6 post-workout meals and snacks for vegans

So you’ve got a sweat on and flexed those guns, now it’s time to fuel your body with the right food to aid muscle growth However, preparing the right meals and snacks without all the food groups on the table can require some thinking. As a vegan, you need to eat foods that are packed with eight essential nutrients to keep your body healthy and avoid deficiencies. These nutrients are:

• vitamin B12
• protein
• iron
• calcium
• vitamin D
• omega-3 fatty acids
• zinc
• selenium

Handpicked content: 8 essential nutrients for Vegans Carbohydrates are also important,to help you get started here are a few post-workout meal and snack ideas to get your chops around.

Meals

Chilli-con-carne

Pack this dish with soy mince, vegetables, beans, tomatoes and chilli powder for a spicy, mouth-watering dish. Put a cup full of kidney beans and black beans to get approximately 50% of your  reference intake (NRV)  of leucine – a branched-chain amino acid which helps to maximise muscle protein response.¹ Ingredients:

• 500g soy mince

Method: Step 1. To make, just cook the 500g soy mince first, then add the rest of the ingredients Step 2. Cook on a low heat for around 30 minutes For best results, serve with rice and pre-cook the vegetables.

Lentil and spinach soup

This combination is easy to make and perfect for a post-workout meal. The lentils offer the carbs and protein, with around a 2.2g:1g ratio. While the tomatoes and spinach provide a further 12g of protein, plus added vitamins and minerals. Ingredients:

• one onion (chopped)
• three carrots (chopped)
• four cloves of garlic (chopped)
• tsp of cumin
• tsp of paprika
• salt
• four cups of vegetable broth
• three cups of water
• two cups of dry lentils
• a tin of chopped tomatoes
• 110g spinach

Method: Step 1. To make, sauté one chopped onion and three carrots for seven minutes in a stockpot Step 2. Add four minced cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of cumin, a tablespoon of paprika and salt to sauté for a further minute Step 3. Finally, add four cups of vegetable broth, three cups of water, two cups of dry lentils and a tin of chopped tomatoes Step 4. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, adding 110g of spinach in the last couple of minutes

Brown rice with pea powder and vegetables  

Granted, this post-workout snack for vegans might not make it onto an a la carte menu, it’s bursting with goodness – especially after a long cardiovascular session. Brown rice is rich in carbohydrates and contains a small dose of protein. However, combining a plant-based protein like pea powder with it will complete the essential amino acid profile, meaning your body gets more protein from the meal. Ingredients:

• 1 cup of brown rice
• 2 cups of water (to boil the rice)
• Pea powder (two scoops)
• Vegetables – 1 pepper (finely chopped), 1 onion (large chunks), 1 courgette (large chunks), 7 cherry tomatoes

Method: Step 1. Boil the rice as instructed on the packet Step 2. Meanwhile, fry the vegetables until slightly charged with a dash of oil Step 3. Once the rice is drained and the vegetables are cooked, combine the two and mix in the pea powder To give your dish a bit more oomph, try adding three tablespoons of vegan-friendly pesto. Handpicked content: A guide to vegan food alternatives

Snacks

Peanut butter and banana toast

A scoop of peanut butter is a great source of protein, with 100g of it offering around 25 grams. The banana can give you a nice potassium lift, which is ideal to help energise after an early morning workout.

Soy milk protein shake

Perfect on the go, mix your protein powder with soy milk for an extra nutritious boost. Soy milk is full of calcium, vitamin B12, protein and vitamin D. If you want to shake things up a little bit, try almond flavour soy milk.

Porridge

Simple and easy, feel the benefits of the oats, seeds and coconut milk for a nutrition overload by combining all of the ingredients into a mix. You can even prep this one on a Sunday evening and have it ready to heat up after mid-week workout sessions.

Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before trying any remedies.

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1. https://www.nutritionexpress.com/article+index/protein/showarticle.aspx?id=807
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10700478