Ideas for easy to prepare, none expensive, hearty vegan meals?!
but i need some ideas for some healthy tastey filling evening meal ideas, through the day i mainly eat vegan anyway
Answers: i've been an unhealthy veggy for years, so now i've desided to cut out the crap, but on the cheap, as dairy substitues are abit too expensive for my current budget.
but i need some ideas for some healthy tastey filling evening meal ideas, through the day i mainly eat vegan anyway
Nutburgers
An all-time favorite meatless burger. The nutburger is tasty, satisfying and filling, without leaving you with the heavy feeling after eating a beef burger. And it's healthier too!
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 eggs
1 cup toasted wheat germ or cooked rice
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, minced
1 onion, minced
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1 green or red pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp basil
2 tsp curry powder
Mix all together in a big bowl, drop batter into patties in hot olive oil in skillet. Use just enough oil to cover the pan bottom. Cook until golden brown. Serve on a bun just like a hamburger, with red onion slice, lettece tomato slice......the works!
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Irish Colcannon
1 bag frozen hash browns with peppers............ Nutmeg
1 medium onion ........................................... eggs
1 C milk ........................................... C. Shredded cheddar
1 large bunch of fresh kale
In a 9x13 pan, spray with a vegetable cooking spray. Set oven to 375°.
Clean kale, and remove stems. Chop onion, fry in small amount olive oil until brown. Add kale & stir until kale is slightly cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste, and 1 tsp nutmeg.
Remove from heat. Spread frozen Hash browns in bottom of sprayed casserole. Add milk. Top with kale and onion mixture. Make 6 'wells'. Break an egg into each well. Top casserole with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake until eggs are set. Time varies by oven, usually 35-40 minutes.
Thank you Kathy McD for this recipe.
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Tofu Tamale Pie
Freezing, thawing and squeezing tofu makes it more chewy and meat-like in texture, and also makes it absorb more of the juices in the dish. Some tofu brands lends themselves to this process better than others, but since not all tofu brands are available everywhere, one has to figure this out by trial and error. Denver brand tofu works well with this method, Melissa's brand not so much. White Wave extra firm tofu has a good, meaty texture - just dice it and toss it in.
1 lb tofu (firm or extra-firm): freeze, thaw, squeeze out and cut or tear into bite-size pieces.
Saute together until soft:
1 TBSP olive oil (extra virgin cold-pressed)
1 large onion, chopped; 1 large bell pepper, chopped;1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
When these are almost soft, stir in the prepared tofu in bite-size pieces and:
1 (15-oz) can tomatoes, chopped; 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
2 TBSP chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup (1/2 can) black olives, sliced; 1 (10-oz) package frozen cut corn; 1 (6-oz) can green chilis
Pour into a 9"X13" oiled baking dish. Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare cornbread topping, below.
Cornbread Topping:
Mix together in a bowl:
1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Stir together and pour into the dry ingredients:
1 cup soymilk, 2 TBSP oil, 1 TBSP honey or sweetener of your choice
Pour this over the filling in baking pan and bake about 45 minutes, or until cornbread is browned.
From "Tofu Cookery" by Louise Hagler. Thank you Laurie for this recipe!
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Tofu Loaf
This tofu loaf is an excellent meatloaf substitute, and is also good sliced and fried for sandwiches the next day.
Preheat oven to 350o F, and mix together the following ingredients:
1 lb tofu, mashed
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
or 1 TBSP onion powder 2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP nutritional yeast (optional)
1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
Oil a loaf pan with 2 TBSP oil. Press the tofu mixture into the oiled loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Garnish with catsup and parsley. Sprinkle generously with paprika on the top of the loaf before putting it in the oven.
From: Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler
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Grilled Polenta with Portabello Mushrooms
Portabello mushrooms are a great meat substitute. The portabella mushrooms in this recipe give the meal a hearty taste one associates with meat-based meals.
1/2 cup polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal)
1 15-ounce can vegetable broth or 2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
4 large portabella mushrooms
1 TBSP olive oil 2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP red wine
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 roasted red pepper, cut into thin strips for garnish
Combine the polenta, vegetable broth, and 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until very thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish and chill completely (at least 2 hours). To grill, cut into wedges, brush or spray lightly with olive oil, and cook over medium-hot coals until nicely browned.
Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Prepare the marinade by stirring the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Place the mushrooms upside down in the marinade and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Turn right side up and grill over medium-hot coals about 5 minutes. Turn and pour some of the marinade into each of the cavities. Grill until mushrooms can be pierced with a skewer, about 5 minutes longer. Serve with grilled polenta. Garnish with roasted red pepper strips, if desired.
Note: Many other vegetables are delicious grilled as well. Grilled zucchini, eggplant, sweet potatoes, peppers, or asparagus would make great accompaniments.
From newcentury.vegsource.com/. (Thanks Laurie for the suggestion!)
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Vegetable Fajitas
This is a favorite - quick, easy and satisfying.
1 onion
1 each: red, green, yellow bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces mushrooms
several broccoli crowns, cut small
6 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP chili powder 3 TBSP lime juice
fajita seasoning
lemon pepper
guacamole (recipe below)
vegan sour cream (recipe below)
flour tortillas
Slice onion and peppers into strips. Remove mushroom stems and slice the mushrooms thickly. Combine in a bowl, add the crushed garlic and mix slightly.
In a seperate bowl, mix the oil, chili powder, lime juice, fajita seasoning and lemon pepper and pour over the vegetable mixture. Stir well and set aside for an hour or more.
After the vegetables have marinated, heat a frying pan or wok until very hot. Add the marinated vegetables and stir-fry over high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the mushrooms and peppers are just tender. Spoon the filling onto each tortilla, garnish with guacamole, sour cream (and if desired, picante sauce or salsa) and roll up. Makes wonderful leftovers (if there are any!)
From "Vegetarian: The Greatest Ever Vegetarian Cookbook" Edited by Nicola Graimes
Easy Guacamole
5 - 6 avocados
2/3 of a jar of organic salsa
fresh cilantro (about half of a batch)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
fairly generous dash of cayenne
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend till fairly smooth. Season to taste.
Refrigerate in airtight container.
Thank you Laurie for this recipe!
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Penne alla Cecca
This recipe is very easy, and fast to make. It's a great meal for summer, too -- not heavy or hot, but filling and refreshing! Great with tossed salads and bruschetta or garlic bread...
Drop 5 large tomatoes* into boiling water for 1 full minute. Peel, seed and chop (or use 1 28-ounce can organic diced tomatoes.) Put tomatoes into large bowl with:
1/2 cup olive oil
one garlic clove sliced in half
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tsp (or to taste) - hot red pepper flakes
Let sit for a couple of hours, then remove the garlic. Boil one pound of the pasta of your choice, drain and toss with the cold tomato mixture. Serve immediately.
Note: This recipe can be doubled, because the leftovers are so good! You can make it easier to fish the garlic halves out later by sticking a toothpick through them before adding them to the mixture.
Adapted from the Linguini alla Cecca recipe in the book "Heartburn" by Nora Ephron. Thank you Laurie for this recipe!
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Hearty Bean and Pasta Stew
1 c. onions, chopped
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
16 oz can diced tomatoes
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed 4 oz. shell macaroni
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper
3 oz. salsa (or more to taste)
3 c. water
Saute the onions and green pepper in olive oil. Add tomatoes, water and beans and bring to a boil. Add pasta, oregano, basil and pepper and cook 10 mins. Add salsa and heat until it’s warm.
vegan sausages , their deliscous with no trace of meat or animal products but has a texture that is so much better than any ive tasted before but thats from a farmers market
When I was vegan... My favorite site for vegan inspiration was
http://www.veganmeat.com/
Nutritional Yeast is your best friend - better than Dairy subs, imho.
Click onto Veg stews -casseroles.There are lots of other things
to.You can make one and leave it for next day and add spices
to change it.My casseroles usually last for 4 days.
Hearty Garbanzo Stew
Ingredients:
1 small pie pumpkin, kabocha, or Red Kuri squash (about 2 pounds), unpeeled, coarsely chopped, seeded
1 15 ounce can or 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas)
2 medium Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold potatoes, skins-on, cubed in ?" dice
1 cup corn kernels, fresh from the cob or frozen
6 cups vegetable stock, broth, or water
1 cup fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 large stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon tamari, shoyu, or Bragg aminos
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare a rice steamer or put 1 inch of water in a large saucepan with a steamer basket, fitted with lid, and bring to a gentle boil. Put the pumpkin or squash in the basket, cover, and steam until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Cool and pare off the peel.
In a mixture of tamari and olive oil, sauté celery and onion until transparent.
Combine the rest of the stew ingredients, except cilantro, in a large stockpot or crockpot.
Simmer stew over low heat in stockpot for 3-4 hours or at high setting for 5-6 hours in the crockpot until thickened.
Mix in fresh cilantro or parsley towards end of cooking. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper. Serve hot with with a slice of fresh cornbread or crusty European loaf. Delicious! Makes 6-8 servings.
Mushrooms, Tofu and Fresh Basil Leaves
Basil is an assertive, refreshing herb that grows prodigiously once planted. For those who have a garden or even a little box in the window, basil is a great herb to grow because it's hearty and it can work its way into many different recipes, from a vegan pesto to a stir-fry. It can actually be a bit worrisome, though, as to what to do with all the basil that sprouts up, but here's what we often do: lightly and quickly fry it up in a big batch with garlic, tamari and hot sauce, and serve it over rice. For a slightly more elaborate recipe, this is a variation on spicy basil leaves, inspired by Thai cuisine.
1 lb. firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes*
1 Tbsp. olive or canola oil
6 - 8 cloves garlic, minced (the more, the merrier!)
1 or 2 green serrano chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced**
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup fresh basil leaves, cleaned and lightly packed
Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until a few droplets of water sizzle in the pan. Add the oil and tilt the pan around the coat the surface. Add the garlic and chilies and toss around with a spatula for 30 seconds; add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about two minutes. Add the tofu, 1 Tbsp. of water, tamari and toss around for one minute. Add the salt, hot sauce, toss well; then add the bell pepper and the basil. Toss until just heated through, about one minute. Serve warm on rice or rice noodles.
* To press tofu, I usually drain it, then place it between two cutting boards with a can or two on top for extra weight.
**These are HOT! You can burn your skin by touching these, so it's a good idea to wear gloves when handling. Also, if you want your dish to be hotter than normal, leave some of the seeds in, because this is where the heat is.
Vegetable Rice Soup
1/2 cup onions, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
1 cup reduced fat, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Combine onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with the juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add rice and broth and simmer another 20 minutes. Sprinkle with dried herbs and serve.
Makes 6 Servings
Serving Size: 12 ounces
Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 175
Total fat: 4 grams
Saturated fat: 1 grams
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 129 mg
Carbohydrate: 33 grams
Protein: 4 grams
Dietary fiber: 3 grams
Tofu and String Beans Teriyaki
Equipment:
1 large frying pan.
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb. of Extra Firm Tofu, cut in approx 1 in wide and 1/2 in thick slices
1 lb. of String Beans, snapped
4 cloves of garlic, minced (or to taste)
Teriyaki Sauce
1 package of buckwheat soba noodles
Directions
In a frying pan, put your olive oil and tofu. Brown your tofu. Whilst your tofu is browning, put on a pot of boiling water. When it boils, throw in your string beans and noodles for 5 minutes (how convenient, they both take 5 minutes!). When done, strain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
When your tofu is brown, take it out of the pan and set it aside. Put in your garlic and brown for a minute. Then throw in your string beans and noodles and stir fry for a few minutes. Add back the tofu and coat everything with a nice glaze of teriyaki sauce. Cook until it all thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
try vegancoach.com and postpunkkitchen.com they are my favourites, and you can search for recipes by main ingredients (ie whatever's in your fridge)
I never use those fake meat things as I hate them.
Some of my fave meals:
Stirfried Tofu and Veg - through a bunch of cubed firm tofu in a pan with 1 tbspn olive oil, soya sauce, a little water, garlic, ginger and all spice. Serve with brown rice.
Baked Tempeh: Coat with soya sauce and a little maple or agave syrup and cinamon, and bake for 15 minutes each side in the oven at 180 C
Bean and macaroni casserole: In a blender, mix a can of white kidney beans, 1/3 cup of almond/rice/soy milk or water, 1/3 cup raw cashews or 2 tbspn peanut butter, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, mixed herbs, and 2 tbspns nutritional yeast flakes (provides Cheesy flavour). Place blended mixture in a pot, and slowly add 1/2 cup almond/rice/soy milk or water while heating to make a thick sauce. Mix with 3 cups cooked macaroni and bake for 1/2 hr at 180 C.
I also love sweet potatoes and yams mashed with spices and olive oil.
An awesome book with cheap easy recipes is the Vegonomicon.
Look for a copy of Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. You'll have to do some stocking of your pantry because she uses a wide variety of herbs and spices, for example, but once you've done that her recipes are made up of whole foods so they can be done pretty cheaply.
When I went vegan (from vegetarian) I started buying a lot more whole foods and a lot less processed, convenience stuff. We spend about the exact same amount on groceries as we did before, but we eat SO much better (in terms of taste, variety and healthfulness.)
homemade soups can be bulked up with rice or pasta