New vegan in town here

Is it normal to feel like something is missing from your meal or am I doing it wrong?

I’m sorry if it sounds like a stupid question but I ask this because a lot of my meals aren’t structured in the same way and to me, it feels incomplete.

Does anyone know if that’s normal or any advice on making meals feel more ‘structured’?

Try consuming the vegan equivalents of the foods you used to eat before going vegan. Do a repeat, you know?

It would probably be beneficial to look for something to substitute for the meat in your meals. Seitan, tofu, tempeh, TVP, and some types of mushrooms can all accomplish it. To achieve that wonderful flavor, make sure to season them.

Make sure you’re getting adequate calories as well!

The “Protein, grain/carb, vegetable” pattern is not necessary for every meal, but it’s a good idea to include it if you feel like it’s missing anything. To add to the diversity, I like to keep a few of each of them in my mind and kind of randomly choose one from each. I also like to keep a few prepared or store-bought sauces in the refrigerator. There are about 20 different ways to combine three proteins, three carbohydrates, three veggies, and three sauces. Once that framework is in place, you may occasionally deviate from it and enjoy whatever you want without worrying about it and it won’t affect how you feel.

I use a vegan source of protein when preparing “regular” meals. For instance, I might choose store-bought meat alternatives, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.

I use a vegan source of protein when preparing “regular” meals. For instance, I might choose store-bought meat alternatives, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.

As you discover new meals, there are two things that you can do, in my opinion (it’s a major adjustment but it will become second nature exactly as it was before).

Recreate your favorite dishes using tempeh, seitan, tofu, or animal substitutes (occasionally this could mean altering the recipe). For instance, I now make my favorite bolognese sauce using this recipe: Tofu Bolognese - it doesn't taste like chicken. It’s fantastic for batch cooking but a little more complicated. Alternatively, you could use tofu in place of chicken in a stir-fry; just be sure to press it and fry it beforehand if you’d like—there are a million different ways to cook it.)

Look for some traditional vegan recipes, including lentil dahl.

Vegan dishes abound on the internet and YouTube.

Or are you merely attempting to follow a vegan diet? If you enjoy tacos and burritos, you can just order guacamole, beans, rice, and veggies instead of cheese and sour cream at a restaurant. Alternatively, if you want to create healthier food at home, you can use ground walnuts as the filling’s “beef.” I advise you to go on Instagram and follow several vegan influencers and chefs. This will result in a ton of recipe suggestions, restaurant suggestions, and product reviews on your home page.

Or are you merely attempting to follow a vegan diet? If you enjoy tacos and burritos, you can just order guacamole, beans, rice, and veggies instead of cheese and sour cream at a restaurant. Alternatively, if you want to create healthier food at home, you can use ground walnuts as the filling’s “beef.” I advise you to go on Instagram and follow several vegan influencers and chefs. This will result in a ton of recipe suggestions, restaurant suggestions, and product reviews on your home page.

I spent some time going through that blank space on the plate. As everyone advises, swap it out for a while until it becomes irrelevant.

Yes, if you typically eat a bit of meat with every meal! It’s true that you sense something is missing. You’ll need to reconsider what constitutes a full plate.