Cheap Vegan Meals and Recipes

We are on a crazy tight budget this summer after vacation, so it's actually great to be cooking vegan/vegetarian foods. Meat is expensive, especially the healthy kinds. Here's my dinner list for the week along with recipe links and my original recipes are posted below. Enjoy! 

• Black Beans & Rice w/avocado

       http://www.realsimple.com/m/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/cuban-black-beans-rice-00000000008561/index.html

(I use dry beans and omit the radish!)

      

• Black Bean Burritos (cook onions and garlic to skillet, put leftover beans in food processor then cook in skillet until bubbly) 

• Vegan Chili 

• Vegan Chili Mac w/double fiber rotini

• Lentil Cauliflower Rice Tacos

     http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2013/04/lentil-and-cauliflower-rice-tacos.html

• Vegan Shawarma Patties w/jasmine rice

• Spaghetti with Vegan Vodka Sauce

Easy Vegan Chili 

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 yellow squash, finely chopped or shredded

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp olive oil

2 cans chili hot beans or kidney beans

1 can chili ready tomatoes 

1 large can tomato sauce

1 tbspn nutritional yeast (optional for flavor only)

Chili Seasoning

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (adds great flavor if smoked, but sub regular paprika if needed)

1/2 tsp brown sugar

Mix well with fork, save for more chili! You will only use about 1 and a half tablespoons.

Directions:

In large pot on med-high, heat the olive oil then add diced onion, garlic, and shredded squash and cook until tender and starting to brown. Then add 1 tbspn of your prepared chili seasoning, stir well. 

Turn heat to medium then Add can tomato sauce and stir well. Slowly add all canned ingredients plus one small can of water and the nutritional yeast. Let heat until bubbly, then taste for spice. If you need more flavor, add another half tablespoon of chili seasoning. If bitter or needs more tomato taste, add 1 tbspn ketchup! For more spicy flavor, add more cayenne pepper. Let simmer on low for awhile, stirring occasionally. Serve hot topped with cilantro, salsa, fried onions, or eat with chips! 

Yum,

Yum,

Gimme some and no TVP!!

• Chili Mac -  Serve over double fiber rotini topped with nutritional yeast or smoothed silken tofu in the food processor mixed into leftover chili for creamy sauce. 

Vegan Shawarma Patties

Ingredients
1/2 cup green lentils (dry-cook according to package)
1/2 cup of cooked jasmine rice
1 small yellow squash, diced
3-4 portabello mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp curry
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp coriander
Dash salt & pepper
Dash allspice and cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup oats


Mix cooked lentils and rice together
Cook all veggies in skillet with olive oil, when very soft add spices
Add veggies to lentil/rice mix
Add flour, cornmeal, and oats, stir well 

Create patties and pan fry in olive oil (same skillet used for veggies)  until brown on both sides (3 mins or so on each side over med-high heat)

Serve on pita or with rice and cucumber sauce 


Vegan Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

Favorite Spaghetti Sauce Veggies

Basil

Garlic cloves (2)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Prepared Jar of Marinara (sockarooni by Newmans Own is goood)

Half block of Mori Nu silken Tofu (soft or firm)

Noodles

Instructions

Cook veggies and garlic cloves in pot or skillet

Cut tofu into chunks

Place in food processor with garlic powder, basil, and about a 1/4 cup of marinara and blend until smooth

Add mixture to pan with veggies along with remaining marinara. 

Cook until bubbly and serve over desires pasta noodle

I use whole grain or double fiber by Ronzoni or Barilla