Plant-based nutrition is all the rage these days. With movies like "Forks Over Knives" and the latest hit, "The Game Changers", people everywhere are wondering what the vegan diet is all about. While it's not for everyone, I will say that making some plant-based foods such as green vegetables a staple of your nutrition plan can be very beneficial in terms of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Not to mention, nutritious veggies are low-carbohydrate and low-glycemic so they will help to keep your blood sugar levels even which is conducive for weight loss and wellness. In case you're curious, I have provided a seven-day plant-based meal plan just for you!

DAY 1

Breakfast: Blueberry-Chia Quinoa Oatmeal (combine ¼ cup quinoa with one cup unsweetened almond milk and ½ mashed banana and cook over medium-low heat until the quinoa is cooked through). Fold in a handful of blueberries and a tablespoon of Chia seeds during the last two minutes of cooking.

Snack: Handful of raw almonds or cashews

Lunch: Hummus and Lentil Lettuce Cups: Mix cooked lentils with desired amount of hummus and place in butter lettuce leaves. Top with chopped green onions and tomato.

Snack: Celery sticks dipped in peanut or almond butter.

Dinner: Tempeh Mexican Platter: Crumble and cook your Tempeh according to package instructions, using a drizzle of extra-virign olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Serve Tempeh on a plate with black beans, sliced avocado, shredded cabbage and salsa.

DAY 2

Breakfast: Green Smoothie: In a blender, combine ½ banana, ½ avocado, handful of curly kale, almond or coconut yogurt, ice, and tablespoon of Chia or ground flax seeds.

Snack: Sliced cucumbers dipped in coconut yogurt, topped with pecans or pine nuts.

Lunch: Quinoa Salad: Toss cooked quinoa with one teaspoon apple cider vinegar, dried cranberries, and crushed walnuts. Place on a bed of chopped Romaine lettuce and top with sliced green onions, avocado, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Snack: Your favorite vegetables dipped in hummus

Dinner: ½ baked sweet potato topped with garbanzo beans and a drizzle of tahini; pair with a side of steamed broccoli topped with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

DAY 3

Breakfast: Tempeh Scramble: Using a drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and your favorite seasonings, sauté sliced onions and bell peppers for five minutes; add sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for a few more minutes until everything is somewhat tender. Add crumbled tempeh and continue to cook for three minutes. Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and serve.

Snack: ½ grapefruit

Lunch: Bean Trio Salad: Combine garbanzo, pinto, and black beans in a bowl and toss with extra-virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro.

Snack: Handful of raw nuts

Dinner: Spaghetti Squash with Hearty Marinara: Preheat oven to 400 degrees; cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Lightly coat the flesh side with extra virgin olive oil and your favorite seasonings and place the two halves, flesh-side down on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour and then use a fork to shred the inside of the squash to get your “noodles”. Meanwhile, sauté onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms until tender and combine with marinara sauce over medium heat; top “noodles” with sauce and serve.

DAY 4

Breakfast: Yogurt Parfait: Top almond or coconut yogurt with fresh berries, chia Seeds, and crushed walnuts.

Snack: Half an avocado topped with sunflower seeds and a drizzle of agave.

Lunch: Split pea soup (low sodium) paired with green salad topped with tomatoes, onions, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Snack: Baked Kale Chips: Remove stems and roughly chop curly kale. Even massage extra virgin olive oil into leaves and toss with powdered garlic and black pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.

Dinner: Natto Cauliflower Rice: Steam a small head of cauliflower until moderately tender (around 15 minutes). Meanwhile, mix natto with a dash or two of tamari and combine until you have a gooey texture. Once the cauliflower is done steaming, use a fork to shred it to create a rice texture. Top your hot cauliflower rice with the prepared Natto and sliced green onions.

DAY 5

Breakfast: Gluten-free rolled oatmeal topped with ground flaxseed and sliced strawberries.

Snack: Handful of raw nuts.

Lunch: Sliced tomatoes drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar; top with diced avocado, chopped basil, black pepper, and pinch of salt.

Snack: Your favorite vegetables dipped in hummus.

Dinner: Tempeh strips with Tahini Dip: Cut tempeh into strips and pan-cook or grill with your favorite seasonings for 5-7 minutes. Pair with Tahini dip and steamed broccoli topped with freshly squeezed lemon. For dip, combine a tablespoon of tahini with a dollop of whole grain mustard, drizzle of real maple syrup, and enough water to create desired consistency.

DAY 6

Breakfast: Ginger-Coconut Chia Seed Pudding: Mash ½ banana and mix with ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk. Combine one tablespoon whole Chia seeds into the mixture and refrigerate for one hour or until thickened. Top with freshly grated ginger (optional).

Snack: Baked Parsnip Chips: Slice parsnips into chips (1/8-inch thickness) and toss in extra-virgin olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning chips over after the first 15 minutes.

Lunch: BLTA Lettuce Wrap: In one or two large lettuce leaves of your choice, place two tablespoons of Baba Ganoush, two slices of tomato, and two slices of avocado in each lettuce cup and enjoy as a wrap. *Baba Ganoush is a mixture of eggplant and tahini and can be found already prepared in most major grocery stores.

Snack: Jicama Sticks with Black Bean Dip: In a food processor or blender, combine black beans, with one teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, minced onion, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and enough water to created desired consistency. Pair with sticks of jicama (or your favorite dipping vegetables).

Dinner: High-Protein Broccoli Salad: Slice broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl with diced red onion, sesame seeds, and minced dried cranberries or currants. To prepare dressing, mix two tablespoons tahini with a drizzle of maple syrup and dollop of whole grain mustard; add water until you have reached desired consistency. Thoroughly toss the broccoli salad with dressing and serve. *Substitute avocado oil mayonnaise (aka paleo mayo) for dressing for shorter preparation time.

DAY 7

Breakfast: Pancakes: Whisk three tablespoons ground flaxseed with seven tablespoons water and sit aside in the refrigerator for twenty minutes to thicken. Mash ¾ large banana with a fork in a small mixing bowl and combine with the flaxseed/water mixture until you have a batter-like consistency. Using extra-virgin olive oil, cook your pancakes over medium heat until cooked through (2 minutes on each side). Top with cinnamon.

Snack: Handful of raw nuts of choice.

Lunch: Creamy Cucumber Salad: Combine ½ cup plain almond or coconut yogurt with one sliced green onion, fresh dill, black pepper, and minced garlic. Thoroughly combine with ½ cup thinly sliced cucumbers.

Snack: Baked Kale Chips: Remove stems and roughly chop curly kale. Even massage extra virgin olive oil into leaves and toss with powdered garlic and black pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.

Dinner: Pecan-Peach Spinach Salad: Toss one cup raw spinach leaves with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar until evenly coated. Top with ½ cup cooked quinoa, slices of fresh peach, and pecan halves.

If you're wondering if this sort of meal plan will take some time for grocery shopping and food preparation, the short answer is yes. If you're too busy to prepare all of the above-listed meals and snacks, not to worry! Doctor's Best Weight Loss has vegan products to accommodate the needs of your nutrition lifestyle--click here to check them out!