Everyday/Generic Recipes

These are mostly whole-food vegan recipes that are generic, where taste and ingredients aren't associated with any cuisine in particular.

Because of the generic nature of these recipes they're easily customizable, and you can easily add other ingredients on top to nuance the taste the way you want it to be.

Both the cost per serving and the nutrition facts per serving will exclude optional additions, and they'll take into consideration the first option written in the case of ' x OR y '.

For other recipes: Index of Recipes

Chickpea rainbow salad in garlic and chive dressing

Duration: 20 minutes

Difficulty: 1/5

Servings: 4-8

Ingredients:

FOR THE SALAD

• 3 cans (720g) cooked, rinsed, and drained chickpeas
• 1/2 diced cucumber
• 1 diced yellow bell pepper
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

FOR THE DRESSING

• 3 cups plant-based yogurt
• 1 1/2 squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, put all of the salad ingredients together and toss until evenly distributed.
• In a small bowl, put all of the dressing ingredients together and mix together until properly incorporated.
• Pour the sauce on top of the salad ingredients and stir until each piece of the salad is coated in the dressing.

Serving:

In a bowl, place a generous serving of the salad. Top with fresh mint for added sweetness. Serve with fresh bread.

Avocado pasta

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $2.10 (total cost: $8.40)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 354
Proteins	19%	11.1g	Protein: lysine	20%	0.4g
			Protein: methionine	21%	0.2g
			Protein: isoleucine	24%	0.4g
Carbohydrates	42%	55.2g	Fibers	30%	11.7g
			Net carbs	n/a	43.5g
			Sugars	n/a	5.8g
Fats	20%	13.4g	Omega-3	10%	0.2g
			Omega-6	11%	1.9g
			Saturated fats	n/a	1.9g
Vitamin B1	25%	0.3mg	Vitamin B2	22%	0.3mg
Vitamin B3	39%	6.3mg	Vitamin B5	31%	1.6mg
Vitamin B6	35%	0.5mg	Folate	31%	0.13mg
Vitamin A	7%	71.6μg	Vitamin C	30%	27.7mg
Vitamin E	14%	2.2mg	Vitamin K	55%	66.3μg
Vitamin B12	/	/	Vitamin D	/	/
Calcium	6%	60.9mg	Copper	57%	0.5mg
Iron	41%	3.3mg	Magnesium	27%	111.1mg
Manganese	89%	2.1mg	Phosphorus	35%	247.8mg
Potassium	16%	792.3μg	Selenium	84%	46.4μg
Zinc	23%	2.6mg	Sodium to taste

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 354
Macronutrient (avg. daily value % / amount)	Name of the nutrient		Daily value / amount
Proteins: 19% (11.1g)	Protein: lysine		20%
	Protein: methionine		21%
Carbohydrates: 42% (55.2g)	Fibers		30%
	Starch		36.1g
	Sugars		5.8g
Fats: 20% (13.4g)	Omega-3		10%
	Omega-6		11%
Vitamins	B1	25%	B2	22%
	B3	39%	B5	31%
	B6	35%	Folate	31%
	Vitamin A	7%	Vitamin C	30%
	Vitamin E	14%	Vitamin K	55%
	B12	/	Vitamin D	/
Minerals	Calcium	6%	Copper	57%
	Iron	41%	Magnesium	27%
	Manganese	89%	Phosphorus	35%
	Potassium	16%	Selenium	84%
	Zinc	23%	Sodium to taste

Ingredients:

• 500g whole-wheat pasta
• 2 peeled, seeded avocados
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups sliced cherry tomatoes
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper
• Water (or olive oil) for thinning the sauce

Instructions:

• In a blender, add the avocados, the garlic, the basil, the lemon juice, the corn kernels, and the black pepper, and a bit of water/olive oil.
• Blend lightly, taste, and add the salt and the water/olive oil that's needed for the mixture to be smooth, then blend lightly again--it needs to be consistently uniform, but not overly blended, so that some corn kernels are left partly intact for better texture.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Mix the pasta and the avocado sauce together, and add the cherry tomatoes on top.

Serving:

Serve the pasta in a plate. Top with fresh basil leaves, more lemon juice and more sliced cherry tomatoes for added freshness.

Quick lentil stew

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 1

Cost: $1.70

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 354
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	52%	Protein: lysine	96%
		Protein: methionine	33%
Carbohydrates	46%	Fibers	59%
		Sugars	5.5g
Fats	4%	Omega-3	48%
		Omega-6	3%
Vitamins	{	B1	51%
		B2	73%
		B3	62%
		B5	96%
		B6	64%
		Folate	154%
		Vitamin A	764%
		Vitamin C	14%
		Vitamin E	46%
		Vitamin K	859%
Minerals	{	Calcium	34%
		Copper	179%
		Iron	166%
		Magnesium	62%
		Manganese	112%
		Phosphorus	86%
		Potassium	40%
		Selenium	64%
		Zinc	44%

Ingredients:

• 1 can unsalted lentils
• 1 cup diced mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen spinach OR 1 cup chopped kale
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, add the lentils, the mushrooms, the spinach/kale, the garlic, the turmeric and some black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally for it not to stick to the pot.
• Turn off the heat, and adjust for salt.

Serving:

Ideally served with some freshly cut vegetables, some tofu slices and/or a slice of whole wheat bread on the side.

Scrambled tofu bowl (scrambled-egg-like taste bowl)

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.40 (total cost: $5.60)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 164
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	28%	Protein: lysine	27%
		Protein: methionine	15%
Carbohydrates	13%	Fibers	16%
		Sugars	5.4g
Fats	7%	Omega-3	11%
		Omega-6	9%
Vitamins	{	B1	413%
		B2	403%
		B3	209%
		B5	64%
		B6	387%
		Folate	40%
		Vitamin A	0%
		Vitamin C	7%
		Vitamin E	0%
		Vitamin K	4%
Minerals	{	Calcium	19%
		Copper	92%
		Iron	51%
		Magnesium	16%
		Manganese	37%
		Phosphorus	45%
		Potassium	16%
		Selenium	62%
		Zinc	33%

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced big-sized onion
• 3 cups mushrooms (preferably shiitake mushrooms for their exceptional matching flavor with the rest of the ingredients, but as they're expensive/usually hard to find, any mushrooms will do)
• 2 1/2 tbsp miso paste OR 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 250g tofu (half of it cubed, the other half crumbled)
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Black pepper

Oil-free Instructions:

• In a pot, add in the onions and mushrooms with a little bit of water to steam until the onions are soft.
• Stir in the miso paste until dissolved, then mix in the tofu. Let simmer until most of the water has evaporated.
• Turn off the heat, and mix in the nutritional yeast until your mixture is evenly coated. Sprinkle in some black pepper to taste.

Added-Oil Instructions (faster preparation):

• Bring a small skillet to medium heat, add half a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then add in the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are soft.
• Mix in the tofu and cook until it begins to brown slightly. Meanwhile, mix the miso with a small amount of water (about a tablespoon) so it's thinner and set aside.
• Sprinkle in some black pepper to taste, then turn off the heat and mix in the miso then nutritional yeast until your mixture is evenly coated.

Serving:

Put your scrambled tofu on a plate. You can serve it with a side of brown rice, whole-grain couscous, or a slice of bread.

Green pasta with tomato sauce

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.75 (total cost: $7.00)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 251
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	20%	Protein: lysine	17%
		Protein: methionine	19%
Carbohydrates	38%	Fibers	22%
		Sugars	6.5g
Fats	4%	Omega-3	4%
		Omega-6	4%
Vitamins	{	B1	21%
		B2	17%
		B3	34%
		B5	13%
		B6	25%
		Folate	18%
		Vitamin A	62%
		Vitamin C	21%
		Vitamin E	9%
		Vitamin K	23%
Minerals	{	Calcium	6%
		Copper	49%
		Iron	45%
		Magnesium	24%
		Manganese	87%
		Phosphorus	33%
		Potassium	11%
		Selenium	84%
		Zinc	20%

Ingredients:

• 500g whole-wheat pasta
• 5-7 cloves crushed garlic (depending how garlicky you want it to be)
• 1 cup green peas
• 2 cups chopped arugula
• 1/2 can unsalted tomato sauce
• 15-17 sliced cherry tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, add the tomato sauce, the garlic, and some salt and black pepper, with a little bit of water to thin the sauce, and steam for about 10 minutes on low heat.
• Add the green peas, and let it steam for another 5 minutes.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Add the arugula and the cherry tomatoes to the sauce, stirring for 2 minutes--or until the arugula has shrunk. Then turn off the heat.
• Mix the pasta and the tomato sauce together, adjusting for seasoning.

Chickpea-mushroom stew with greens

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2

Cost per serving: $1.75 (total cost: $3.50)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 429
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	41%	Protein: lysine	72%
		Protein: methionine	35%
Carbohydrates	56%	Fibers	57%
		Sugars	18.1g
Fats	11%	Omega-3	11%
		Omega-6	11%
Vitamins	{	B1	34%
		B2	33%
		B3	34%
		B5	48%
		B6	38%
		Folate	47%
		Vitamin A	71%
		Vitamin C	21%
		Vitamin E	6%
		Vitamin K	49%
Minerals	{	Calcium	15%
		Copper	122%
		Iron	68%
		Magnesium	25%
		Manganese	103%
		Phosphorus	50%
		Potassium	16%
		Selenium	31%
		Zinc	27%

Ingredients:

FOR CHICKPEA-MUSHROOM STEW

• 2 cans unsalted chickpeas
• 2 tbsp miso paste OR 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 diced onion
• Black pepper

FOR GREENS

• 2 cups peas (or any other staple of your choice)
• 2 cups green beans (or any other staple of your choice)
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, add the chickpeas, the miso paste, the onion, the mushrooms and some black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam for about 20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
• In the meantime, in a small pot, add the peas and the green beans, with a bit of water for it to steam for about 10 minutes, or until the greens become tender.
• Serve the greens, adjusted for salt, on the side of the chickpea-mushroom stew.

Messy pasta with tofu and seeds

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.20 (total cost: $4.80)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 322
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	37%	Protein: lysine	34%
		Protein: methionine	29%
Carbohydrates	38%	Fibers	34%
		Sugars	1.8g
Fats	11%	Omega-3	110%
		Omega-6	9%
Vitamins	{	B1	428%
		B2	394%
		B3	204%
		B5	20%
		B6	400%
		Folate	68%
		Vitamin A	382%
		Vitamin C	4%
		Vitamin E	24%
		Vitamin K	459%
Minerals	{	Calcium	29%
		Copper	67%
		Iron	75%
		Magnesium	49%
		Manganese	126%
		Phosphorus	58%
		Potassium	14%
		Selenium	127%
		Zinc	40%

Ingredients:

• 500g whole-wheat pasta
• 5-7 cloves crushed garlic (depending how garlicky you want it to be)
• 2 cups frozen spinach OR 2 cups chopped kale
• 125g tofu, crumbled
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, add the garlic, the tofu, the chia seeds, the flax seeds, and some salt and black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam until the garlic is cooked and a paste has formed--thanks to the binding agent of the chia seeds.
• Add the spinach/kale, and turn the heat to low, letting it steam for another 5-10 minutes, until the spinach/kale is cooked.
• Turn off the heat and mix in the nutritional yeast, stirring to coat and to thicken the sauce.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Mix the pasta and the tofu sauce together, adjusting for seasoning.

Serving:

Serve the pasta in a plate. You can add sesame seeds--or any other seeds you like--on top for added flavor.

Jackfruit super pasta

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.90 (total cost: $7.60)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 449
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	34%	Protein: lysine	40%
		Protein: methionine	33%
Carbohydrates	68%	Fibers	37%
		Sugars	28.5g
Fats	8%	Omega-3	20%
		Omega-6	8%
Vitamins	{	B1	43%
		B2	22%
		B3	36%
		B5	19%
		B6	56%
		Folate	38%
		Vitamin A	34%
		Vitamin C	33%
		Vitamin E	8%
		Vitamin K	3%
Minerals	{	Calcium	18%
		Copper	70%
		Iron	62%
		Magnesium	39%
		Manganese	104%
		Phosphorus	48%
		Potassium	23%
		Selenium	96%
		Zinc	26%

Ingredients:

• 500g whole wheat pasta
• 1 can unsalted beans
• 125g crushed tofu
• 1 jar shredded jackfruit
• 5-7 cloves crushed garlic (depending how garlicky you want it to be) OR 4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• The juice of 1 squeezed orange
• 1 tbsp date sugar
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste (jack fruit is usually salted already)

Instructions:

• In a small pot, add the beans, the tofu, the jackfruit, the garlic, the paprika, the date sugar, and a pinch of salt and black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam on low heat for around 15 minutes. Stir often for it not to stick to the pot.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Add in the orange juice to the mix, and stir on low heat for about 2 minutes.
• Mix the sauce with the pasta, adjusting for seasoning, and serve.

Eggplant pasta

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.30 (total cost: $5.20)

Nutrition facts per serving
CALORIES (kcal): 271
Macronutrient	Daily value	Name of the nutrient	Daily value
Proteins	18%	Protein: lysine	14%
		Protein: methionine	16%
Carbohydrates	44%	Fibers	26%
		Sugars	10.1g
Fats	4%	Omega-3	4%
		Omega-6	4%
Vitamins	{	B1	29%
		B2	15%
		B3	34%
		B5	12%
		B6	25%
		Folate	16%
		Vitamin A	21%
		Vitamin C	14%
		Vitamin E	7%
		Vitamin K	13%
Minerals	{	Calcium	5%
		Copper	54%
		Iron	40%
		Magnesium	25%
		Manganese	87%
		Phosphorus	31%
		Potassium	13%
		Selenium	83%
		Zinc	19%

Ingredients:

• 500g whole-wheat pasta
• 1 cubed medium sized eggplant
• 1 diced onion
• 10-12 sliced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 handful sliced cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh arugula
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper

Instructions:

• In a medium pot, add the onion, the eggplant, the sun-dried tomatoes, the cherry tomatoes, and some salt and black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam until the eggplant is cooked and the sun-dried tomatoes are soft, and most of the water has evaporated.
• Turn off the heat and mix in the arugula, stirring to lightly cook the arugula.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Mix the pasta and the eggplant-tomato sauce together, adjusting for seasoning.

Serving:

Serve the pasta in a plate. You can add more fresh cherry tomatoes and arugula on top for freshness. You can squeeze in some lemon juice for acidity.

Herbal cold pasta salad

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.60 (total cost: $6.40)

Ingredients:

• 500g whole wheat pasta
• 2 tsp dried oregano + 1 tsp for topping OR some fresh oregano if you have it
• 2 tsp dried basil + 1 tsp for topping OR some fresh basil leaves if you have it
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 21-23 diced cherry tomatoes
• 4 chopped leaves mint
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste
• Cayenne powder (optional)

Instructions:

• In a small pot, add the 2 tsp of oregano, the 2 tsp of basil, the garlic, the paprika, the sage, the thyme, the nutritional yeast, the cayenne powder (optional), and some salt and black pepper. Add a bit of water for it to steam, for about 5 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil for the pasta. Add in the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain, passing the strainer under cold water to cool off the pasta faster.
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, the sauce from the small pot, the 1 tsp of oregano/some fresh oregano, the 1 tsp of basil/some fresh basil, and the mint.
• Mix what's in the bowl with a spoon (or bare hands to be faster), and mix in the pasta, adjusting for seasoning.

Serving:

Serve cold in a plate. Add in a drizzle of olive oil if you want some extra taste, and adjust with salt and black pepper. Top with more nutritional yeast for extra cheesiness. Top with some mint leaves for added freshness. Sprinkle other herbs/spices to add flavors of your choice.

Moroccan-style chickpea stew

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $0.50 (total cost: $2.00)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized sliced onion
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 1 cup cubed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cans (480g) rinsed and drained chickpeas
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a pot, add the onions, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon with a little bit of water. Cover and steam until the onions are almost translucent.
• Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and mix to make sure that every chickpea is coated with a little bit of the stew. Steam uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Once your chickpeas have become a little more tender, turn up your stove temperature to medium-high and quickly stir to make some of the water evaporate.
• Once the stew has thickened, adjust the flavors (salt, pepper, cumin, or cinnamon for a hint of sweetness).

Serving:

In a bowl, pour a generous ladle of your chickpea stew. Serve with a side of rice, couscous, or a flatbread. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Steamed vegetables with tofu and rice

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.85 (total cost: $7.40)

Ingredients:

• 250g cubed tofu
• 1 medium sized thinly sliced onion
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 thinly sliced eggplant
• 1 thinly sliced bell pepper
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 cups frozen spinach OR 2 cups chopped kale
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper
• 500g brown rice
• 1 tbsp turmeric (optional)

Instructions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 225°C, and place the cubed tofu inside. Make sure to dry the tofu by pressing it between 2 pieces of paper before putting it in the oven.
• In a large pot, add the onions, the garlic, the miso paste/salt, and the black pepper. Add a bit of water for it to steam on low heat, for about 10 minutes.
• Add the cabbage, the bell pepper, and the spinach/kale, stir a bit and close the lid to let it steam, for about another 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for the rice. Add in the rice and cook until done, then drain.
• Add the bell pepper to the steamed vegetables pot, and let it steam for another 5 minutes.
• By now the tofu should be browned and crispy. Turn off the oven, and the steamed vegetables pot. Mix in the turmeric (optional) with the rice, and the dish is ready to be served.

Serving:

Serve in a bowl, with rice and vegetables side to side, or vegetables on top. Top with the crispy cubes of tofu. This is a meal with pretty simple flavors, so feel free to add any other sauce or vegetables that you want to it.

Cheesy tofu and cabbage rice bowl

Difficulty: 1/5

Oil-free Time: 30 minutes Added-oil time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $2.10 (total cost: $8.40)

Ingredients:

• 1 sliced big-sized onion
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cubed red bell pepper
• 125g cubed tofu
• 1 cup nutritional yeast or more to taste
• 1 tbsp whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups brown rice
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• In a pot, add the onions, the cabbage, the tofu, and some salt and black pepper, with a little bit of water to steam for about 10 to 15 minutes (or until the volume is significantly reduced).
• In a separate pot, cook the rice, drain, and set aside when ready.
• Stir your vegetables and tofu. Let simmer until the water in the pot is almost completely evaporated.
• Stir in the bell peppers and flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and mix the nutritional yeast until it evenly coats your vegetables and tofu, adjusting for seasoning. If you want a thicker sauce, you can turn the heat back on and add in another tablespoon of flour. If you want a cheesier taste, you can add in more nutritional yeast.

Serving:

In a plate, make a bed of rice and put your vegetables and tofu on top.

Spinach and parsley mac and cheese

Difficulty: 2/5

Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.85 (total cost: $7.40)

Ingredients:

FOR THE SAUCE

• 250g tofu
• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 3 garlic cloves OR 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Black pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

FOR THE SPINACH-PARSLEY PESTO

• 2 cups frozen, thawed spinach
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1 cup soy milk

FOR THE PASTA

• 500g whole wheat short pasta of your choice (penne, fusilli, macaroni, etc.)
• Nutritional yeast

Instructions:

• In a food processor, put all of the ingredients for the sauce except the flour, and process until smooth. Set aside.
• In a food processor, put all of the ingredients for the spinach-parsley pesto, and process until evenly mixed. Set aside.
• Bring water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
• In a pot, bring the sauce mixture to a boil. Whisk in the spinach-parsley pesto mixture. Bring to a boil again, and reduce to a simmer. If your sauce is too thing, whisk in 1 tbsp of the whole-wheat flour at a time until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Simmer for 5 minutes, then take off the stove.
• Slowly incorporate your cooked pasta to your sauce to make sure every piece of pasta is fully coated in sauce.

Serving:

Scoop a generous serving of the mac and cheese in a bowl. Finish with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick. Squeeze a lemon wedge for added acidity.

Curried vegetable noodles

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.75 (total cost: $7.00)

Ingredients:

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 tbsp curry powder
• 4 tbsp date sugar OR cane sugar
• 2 tbsp miso paste OR soy sauce
• 2 tsp garlic powder OR 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp corn starch

FOR THE NOODLES

• 1 medium-sized onion sliced
• 4 carrots julienne
• 1 bell pepper julienne
• 2 cups leafy green of choice (spinach, shards, bok choy, watercress, etc.)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage OR radicchio
• 500g noodles of choice

Instructions:

• Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Set aside.
• In a small pot, put all of the ingredients for the sauce except the corn starch, and bring to a simmer. Adjust the taste accordingly with salt. Once satisfied with the saltiness of the sauce, mix the corn starch with a little bit of water in a small bowl until there are no lumps. Whisk in the slurry into your sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
• In the meantime, put the onions and the carrots in a pot with a little bit of water to steam for 5 minutes, covered. Add the the bell peppers, leafy greens, and red cabbage. Cover and steam for another 5 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix together the noodles and vegetables with about half of the sauce until evenly distributed. Add the remainder of the sauce and toss one more time until every vegetable and noodle is coated in sauce.

Serving:

Serve the noodles in a bowl. Top with sesame seeds for added smokiness, or sprinkle green onions for an added kick.

Jambalaya

Difficulty: 2/5

Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.35 (total cost: $5.40)

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 celery stalks diced OR 2/3 cup fennel diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 bell peppers diced (can be either red, orange, yellow, or green)
• 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups water OR vegetable stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano OR 1 tbsp fresh oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp miso paste OR 2 tbsp soy sauce
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 can (240g) cooked chickpeas rinsed and drained OR kidney beans
• 2 cups brown rice

Instructions:

• In a pot, add the onion and garlic with a little bit of water to steam until soft. Then, add the celery, carrots, and bell peppers and cook until they begin to soften.
• Add the tomatoes, water, herbs, spices, miso paste, chickpeas, and rice. Stir together so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan right away, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Adjust seasonings and salt if necessary.

Serving:

Serve the jambalaya in a plate. Top with fresh chives, cilantro, green onions, or parsley for added freshness. Sprinkle more cayenne for a kick of spice.

Lentil lemony soup

Difficulty: 1/5

Time: 1 hour

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.05 (total cost: $4.20)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of dry lentils (make sure they're not too old, or they may not soften), or alternatively 3 cans of lentils.
• 1 sliced medium-sized onion
• 2 cups frozen spinach OR 2 cups kale
• 3 tbsp miso paste + salt to taste
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 blended lemon (or 2 squeezed lemons if no blender)
• Black pepper to taste

Process:

• In a pot filled 3/4 with water, add the lentils, onion, fennel seeds, and black pepper.
• Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 55 minutes, then add the frozen spinach--or if using kale, let simmer for 40 minutes, then add the kale.
• Add the miso (mixed in with water before adding so it stirs in)/salt and lemons and let simmer for another 5 minutes--or 20 minutes if using kale, adding the lemons 5 minutes before turning off the heat.

Serving:

Pour the soup in a bowl. For added acidity, add a thin slice of lemon to the plate. For added spiciness, add a few slices of jalapeno.

Pumpkin pasta

Difficulty: 2/5

Time: 1.5/2 hours

Servings: 4

Cost per serving: $1.20 (total cost: $4.80)

Ingredients:

• 1 small roughly chopped pumpkin (between 700g to 1kg) and washed seeds from the pumpkin - Please note: you can use canned pumpkin purée and simply skip the baking stages of the recipe
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 can (400mL/14oz) coconut milk (or soy milk)
• Soy milk
• 500g whole-wheat penne
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 lemon (optional)

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 225°C. In the meantime, spread your pumpkin pieces skin-side down on a baking tray with parchment paper. Sprinkle black pepper on the pumpkin flesh.
• Bake pumpkin until the flesh is tender when you poke it with a fork (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pumpkins). Once cooked, take out your tray from the oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
• With a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin to separate it from the skin and put it in a blender. You can also use a knife, but a spoon works better to scrape out as much flesh as possible.
• Put the pumpkin skins back in the oven at °200C with the pumpkin seeds and toast until crispy.
• In the meantime, bring water to a boil for your pasta. Add in your pasta and cook until al dente, then drain.
• Blend your pumpkin with some salt, some black pepper and some of your coconut milk until smooth and lumpless.
• In a pot, stir in your garlic with a little bit of water and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add in your blended pumpkin purée to your garlic and slowly stir in the rest of your coconut milk to achieve a gravy consistency. If one can of coconut milk is not enough, stir in soy milk instead.
• In a big bowl, mix together your pasta and your pumpkin sauce, adjusting for seasoning.

Serving:

Add your pasta to a bowl. Garnish with thinly sliced, crispy pumpkin skins and toasted pumpkin seeds, and squeeze in some lemon juice for added acidity.

Banana Matcha Ice Cream

Difficulty: 0/5

Ingredients:

• 2 Very Ripe Frozen Bananas
• 1/2 tsp Matcha Powder
• Garnish such as Mint (optional)
• Fruits and other nuts (optional)

In