Vegan meal ideas and recipes- I need help!

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californiansun
californiansun Posts: 392 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone!

My friend and I are going to go vegan for a whole month... the problem is... I have NO idea what to eat!

I eat mostly vegetarian as it is (I eat fish often when I have the money for it), but I do eat/drink a lot of milk, cheese, sour cream (I add sour cream to some pasta dishes), honey, butter, etc. I enjoy yogurt and so on. I am on a VERY strict budget (50-80 dollars per month- yes, it's possible!).

I would like to know of some cheap and healthy vegan recipes/meal ideas. Thank you!
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Replies

  • HealthFreak1967
    HealthFreak1967 Posts: 116 Member
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    beans are easy to make, provide some portein and complex carbs and keep you really full

    also brown rice, or other grains like oatmeal or cereal

    all veggies (frozen may be cheaper?)

    any kind of fruit

    nuts/seeds and nut butters

    and tofu, soymilk, and/or almond milk

    that's pretty much everything I eat and i'm a vegan.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    beans are easy to make, provide some portein and complex carbs and keep you really full

    also brown rice, or other grains like oatmeal or cereal

    all veggies (frozen may be cheaper?)

    any kind of fruit

    nuts/seeds and nut butters

    and tofu, soymilk, and/or almond milk

    that's pretty much everything I eat and i'm a vegan.

    Thanks! :D
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
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    With a very strict diet, I highly recommend fresh fruits and veggies, bulk grains if you have access to them (Whole Foods sells them by the pound and you can get as much or little as you would like), and canned beans and tofu for protein. If you also have access to bulk grains, pick up some TVP (textured vegetable protein). You soak it in water and it has the consisitancy of like a ground meat.

    Almond or soy milk for your lack of milk.

    Any all natural nut butter (if it's peanutbutter stay away from things like JIF and others that don't use 1 ingredient: nuts)

    If you can get some sales on fake meats like Gardein, Morningstar or Boca then go for it. I love Boca burgers. You can use them as a burger or cut them up and get creative. Some other brands are a bit more expensive like Tofurky and Field Roast, as well as the fake cheeses. If you feel you MUST have cheese, try Daiya cheese. It's a little oily but it melts like real cheese if you miss that association.

    Search vegan recipes and how to transition to veganism on google and you will find TONS of resources!

    I just made the full transition into vegetarianism, and my roommate who was a veggie for 4 years went vegan. It's not too hard once you get the hang of things!

    Feel free to add me if you want!
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
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    With a very strict diet

    I meant with a strict budget!! And on second thought frozen veggies may be cheaper, unless you get a great deal on canned or you go to a local farmers market for lots of greens. Salads are a great tool to start with for a meal and just add all kinds of fixins in there!
  • ZoeyRobinson
    ZoeyRobinson Posts: 301
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    www.ohsheglows.com is a great vegan blog. I have tried a lot of her recipes and they are all great. I also make protein shakes too. Just be careful not to load up on the unhealthier vegan stuff like pre made faux sausages/burgers. They are great transition foods but are high in calories and low in nutrition.

    Do you have a big back yard? I just started my own organic garden and it is saving a lot of money. zucchini, crookneck squash, herbs are all easy to grow and heavy producers.

    Good luck.

    Oh I forget. Alicia Silverstones book "the Kind Diet" is great to read. Also check out her website for help and encouragement www.thekindlife.com
  • ZoeyRobinson
    ZoeyRobinson Posts: 301
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    oh I forgot about pre made meals for work/school you can try "Amy's" they have frozen burritos and other things. But I would stick to whole foods as much as possible. I found out I was allergic to most vegan items after I made the switch. Making your own almond milk is great too because it is cheaper and a lot healthier. Someone said "Daiya" cheese and I have tried it multiple times and it may melt but it tastes nothing like real cheese. I personally wouldn't waste money on it.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    With a very strict diet, I highly recommend fresh fruits and veggies, bulk grains if you have access to them (Whole Foods sells them by the pound and you can get as much or little as you would like), and canned beans and tofu for protein. If you also have access to bulk grains, pick up some TVP (textured vegetable protein). You soak it in water and it has the consisitancy of like a ground meat.

    Almond or soy milk for your lack of milk.

    Any all natural nut butter (if it's peanutbutter stay away from things like JIF and others that don't use 1 ingredient: nuts)

    If you can get some sales on fake meats like Gardein, Morningstar or Boca then go for it. I love Boca burgers. You can use them as a burger or cut them up and get creative. Some other brands are a bit more expensive like Tofurky and Field Roast, as well as the fake cheeses. If you feel you MUST have cheese, try Daiya cheese. It's a little oily but it melts like real cheese if you miss that association.

    Search vegan recipes and how to transition to veganism on google and you will find TONS of resources!

    I just made the full transition into vegetarianism, and my roommate who was a veggie for 4 years went vegan. It's not too hard once you get the hang of things!

    Feel free to add me if you want!

    I'm a nutrition major and I find a lot of the fake meat products are extremely high in sodium, I will refuse to buy those products! I also won't get the "cheese"; I don't think having extremely processed "cheese" is very healthy. I buy all natural cheese from my local farmer- I think that's healthier! I don't want to do this vegan thing for very long! :)

    Thanks ya'll again for the tips! Keep them coming! :)
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    www.ohsheglows.com is a great vegan blog. I have tried a lot of her recipes and they are all great. I also make protein shakes too. Just be careful not to load up on the unhealthier vegan stuff like pre made faux sausages/burgers. They are great transition foods but are high in calories and low in nutrition.

    Do you have a big back yard? I just started my own organic garden and it is saving a lot of money. zucchini, crookneck squash, herbs are all easy to grow and heavy producers.

    Good luck.

    Oh I forget. Alicia Silverstones book "the Kind Diet" is great to read. Also check out her website for help and encouragement www.thekindlife.com

    I live in an apartment complex and my complex sprays our porch, it wouldn't be worth it to grow my own vegetables! I wish I could though! I've had some vegan cheeses on pizza, they were good but I don't think they're very healthy! :)
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
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    try to add in ground flax seed into your meals and nutritional yeast is great too. Nutritional yeast has a slight cheese flavor and it's much healthier than the fake cheeses. I find the fake cheese is super oily and not worth the calories but we keep it in the house since my roommate eats it all the time.

    oh she glows is a great site, i love post punk kitchen and the books the chick writes, vegweb, vegetarian times
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    try to add in ground flax seed into your meals and nutritional yeast is great too. Nutritional yeast has a slight cheese flavor and it's much healthier than the fake cheeses. I find the fake cheese is super oily and not worth the calories but we keep it in the house since my roommate eats it all the time.

    oh she glows is a great site, i love post punk kitchen and the books the chick writes, vegweb, vegetarian times

    I've never even seen nutritional yeast or ground flax seed, where do you get it? Trader Joes?
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
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    my local grocery store has it in the bakin aisle. Bob's Red Mill has their own flax seed along with every type of flour imaginable (hello garbanzo bean flour!) and health food stores sell it as well. I got my nutritional yeast in bulk at Whole Foods (got about 3 cups worth for a buck or two since I don't use it as often as some) but I also saw it sold at my local health food store. It's a GREAT way to get in protein and has no sugar, gluten and the likes. It kind of looks like flaky bread crumbs. Check the baking area of your grocery store near the flours or specialty pancake/baking mixes and you might find some.
  • tansygreen
    tansygreen Posts: 85 Member
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    Well I'm NOT vegan, however I love food, and cooking, and I have always loved the vegan blog below because they are so creative with their ingredients, and their food always looks so amazing. It's not a calorie watching blog so you might need to adapt some things but it will give you some great ideas and in one month you are not gonna run out of inspiration, they've been doing this blog for years.

    Good luck and enjoy the month! :)

    http://veganmenu.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/what-hell-does-vegan-eat-for.html
  • oldultrarunner
    oldultrarunner Posts: 13 Member
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    I have been vegan for years. I have rice/bean dish that I make typically once a month as I love it, it's nutrious, filling and tastes great. I take a large dutch oven pan, add 2 cans of black beans (no salt added). I drain the beans and wash with water to get the fat and any salt out. Then I add 2 cans of HOT Chili beans in chili sauce, cut up a large extra firm tofu and add that, 2 cans of Whole canned tomatoes cut up into quarters, small can of medium hot chilies, several cups of cut up celery and I throw in anything else I may have in the fridge. I then add a lot of cumin powder and chili powder, black pepper, and crushed chili peppers (I love spicy hot food), stir everything well and let it sit and simmer for 30 minutes or so. While that is simmering, I cook brown rice in a rice cooker.

    When the rice is done, I spoon about a cup and a half or more into a bowl, add the bean/tofu/tomatoes and voila......oh, and then I liberally dump Frank's Red Hot sauce on it.....enough to make me sweat!

    If you have an iPhone, there is a great app that is free. It's the Whole Food app and you can do a search for their vegan and vegetarian recipes. They have listed on the app every recipe of the foods that they sell in their stores. I love their vegan dishes with chickpeas and they also have a chickpea marsala that is out of this world. All free.....

    Len
  • marilou0511
    marilou0511 Posts: 591 Member
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    Hello from Chicago!
    Thanks for the tips. I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but have joined a 7-Day Veggie Fruit Water Speed Detox Challenge at FATSECRET.COM. It starts tomorrow. I am making a Crockpot Mexican Veggie Chili tonight to start off with for the 1st day of challenge. Have also cut up fresh watermelon to start the day.
  • NelehY
    NelehY Posts: 52 Member
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    Try this Red Lentil Vegan Moussaka - it's delicious, low calorie and really a good hearty filler upper!!

    http://www.onearabvegan.com/2012/04/02/easy-vegan-lentil-and-aubergine-moussaka/

    p.s. I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian - I just like yummy food!
  • xNJAx
    xNJAx Posts: 170 Member
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    I tend to dip in and out of veganism quite a lot and when I'm eating vegan I usually have a lot of things like ratatouille, Thai curry, lentil dishes, daal, hummus, couscous, chick peas, beans (butter beans especially), brown rice, polenta, salads, fruit and vegetables.

    Ratatouille and Chana Daal are two of my absolute favourites because they're so easy to make but really delicious and the men in the house enjoy them as well - generally speaking they'd be horrified if I gave them a meal without meat!

    I hope you enjoy it - I always feel amazing on a vegan diet.

    Natalie x

    (PS - There are loads of recipes online if you Google vegan recipes, but if you want any help feel free to message me) :)
  • rainforestboots
    rainforestboots Posts: 15 Member
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    Mujadarra! I used to eat heaps of it when I was a poor vegan. It's just lentils and rice with caramelised onions, tastes much better than it sounds. There are recipes all over the internet. Yum.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    Thanks ya'll!!! I wanna start making soups too, do grocery stores have like a vegetable broth? Could I use chicken/beef bouillon cubes?!
  • sphyxy
    sphyxy Posts: 202 Member
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    Thanks ya'll!!! I wanna start making soups too, do grocery stores have like a vegetable broth? Could I use chicken/beef bouillon cubes?!

    Chicken and beef broth are animal based so that would make the soups nonvegan. They sell vegetable broth and you can also find vegetable bouillon as well and make your own broth
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
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    Thanks ya'll!!! I wanna start making soups too, do grocery stores have like a vegetable broth? Could I use chicken/beef bouillon cubes?!

    Chicken and beef broth are animal based so that would make the soups nonvegan. They sell vegetable broth and you can also find vegetable bouillon as well and make your own broth

    I wasn't sure if they would be animal based, I thought it was just "flavoring". Thanks for the clarification! :D

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