Boy, I’m slow at getting these out! I’m writing this as I’m nearly finished with my vegan Whole 30. If you’d like to know what changed in week 2, whether my mood improved after a rocky start in week 1, and what I ate, read on.
If you’re wondering why I’m doing the Whole 30, or you’re curious about trying a vegan version yourself, check my earlier post thinking about doing a vegan Whole 30 for background and tips.
(If you’re joining now, you can find my weekly reports, menus and final results in my whole 30 section.)
What I learned during Week 2
This week I began to feel better in almost every way. Cravings dropped noticeably and the food I prepared started to look and taste more appealing. I kept planning to eat more savory Whole 30 breakfasts, but fruit is fast and convenient, and cooking a separate breakfast every day would push me over the edge.
I comfort myself with the thought that after 30 days of a diet limited to vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, it’s reasonable for me to include a little more fruit than a standard Whole 30 might recommend. I barely ate fruit before this, so my new fruity habits feel like a healthy shift.
What I ate during my second week of a vegan Whole 30
I was better prepared this week, and it made a big difference. Planning meals and stocking the right ingredients really reduces the stress of deciding what to cook. I still cooked a fair bit, but having a plan made me calmer and more organized.
I keep an emergency Whole 30 meal on hand: frozen vegetables pan-fried or microwaved with cashew cheese or a tahini-lemon sauce. I also carry a small pack of olives to fend off snack attacks.
When I was low on fruit, I had smoothies for breakfast—bananas are a texture thing for me, and blending is the only way I’ll eat them. Smoothies are discouraged by Whole 30 purists, but they aren’t strictly forbidden and they work for my needs right now.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Monday | Chopped pineapple, melon, 12 almonds | Vegetable stir fry with cauliflower rice | Raw rainbow pad thai (adapted) |
| Tuesday | Chopped pineapple, melon, 12 almonds, a handful of green olives | Vegetable stir fry with cauliflower rice | Peri peri veg with potato wedges and pineapple |
| Wednesday | Spinach coconut banana smoothie, pineapple and almonds | Leftover vegetables with peri peri sauce | Cream of mushroom soup with spinach and strawberry salad |
| Thursday | Pineapple and melon with chia seeds, chopped nuts and coconut milk | Leftover soup and salad | Lazy meal: nuts, asparagus and Brussels sprouts with cashew cheese sauce |
| Friday | Banana strawberry smoothie | Leftover veg with cashew “cheese” | Moroccan-style cauliflower couscous |
| Saturday | Banana smoothie | No-pasta-no-beans minestrone | No-pasta-no-beans minestrone |
| Sunday | Banana coconut chia pudding | Leftover Moroccan couscous, potato salad, melon | Meatless, beanless chili and cauliflower mash |
24/06/2019 Day 8
I felt good but a bit tired because I stayed up too late. Breakfast of fruit and nuts tasted great but didn’t keep me full until lunch, so I need to add more healthy fats in the morning. Sparkling water is becoming my go-to for that chilled, satisfying fizzy hit.
Lunch was stir-fry with cauliflower rice—tasty and filling. Dinner was chaotic because I was prepping my stepson’s birthday cake and an adapted rainbow pad thai for the family. I had to be extra careful not to taste anything off others’ plates; I even accidentally licked a drop of soy sauce and had to run to rinse my tongue. Ridiculous, but manageable.
25/06/2019 Day 9
Sleep came slowly but once I fell asleep it was deep. I’m noticing how little sleep I’ve been getting and plan to aim for at least seven hours. One odd side effect: my urine was quite yellow most of the day despite drinking a lot of water—possibly my body excreting metabolites as I adjust to the diet.
More stir-fry for lunch. Coworkers who had tolerated my moaning in week one now commented that I looked healthier—three people said I looked well. Dinner was the big birthday meal: I ate oven-baked potato wedges, sautéed courgette, peppers and onions with peri peri sauce, and pineapple. The surprising part was that I didn’t want any of the other food on the table—no cake, no cravings, no sense of missing out. That felt empowering.
26/06/2019 Day 10
Breakfast was a spinach-coconut-banana smoothie with pineapple and almonds, but I was hungry early again. I’m leaning toward a savory breakfast so fruit can be dessert rather than my main morning fuel. Lunch was leftover veg with peri peri sauce. I’m finding myself more eager to do physical activities like kayaking and hiking—who am I?
I snacked on pickled jalapeño slices and sparkling water when bored; they’re a favorite and help distract me. Dinner was cream of mushroom soup with a spinach and strawberry salad—simple and satisfying. I’ve more or less given up trying to force the Whole 30 meal template; it doesn’t fit my vegan approach, and that’s okay.
27/06/2019 Day 11
Despite deep sleep I woke tired—bedtime has been late again. I’ve noticed my sleep paralysis episodes have disappeared since starting Whole 30, which is a pleasant surprise. Breakfast: pineapple and melon with chia seeds, nuts and a little coconut milk. My skin is looking clearer and more luminous, with fewer breakouts and a slightly slimmer face and flatter stomach.
Midday cravings hit hard—everything looked tempting, especially a gin and tonic. I managed by sipping sparkling water, nibbling jalapeños, and practicing deep breathing. It was sweltering in Madrid, so dinner ended up being a simple plate of nuts, pan-fried frozen Brussels sprouts with spices and a thin cashew cheese, plus asparagus. I couldn’t finish it all and saved the rest for the next day.
28/06/2019 Day 12
Another solid sleep. For breakfast I blended banana with light coconut cream and chia seeds, topped with hazelnuts, desiccated coconut and frozen strawberries. I read that Whole30 recommends eating within an hour of waking; I usually wait a bit and have breakfast at work around 9am, which may be fine for me given Spanish late dinners.
I added frozen blueberries to my water to keep it cool and get extra fruit. Lunch was leftover Brussels sprouts with a drizzle of cashew cheese and peri peri sauce. Dinner: Moroccan-style cauliflower couscous. It turned out a little watery, so next time I’ll squeeze excess moisture from the cauliflower.
29/06/2019 Day 13
I took it easier with cooking today while preparing for a picnic and planning groceries. My husband and I split the weekly shopping across two days because fresh produce takes up a lot of space, though in practice we still bought most things at once. I prepared a tentative menu for the next half-week to keep things simple.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| Saturday | Smoothie | Minestrone | Chili |
| Sunday | Banana chia pudding with fruit and nuts | Potato salad, fruit | Peri peri veg and cauliflower rice |
| Monday | Banana chia pudding with fruit and nuts | Leftover peri peri veg | Stir-fried veg |
| Tuesday | Banana chia pudding with fruit and nuts | Stir-fried veg | Coleslaw & tabbouleh |
Lunch was minestrone with a portion set aside for me without beans and pasta, and we saved enough for dinner because it was too hot to cook more that day.
30/06/2019 Day 14
I woke with a minor skin breakout after a very active day. Breakfast was banana-coconut chia pudding, then we drove to a beautiful reservoir and spent the day swimming, kayaking and picnicking. I brought leftover Moroccan cauliflower couscous, potato salad made with Whole30-compliant avocado mayo, and melon. The potato salad was a hit and I’ll publish that recipe after a few tweaks.
Smelling paninis in the morning triggered serious cravings; the scent of bread is a powerful cue even if I don’t actually want plain bread. For dinner I made a meatless chili adapted from my vegan chili recipe—no chocolate, beer, beans, or sweetcorn—and served it with mashed cauliflower, avocado and spring onions. Very filling and satisfying.
Week two done and dusted!
- Easy Garlic Labneh
- Easy Spicy Miso Sauce
- Quick Ensalada Mixta (Spanish Mixed Salad)
- Easy Garlic Salad (Toasted Garlic Dressing)
- Easy Frozen Vegetable Soup (No Tomatoes, Vegan)