Category: Recipes I Have Tried

Here are 10 quick, low-SOS vegan lunch ideas using simple ingredients readily available at any standard supermarket:

Avocado Chickpea Wrap:

Mash rinsed low-sodium canned chickpeas with a ripe avocado, fresh lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic powder. Roll the mixture into an oil-free whole-grain tortilla with fresh arugula or spinach.

Warm Lentil & Tomato Bowl:

Combine pre-cooked or rinsed low-sodium canned lentils with freshly diced Roma tomatoes, minced garlic, and chopped fresh basil. Warm the mixture and serve it over a microwaveable pouch of plain, unseasoned brown rice.

No-Egg Tofu Salad Sandwich:

Crumble firm tofu into a bowl and mix with a splash of yellow mustard, a pinch of turmeric, garlic powder, and finely diced celery. Spread it onto oil-free sprouted grain bread or scoop it into large romaine lettuce boats.

Southwest Black Bean & Corn Salad:

Toss together rinsed low-sodium canned black beans, thawed frozen sweet corn, diced red onion, and chopped orange bell peppers. Dress the salad with fresh lime juice and a generous handful of chopped cilantro.

Quick Potato & Broccoli Scramble:

Chop a microwave-steamed potato and place it in a hot skillet with a splash of water to prevent sticking. Add fresh broccoli florets, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast, then sauté until heated through.

Curried Chickpea & Spinach Bowl:

Simmer rinsed low-sodium canned chickpeas in a skillet with no-salt-added tomato sauce and curry powder. Stir in a handful of fresh baby spinach until wilted and serve over plain quinoa.

Cucumber Hummus Veggie Plate:

Blend drained chickpeas with fresh lemon juice, a garlic clove, and a splash of water or aquafaba instead of oil to make a smooth dip. Serve the dip alongside raw cucumber slices, baby carrots, and bell pepper strips.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowl:

Pierce a whole sweet potato with a fork and microwave it for five to seven minutes until soft. Split it open and top it with rinsed low-sodium black beans, a scoop of fresh oil-free grocery store salsa, and chopped green onions.

Garden Greens & Rice Salad:

Finely chop mixed spring lettuce, tomatoes, and shredded carrots. Toss the vegetables with a cup of cold, pre-cooked brown rice and dress with apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice.

Three-Ingredient Black Bean Soup:

Pour a can of no-salt-added black beans into a small pot with a half-cup of low-sodium vegetable broth. Stir in a half-cup of jarred oil-free salsa, add a pinch of cumin, and simmer for five minutes before serving. -sloppy-joes)

Ingredients:

🍅 Tomatoes
🧅 Onion
🧄 Garlic
🥕 Carrot
🥬 Celery
🥔 Potato
🥦 Cauliflower (optional)
🥣 Bouillon powder
🧄 Garlic powder
🧂 Salt
🌶️ Chilli flakes
🌶️ Smoked paprika
🥣 Tofu
🥣 Greek-style soy yogurt
🌿 Fresh basil

Method:

1️⃣ Chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add them to a pan with a splash of water and sauté until softened.

2️⃣ Add the tomatoes, bouillon powder, and a little extra water. Let everything simmer together.

3️⃣ Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into small rounds. Season with salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder, then cook in the air fryer until super crispy.

4️⃣ Once the soup is bubbling and the vegetables are cooked, transfer everything to a blender.

5️⃣ Add the tofu and fresh basil, then blend until smooth and creamy.

6️⃣ Pour into a bowl and top with fresh basil and Greek-style soy yogurt.

7️⃣ Serve with the crispy potato rounds and dunk them straight into the soup. 🍅🥔

Creamy, comforting, filling, and packed with plant protein and vegetables — this is the perfect high-volume meal for anyone trying to lose weight without feeling like they’re eating tiny portions. 💚

🥕 CARROT OAT CAKE
🔥 Healthy Vegan Weight Loss Style!!

Ingredients:

🥕 Carrots
🌾 Oats
🌼 Vanilla
🍁 Maple syrup
🥛 Soy milk
🤎 Cinnamon
🥣 Greek-style soy yogurt

Method:

1️⃣ Grate the carrots and add them to a bowl.

2️⃣ Add the oats, vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon, and soy milk. Mix everything together.

3️⃣ Let the mixture sit for 5–10 minutes so the oats can absorb the liquid and soften.

4️⃣ If you prefer it warm, you can microwave the mixture for 5 minutes.

5️⃣ Once ready, add a generous layer of Greek-style soy yogurt over the top.

6️⃣ Sprinkle with extra cinnamon and enjoy.

Sweet, creamy, and packed with simple ingredients 🥕✨

The easiest way to get those cosy carrot-cake flavours while keeping things filling and weight-loss friendly. Perfect for breakfast, a snack, or a sweet treat!

Ingredients — 1 serving

* 4 oz tempeh, bite-size pieces
* Salt
* Light spray olive or avocado oil
* 1 tbsp BBQ sauce
* 2 cups chopped romaine
* ¼ cup corn
* ¼ cup black beans
* 2 tbsp red onion
* 1 small tomato, quartered
* 2 tbsp avocado
* 4 tbsp BBQ ranch dressing

Tempeh

1. Heat a lightly oiled nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add tempeh and salt.
2. Add 2–3 tbsp water, cover, and cook 2–3 min. Repeat twice, adding water as needed.
3. Add BBQ sauce + 2–3 tbsp water. Stir to coat and cook briefly until absorbed.

Assemble
Toss romaine, corn, beans, and onion with **2 tbsp dressing**. Top with tomato, tempeh, and avocado. Drizzle with remaining **2 tbsp dressing**.

Nutrition: 462 cal • 17g fat • 35g protein • 61g carbs • 20g fiber

Plantiful Kiki recipe: CLICK HERE

https://plantifulkiki.com/bbq-ranch/

INGREDIENTS
½ cup raw cashews
1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk*
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 ¼ tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
6 tbsp bbq sauce of your choice

• If using plant milk other than soy, use less than 1 cup

INSTRUCTIONS
1). Place all ingredients in a small blender attachment.

2). Blend until smooth and creamy, transfer to a small glass container with a lid.

3). Adjust any seasonings to taste. This goes great on BBQ Salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFO PER 1 TBSP
CALORIES: 26
FAT: 1.4 GRAMS
PROTEIN: 1 GRAM
CARBS: 2.5 GRAMS

by Vegan Rica

Ingredients

* 5½ cups vegetable or mushroom broth
* ½-inch ginger, minced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 hot green chili, minced
* 3 Tbsp soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
* 1 Tbsp vinegar
* ¼ tsp salt
* ⅛ tsp black pepper + dash white pepper
* 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
* ½ cup sliced carrots
* 1 cup chopped mushrooms
* 1 cup shredded cabbage
* ½–1 cup firm tofu, chopped
* 1 Tbsp cornstarch + ½ cup broth
* 3–4 green onions, chopped
* 3 oz ramen noodles

Directions

1. Bring **5 cups broth** to a boil. Add ginger, garlic, chili, soy sauces, vinegar, salt, peppers, and sugar.
2. Add mushrooms, carrots, and tofu. Boil 2–3 minutes.
3. Add cabbage and white/green portions of onions.
4. Mix cornstarch with **½ cup remaining broth**. Add ramen and cook until almost tender.
5. Stir in cornstarch slurry. Boil briefly until thickened, then remove from heat.
6. Taste and adjust soy sauce or vinegar. Garnish with green onions and pepper. Serve immediately.

Ingredients:

🥦 1 head of cauliflower
🥔 Potatoes
🥬 Spinach
🌿 Fresh coriander
🥣 Smoked tofu
🧅 Onion
🧄 Garlic
🫚 Ginger
🍅 2 tins chopped tomatoes
🧂 Salt
🌿 Cumin
🌼 Turmeric
🍛 Korma spice mix
🌶 Any other Indian spices you love

Simple Salad:

Leafy greens
Tomatoes
Cucumber

Method:

1️⃣ Finely chop the onion, garlic, and ginger. Add them to a non-stick pan with a splash of water and cook until caramelised and fragrant.

2️⃣ Add the cumin, turmeric, korma mix, and any other Indian spices you like. Stir well and cook for a minute.

3️⃣ Add the two tins of chopped tomatoes and mix everything together.

4️⃣ Chop the cauliflower into small pieces and dice the potatoes. Add them to the pan and stir well.

5️⃣ Let everything simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are completely tender and the sauce has thickened.

6️⃣ Meanwhile, cut the smoked tofu into pieces and crisp it up in the air fryer.

7️⃣ Add the crispy tofu and fresh spinach to the curry and mix until the spinach has wilted.

8️⃣ Serve the curry in half of your bowl and fill the other half with leafy greens, tomatoes, and cucumber.

9️⃣ Finish with fresh coriander and a sprinkle of salt.

A massive, comforting bowl packed with veggies, potatoes, plant protein, and incredible Indian-inspired flavours 🥘💚

Let’s make something grounded in documented Lipan foods.

The Lipan traditionally relied heavily on **buffalo and deer**, but also gathered mesquite, wild onions, cactus fruits, agave/mescal, nuts and other plants. They also planted **corn and squash** along fertile river bottoms when circumstances allowed. ([Lipan Apache Tribe][1])

So for our low-SOS vegan diet, let’s create a **modern vegan interpretation**, rather than claim it is an authentic historical recipe.

**Makes 6 servings**

Ingredients

* 1 medium **sweet onion**, chopped
* 2 cloves **garlic**, minced
* 2 medium **zucchini or yellow summer squash**, sliced
* 2 cups **corn**, fresh or frozen
* 1½ cups **no-salt-added cooked beans** — pinto, black, or tepary beans if you can find them
* 1 (28-ounce) can **no-salt-added crushed or diced tomatoes**
* 1–2 **fresh jalapeños**, minced, or dried chile to taste
* 1 teaspoon **chili powder**
* 1 teaspoon **ground cumin**
* ½ teaspoon **garlic powder**
* ½ teaspoon **smoked paprika**, optional
* 2 cups **water or no-salt-added vegetable broth**
* 1–2 tablespoons **mesquite flour/powder**, preferably food-grade, or sub w/ same amount of masa harina (corn flour)
* 1 tablespoon **fresh or dried wild onion**, if available; otherwise use additional sweet onion
* Freshly ground **black pepper**, to taste
* Juice of **½ lime**, optional
* Fresh **cilantro**, for topping
* **Avocado**, optional

Instructions

1. Put the **onion and garlic** in a large pot with 2–3 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat for about **5 minutes**, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the **squash, corn, jalapeño, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and paprika**. Cook for another **3–4 minutes**.
3. Add the **tomatoes, beans and water or broth**.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for **20 minutes**.
5. Stir in **1 tablespoon mesquite flour**. Simmer another **5 minutes**. The mesquite adds a naturally sweet, earthy flavor and slightly thickens the stew.
6. Taste. Add another tablespoon of mesquite flour if you want more of its flavor, along with additional chile or black pepper.
7. Finish with a squeeze of **lime**, if desired.
8. Serve topped with **cilantro and avocado**.

Why I chose these ingredients

This is where I think the recipe gets particularly interesting. **Corn and squash** are directly consistent with documented Lipan agriculture, while **mesquite, wild onions and chiles** reflect their gathering and seasoning traditions. ([Lipan Apache Tribe][1])

Mesquite is especially appropriate: ripe mesquite pods were an important Southwestern Indigenous food, and the ground pods could be used as a sweet flour. Historical descriptions even mention **mesquite being simmered with winter squash**. ([National Park Service][2])

I would **not** put soy sauce, commercial vegetable bouillon, regular canned beans, regular canned tomatoes, or salt in this one. That keeps it much closer to our **low-SOS** approach.

*************

1. Lipan Apache Tribe — “Early Life”
   Discusses traditional Lipan Apache life, including hunting, gathering, agriculture, and foods.
   Lipan Apache Tribe — Early Life
2. National Park Service — “Ethnobotany of Mesquite Trees”
   Useful specifically for the mesquite portion: Indigenous peoples of the Southwest used mesquite pods as food and processed them into meal/flour.
   National Park Service — Ethnobotany of Mesquite Trees
3. Texas State Historical Association — Lipan Apache Indians
   A good general historical reference for Lipan Apache culture, subsistence, hunting, movement, and adaptation in Texas and the Southwest.
   Texas State Historical Association — Lipan Apache Indians

Important distinction: The Lipan-Inspired Corn, Squash & Mesquite Stew I created is not an authentic traditional Lipan recipe. It is my modern vegan, low-SOS interpretation based on documented ingredients/foodways. I don’t want to present the recipe itself as historically authentic.

Makes about 6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon water or low-sodium vegetable broth, for sautéing
* 1 sweet onion, sliced
* 2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced
* 1 zucchini, sliced
* 2 cups sweet corn (fresh or no-salt-added frozen)
* 1 large dried chili, or 2 fresh jalapeños, sliced
* 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon **garlic powder**
* 1 teaspoon salt-free adobo seasoning
* 1–2 cups cooked chickpeas, preferably no-salt-added, for protein
* Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* Fresh cilantro, chopped, for topping
* Green onions, sliced, for topping
* Fresh jalapeño, sliced, optional
* Avocado, sliced, optional
* Cooked brown or white rice, optional, for serving

#### Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the **onion and bell peppers** in 1 tablespoon water or broth over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, adding another splash of water if they begin to stick.
2. Add the **zucchini, corn, chili or jalapeños, diced tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, salt-free adobo, and black pepper**.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about **10 minutes**.
4. Add the **chickpeas** and simmer another **10–15 minutes**, until the zucchini and peppers are tender and the flavors have blended.
5. Taste and adjust with additional **chili powder, garlic powder, black pepper, or fresh jalapeño** rather than salt.
6. Serve as is or **over rice**. Top with fresh **cilantro, green onions, jalapeño, and/or avocado**.

**Low-SOS tip:** The biggest sodium sources in the original recipe are the rotisserie chicken, regular canned tomatoes, adobo seasoning, and added salt. Using **chickpeas + no-salt-added tomatoes + salt-free seasonings** eliminates most of that sodium while keeping the stew flavorful.

Check out these great natural veggie burgers (frozen).

https://actualveggies.com/

Found these at Sprouts market. They have a wide variety & some have only 1.5 -3.5 grams of fat. Some have dairy, but ingredients are clearly posted on packages. At their website they also have a store finder. But honestly, if you read their REAL FOOD INGREDIENTS you can easily make these from scratch at home!