The 22-day Vegan challenge: The women that proved a plant-based diet REALLY works!

If I've got a bit of time on a morning I like to make a smoothie bowl – filling and packed with nutrients, this sets me up for the day and keeps me full until lunch time. The best thing about smoothie bowls is that you can use up pretty much any fruits you have lying around and it's guaranteed to taste amazing, they're particularly good just before you do the weekly shop to use up any ripe bananas.Smoothie base (serves two):2 ripe bananas – fresh or frozen (if you're going to freeze them, make sure you peel and chop them first!)2 – 3 large handfuls spinach
2 handfuls of frozen fruits – I like to use tropical fruits like pineapple and mango1 small handful kaleA big glug of your favourite non-dairy milk, my favourite is coconutPop all of the ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth. Add more milk until you reach your desired consistency.Top with whatever you like – I like to add strawberries, frozen blueberries and almonds or cashews for a bit of crunch.(Image: Pinterest)

In the winter I tend to reach for soups at lunch, but when the weather heats up a salad is great quick and healthy option which can be eaten al-desko.Salad1 handful lettuce leaves – my favourite is Romaine1 handful spinach1 large carrot, chopped into sticks1/3 cucumber, sliced2 small sweetbite peppers, choppedFew sprigs of your favourite herbs, I like to use coriander, chives and basilSalad toppingsSprinkle of seeds – to add crunch without all the calories of croutons. My seeds of choice are pumpkin, pine nut, hemp or sesame.Balsamic dressing – a great vegan option if you have to have a dressing.I always add hummus to my salads – it's my one weakness! I usually go for store bought, but if I've got time I'll whizz up my own on the weekends can chickpeas, drained and dried1 tbsp tahini or cashew butter1 clove garlic, gratedSqueeze fresh lemon juiceBlitz it all up in a food processor and allow to cool before serving. I like to add sundried tomatoes or red pepper from time to time to add a little extra excitement to my salads.Easy Quinoa Falafel (makes 10)3/4 cup cooked quinoa1 can chickpeas, drained1 white onion, chopped2 cloves garlic1 tsp coriander1 tsp cumin1 tsp garlic granules1 tsp salt1 tbsp chickpea flour (AKA Gram flour – you can find this in the world foods aisle of your local supermarket)Add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until combined. With wet hands, form the mixture into 10 balls – this is great as you can make them on a weekend and keep them in the fridge to use throughout the week.Fry the falafel in a small amount of oil until brown all over – coconut oil is my favourite. Serve warm or cold, however you like.(Image: Pinterest)

Baked potatoes were a staple of my student days – piled high with baked beans and cheese. Now I'm partial to a more refined take on my old favourite comfort food. Sweet potatoes are packed full of vitamin A and lower in both calories and carbohydrates than the traditional potato, plus they're totally delish. This might look like a lot of work but it's actually really simple and the time spent over a hot stove is minimal, this is my go-to meal if I'm running late home from work, I just pop the potato in the oven whilst I get in a quick workout and there's not much left to do when my legs are feeling like jelly!Potatoes (serves 2)2 baked potatoes, around the same size as your clenched fistCoconut oil, warmed to meltingSaltToppings¼ cup sweetcorn
6 – 8 chestnut mushrooms, sliced¼ cup kidney beans, chickpeas work well here too4 – 6 stalks of tender stem broccoli2 tsp cuminGarlicky avocado sauce1 very ripe avocado1 clove garlic½ cup fresh coriander2 tsp cuminJuice of ½ limePre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 200 degrees C. Thoroughly scrub the potatoes, pop them on a baking tray and drizzle a tablespoon of melted coconut oil over each one. Sprinkle generously with sea salt to help the skin crisp. Pop in the oven for around an hour.After around 30 – 40 minutes, turn the potatoes and add the sliced mushrooms to the baking tray. Spread them around the tray so they brown. Add the tender stem to a dry griddle pan and griddle over a low heat for around 20 minutes. You can also boil the broccoli but this way it retains more of those nutrients and its yummy crunch.Next make the sauce. Add the avocado, garlic, coriander, cumin and lime to a food processor and blitz. Add small amounts of water to achieve desired consistency, and add salt and pepper to taste.Add the corn, kidney beans or chickpeas, cooked mushrooms, broccoli and cumin to a pan and warm through. Slice the cooked sweet potato down the centre, load it up with your toppings and finish with a drizzle of the avocado sauce.(Image: Pinterest)

My go-to snacks are usually store bought – I love Kallo Buckwheat Super-Seed cakes with a tablespoon of Meridian cashew butter and a sliced banana – this doubles up as my default breakfast when I don't have time for a smoothie bowl.If I'm craving something sweet, a Pink Lady apple, sliced and smothered in Meridian crunchy peanut butter will usually do the trick.If I know I've got a tough workout coming up, I reach for a homemade protein ball. These are super simple and delicious and are great for when you're on the go.Protein balls (makes approx. 14)1 cup dates1 cup dried cranberries½ cup pecans½ cup cashews1 tbsp hemp seeds (plus more to coat)1 tbsp chia seeds (plus more to coat)1 tbsp maple syrupSesame seeds, to coatPlace all ingredients apart from sesame seeds in a food processor and mix until chopped and combined. Shape small amounts of the mixture into balls, they want to be slightly smaller than a golf ball. Roll the balls in a mixture of hemp, chia and sesame seeds until covered. Pop on a plate in the fridge for an hour until set.Once set, you can wrap the balls individually in foil and pop them back into the fridge until you're ready to eat them.

Equipment: A food processorIngredients: Frozen chopped and peeled bananasSimply peel, chop and freeze bananas overnight and then blend them in a food processor the following morning. Any other frozen fruit can be added such as frozen cherries, strawberries, blueberries or mango. Optionally, this can be eaten with oats to stay fuller for longer and date syrup or agave nectar can be added on top if you are in the mood for something extra sweet.

Equipment: A frying pan, Bowl to mix, Food ProcessorIngredients - Flour (plain and wholemeal), Mixed herbs of your choicePESTO - 1/2 Avocado, Large handful of spinach, 1/4 Green Pepper, 1/4 OnionTOPPINGS - 1/2 Red pepper, 1 Tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoesLately I've been getting into making my own pesto and what better way to eat it than to have it on a pizza!So first you have to make the base. The myth will have us believe that making a pizza base is complicated and many ingredients are required. Well fortunately I know that this isn't true because I have discovered a way of making them with two (YES TWO) ingredients that you are sure to have in your cupboards. The ingredients are... wait for it... flour and water. Aaand additional herbs of your choice if you're feeling adventurous.For the base you can use a mix of plain flour and wholemeal flour for best results. Put the ingredients in a container and mix together with your hands. Use as much water as you need until the mixture becomes a dough-like consistency. The dough will need to be dry as you will be dry cooking (no oil) in a pan and you don't want the dough to stick. Roll the dough into a ball then flatten with your hands or a rolling pin until the dough becomes a flat circle. Now you can dry cook it in your pan making sure you flip it often so that it doesn't burn. Continue this until the dough is cooked though the middle.For the pesto blend 1/2 avocado, large handful of spinach, 1/4 green Pepper and 1/4 Onion in a food processor until consistency is smooth. Spread onto the pizza base.Chop the 1/2 red pepper and 1 Tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes and decorate your pizza!

Equipment: Food Processor, PotIngredients: Can of Chickpeas, Curry Powder, 1 Large PotatoThis soup is super simple, quick and wholesome. Boil 1 large potato until completely cooked. Use food processor to blend together the cooked potato, curry powder and the can of chickpeas. Done!Can be heated in a pot after blended if you prefer and extra herbs such as basil and coriander can be added while boiling. Serve into a large bowl and enjoy.