Creating a vegan post-workout meal shouldn’t be a headache. The key to success is to ensure you are consuming a complete protein.

For a vegan source of protein to be considered ‘complete’ means it has to contain all 9 essential amino acids, needed to make usable protein in your body. Grain proteins and legume proteins on their own, do not contain the 9 essential proteins, which is why them should be combined for them to be truly ‘complete’ in a meal.

All of the meals below are considered a complete source of protein so long as they are enjoyed with rice or bread. With the exception of the Quorn based sweet potato curry, as Quorn is a complete protein on its own.

1) Two Sweet Potato Vegan Curry

Yield: 1 meal

Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 1 purple sweet potato (washed // sliced into cubes)
• 1 white sweet potato (washed // sliced into cubes)
• 1 small or half a medium-sized white onion (peeled // sliced)
• 1 packet meat-free Quorn (defrosted)
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled // chopped)
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger (peeled // chopped)
• 2 tbsp green curry paste (gluten free + vegan)
• 2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
• 1 14 oz can light coconut milk (use full-fat if desired)
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• rice for serving (optional)
• 1 gluten free, whole grain naan bread (optional)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Take the garlic, onion and ginger and add to a pan over medium heat with the coconut oil. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Next add the curry paste and stir until well combined.
3. Add in the sweet potato, Quorn, coconut aminos, coconut milk, simmering for 15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are soft.
4. Towards the end add the greens peas and stir everything well, cooking on low heat for a further 5 minutes.
5. Take off the heat and serve with hot rice or a naan bread.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish Excluding Naan Bread & Rice:

Carbohydrate - 131.2 g

Protein - 63.12 g

Total lipid (fat) - 147.64 g

Iron, Fe - 39.22 mg

Calcium, Ca - 1996 mg 

2) Red Lentil Vegan Curry

Yield: 1 meal

Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 1 gluten free, whole grain naan bread for serving (optional)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion (peeled // sliced)
• 2 cups carrots (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (peeled // crushed)
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (gluten free + vegan)
• Pinch Himalayan salt
• 4 cups dried red lentils
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 tin coconut milk
• Toppings: cashews, coriander, chopped red chilli (optional)

Instructions:

1. Add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic and ginger to a large pot with a splash of oil on medium heat.

1. After about 2 minutes, add the curry paste and salt. Saute the onion until they are soft.
2. Next add the lentils, vegetable broth, tomatoes and coconut milk to the same pot. Give it a good stir and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Ensuring you stir every 5 minutes to prevent the lentils from sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot.
3. If the pot is starting to run out of water before the time is up, add half a cup more.
4. Once ready the lentils will be soft and the overall consistency will be thick.
5. Serve hot with a naan bread and or / rice, topped with fresh coriander.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish Excluding Naan Bread & Rice:

Carbohydrate - 617.59  g

Protein - 202.06 g

Total lipid (fat) - 105.09 g

Iron, Fe - 67.27 mg

Calcium, Ca - 755 mg 

3) Chickpea & Kale Vegan Curry 

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 6 broccolini stems
• 1 butternut (peeled // deseeded // sliced into cubes)
• 1 tin chickpeas (drained // rinsed)
• 4 cups kale (washed // drained // ribs removed // sliced)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion (peeled // chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled // finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 1 tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons Massaman curry paste (gluten + vegan)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
• rice for serving (optional)
• 1 gluten free, whole grain naan bread for serving (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start by adding the oil to a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the onion and let it soften for a couple of minutes. Stirring as it cooks.
2. Then, add the garlic, ginger, coriander, Massaman curry paste and cook for 60 seconds so the flavours can be released but the ingredients are not starting to burn.
3. Next add the chickpeas, broccolini stems, coconut milk, tin of chopped tomatoes, butternut, a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir while cooking for several minutes. Then turn the heat down to medium and let the contents gently boil and the sauce to thicken up slightly.
4. Then add the kale and stir. Cooking for a further 2-3 minutes.
5. Next add the lime juice and stir. If you taste the sauce and you feel it needs more ‘something’, simply add a little more Thai red curry sauce, and salt and pepper until you achieve the flavour you desire.
6. Serve immediately with hot rice and / or naan bread, topped with fresh coriander.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish Excluding Naan Bread:

Carbohydrate - 832.92 g

Protein - 186.04 g

Total lipid (fat) - 272.97  g

Iron, Fe - 50.35  mg

Calcium, Ca - 1250 mg

Easy On Time, High On Flavour And Nutrition

All of the above post-work out vegan curry recipes take thirty minutes or less to prepare. Also, if you are not a huge fan of spice then just adjust the amount of curry paste to suit, or remove it completely adding in other herbs and spices that are known to create a mild warming effect.

All of the ingredients will offer you lots of excellent nutrition that will perk you right up after your workout. Including the coconut milk. Do not be afraid that this is going to make you put on weight. Infact, the medium chain fatty acids coconut milk contains, have been linked to weight loss in several studies due to the way the body burns this type of fat as energy instead of storing it meaning, coconut milk can be enjoyed by all as part of a healthy and balanced diet,