vegan Archives - VIM

Back to School Recipes

August is coming to an end, which means school is starting soon!

Prepping lunch for students both young and old can be difficult in the busy fall season. Every student is different, and often their nutritional needs vary, too. The classic PBJ may work for some, but not all.

So if you’re struggling to find a lunch that interests a gluten free 8th grader, a 4th grade vegetarian or athletic college senior, you’re in luck! There’s something good for everyone.

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1. Chicken Soup

For picky eaters, try a a classic chicken soup! You can make it ahead and store it in the freezer in batches to thaw the night before.
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2. Tomato & Mozzarella Pasta

For the vegetarian, a tomato & mozzarella pasta is both sophisticated and simple to make so all ages can enjoy.
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3. Vegetable Sushi Bento Box

For the vegan, a vegetable sushi bento box will wow the whole table! No one will even notice the lack of meat or dairy.
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4. Chicken Salad on Fresh Baguette

For the athlete, a hearty chicken salad on fresh baguette will offer plenty of carbs and protein for an active body!
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5. Homemade Sandwich Bread

For the gluten free student, it can be tough to be the only one without a classic sandwich. But with this homemade sandwich bread, PBJ is back on!
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6. Whoopie Pies

With a nut allergy, it can be difficult to watch everyone enjoy cookies that “may contain peanuts.” These whoopie pies go great with any lunch, but without any risk!
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7. Hummus

For the lactose-intolerant, there’s no need for cheese when you’ve got hummus! Pack it with veggies, pita and olives for a real mediterranean experience.
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8. Taco Soup

For the grad student, you never need to miss out on Taco Tuesday again. When one hand is writing your thesis, one can enjoy this Taco Soup!
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If you have a go-to lunch, feel free to share it in the comments!

VIM is now offering nutrition services with Trainer & Nutrition Coach, Christine Galvin!

Click below to find out how you can benefit from 1 on 1 Nutrition Coaching!

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August 23, 2018/by VIM Fitness

Nutrition

15 Essentials for a Vegetarian (or Vegan) Pantry

Alongside the usual savory and sweet items that every pantry needs, there are a few ingredients that are particularly useful for vegetarians and vegans, as well as those wanting to eat more meatless meals.

All of these items are ideal for adding protein, texture, and flavor to what you’re cooking.

Each household’s pantry will vary according to personal taste, ethnic background, and food allergies, but these 15 items are a great way to get started.

1. Beans

I like to keep a variety of dried or canned beans, but I always make sure my pantry has at least two: lentils and chickpeas. Lentils cook quickly and are great additions to soups, pilafs, and salads. I like to throw chickpeas into pasta dishes and vegetable braises and stews. Pinto, black, kidney, and cannellini beans are also good to have on hand.

2. Grains

Using a variety of grains lends nutrition, texture, flavor, and makes vegetarian and vegan meals more interesting. I like to keep my pantry stocked with brown rice, white rice, quinoa, spelt, farro, millet, and bulgur.

3. Tempeh

Once you know how to prepare it, tempeh can be one of the best staple sources of protein. It can be refrigerated for a week or two (check the date on the package) and will keep up to several months in the freezer.

4. Tofu

Like tempeh, tofu is not strictly a pantry item, but it’s an essential for vegetarian kitchens. I like to keep blocks of refrigerated extra firm tofu for baking and frying, vacuum-packed silken tofu to blend into dressings and puddings, and dried tofu for soups and stir-fries.

5. Nuts

I always have almonds and cashews and try to keep pistachios and pine nuts around, too. Whole or chopped nuts can be used in salads and grain dishes. Ground nuts can add body to lasagna. And there’s always pesto. Extend the life and freshness of nuts by keeping them in the freezer.

6. Dried fruits

Raisins, dried apricots, and dates are not only great for snacking, but they can add unexpected and delicious flavor to grain dishes, vegetable braises, and sautéed greens.

7. Vegetable stock

I prefer to make stock from scratch and keep it in the freezer. But if you don’t have the time or inclination, there are plenty of good store-bought options.

8. Nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is somewhat of a new pantry item for me, though I’m very quickly coming to love it. It can be used in sauces or as a coating for tofu, and sprinkled on potatoes and popcorn.

9. Miso

I like to keep both light and dark miso paste in the refrigerator for different degrees of savoriness, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the mellow white variety. Miso makes excellent soup as well as dressings for salad, vegetables, and tofu.

10. Tahini

Tahini, or sesame paste, often works in conjunction with miso in my kitchen. A quick tahini-miso sauce (try adding lemon juice and garlic, too) can be poured over steamed vegetables, tofu, or tempeh for simple weeknight dinners.

11. Dried sea vegetables

I like to keep several kinds of seaweed, from sheets of nori that can be wrapped around rice and vegetables, to kelp and kombu that add flavor to broth, to hijiki that can be reconstituted and used in salads and vegetable dishes.

12. Coconut oil

From making rich curries and roasting vegetables, to searing tofu and even baking, coconut oil is super versatile.

13. Maple syrup

Maple syrup is my favorite natural sweetener. It’s perfect for baking, making dressing and glazes, and of course, you can never use too much of it on pancakes.

14. Ground flax seeds

Flax seeds are super nutritious and loaded with fiber and Omega-3 fatty acids. I love them stirred in my oats, mixed into smoothies, and baked into breads and muffins. And, combined with a little bit of water, ground flax also works as an egg substitute.

Blog post written by Trainer, Sarah Oliver

VIM is now offering nutrition services with Trainer & Nutrition Coach, Christine Galvin!

Click below to find out how you can benefit from 1 on 1 Nutrition Coaching!

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May 31, 2018/by VIM Fitness

Nutrition

GREEN St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

Hosting a Saint Patrick’s day party but don’t know what to make?

Forget the green store-bought cookies, with all these options, you can’t go wrong with a homemade feast! These recipes are all vegan and/or gluten free, and of course they’re GREEN.

What’s your favorite way to “eat green” on Saint Patrick’s day? Comment below!

Blog post written by Trainer, Sarah Oliver

VIM is now offering nutrition services with Trainer & Nutrition Coach, Christine Galvin!

Click below to find out how you can benefit from 1 on 1 Nutrition Coaching!

[button link=”https://vimfitness.com/nutrition/” text=”LEARN MORE” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]

March 9, 2018/by VIM Fitness

Nutrition

Recipes EVERYONE Can Enjoy

Fun fact: I’m vegan.

It’s not exactly secret, either, since whenever I go to a holiday party I always have to ask what has eggs, butter or milk in it, and avoid all the main meat dishes or delicious-looking desserts. I’m used to it by now, so I usually eat a snack before hand or bring a dish to add to the table that I can enjoy, too.

But I’m not the only one who sometimes feels left out at food-filled events. Anyone with allergies or sensitivities to certain foods also has to be careful. This time of year seems to be filled with all of the top allergens: wheat, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and soy.