What if I told you that you could enjoy a Vegan lunch for less than $2.00? I have a Vegan on a Budget recipe that will save you uber-money AND uber-time!
Most believe that being Vegan or more plant-based also means spending mucho-dinero! That is the biggest misconception besides the myth that Vegans don’t get enough protein. In Part 1 of our 2-part post – Spring Cleaning, we focused on your pantry. Spring Cleaning – Part 1: Vegan Pantry Staples details a tip for storing your grains and beans and features EP4L’s Vegan Pantry Staples list. Click the post title if you’ve missed it.
This week, we’re focusing on your mucho-important wallet. If you’re budget conscious, you’re always looking for a cheap Vegan meal. If you work outside the home, eating out every day can cost a lot! A Vegan lunch in a restaurant can set you back $12-15 per day. That adds up an average of over $3000 per year! Yup, mucho-dinero!
But, if you have a Vegan on a Budget recipe at your fingertips, you can spend less than $500 a year on lunch. Big difference, right? Mucho!
My Vegan Vegetable Soup & Vegan Cornbread is a budget-friendly, easy-to-make Vegan lunch option. If you’re into saving money and time, try making EP4L’s Vegan Vegetable Soup recipe & Vegan Cornbread recipe on a Sunday, distribute the soup in individual, microwaveable containers (like the containers you can get in the link below) and take it with you to work along with my melt-in-your-mouth Vegan Cornbread, which you can also make in bulk and freeze until needed!
Total cost to make these recipes? Only $1.86 per Vegan lunch (including the Vegan Cornbread muffin) if using non-organic ingredients and only $2.47 per Vegan lunch (including the Vegan Cornbread muffin) if using mostly organic ingredients.
Now, that’s a mucho cheap Vegan meal deal!
As a matter of fact, it is even cheaper than most non-Vegan fast-food meals and waaaaaaay healthier! Packed with heart-healthy vegetables and a 10-16 bean soup mix, Vegan Vegetable Soup is a top pick if you’re like me – a busy, Vegan on a Budget.
And don’t forget my take on a Southern staple – Vegan Cornbread is one of my husband’s favorites. They will melt in your mouth! I make a huge batch of 16 muffins, individually wrap them in cellophane and place them in gallon-size Ziploc freezer bags. I freeze them and he can pull one out as he so pleases.
Check out the recipe video for my Vegan Cornbread and my Vegan Vegetable Soup! Let’s start the Spring season off right and save mucho-dinero!
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- 1 tbsp. oil for sautéing garlic
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups (16 oz.) 10-16 bean soup mix* presoaked (see recipe notes)
- 1 28-oz can organic diced tomatoes
- 16 oz. organic vegetable broth
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups diced potatoes white or sweet potatoes will work
- 1 can organic sweet corn, undrained
- 1 can organic green beans, drained
- 1 heaping tbsp. Herbs de Provence seasoning
- 1 tbsp. onion powder
- finely ground sea salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients
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- Presoak your 10-16 bean soup mix in water overnight or 8 hours.
- Add oil to a heated soup pot. Add garlic and stir constantly for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, broth, beans and carrots. Stir. Add seasonings. Stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes (stirring occasionally).
- Add diced potatoes, corn, and green beans. Stir. Taste. Add additional seasoning if needed. Simmer for additional 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Serve alongside EP4L's Vegan Cornbread! Or distribute in individual containers for Sunday Vegan meal prep for the week. A perfect, easy, budget-friendly Vegan lunch. Total cost for lunch? $1.51 per lunch if using non-organic ingredients and $2.10 per lunch if using mostly organic ingredients! Include my Vegan Cornbread for an additional $.35 - $.37 per muffin!
- Enjoy!
*You can find 10-16 bean soup mixes in most grocery stores. I found a 10-bean soup mix in the bulk bean section my local Sprouts, however you will be able to find a similar product in the dry bean section of the grocery store. Be sure to not buy the 16-bean soup mix that is "ham flavored." If you can't find it, try creating your own using a combo of red and green lentils, black, pinto, and kidney beans, black-eyed peas, etc.
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muffins
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- 4 cups yellow cornmeal (see recipe notes)
- 1 - 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, (I used almond milk)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup Aquafaba* *(juice from a can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans)
- 4 tbsp. raw sugar
- 2 tbsp. baking powder (eliminate if using self-rising cornmeal)
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- cooking spray
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Mix thoroughly. Add oil, aquafaba, and milk. Stir until well blended. Consistency should resemble cake batter.
- Spray a muffin pan or cast-iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Evenly distributing cornbread batter in each muffin tin (should have 16 muffins). Place in preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden (will take about 20-25 minutes if using a cast-iron skillet).
- You can freeze the muffins by individually wrapping each muffing in cellophane and placing them in freezer bags. Pull them out as needed. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Enjoy!
Check out my suggestions for cornmeal:
