Veganuary Week 2; learning the true meaning of hunger.
This marks the end of our second week of temporary veganism.
In case you missed it, the Maverick Baking kitchen is entirely plant-based until February. No meat, dairy, honey or other animal products will pass these lips until Veganuary is over. (Except for the tiny bit of regular buttercream frosting I had to sample…)
TO WATCH A VIDEO ON VEGANUARY WEEK 2, CLICK HERE!
How did WEEK 2 of Veganuary go?
Mostly very hungry.
I’d be eating every 2-3 hours and still feel utterly empty.
I attribute the hunger to an equal combination of boredom, lack of protein and incidental drop in calories. Eating an adequate amount of protein isn’t impossible on a vegan diet, but it definitely requires more thought and effort than it does when eating omnivorously.
One must pay attention to tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds and pulses to be truly satisfied. While this is easy enough at home, it can be quite hard when you’re busy and in need of convenience.
Thankfully there have been no negative side effects of veganism so far. My skin hasn’t gotten any worse, I haven’t felt any more tired, and I’m definitely saving money on our food shop. I’ve received a few eye-rolls from work colleagues and some jovial abuse from friends, but I’m powering through.
The plant-based lifestyle definitely produces more creativity in the kitchen, and has forced me to eat a wider range of foods than I normally would. Speaking of which, see below for a full diary of what I consumed this week. Yes, there are more cookies.
WHAT I ATE
THURSDAY:
Still eating cookies.
- Two homemade vegan chocolate chip cookies and a banana
- Fried rice with tempeh and sambal from Indo
- Pip & Nut dark chocolate almond butter cups
- Mixed salad with houmous and corn cakes
- Homemade vegan chocolate chip cookie
- (Tea, coffee, kombucha and water)
FRIDAY:
A mess, frankly. A delicious mess.
- Two slices of seeded toast with almond butter and banana
- Crispy root vegetable burger with a side of gherkins from Roots
- A bit of dark chocolate
- Vanilla and raspberry protein smoothie
- (Tea, coffee and water) (…and a lot of gin)
SATURDAY:
Quite sensible for a change.
- Alpro coconut yoghurt with Kellogg’s granola and a banana
- A few squares of Nomo chocolate
- One slice of seeded toast with avocado
- Homemade vegan chocolate chip cookie
- Linda McCartney sausages with sweet potato mash
- (Tea, coffee and water) (also some gin)
SUNDAY:
Give me the carbs.
- Chocolate oat milk porridge with chocolate hazelnut spread and banana
- Mushroom, leek and tempeh risotto
- Roasted root vegetables and potatoes with vegan cheese sauce
- (Tea, coffee, water and beer)
MONDAY:
Oh yeah, more cookies.
- Alpro coconut yoghurt with Kellogg’s granola and a banana
- Tangerine
- Tomato soup and a bread roll from Pret a Manger
- Two homemade vegan chocolate chip cookies
- Vegan meatball flatbreads with avocado, houmous and grilled courgette
- (Tea, coffee and water)
TUESDAY:
Snacks on snacks on snacks. Plus a vegan chef ate my soup.
- Porridge with Biscoff, Pip & Nut almond butter and half a pear
- Tangerine
- Chickpea “tuna” mayonnaise sandwich
- Some dark chocolate
- Crisps and red pepper houmous
- Spiced lentil soup
- (Tea and water)
WEDNESDAY:
Tasting McDonald’s most average menu item. Seriously, don’t bother.
- Homemade muesli with nuts, seeds, raisins, coconut yoghurt and oat milk
- Falafel and pickled vegetable sandwich from Pret a Manger
- Salt and vinegar protein crisps
- 4 McDonald’s veggie dippers and some fries
- (Tea, pomegranate juice and water)
If you missed that all-important Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, you can find it here.
Still not satisfied? If you’re looking for some Vegan Chocolate Stout Cake, you can find that here.
