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avocado toast, black beans and rice, easy, fast, hungry, pasta, quick meal ideas, vegan, vegan dinner ideas, vegan meal ideas, veggie plate, weeknight meals, what's for dinner
It’s a Tuesday night.
You just got home from work.
You’re tired. You’re hungry. Everyone’s asking what’s for dinner.
You have no idea.
Yeah, I’ve been there.
It’s always best to try to plan ahead for the week by making a menu, going to the grocery store with a list, etc, etc.
But that’s just not how it happens sometimes. And that’s ok. I’m here to help you!
I’m sharing 5 ideas for quick, easy meals that you can turn to at the last minute.
AND they’re healthy, delicious, and (of course) vegan to boot! I use them all the time.
Get ready, Tuesday night. We’re about to kick your booty!
5 Easy & Quick Vegan Meal Ideas
1. Pasta with Sauce and Veggies from the Freezer
Easy, breezy with pre-packaged marinara and frozen veggies!
I always have the ingredients for this on hand. Boil pasta, add the sauce to the same pot, toss in some frozen broccoli, and you’re golden.
Dinner in 15 minutes with a minimum number of dirty dishes = awesome.
I love the Whole Foods brand marinara or any flavor of the Victoria Vegan line of sauces!
Fancy it up with some pine nuts or vegan parmesan that’s always handy to have in the fridge.
Nutrition Tip: Use quinoa or rice noodles to amp up the healthy!
2. Veggie Burger and Side Salad
It’s a good idea to always keep veggie burgers and buns in the freezer. Or, they’re easy enough to grab at a quick grocery store stop.
Pop them in the toaster oven, slather with ketchup and mustard, toss some lettuce in a bowl with whatever dressing (or oil & vinegar) you have on hand, and you’re set!
Or, if you don’t have lettuce for a salad, dig in that cabinet and see what you could use for a side. I did that one night last week and ended up with…popcorn!
Sometimes, whatever you have in the freezer or cabinet works as a side!
Veggie burgers come in all sorts of flavors from black bean to garden veggie to hemp seed, etc. There are even vegan “chicken” patties. Pick one out that sounds good to you and have fun!
Nutrition Tip: Have a random veggie in the fridge? Slice it up and stack it on that veggie burger! Onion, tomato, or even shredded carrots are delish!
3. Spicy Black Beans and Rice
Black beans and rice with nutritional yeast on top!
This has been a go-to meal of mine for years because it’s so easy, filling, and tasty!
Make some rice, toss a can of black beans in a pot with whatever spices you choose, and voila! Dinner!
Here’s my recipe (serves 2):
1 cup of rice
1 can of black beans (I like to get organic)
2 tblsp. chili powder
1 tblsp. cumin
1 tblsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Make the rice according to package directions. Heat black beans over medium heat and add the other ingredients, let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Add water if it gets too thick.
Douse with Cholula hot sauce for an extra-spicy kick!
Nutrition Tip: Use brown rice instead of white, and sprinkle the dish with cheesy nutritional yeast!
4. Veggie Plate du Jour
Make a plate full of healthy, fresh veggies!
Boil some (non-GMO) corn (12 minutes), saute a bag of pre-washed spinach with olive oil and garlic (5 minutes), toss a chopped up sweet potato or package of fingerling potatoes in the oven with olive oil, salt & pepper at 400 (25 minutes), and you’re all set!
Make a box of vegan mac ‘n’ cheese on the side if you want a little more to eat like I did here:
Nutrition Tip: Add some fruit to your veggie plate! Peaches, pears, or even a can of mandarin oranges are great as a side.
5. Avocado Toast and Soup
This is insanely delicious and easy to do.
I could eat this stuff every day!
Toast some bread, slice up an avocado and place on top, then drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, and sprinkle with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
Heat up a can of soup from the cabinet as a side, and dinner is served.
Nutrition Tip: Use whole grain bread!
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These are just a few super simple ideas that can be turned to any night of the week. For even more quick & easy vegan meal ideas, check out these lists:
– Buzzfeed: 30 Delicious Vegan Meals You Can Make in Under 30 Minutes
– Babble: 20 Vegan Meals You Can Make in 20 Minutes
– FatFree Vegan Kitchen: Ridiculously Easy Recipes
And if all else fails, splurge and go out to eat!
If you live in Charleston, I have a handy-dandy list of recommended veg-friendly restaurants here. If you live elsewhere, check out HappyCow.net to find a place that sounds good!
To compassionate (and fast!) dinners!
Sarah
P.S. In my post last week, I shared what all I’d be eating at the 4th of July cookout! Here was my plate!
Vegan hot dog, cole slaw, potato salad, squash casserole, baked beans, and gazpacho salad!
And here was dessert!
Beautiful, wonderful fruit pizza made by my Mom!
Hope you had a happy 4th!
What I Vegan 
I love the little frozen veggie burgers for lunch. It makes a quick lunch since I work from home without having to leave the house (although sometimes I just like leaving the house, lol). I want to try the avocado on toast, that looks tasty.
Nice! Veggie burgers are awesome. And you will love the avocado toast! It’s so easy and tasty!
Love it! Thanks so much! Definately looking for QUICK healthy vegan meals these days!
Glad it was helpful to you, Mary!
This looks great! I’ll definitely be trying the rice-beans-nutritional yeast, I’ve been looking for ways to use up my nutritional yeast. I bought it to make your (amazing!) nacho cheese recipe but want to use it for more things 😀 Oh and I would love a recipe for the gazpacho salad, it sounds so yummy!
Yay! You will love the black beans and rice. And I’m so glad you’ve made the cheese sauce! Another great use of nooch (fond abbreviation) is to sprinkle it on your popcorn, or dash it into almost any sauce. I’ll get you that recipe for gazpacho salad and post it here!
OK, I got the recipe for the Gazpacho Salad! It was so delicious. Here it is:
3 tomatoes, diced & seeds removed
1 red pepper diced
1 green or yellow pepper diced
1 medium red onion diced
1 cucumber diced
Mix the above together then layer w/6-8 oz baby spinach
To make vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon or creole mustard
1 tbsp. agave nectar
Then whisk in 3/4 cup of olive oil
Add pinch of chili flakes & salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle over salad mix and enjoy!
Thank you, Vegan Goddess! You just rocked my world! Can’t wait to try these!
I think my favorite is the popcorn as a side!!!
Thank YOU for the idea for the post, Ben!
Haha, it was all I had and I didn’t want to go to the grocery store to get salad ingredients. Sometimes what’s in your cabinet is what it is! 🙂
Tried both #4 and #5 this week and they both rocked! My 2-year old was going crazy for the avocado toast and I was able to prepare it so quickly that she didn’t even get to the “hangry” meltdown point. thanks!!
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank goodness there were no ‘hangries’ that night! 🙂
Thank you so much for the recipe! 😀 It is a big hit at our house, I’ve already made it 3 times 🙂
So glad to hear it! It’s a fave at my house too!