap)
Combine a handful of spinach, 1 banana (unripe for low fodmap,) 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract, and a few ice cubes in a blender. (If prefer to make a smoothie bowl, omit almond milk)
Blend completely and enjoy!
Lunch
*My Favorite Fall Harvest Bowl ~ (Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Low Fodmap & Vegan Options)
Chop two medium-large sweet potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Lay on a baking sheet lined pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of cayenne. Bake at 425° for 35-40 minutes or until crispy with browned edges, stirring halfway through.
In a bowl combine arugula, about 1 cup of the roasted sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons cranberries, half an avocado, 1 ounce crumbled goat cheese, and two tablespoons walnuts.
I like to dress this salad with just some sweet balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, but this dressing is also delish!
To make low fodmap, reduce avocado to ⅛ or take out completely and keep sweet potato under 1/2 cup; also be careful with the dressing you use! To make this vegan simply remove the goat cheese. Some other recommended toppings: apple slices (not LF,) black rice, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, and squash (butternut and delicata are my favorites)
*Favorite Vegetarian Sandwich Ever! ~ (Vegetarian, LF Option)
Drizzle pan with a little olive oil and place one slice of sourdough in it.
Top slice with pesto (see my last food diary post for recipe), a few chopped sundried tomatoes (limit to 2 pieces for LF), fresh mozzarella, tomato slices, arugula, and another slice of sourdough.
Put a lid on the pan and cook over low-medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and each side of the sandwich is lightly browned.
Enjoy!
Dinner
*Bali Bowls w/Peanut Tofu ~ (Vegan, Low Fodmap & Gluten Free Options)
To make Low Fodmap: replace garlic and 3 tablespoons sesame oil with 2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, use maple syrup instead of honey, and keep vegetables to low fodmap portions (eg: keep avocado to ⅛ of an avocado unless have higher tolerance.)
If you have a gluten intolerance or allergy, make sure to use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce!
*Fall Flatbread
To prepare the butternut squash: Peel, gut, and slice a medium squash into ½ inch cubes. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little bit of chili powder. Bake at 400° for 30-40 minutes or until squash is completely soft and edges are browned, stirring halfway through.
For the dough, you can either make your own or buy one. This is one pizza dough recipe I recommend! For low fodmap and/or gluten free, make sure to use a gluten free crust!
Place dough in a warm area of your house or in your oven at 100° and allow it to rise 1½ to 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Using a rolling pin, roll dough out on a floured surface. I like my crust fairly thin, probably about ¼ inch thick, but feel free to make your crust thicker if that’s what you prefer! Watch this youtube video for more detailed rolling instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 475°. Make sure your pizza stone is inside of it heating up.
Lightly dust your pizza peel with flour and cornmeal. Transfer rolled dough onto it.
Brush dough with garlic infused olive oil, chopped thyme and rosemary, 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese, prepared butternut squash, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries.
Transfer pizza to the oven by lightly shaking the pizza peel until your pizza slides off it and onto the pizza stone. See this tutorial for help with this step.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden.
Let cool for a few minutes before topping with fresh arugula and another drizzle of garlic infused olive oil. Enjoy!
*Vegan Lentil Meatballs w/Coconut Curry Sauce ~ (Vegan, Gluten Free, LF Option)
To make low-fodmap: ditch the granulated garlic, use canned lentils for the meatballs, and replace garlic and olive oil with garlic infused olive oil for the sauce.
I recommend serving with basmati rice and this bombay carrot salad. To make salad low fodmap, replace cashews with peanuts, take out garlic, replace honey with maple syrup, and use leafy green ends of scallions only, not the white part.
Snacks & Desserts
*Sweet Potato Pie (GF, Vegetarian, LF)
For the pie crust, I used this recipe, but you could also buy a premade one! Make sure to blind bake your crust so you don’t end up with a soggy bottom (as Paul Hollywood would say.) If you are GF or low fodmap, make sure to buy or make a gluten free crust.
Peel and quarter 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes. Place in a pot with water, bring to a boil, and cook until soft. Drain the water out of the pot and mash the potatoes.
Combine 2½ cups mashed sweet potato, ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 cup sugar, and 2 eggs in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Pour filling into your crust. Bake at 350° for 1hr - 1hr & 10min or until completely set.
Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Serve with whipped cream!
*Bay Area Vegan Ice Cream Recommendations:
Salt and Straw → Especially love their vegan mint chocolate chip and seasonal pumpkin flavors!
Michelle’s Ice Cream → Delicious variety of sorbets!
BiRite → Always rotating in new amazing vegan flavors; particularly love their chai latte flavor made with a combination of oat and almond milk and their chocolate coconut made with coconut milk.
Ben & Jerry’s → Only a few vegan options available at the San Francisco creameries but a larger variety of dairy free options are available in stores. I particularly like their mint chocolate cookie and chocolate fudge brownie DF flavors.
*Trail Mix ~ (Vegan, LF, GF)
Fall Fav: equal parts pecans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and vegan dark chocolate chips
Original: equal parts raisins, vegan m&ms, peanuts, and almonds
Leila’s Fav: equal parts almonds, peanuts, cranberries, and vegan miniature peanut butter cups (or chocolate chips & peanut butter chips)
*A Couple New Favorite Store Finds
Parm Crisps: original, four cheese, and cheddar are my favorite flavors! ~ vegetarian, LF (depending on flavor), GF
KIND granola: I honestly love all the flavors! ~ GF, vegan, LF (depending on flavor)
Terra Chips: Sweet Potato, Original, and Sweet Plantain are my favs! ~ GF, vegan, LF (depending on flavor)
Annie's: variety of delicious vegan and gluten free options; some of my favorites are their vegan & GF cheddar mac and cheese, their cocoa bunnies cereal (so good with vanilla almond milk,) and their GF Snickerdoodle bunny grahams ~ GF, Vegan, and LF options