How to Eat Pegan for Every Meal This Week
OK, so there are about a thousand fancy diets out there, and we can’t keep any of them straight. (Keto who? Whole what? Are we ever going to get to eat dessert again?) But at least the Pegan diet has a handy built-in acronym—it’s a combination of Paleo (that means low-carb, high-protein) and vegan (lean meats are actually OK, as long as they’re high-quality; but dairy is verboten). But in case you still can’t keep all that straight, we’ve outlined a full week of meals (that’s breakfast, lunch and dinner) for you. Go forth and diet!
RELATED: 17 Easy Lunch Recipes That Are on the Pegan Diet
Monday Breakfast: Baked Eggs and Zoodles with Avocado
Green eggs, hold the ham.
Monday Lunch: Paleo Veggie Mushroom Burgers
Make a big batch of these and freeze them, so you have a tasty Pegan meal ready to go anytime.
Monday Dinner: Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
Mondays are a bear, so we’re all about keeping dinner simple. This Instant Pot recipe from Coterie member Maria Lichty always does the trick!
Tuesday Breakfast: Three-Ingredient Chia Pudding
Go easy on the maple syrup and instead top it with fresh fruit and chopped walnuts.
Tuesday Lunch: Roasted Rainbow Vegetable Bowl
We’d eat just about anything if it was drizzled with this addictive tahini dressing.
Tuesday Dinner: Cauliflower Fried Rice
Make sure to throw a fried egg on top for extra protein.
Wednesday Breakfast: One-Pan Eggs with Asparagus and Roasted Tomatoes
Because the last thing you need on a hump day morning is a sink full of dirty dishes.
Wednesday Lunch: Tempeh Lettuce Wraps
Aka the best way to make your co-workers extremely jealous. (Skip the peanut dipping sauce to keep these 100-percent Pegan.)
Wednesday Dinner: Cauliflower Paleo Gnocchi
We don’t know how it’s possible to make something this delicious with only two ingredients, but we’re going with it.
RELATED: The 41 Best Cauliflower Recipes of All Time
Thursday Breakfast: Rainbow Coconut Smoothie Bowls
The best way to feel like you’re on a tropical vacation on a random Thursday morning.
Thursday Lunch: Cold Lemon Zoodles
Basically the lightest “pasta” salad we’ve ever tasted.
Thursday Dinner: Ultimate Chicken Taco Salad
Meat isn’t entirely off the menu—just eat it sparingly.
Friday Breakfast: Pumpkin Coconut Smoothie
Every season is pumpkin season in our book.
Friday Lunch: The Mean Green Detox Salad
Yes, it tastes as good as it looks. (Skip the chickpeas if you’re being extra careful with legumes.)
Friday Dinner: Instant Pot Vegan Pho
When the siren song of the takeout menus is almost too strong to bear, make this instead.
Saturday Breakfast: Healing Breakfast Porridge
This belly-warming porridge manages to be dairy-free, grain-free, and gluten-free. But with butternut squash, coconut, ginger and turmeric, it’s definitely not flavor-free!
Saturday Lunch: Gazpacho
Gazpacho is the perfect summer lunch, but we love it year-round (and somehow we’re less tempted to pair it with grilled cheese than hot tomato soup).
Saturday Dinner: Sweet Potato Crust Pizza
We basically think that life without pizza isn’t worth living. Just make sure to top this sweet potato crust with vegan cheese. Or load up on veggies and skip the cheese all together.
Sunday Breakfast: Eggs Baked in Tomatoes
Since you probably already have eggs and tomatoes in the fridge, this is the perfect sleep late, roll out of bed and have breakfast ready in ten minutes kind of dish.
Sunday Lunch: Paleo Baked Zucchini Fritters
Make extra and you’ll have Monday lunch taken care of, too.
Sunday Dinner: Kohlrabi Spaghetti with Kale-Mushroom Bolognese
The Pegan diet allows for meat occasionally; we like to include it in recipes that also have plenty of fresh veggies, like this one from Coterie member Ali Maffucci.
RELATED: 5 Diets That Actually Work (and 3 That Don’t), According to a Nutritionist