Inexpensive Vegan Meals & Convenient healthy snacks

I have come to an understanding that I am not going to convince the masses to go vegan by pushing them to eat solely raw, whole, fresh fruits and vegetables. Most of you know that a common breakfast for me are seven to ten bananas blended with water. For lunch and snacks I eat other fruit, especially dates, apples, and mangoes and orange juice as these are inexpensive and convenient foods to eat.

Although I cannot convince others to eat a fruit-based diet, I can convince people to add fruit to their diet. Adding fruit instead of other foods will greatly improve digestion and overall health.
Presenting healthier and cruelty-free alternatives of burgers, pizza, sandwiches, scrambled "eggs", "ice cream" and the like can change people's perspective of the Vegan diet. It can be much more satisfying, filling, and nutritionally advantageous than any other diets.

I have lived without animal and animal derived foods for nine years as of April 2014, while my partner has for seven to eight years. I have become acquainted with hundreds of other people that live without ailments, and have greatly improved their health and even reversed cancers and diseases.

Here, I have compiled a list of recipes/photos that will encourage non vegans to try some cruelty free foods. These meals are inexpensive, filling, nutritious, low fat, and are Vegan boyfriend-approved.

Vegetable Lentil Burgers

Above are Vegetable Lentil burgers I made back in 2012, for my partner. He loved these with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion in toast.

To make the burgers, boil lentils for 30 minutes or more, drain, and mash in a bowl. With the mashed lentils, add shredded carrots, zucchini, and onion with a little flour (oat or rice flour, etc). Add as much flour as needed till they form perfectly shaped patties. Add seasonings if desired.

Cook patties with a little oil, on medium heat until one side of the patty is completely cooked. Then flip to cook other side.

Serve patties with vegetables and condiments of our choice on your bread of choice.

This meal is a healthier alternative to hamburgers and even some other vegan burger recipes, because of the high fiber content of the lentils, carrots, and zucchini.

**I highly recommend limiting fried burgers, even fries, chips, and other foods containing oils because of the high fat content. High amounts of fat, like in meat eaters diets, will clog cells and cause disease in the body. You will find in the list I recommend limiting some of these foods, and I myself do not eat them anymore because I continue to clean up my diet.

Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sauce

As you may notice in the following recipes, I love Asian cuisines. And also notice that with this list of recipes provided, you can pick up large quantities of similar ingredients for every different dish.

This recipe calls for Spring roll wrappers. Simply julienne your vegetables (carrots, zucchini, squash, onions) and cook with a little water and seasonings of your choice.

Boil water for your Spring Roll wrappers.

After water comes to a boil, pour in a large bowl to soak wrappers to make pliable.

Make a sauce of peanut butter and soy sauce for dipping rolls.

After veggies have cooked, add to wrappers and roll like a you would a tortilla.

Dip rolls in the peanut butter sauce.

Vegetables and rice

This next Asian cuisine uses the same ingredients of carrots, zucchini, squash and onion.

Simply boil rice while lightly cooking vegetables.

It is not best to fry vegetables or cook them in oil. If you're going to cook vegetables, slowly cook with vegetable broth or vegetable stock. You could also cook veggies with a little water and spices of your desire. Garnish with sesame seeds!

Keep in mind, you should use a ceramic (lead-free) skillet for cooking food. Many pots and pans have been coated with plastic and contain lead.

Vegetables and Noodles

I have replaced the rice from the previous recipe with rice noodles for this dish.

After I boiled the rice noodles, I cut raw cucumber, carrots, and green onions to garnish the noodles.

I am not sure what I used for the sauce on the noodles, but I may have used soy sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.

Vegetable Spaghetti 

Another great dish everyone loves is spaghetti. Boil spaghetti noodles, buy a vegan spaghetti sauce from the store (make sure it is dairy, meat-free). Saute peppers, mushrooms, and onions in small amounts of water. After vegetables are cooked to desired, add spaghetti sauce. Drain noodles and add to your spaghetti sauce with vegetables.

Burrito Bowl (or burrito wraps)

Here  a Mexican cuisine I call the "burrito bowl".

Simply boil rice and black beans, then combine with salsa, lettuce and a little avocado (or guacamole).

Add lime for a little zest~

Canned beans have absorbed the salt and so usually high in sodium, and preservatives are also added. The better option is to buy dried beans, and if using them soak overnight and boil with water for 30 minutes or more when ready to use.

**If you prefer eating a burrito wrap, use corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas as healthier alternatives. Tortilla wraps are usually high in fat because they contain oils. Eat less tortilla wraps and increase the rice and beans to feel fuller.

Peanut butter Ramen (Extremely poor person's food)

I understand the position people are put in when they can only afford Ramen noodles. One pack of ramen noodles is $0.20 cents compared to one organic red pepper that costs $2.50, or the $1.35 per avocado, or one pound of bananas that equates to $0.57. I have not personally bought Ramen but I have had to eat ramen noodles in desperate situations (when I was at my Dad's house for the weekend, etc). I DID NOT use the chicken seasonings--just the noodles. I would make my own seasonings of chili powder, garlic powder, soy sauce (peanut butter optional), and Add sesame seeds for garnish (or raw green onion, cucumber or carrots).
**I repeat, Ramen noodles are to be eaten when in desperate need, as they are one of the most unhealthy foods. High in fat, using genetically modified wheat, high in sodium. Overall Ramen makes you feel sluggish but in the end makes you feel full.

Carrot and Pea Soup 

Soak green split peas overnight. Boil the peas, with desired amount of carrots, celery, and onions.

Use vegetable broth or stock in place of water and seasonings when boiling vegetables.

After you cook the vegetables with the broth or stock, let cool then transfer to a blender to create a creamy soup consistency.

Any variation of vegetable soup or bisque is a great low fat lunch or dinner option.

Vegetable-only Sushi Rolls

Buy seaweed wraps from a safe source (for example, do not get from Japan considering the nuclear waste spill).

Boil rice and let cool.

Transfer small amounts of rice spread onto a sushi wrap, then add sliced pieces of cucumbers, carrots, tomato, avocado, spinach (or any vegetable of your choice). Layer vegetables vertically.

Then roll each wrap into a long burrito shape, and cut small portions of the wrap to create bite-sized pieces.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds, no need to dip in soy sauce. Soy sauce is high in sodium and usually contains genetically modified soy beans. Plus, seaweed as a Vegan food is debatable because it contains much fish contaminants. 

**I would limit the amount of sushi intake. Actually, I probably will not eat Sushi any more, as it was a phase for a year, and I cannot separate the idea that Seaweed comes from polluted water.

Butternut Squash Chili

**The combination of food may be eccentric, but I am using ingredients (peppers and tomatoes, beans and butternut squash) because they come from my garden.

If using dried beans, soak them overnight. Or you can use canned organic black beans, kidney beans, red beans, or pinto beans (any bean of your choice). Cook butternut squash first, along with onion, peppers, jalapeno pepper, tomato (or salsa). Add canned beans. If using beans that have been soaked overnight, cook beans separately from butternut squash and veggies. Then add veggies to the beans.

Vegetable Pizza

Gluten free alternative with oats

This is the most common, most loved, and favorite food of America. Most Americans identify pizza as their number one favorite food. I may have to agree that it is a very stimulating food, because there's something about bread, sauce, and toppings that is appealing.
This is a very easy concept, prepare your dough first using a low fat recipe alternative (without using oil). Use a tomato sauce or a vegan pizza sauce and Slice vegetables like mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and olives over top the dough.
Recipe for Low fat dough:

2 cups of flour
1 cup potato flakes
packet of instant yeast + 1/3 cup water
1 cup water
Italian herbs, seasonings

Add 1/3 cup of water and yeast  in a cup, stir and let sit for 10 minutes or longer. In a large bowl, Stir dry ingredients first: add flour, potato flakes, Italian herbs (sage, basil, marjoram, thyme, garlic powder). Then add yeast and the additional water. Knead into ball, keep in the bowl and cover with a wet cloth for 30 minutes or longer.
After 30 minutes, Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Grease pizza pan and layout dough into desired shape. Prick holes in the dough and Bake dough for 3-5 minutes. Afterwards, add sauce and toppings, then bake for 15-25 minutes. Daiya Mozzerrella cheese sprinkled over top the pizza is a nice addition, but unnecessary added fat.

Main dish Plain Potatoes 

Another easy recipe is simply boiling 6 potatoes. Sweet potatoes are best. Cut potatoes into cubes and boil in water for 15 minutes or more. Juice a lemon over top of potatoes to create a buttery taste. Serve with lettuce.

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To me, there is no meal better than eating 5 mangoes for lunch, 10 bananas for breakfast, or 30 dates, 3 lb of strawberries..Eating fruit makes me feel my best and gives me energy, so a usual grocery week for me is 20-40 lb of bananas, 10-20 lbs of other fruit, pasteurized juices and smoothies, frozen concentrated juice, frozen fruit, dehydrated fruit, canned fruit. Because I have created an importance in my life towards growing fruits and vegetables working towards self sufficient gardening, I receive free medicinal health benefits from the fruits and vegetables.

I explain to others the mis-truths about Protein, Fats, and Carbohydrates, emphasizing that an increase in Fats and Protein can harm the body, specifically animal fats and proteins. Instead, a diet rich in Carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains) are healthier options. It is well documented and heavily studied that a diet emphasized on fruits and vegetables alone will reverse cancer, heart disease, cholesterol, blood sugar, allergies, arthritis, tumors, and more. So encourage your family members and friends to make small changes in this direction as well, because it could really save their life, or avoid spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for medical care.

If you are starting out, taking the Vegan diet slowly, purchase small amounts of Fruit you like. Do not eat anything you do not favor the taste of. If you don't like Kale or spinach, do not eat them, eat Lettuce instead. If you do not like Cantaloupe, eat Watermelon, or if you hate bananas, eat Mangoes.

But of course you can buy Convenient, quick and healthy snacks, for example...

Frozen concentrated Juice. Simply add whole or half of the carton into 2-3 cups of water, mix in a blender. Here I have bought the Pineapple-Orange Juice Frozen concentrate, which I usually add with frozen raspberries or strawberries. Although it seems like a lot of calories, juice does not contain the amount of fiber to feel "full". Consuming a larger quantity of juice will allow you to feel satisfied for longer.
** Warning: Be aware that some Orange Juices contain Calcium Lactate (animal derived), so watch out for labels that say "Plus calcium" or "Added Calcium" on the covers. 

You may also notice below the cartons of concentrate is a box of frozen bananas. With a food processor, add almond milk and frozen bananas, blend to create ice cream consistency. Banana "nice" cream is a puss-free, hormone-free, fat-free, cruelty-free dessert that tastes like a vanilla milkshake.

Canned fruit and dehydrated fruit are other healthy snack options. Only will I buy Peaches and pineapples canned. I cannot imagine any other canned fruit to have the same consistency and taste as if it were fresh as Pineapples and Peaches do.

I'm not proud of the Del Monte brand Peaches...

Dehydrated fruit, dates, mango, grapes (raisins), blueberries, papaya, pineapple are my favorite. Any time I hang out with friends, I always bring a bag of dates, or my friends and family keeps a bag of dates at their house for me. Raisins are the next best dehydrated fruit because it is inexpensive compared to Dates. Raisins can be added to cereals and oatmeal. Buy the Old fashioned oats to make oatmeal as they have not been processed and do not raise blood sugar.
Keep in mind that dehydrated fruit like dates can aggravate your teeth, much like jerky or meat wears at your teeth. Eating a fresh raw diet of fruits, vegetables, and greens will prevent tooth problems.

Bagels can serve as a low fat alternative for breakfast or snacks. Toast or warm in the oven.

Another healthy snack is applesauce. Actually I made a full meal out of the applesauce jar you see below. It contained nearly 600 calories in total, and I ate every bit of it as a snack. I have always believed that it makes little sense to eat small amounts of unhealthy food when you can eat large quantities of healthy food.

Organic brown Sugar and dates are also seen here which are great ingredients for cereals or oats.

In the next photo I have burrito wraps. Wraps are usually high in fat, and it may be best to not eat too many wheat products, however 2-3 burrito wraps with rice, beans, salsa, and avocado will be filling enough to avoid taking in more bread.
I will say you can make a burrito bowl like I have demonstrated in the above "Burrito Bowl" recipe.

In this next photo, I have "Silk brand Almond Milk" which is fortified with 50% more Calcium in milk, vitamin D, B12. Actually when cow's milk is consumed, the acidity leaches Calcium from your bones to neutralize the pH of your blood. I highly recommend dropping the cruel Cow's milk and begin purchasing "Silk" because it contains necessary vitamins and nutrients that most meat eaters are lacking in their diet. I also have "Naked" brand Blueberry smoothie, mostly because it was on sale and the Odwalla orange juice was also. When I go to hang with friends, I usually bring a large bottle of juice that contains a meal's worth of calories.

Don't forget to eat fresh raw salads and smoothies as well.

Bananas + Spinach + Mint + water

Bananas + water + drizzle of blueberry

Soaked dates + water & spices

A diet of raw fruits and vegetables will allow your body to self-heal. There are many different styles of the Vegan diet, the most optimal is a low fat, mostly fresh fruits and vegetables diet, little nuts, seeds, avocado, and no oil. 
This diet and lifestyle is not a struggle, however. Many people even body builders go Vegan. Once it becomes revealed to you the horrors of the meat and dairy industry, this lifestyle is easier than

Familiarize yourself with the literature on Fats, Proteins, Carbohydrates, diet and lifestyle. For example, Read materials from Vegan doctors, Dr T Colin Campbell of The China Study (one of the most comprehensive nutrition study ever undertaken), Dr John McDougall of the Starch Solution, Dr Greger, Dr Doug Graham of 80/10/10, Dr Neal Barnard of "Reversing Diabetes", and many more...

In the photo above are Vegan "fats", for example Avocado, guacamole, vegan "Nayowhipped", tortilla wraps. There are some over ripe bananas and vegetables in the picture too. Avocado goes well in salads, sandwiches, over rice, and burritos.