Low Calorie Plant-Based Diet Plan

First of all lets clarify what we mean by a plant-based diet, as the term can be, and is, interpreted in different ways.

For some people, plant-based means 100% vegan, for others some form of vegetarianism that includes eggs and/or dairy, and others, including health professionals who are trying to get us to eat more healthily, it means basing our diet around whole, plant-based foods, with limited amounts of food from animal sources. This is sometimes known as a Whole Foods Plant Based (WFPB) way of eating.

This wlr diet plan takes a broadly WFPB approach and is designed to be low in calories for people who want to lose weight.

Whole Food

The plan includes mostly whole foods, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds etc, with very limited amounts of processed food.

Plant Based

Though the diet contains mainly plant-based foods it includes eggs and dairy but is meat free. This means the plan will be suitable for most vegetarians. Many, but not all, dishes are also ok for vegans – these are highlighted where applicable.

Low calorie

The three main meals each day add up to around 1,050 calories, plus you’ll need to allow for drinks, especially milk or milk substitutes, and snacks. Suggestions and calorie counts for both are given after the main meal plan. So this plan will suit anyone aiming at a calorie intake of around 1200 to 1500 a day.

If you want or need your daily calories to be more than this amount we suggest upping the serving sizes given for main meals rather than going too far with between meal snacks.

How much weight can I lose with this plan?

This depends on how much of a calorie deficit you create, that is, how many fewer calories than you need to maintain your current weight. You can find more about how many calories you need to lose weight here, but most women will lose around 2lbs a week at 1100-1200 calories, men will lose a similar amount at 1500-1600 calories.

~ Day 1 ~

Total Calories: 1,028 Protein: 55.9g

Breakfast: Beans and mushrooms on toast (vegan) - 315 calories

Toast 2 slices of wholemeal bread. Chop 80g mushrooms and slice 1 tomato. Heat half a can of beans and dry-fry the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms on the toast, drizzle the beans on top and finish with the tomato.

Lunch: Minestrone soup Serves 2 - 334 calories

Peel and chop 1 carrot and 1 celery stick. Chop 50g green beans and half a red pepper. Dice 1 small onion and finely chop 2 garlic cloves. Make up 500ml vegetable stock. Heat 2tsp olive oil and add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, and cook for 5 mins. Stir in 1tsp tomato purée, 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1⁄4tsp oregano, 1⁄4tsp dried basil and the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 mins. Add the green beans, red pepper, and 300g cannellini beans, and cook for another 10 mins. Add 50g frozen peas at the last min. Season and serve sprinkled with 2tbsp grated Parmesan.

Dinner: Creamy mushroom carbonara - 379 calories

Cook 70g spaghetti until al dente. Peel and chop 1 garlic clove and quarter 80g mushrooms. Finely chop 1tbsp parsley. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic in 10 pumps of spray oil. Stir in the chopped parsley, then remove from heat. Whisk 1 egg and 1tbsp single cream with a little pepper. Drain the spaghetti and add the mushrooms. Stir to mix. Pour on the egg mixture while stirring, and keep stirring until everything is coated and creamy.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	315	17.3
Lunch	334	20.6
Dinner	379	18.0

~ Day 2 ~

Total Calories: 1,061 Protein: 53.7g

Breakfast: Peanut butter on toast (vegan)

Toast two slices of wholemeal bread and spread with 2 tsp peanut butter.

Lunch: Tomato & pepper herby omelette plus banana and coconut yoghurt

Finely slice half a red pepper and whisk 2 eggs with 50ml semi-skimmed milk and a pinch of black pepper. Fry the eggs and red peppers in 10 pumps of spray oil. Finely slice 1 tomato and add to the pan. When the omelette is set on the bottom, add 1tsp chopped parsley and sprinkle on 1⁄4tsp paprika. Cook until set. Serve with 50g baby leaf salad drizzled with 1tsp low-fat salad dressing. Plus 100g coconut yoghurt alternative and 1 small banana.

Dinner: Rustic baked ratatouille (vegan). Serves 2

Slice 1 green courgette, 1 yellow squash/ courgette (or another green one), 2 red Romano peppers and 1 aubergine into equal slices. Finely chop 3 garlic cloves and 1 red chilli. Pour 1 can chopped tomatoes into an ovenproof dish. Arrange the veg in the dish, alternating between them. Sprinkle the chilli and garlic between occasional slices. Spray with 20 pumps of spray oil and bake at 190°C/ gas 5 for 40 mins. Prepare 100g (dry) couscous and serve with the ratatouille.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	310	13.9
Lunch	387	22.5
Dinner	364	17.3

~ Day 3 ~

Total Calories: 1,053 Protein: 45.6g

Breakfast: Mushrooms on toast (vegan)

Toast two slices of wholemeal bread. Fry 50g chopped mushrooms in 10 pumps of spray oil with 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped. Add in 1tbsp chopped parsley and serve on top of the toast.

Lunch: Avocado nacho wrap (vegan)

Chop 1 tomato, the flesh of quater an avocado, half a chilli and 5g fresh coriander, and mix in a bowl with 2 tbsp edamame beans. Spoon into the centre of a wholemeal tortilla with 40g mixed leaves, 25g tortilla chips and 1tbsp sweetcorn relish. Wrap and enjoy.

Dinner: Easy veggie paella (vegan). Serves 2

Chop 1 onion, peel and crush 3 garlic cloves and slice 1 red and 1 green pepper. Chop 1 courgette and 100g green beans into chunks. Heat 10 pumps of spray oil in a large frying pan and brown ½ pack cubed tofu for a couple of minutes on both sides, put to one side to reserve. Add the onions and garlic to the hot pan, cooking until soft. Pop the chopped vegetables in and cook for 1 min. Add ¼tsp turmeric and a pinch of salt and pepper. Make up 2 vegetable stock cubes with a pint of water. Add 120g paella rice to the pan and cover with the stock. Leave to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed. If the rice isn’t cooked, add a little more stock and leave to absorb until it is. Add the tofu, season and serve immediately.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	203	9.3
Lunch	582.1	13.5
Dinner	471	22.8

~ Day 4 ~

Total Calories: 1,065 Protein: 56.7g

Breakfast: Smoothie bowl (vegan). Serves 2

Blend 1 banana, the flesh of half an avocado, 30g baby spinach, 40g blueberries and 160ml almond milk. Pour into 2 bowls and top with 30g porridge oats, 80g frozen raspberries and 40g frozen blueberries.

Lunch: Cottage cheese and avocado on rye bread with a fruit salad

Spread 80g plain cottage cheese on 2 slices rye bread. Slice half an avocado, place on top and serve. Enjoy with a fresh fruit salad made from 100g of your favourite fruit.

Dinner: Eggs Florentine

Poach 2 eggs and briefly steam 100g spinach for 20 secs to soften it. Place steamed spinach on top of 2 slices granary bread, pop the poached eggs on top and add 40g reduced-fat grated cheese. Grill to melt the cheese.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	282	5.2
Lunch	321	15.4
Dinner	462	36.2

~ Day 5 ~

Total Calories: 1,084 Protein: 53.4g

Breakfast: Fruit smoothie

Blend 1 small banana, 80g frozen summer berries, 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and 75ml semi-skimmed milk, until smooth.

Lunch: Creamy crispbreads and almonds

Spread 100g cottage cheese on 4 crispbreads. Slice 1 small nectarine and place on top. Enjoy with 10 almonds.

Dinner: Shakshuka. Serves 2

Finely chop 1 onion, 1 small chilli and crush 2 garlic cloves. Roughly chop 10 basil leaves. Heat 10 pumps of spray oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, garlic and chilli until soft. Add in 1tsp paprika, 1tsp cumin and season to taste. Stir in a can of chopped tomatoes and drained chickpeas, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. If the tomatoes are a little bitter after 5 mins of cooking, add a little sugar and simmer for another 5 mins. Make 2 dips in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Cover the pan and cook on low heat until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Season and serve with 2 mini pitta breads per person.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	249	6.1
Lunch	324	20.0
Dinner	510	27.2

~ Day 6 ~

Total Calories: 934 Protein: 52.3g

Breakfast: Muesli with yoghurt and peaches

Top 45g no added sugar muesli with 1 small pot of natural low-fat yoghurt and 1 sliced peach.

Lunch: Herby tomato and cheese bagel

Slice and toast 1 sesame bagel. Chop 3 cherry tomatoes in half. Top the bagel halves with 20g reduced-fat cream cheese, the halved cherry tomatoes, 1tsp chopped chives, 1tsp chopped parsley and a pinch of pepper.

Dinner: Cannellini bean stew (vegan). Serves 2

Peel and finely dice 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves and 1 carrot. Spray a large saucepan with 10 pumps of spray oil and cook the onion and carrot until they soften. Add the garlic and cook for a few more mins. Add 1 can chopped tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, 1tsp paprika, 1⁄2tsp cumin and 500ml vegetable stock. Mix thoroughly and add 2 cans of drained cannellini beans. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Season and serve with 2 slices of wholemeal bread.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	274	12.2
Lunch	246	11.2
Dinner	414	28.9

~ Day 7 ~

Total Calories: 1,028 Protein: 46.2g

Breakfast: Mango chia pot (vegan)

Chop the flesh of half a mango into small pieces and put half into a jar or dessert pot. Top with 20g chia seeds, 100g coconut milk and 100g coconut yoghurt and mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the mango and drizzle with maple syrup. Leave it in the fridge to set overnight, then serve scattered with 1tbsp sunflower seeds.

Lunch: Baked avocado egg cup

Scoop out the stone of half an avocado (and a little flesh if needed). Crack 1 egg into the hole and season. Bake in the oven (preheated 220°C/gas 8) until cooked through. Finely slice half a spring onion, sprinkle on the top with a small pinch of chilli flakes and 10g alfalfa sprouts, and serve.

Dinner: Veggie fajitas

Slice 1 courgette, ½ small red onion,  quarter a green and quarter a red pepper, and fry in 1tsp of sunflower oil with 80g black beans. Add in 1tsp Cajun seasoning and stir so all of the vegetables are coated. Spoon the cooked vegetables into the centre of 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap, top with 30g reduced-fat cheese and a tablespoon of salsa, and serve with 100g mixed leaf salad, drizzled with 1tbsp of fat-free dressing.

Calories and Protein Information for the day

	Calories (kcal)	Protein (g)
Breakfast	389	12.4
Lunch	213	8.5
Dinner	427	25.3

Milk and Milk Substitutes

Calcium, along with certain B vitamins and vitamin D, are important nutrients that can be harder to get from a plant-based diet. So try to include at least ½ pint (275ml) of milk or fortified milk substitutes each day. The following are all good choices:

Nutritional Information per ½ Pint / 275ml

Type	Calories	Calcium (mg)	Vitamins
Semi-skimmed milk	123	335	B12, B2, B5
Alpro Soya Original	121	330	D, E, B2, B12
Oatley Drink Semi	126	330	D, B2, B12
Alpro Almond*	36	330	D, E, B2, B12
Koko Coconut	77	330	D, B12

Healthy Snack Ideas

No bake Energy Balls – these are a great sweet snack, easy to make, gluten free and can be kept in the freezer - here’s the recipe

Nuts and Olives–make a satisfying snack. Have 20g of your favourite nuts along with 10 (approx 30g) of your favourite olives.

Spiced Pear Crisps – we came across this simple but lovely looking snack idea on the Tesco site – here’s the recipe

Graze Veggie Protein Power – a good convenience snack to pop in your bag, available from most supermarkets.

Banana toast – toast a slice of wholemeal bread and top with a small, lightly mashed banana.

Kallo Protein Packed Lentil Cakes – these are good with a savoury dip or spread. Try with a little low fat cream cheese,houmous or tzatziki.

Rude Health Spelt Oaty– these have a deep nutty flavour from the spelt and are good on their own or with a topping. (We liked the sliced tomato and pesto suggestion on the Rude Health website.)

A portion of fruit – whole fruits are the perfect healthy, low calorie pre-packed snacks, apples, pears, peaches, plums, oranges, bananas etc are easy to stick in your bag or keep in your desk drawer. For more ideas see our fruit calorie counter

Plan Information

This plan has been compiled from a plant-based plan wlr produced for Bella Magazine. You can get the full plan in wlr, free trial available, simply go to 'diet plans' once you're logged in.