Beginner Athlete/Vegan

Hi everyone!

I'm starting an intense workout program and I'm jumping on the vegan wagon, again. I've been vegan before, but now I want to follow the Thrive diet. I've read the Thrive: Vegan Nutrition Guide, but the problem is that many of its recipes are a bit too time-consuming for me, and it's out of my budget. So, I'm thinking of just getting a few things off the recommended shopping list that will allow me to make a variety of different meals a day. Now, I have a lot of belly fat, so I want to replace my fat with muscle. Therefore, I'm focusing on a high-protein, low-carb Thrive diet. I'm going to be using his Whole Food Optimizer, Vega Sport Performance Protein, and Vega Sport Performance Optimizer. My diet will consist of mostly vegetables and fruits. So, my questions are as follows:

1. Between the Vega Sport Performance Protein and the Vega Sport Performance Optimizer, which should I take before and/or after my workout?

2. Which foods/ingredients does anyone recommend I buy that are versatile and provide a lot of protein? I'm already going to buy legumes and nuts, but any other tips would be awesome.

Any feedback would be awesome and immensely appreciated!

Thanks,

Fernando