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Hearty Lentil Soup

12/13/2020

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Ingredients (makes 8 cups)
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 5 cups broth (I use broth powder and water)
  • 1 cup brown lentils, dry
  • 1 large potato, diced (peeled if you want)
  • 4 TBSP tomato paste
  • 1 TBSP corn starch
  • salt to taste
​
Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat, and saute the onion, garlic, celery and carrots for about 7 minutes. 

Add the broth, lentils, diced potato and tomato paste.  Turn the heat up to high until the soup boils.  Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer for around 45 minutes or until the lentils are soft.


Mix the corn starch into a small amount of water (around 1/2 cup) and stir the mixture into the soup.  Let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes longer to thicken up.  Add salt to taste.

cost 
olive oil:  $0.17
onion:  $1.00
garlic:  $0.21
celery:  $0.50

carrots:  $0.28
broth:  $0.67
lentils:  $0.88
potato:  $0.55
tomato paste:  $0.79 *
corn starch:  $0.05
total cost per batch:  $5.10
cost per serving (1 cup):  $0.64


*This is the price for the entire can.
per serving (1 cup)
calories:  147
fat:  2.4 g
carbohydrates:  26.7 g
protein:  6.6 g
iron:  2 mg
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Lentil Barley Stew

10/21/2020

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This stew is effortless to make; using frozen mixed vegetables simplifies the process.  At around 8.5 cups total, I get 5 servings out of this, each of which costs $0.80.  *275 calories and 11.1 g protein per serving*  

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 12 oz frozen mixed vegetables
  • 3/4 cup dried lentils
  • 3/4 cup pearled barley (dry)
  • 6 cups broth (I use broth powder and water)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.  Rinse the lentils and barley, and add them to the pot along with the vegetables and the broth.  Turn up the heat to high to bring the stew to a boil.  Then, lower the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the lentils and barley are soft.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
cost
olive oil:  $0.17
onion:  $1.00
garlic:  $0.28
mixed vegetables  $0.85*
lentils:  $0.33
pearled barley:  $0.56
veggie broth:  $0.80
salt:  n/a
total cost per batch:  $3.99
total cost per serving:  $0.80


*I bought lentils and frozen mixed vegetables at Target
per serving (1 + 2/3 cup)
calories:  275
fat:  3.7 g
carbohydrates:  51.9 g
protein:  11.1 g

*3.3 mg iron*

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Tofurky Reuben

9/27/2020

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This Reuben is $1.99, whereas I was paying something like $14 for the Reuben meal at my local vegan restaurant.  350 calories, 21 g protein

Ingredients
2 slices of rye bread
1 serving (5 slices) of Tofurky deli slices
2 TBSP sauerkraut
​2 TBSP vegan thousand island dressing (the brand is "Follow Your Heart.")

Heat a pan over medium heat on the stove.  Layer the ingredients however you want.  As pictured above, I put the Tofurky slices on the bottom.  Once the sandwich is assembled, toast each side for several minutes.
cost per serving
rye bread:  $0.47
Tofurky slices:  $1.10
dressing:  $0.33
sauerkraut:  $0.09
total cost per serving:  $1.99
per serving
calories:  350
fat:  13.5 g
protein:  21 g
​carbohydrates:  38 g
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Potatoes, Chickpeas and Spinach with Peanut Sauce

9/20/2020

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This is the same peanut sauce that I put on tofu/rice/broccoli.  You can use it for so many things!  This dish comes together in less than 10 minutes.  Each serving, which costs $1.50, has 340 calories and 12.4 g of protein.

Ingredients (serving size = 1)
  • 250 g potatoes, diced (approximately 1 and 2/3 cups)
  • 1/3 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach (2 oz)

Peanut Sauce 
  • 1/2 TBSP peanut butter
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (see picture below)
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • dash of ground ginger

Instructions

Microwave the potatoes for 3.5 minutes.  Next, stir the potatoes and also stir in the spinach.  Microwave for 3 to 4 additional minutes until the potatoes are done. Then, mix in the chickpeas (the hot potatoes will heat them up).  

While the potatoes are cooking, mix the sauce ingredients in a microwave-safe container.  After the potatoes are done, microwave the sauce for 30 seconds, and then stir the sauce until it's smooth.

Finally, mix the sauce in with everything else.  


cost per serving
potatoes:  $0.38
chickpeas:  $0.08
spinach:  $0.75

peanut butter:  $0.05
rice vinegar:  $0.04
soy sauce:  $0.09
sugar:  less than $0.01
chili garlic sauce:  $0.06
garlic powder:  $0.03
​ground ginger:  $0.01
total cost per serving:  $1.50

​*Note, the price for chickpeas is based on dried beans boiled (not canned), and the price for potatoes is based on a 5-lb. bag from Cub Foods that cost $3.49. 

per serving
calories:  340
fat:  6.0 g
carbohydrates:  62.1 g
protein:  12.4 g
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Pumpkin Seed Pesto with Pasta and White Beans

8/23/2020

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I have a garden full of basil, so I've been making this a lot.  Each serving has 461 calories and 18.9 g of protein.  One serving costs $1.34 (assuming you are buying basil and not growing your own).

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
  • 8 oz dry pasta
  • 1.5 cups cooked white beans​
      Pesto
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (raw, unsalted)
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 2 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup basil (one .75-oz package)
  • 2 TBSP lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 cup water (or more as needed)

Instructions
​

Boil the pasta.

While the pasta cooks, make the pesto.  First, grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processor.  Rinse the basil if needed.  Next, add all of the remaining pesto ingredients and blend until very smooth.  

Drain the cooked pasta, and stir in the beans and the pesto.  
cost per batch
pasta:  $0.50

beans:  $0.36*
pepitas:  $1.12
olive oil:  $0.38
nutritional yeast:  $0.24
garlic:  $0.09
basil:  $2.50
lemon juice:  $0.16
salt: N/A
cost per batch:  $5.35
cost per serving:  $1.34


*assuming beans are boiled from dried - not canned
per serving
calories:  461
fat:  15.4 g
carbohydrates:  63.4 g
protein:  18.9 g

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Cheap Protein Powder that I Really Like

8/2/2020

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This post is not sponsored!  I just really love "Bob's Red Mill" protein powder.  It's the cheapest protein powder that I've found, and I like that it's simple (the only ingredient is soy protein).  There's no sweetener, so it's low in calories.  

The cheapest source of this protein powder that I know of is iherb.com.  A 14-oz bag, which contains 20 servings, is $7.99.  That works out to be $0.40/serving.  For protein powder, that is really good!
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My favorite thing to make with protein powder is a banana cacao milkshake.  
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Banana Cacao Milkshake

8/2/2020

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This is actually a healthy smoothie, but I call it a milkshake because it tastes like dessert.  The frozen banana makes this drink sweet and richly creamy, while the cacao adds a subtle crunch.  This smoothie has 22 g of protein and costs $1.16.

Ingredients
  • 1.5 frozen bananas 
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 TBSP raw cacao nibs
  • 1 serving of protein powder*

*I use Bob's Red Mill soy protein powder, which I wrote about in a previous post.  It's cheap and simple, and I love it.

Instructions
Just blend everything together!
​
cost per serving
bananas:  $0.23
almond milk:  $0.37
cacao nibs:  $0.16
protein powder:  $0.40 *
total cost:  $1.16


*I use Bob's Red Mill soy protein powder, which is $7.99 at iherb.com.
per serving
calories:  328
fat:  7.3 g
carbohydrates:  51.2 g
protein:  22 g


​
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Pancakes

6/11/2020

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I couldn't find a vegan pancake recipe that I loved, so I created one.  The combination of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour is key; the white flour keeps the pancakes fluffy, and the whole wheat flour provides texture. 

Ingredients for the dry mix (1 cup): scale this up to make as much as you like, and store it in an air-tight container.
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 TBSP sugar
  • 1 TBSP baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

To make a small serving (two pancakes), combine 1/3 cup of the dry mix, 1/2 tsp oil and 1/3 cup plant-based milk.  

To make a larger serving (three pancakes), combine 1/2 cup of the dry mix, 3/4 tsp oil and 1/2 cup plant-based milk.

Heat a pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.

​Once the pan is hot, add the batter.  Cook for around 4-5 minutes on each side.  (Let them cook!  They need time!)
cost per small serving
​
(2 pancakes)

dry mix:  $0.12
oil:  $0.01
soy milk:  $0.12
total cost:  $0.25


Nutrition info (not counting toppings)
calories:  217
fat:  4.2 g
carbohydrates:  39.7 g
protein:  6.9 g
iron: 2.5 mg

cost per large serving
(3 pancakes)

dry mix: $0.17
oil: $0.01
soy milk: $0.19
total cost: $0.37

Nutrition info (not counting toppings)
calories:  326
fat:  6.3 g
carbohydrates:  59.6 g
protein: 10.3 g
iron:  3.8 mg
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Laundry Soap (Powder)

6/4/2020

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I've been making this for years.  I use 2 TBSP per load of laundry, which costs $0.08.  

Ingredients
  • 1 bar of soap (use any variety that is flaky and easy to grate)
  • 1 cup of borax
  • ​1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda!)
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Instructions

1. Grate the bar of soap, and store the soap flakes uncovered for a
day or two so that they become dry and brittle. 



2.  Once the soap flakes have become very dry, grind them to a powder in a food processor (or blender).  If you skip this step, the soap flakes tend to clump together in the wash instead of dissolving. 

3.  Mix the soap powder with the other powders and store the finished product in an air-tight container.

cost per batch (2.25 cups)
bar of soap:  $0.40 (I bought a 10-pack of Ivory soap at Target for $3.99.)
borax:  $0.34
washing soda:  $0.70
total cost per batch:  $1.44
total cost per load of laundry (2 TBSP powder):  $0.08

​For comparison, I read that the average cost of laundry detergent per load is $0.21.

​


​
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Broccoli, Tofu, Rice and Peanut Sauce

5/28/2020

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This simple, easily portable meal is great for work/school.  Scale up the recipe as much as you want for meal prepping in advance.  384 calories, 18.7 g protein, $1.40

Ingredients (serving size = 1)
  • 3/4 cup cooked rice
  • 1.5 cups steamed broccoli
  • 3 oz extra firm tofu (1/4 of a block of tofu)
           peanut sauce (makes around 2 TBSP)​
  • 1/2 TBSP peanut butter
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (see picture below)
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • dash of ground ginger
​
Instructions

​Press the liquid out of the tofu, and then cook the tofu however you like (bake it or saute
 it, etc). 

Steam the broccoli and heat up 3/4 cup of rice if you have cooked rice (otherwise, cook some rice).

Mix the peanut sauce ingredients in a small microwave-safe dish, and microwave for 30 seconds.  Afterward, stir the sauce until it's smooth. 

Assemble the bowl.
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​

​This is the chili garlic sauce that I use; you can buy it anywhere.

cost per serving
rice:  $0.10
broccoli:  $0.51
tofu:  $0.50
peanut butter:  $0.05
rice vinegar:  $0.04
soy sauce:  $0.09
sugar:  less than $0.01
chili garlic sauce:  $0.06
garlic powder:  $0.03
​ground ginger:  $0.01
total cost per serving:  $1.40
per serving
calories:  384
fat:  10.7 g
carbohydrates:  56.3 g
protein:  18.7 g
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