Veganuary Week 4; get ready for a lot of bread.
This marks the end of our fourth and final week of temporary veganism.
In case you missed it, the Maverick Baking kitchen was entirely plant-based for January. No meat, dairy, honey or other animal products passed these lips until then. (or did they?)
TO WATCH A VIDEO ON VEGANUARY WEEK 4, CLICK HERE!
How did WEEK 4 go?
The end of Veganuary week 4 has brought a chaotic mixture of emotions.
I have admittedly enjoyed the entire month much more than I expected to. Predictions had included frustration, irritability, and an overwhelming desire to ravage the refrigerator of the nearest expensive artisan cheese shop. However, matters were not as grim as this.
While there have been cravings, they have been manageable and curable with the aid of chocolate, as most problems are. A mild sense of hopelessness did cloud over some lunches and dinners if they had to be bought from cafes or restaurants.
Generally speaking, Veganuary has been a fun challenge. It has forced us to cook with new ingredients, and get more creative with what we had available. My boyfriend, Francesco, admittedly did scoff a margherita pizza and nibbled on a tiny amount of cheese on a few occasions. I stuck to my guns; all I snuck throughout the month was a fingertip’s worth of buttercream here and there when fulfilling cake requests for friends and colleagues. Promise!
It hurts a little bit to say I won’t be sticking to a vegan diet full time just yet, as I have enjoyed the guilt-free feeling this month has brought. However, with the mega busy period of my life I’m in, and my ever-unreliable digestion, it’s not for me right now. I can definitely see myself dropping even more meat and cheese than I already ate though.
Veganuary 2021 is definitely something I’d be keen to tackle. It’s a challenge, but by no means impossible. In fact, I’d even recommend it.
WHAT I ATE
THURSDAY:
The day I remembered why I don’t eat protein bars. (Read as: bloating and severe stomach cramps)
- Tofu scramble with avocado toast
- Pulsin mint chocolate protein bar
- Banana
- Falafel and pickled vegetable sandwich from Pret A Manger
- Tofu, lentil and spinach curry with rice
FRIDAY:
Featuring a depressing visit to a local Italian restaurant
- Toast with almond butter, raspberry jam and banana slices
- Graze Jaffa Cake snack
- Bruschetta with tomato and garlic, with Penne Arrabbiata from Aperitivo
- Salad with mushrooms, tempeh, pear, avocado (and whatever else I could find)
SATURDAY:
A day of pottering around the kitchen
- Avocado toast
- Tempeh and cucumber rice paper rolls with hoisin sauce from Street Kitchen
- Vegan haggis with roast potatoes and carrots
- Vegan raspberry vanilla caramel cake
- (Tea and water)
SUNDAY:
Alcohol instead of lunch, oops.
- Vegan raspberry vanilla caramel cake
- Vegan meatballs with linguine in tomato sauce
- (Tea, water and gin)
MONDAY:
Discovering Subway’s best new menu item
- Chocolate hazelnut porridge
- Blueberry Nakd bar
- Vegan Meatball Marinara sandwich from Subway
- Green & Blacks dark chocolate
- Tofu in peanut sauce (from Street Kitchen) with rice and broccoli
- Vegan raspberry vanilla caramel cake
- (Tea, coffee and water)
TUESDAY:
A long day of travelling and training for work
- Banana and a fruity flapjack from Costa
- Pip & Nut dark chocolate peanut butter cups
- Falafel salad sandwich
- Smoked carrot and potato salad from M&S
- Mixed salad
- (Tea, coffee and water)
WEDNESDAY:
A free sandwich was a pre-payday miracle
- Toast with almond butter, raspberry jam and banana slices
- Blueberry Nakd bar
- Falafel and pickled vegetable sandwich from Pret A Manger
- BBQ protein soy crisps
- Two squares of vegan tiffin
- Baked potato with five-bean chilli and salad
- (Tea, coffee and water)
THURSDAY:
More bread
- Porridge with oat milk, almond butter, cherries and banana
- Thai Sweet Chilli snack from Graze
- Vegan “cheese” toastie from Melt
- Vegan sausages with sweet potato mash, mushrooms and wilted spinach
- (Tea, coffee and water)
FRIDAY:
Let’s get this over with
- Tofu scramble with avocado toast
- Falafel salad wrap, tortilla chips, beetroot houmous and salad from Biocafe
- Dark chocolate with orange crisps
- Alpro coconut yoghurt with Kellogg’s granola and a banana
- (Tea, coffee and water)
Thank you very much for following along on our Veganuary adventure, no matter which stage you joined at! I hope we have given you some inspiration for plant-based meal ideas or at least a bit of courage to step out of your regular diet.
