How to Follow a Vegan Diet Plan Without Feeling Deprived

It can be easy to fall into a rut of relying on broccoli and carrots, but bringing new veggies into your cooking routine will keep things interesting. Hit up your local farmers' market to seek out something you haven't tried and ask the farmer his favorite way to prepare it.

That's right. Newbie vegans can see breakfast as a major hurdle, giving up staples like scrambled eggs, yogurt, and bacon. To change up your morning meal, Mark Bittman, New York Times food columnist and author of the VB6 Cookbook, reaches for sweet potatoes. "Tell me why sweet potatoes haven't become popular for breakfast, really the most dessertlike meal of the day," he writes. He nukes them in the microwave until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, then slits open and tops with warm maple syrup tossed with some chopped walnuts.

Aside from being one of the most virtuous fruits on the planet, avocados offer a satiating combo of fiber and protein, so you'll feel fuller longer. Dice them, add to a bowl, and start experimenting with different ingredients — scallions, sesame seeds, sriracha, lime or lemon juice, radish and red onion — to come up with a delicious topping for toast or a side salad.

When cheese is there to deliver depth to a recipe (and not an ooey-gooey texture), swap in nuts. One sauce this works well with is pesto — and no, Parmesan is not necessary! Vegan blogger Aine Carlin, author of the forthcoming Keep It Vegan, uses a delicious mix of 3/4 cup pistachios and 1/2 cup walnuts to make up for the cheese. Nuts also work well in place of cheese when garnishing a salad, pasta, or stir-fry. Quick tip: Toast them for more flavor by placing them in a dry skillet over low heat until golden.

We promise it'll taste better than the store-bought kind (and it'll only take you 20 minutes). Follow Bittman's easy recipe: Put 1 cup nuts in a blender with 2 cups boiling water. Pulse on and off (to prevent the hot water from spurting), then hold the top tightly and blend 15 seconds. Let steep 15 minutes, then strain (preferably through a cheesecloth), squeezing out as much as milk as possible. Store in a jar in the refrigerator up to one week.

Day after day, veggie-centric dishes can start to feel blah. The key is to change how they're seasoned and dressed. Katie Parker, author of the new The High-Protein Vegetarian Cookbook, keeps things interesting with a sweet-salty sauce: Whisk together 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce; 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter; 1 tablespoon each brown sugar, honey, and tomato paste; 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; and a pinch crushed red pepper flakes.

Broiling is an overlooked method for prepping food, especially tofu, but it will take on a nice roasted flavor and texture in less time than traditional roasting. Slice a block of firm tofu (silken won't hold up with the heat) crosswise about an inch thick and broil until golden.

Coconut milk adds texture to stir-fries and soups, but you can also use it in dairy-free whipped cream. Refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. (Make sure it's a brand without guar gum). Open the can and spoon out only the thick layer of coconut cream on top (not the liquid). Place the cream in the bowl of stand mixer and beat away. Stir in a dash of vanilla extract and a sprinkling of salt.