Are you a vegetarian with a genuine concern about your weight? You should be because according to some studies, a vegan diet isn’t always healthy and lean--in fact, some plant-based foods are loaded with a high amount of calories, just like their animal counterparts. But, if you wish to keep following a vegan diet that makes you lose weight without depriving yourself of nutrients, here are some healthy and delicious vegan meal ideas under 300 calories to try out...
Quinoa and herb-roasted veggies. Quinoa is among the top 5 sources of plant protein for multiple reasons. Plus, it's so filling and nutrient-dense, that you won’t have to combine it with much stuff to fill your belly up. If you wish to enjoy a hearty quinoa meal that is full of protein and other nutrients, here is a recipe you can try out: wash and drain 1 cup of quinoa (for 2 servings) and combine with 2 cups of vegetable stock in a small pot, under medium to low heat for approx. 15 minutes. While the quinoa cooks, cut a couple of vegetables of your choice e.g zucchini and eggplants in slices, drizzle with very little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the oven’s grill for 12-15 minutes (at 350F/175C). Once the quinoa is cooked, combine with the vegetables, add a bit of lemon juice, and enjoy.
Spicy Scrambled tofu. Tofu is despised by many (even some vegetarians) because it tends to lack flavor and texture. However, if you cook it right and add spices and other natural flavors to it, it will soak up all the flavors and the aromas of the rest ingredients and it will become tastier. If you are a fan of spicy food, add some heat and flavor to your tofu with this spice blend: 1 tsp of paprika, ½ tsp of chili flakes, 1 tsp of curry and 3 tbsp of tomato paste. Just combine all these ingredients with 1 tbsp of oil in the pan and add around ⅔ of a cup of tofu squares and break them lightly with a spatula, to make a scramble. Your scrambled tofu meal will be ready in just 3 minutes.
Curried lentil soup. Indian food is enriched with spices that are extremely low in calories and can even help you lose weight, through the generation of heat. Make a lentil soup with curry for dinner, and you’ll have a hearty and satisfying meal that is below 300 calories. To make a soup of two servings, wash 1 cup of brown dried lentils and boil in a pot filled with 1 ½ liter of water or vegetable stock for 35-40 minutes. While the lentils cook, take a small pan, add a bit of ghee and saute 2 small shallots with 1 tbsp of curry, 1 tsp of cumin and 1 tsp of garlic powder. Once the lentils are cooked, incorporate the shallot and spice mixture to the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. Towards the last two minutes of cooking add ½ cup of coconut cream, season with salt and pepper and serve as it hot.
Beetroot & feta salad. A rich salad that is perfect for any time of the day that you don’t want to take a full meal. If you are a fan of salty and sweet flavors at the same time, you’ll love this beetroot and feta combo. All you need to make it is boil two peeled beetroots for 15 minutes, chop them into squares and add ⅓ cup yogurt, ⅓ cup of crumbled feta cheese, 1 tsp of garlic salt and a few chopped walnuts or almonds. You can even chill this in the fridge for a few hours, before eating.