6 Easy Vegetarian Meals for Busy Days

I’ve recently finished fighting my way through the obstacle course that is final year uni.
Hours upon hours of reading, thinking, writing, typing left me wanting to dissolve into the sofa by the time I got home.

When you come home at the end of an all-consuming kinda day, the last thing you want to do is spend another hour making something for dinner… I really enjoy cooking and am usually happy to spend a long time on it but even I wanted to cry at the thought of more responsibility after a looong library sesh.

Busy-ness is a normal part of life which shows itself again and again.

But not for much longer 😉

 

I’m determined to still make colourful, cheap, tasty and healthy meals which give me the brain power and good energy that I need to be productive day in, day out as deadlines and exam times creep closer and closer…

A big emphasis on the CHEAP factor too, you want to keep your spending on ingredients as little as possible, especially if you’re a student… One of the biggest pros of vegetarian and vegan cooking is you can save SO MUCH when you’re not buying meat products.

A lot of people think veggie/vegan diets are even more expensive to sustain but it all depends on WHAT YOU BUY.

Of course, if you do weekly stock ups at shops like Holland & Barrett, buying every nutritional powder under the sun as well as premium £30 manuka honey then yes, you’re going to be running yourself into a loot of debt…

 

Just do your research first!!!

 

So anyway, here are my top 6 vegetarian meals I’ve made recently which didn’t take too long to prepare + cooked enough for leftovers so I wouldn’t need to cook the next day or even the day after!

 

1. Halloumi Harissa Roasted Vegetable Wraps

Makes 3-4 wraps

Ingredients:

• Block of halloumi cheese
• 2 tbsp harissa
• 1 courgette
• 1 head of broccoli (depending how much leftovers you want)
• 1 aubergine
• Hefty pinch of salt & pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil/coconut oil/ghee
• Leafy greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, rocket)
• Hummus
• Wraps (I used quinoa & chia)

Method:

1. Coat the halloumi in the harissa marinade and put to the side.
2. Fry or oven roast the vegetables at a low-medium heat in your cooking oil of choice, salt, pepper, paprika
3. Move the veggies over to one half of the pan and cook the halloumi for 4 minutes each side, still on a low-medium heat
4. Heat the wrap in a microwave for 20 seconds or oven for a few minutes
5. Spread hummus, lay out your leafy greens & add the rest
6. Wrap up and serrrrrrve

 

 

2. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Shepard’s Pie

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 sweet potatoes
• 1 tbsp plant-based milk (I used almond)
• 1 can black beans
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 carrots
• 1 courgette
• ½ cup peas
• ½ cup green beans / button sprouts
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil/coconut oil/ghee
• Handful fresh coriander or 1 heaped tsp ground coriander
• Hefty pinch of salt & pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• Juice of 1 lime

 

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C
2. Boil sweet potatoes until soft (25-30 mins)
3. Fry the onion, garlic for 5 minutes / until soft
4. Add the carrots, courgette, peas, green beans/sprouts & paprika and continue to cook until veggies begin to soften
5. Add the black beans and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes, coriander, lime juice, pepper (+ more salt if desired)
6. Mash the potatoes in their original pan and add in the milk
7. Add the pan of cooked veggies to an oven proof dish & coat with the mashed potatoes
8. Cook for 20-25 minutes

 

 

3. Mexican Fried Cauliflower Rice with Lentils & Asparagus

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 150g yellow lentils
• 1 tsp olive/coconut oil/ghee
• 1 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 medium sized cauliflower
• 2-3 carrots
• ½ head broccoli
• 1 red pepper
• 4-6 asparagus
• 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika/chipotle flakes
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Handful chopped fresh parsley
• Pinch cayenne

 

Method:

1. Prepare the lentils separately by boiling in a pan/pot then simmering on a low heat for 20 minutes or as stated on packet.
2. Chop up all the ingredients as finely as desired. Blitz cauliflower in a food processor or if without (as I was), chop up as small as possible.
3. Heat cooking oil in a wok/deep pan and fry the onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes before adding in the cauliflower rice, chopped tomatoes & salt and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower has softened.
4. Add all the remaining vegetables with cumin, paprika, lime juice and cayenne and cook through.
5. When the vegetables have softened, add in the lentils and parsley.

 

 

4. Peanut Tofu Stir Fry

 

Ingredients:

• 300g firm, drained tofu
• 1 onion
• 150g noodles (any kind)
• 2 tbsp fresh (or dried if without) herbs: parsley/basil/mint
• 4 bok choy
• 1-2 carrots

Peanut Marinade/Dressing:

• 3 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp each sriracha sauce and tamari
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2″ knob peeled fresh ginger
• pinch of stevia or about 1 tsp maple syrup
• about 6 tbsp water to thin

Garnish:

• 1 tbsp black & white sesame seeds, to garnish
• Peanuts 

Method:

1. Prepare peanut marinade first by blending all the ingredients and setting aside.
2. Fry onion until soft then add bok choy and carrots along with fresh herbs.
3. Once all softened, add the tofu, noodles and cook for a further few minutes until heated through.
4. Dress the tofu stir fry in the peanut marinade and garnish with sesame seeds and peanuts as desired! You could also add sliced avocado.

 

5. Cauliflower & Black bean Tacos

Makes around 8 tacos

Ingredients:

• Corn tacos (I used the Old El Paso Taco kit)
• 1 large cauliflower
• 1 onion
• 4 medium garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive/coconut oil/ghee
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tins black beans
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Toppings:

• Salsa
• Sour cream
• Sliced avocado
• Fresh lime

 

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C.
2. Chop up the cauliflower and mix with cumin, salt, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes and paprika.
3. Place in a glass heat proof dish.
4. Heat your cooking oil of choice in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes (or until soft).
5. Add the black beans along with chilli powder, salt & black pepper.
6. Once cooked, add the contents of the pan into the glass heat proof dish.
7. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the cauliflower begins to brown, stirring the ingredients once half way through cooking time.
8. Serve in taco shells along with toppings as desired!

 

6. Tagliatelle with Red Pesto, Carrots, Courgette, Peas (+ prawns for non-veggies)

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• 240g Tagliatelle (I used gluten free)
• Jar of red pesto
• 2 tbsp olive/coconut oil/ghee
• 1 onion
• 2-3 carrots
• 1 courgette
• Many peas

Optional:

• Prawns for non-vegetarians/pescatarians (I cooked with small ones)
• Add in any other of your favourite veggies!

 

Method:

1. Boil tagliatelle in a pot with a pinch of salt – usually 10-12 minutes.
2. Heat cooking oil in a pan and fry onion for 3-5 minutes (or until soft).
3. Add in the vegetables and cook until soft.
4. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the pan of veggies.
5. Add pesto and combine.

 

If you enjoyed these recipes, be sure to check out my blog on recipes for energising hot drinks which’ll boost your day as effectively as coffee without the crash.

 

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Namaste friends!

Tori xoxo