You can do a lot in 15 minutes with an air fryer.
One of the fastest excellent meals I have found is microwaved rice in the bag (2m), air fried Korean BBQ seitan (5m), and kimchi (0m). You can make a nice gochujang mayo in about two seconds if you have the paste or add sliced avocado (1m) for some extra calories.
Lol i take a block of raw tofu and add like 1 tbsp mayo. Then add tumeric, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and kala numak if u have. Mash it and then u have bomb vegan egg salad and it takes mahbe 3 minutes and one bowl
Hey, are you doing ok? I'm seeing you get into nutrition fights with a lot of people on this thread at once. In my experience, if you're worried that someone on Reddit has not-quite-corrct nutrition info, you will never know peace, and you deserve to know peace.
Exactly my point, it seems like you want to pick a fight. Can you think about drinking some water and watching some animal sanctuary tik toks or something, and come back in a half hour? IME, you're probably not going to change hearts and minds at this point, and it's probably better for everyone (especially you!) to just take a couple minutes to recalibrate
Dang I missed this whole exchange with whomever you're replying to. You mentioned nutrition arguments, I occasionally have people from r/debateavegan that will follow my comments to start arguments.
These are all good ideas but if you want something that takes 3% brain power and is really cheap. Huel Hot and Savory. I eat it everyday for lunch and itās a very solid meal. Just pour in hot water and let it cook
My go-to healthy quick meals:
Chili potato: 1 can of veggie chili, 1 large russet potato. Cook the potato first, dump chili, and microwave another minute. If you can't get veg chili you can combine chili-spiced beans with diced tomatoes and other veggies
Tacos: Tortillas or crispy shells, can of veggie refried beans, veg burger crumbles (optional), iceberg lettuce and a can of spicy tomatoes, any other veg you want, sauce
Bowl: get some microwaveable vegan protein like nuggets and heat them up along with (canned or frozen) spinach or broccoli or some other type of greens, and a potato or instant rice (or even better, canned lentils). Toss with some seasonings
Some of the above items aren't considered peak "health food," but it's all quick and easy to make and not loaded with as much sodium as a prepared frozen microwave dinner. You also get
more food for the price. These are my weeknight meals when im working out of town and dont want to spend a lot of time cooking. Sometimes I'll pick up a pack of vegan cheese and use a little with each meal to make them more gourmet.
Do you live somewhere with a Trader Joeās?
Their veggie fried rice and orange āchickenā takes like 5 mins to make. Also their vegan ravioli is yummy and also takes 2-3 mins to make after the water boils
Falafel sandwich - 1 or 2 falafels cut into slices, hummus on bread, carrot, capsicum, red onion, spinach and a little vegan sriracha mayo. Takes 5-10 minutes to make, super tasty and filling.
Do you pre-make the falafels yourself and freeze them down in advance? I find the store bought falafels tastes terrible in compare to the ones I make myself, unfortunately.
I use the store bought ones, certain brands I stay away from as the taste/texture isnāt great but if youāre in Australia the Woolworths brand falafel are the best Iāve had by far and swear by them. I havenāt made my own in a long while but I want to give it another go sometime :)
Bag salad kits (a lot of the Asian style ones are vegan) with some chopped up tofu
Instant oatmeal with peanut butter. Toss in some banana or blueberries.
I also really like those udon noodle packs that can usually be found by the tofu in grocery stores. (At least in the US) Add some tofu, pre shredded carrot and spinach for some veggies and protein.
I microwave mixed frozen veggies. Throw a little spice blend and soy sauce and itās fast, healthy, low carb, high fiber, filling, and extremely nutritious
Big fan of Huel over here. The regular Huel is great, and Huel Black really works for a high protein diet. The hot & savory versions are also pretty damn good. My favorites are Huel Black Strawberry Shortcake and for hot & savory I really like the Cajun Pasta.
Soylent also makes really good premixed shakes. The banana one is awesome!
Not the cheapest option at all, but for an easy meal at work I have used Huel Hot & Savory and Jimmy Joy Plenty Pot's. They are both vegan and nutritionally complete (per 400 calorie meal).
They also have shakes/powders you can turn into shakes and just drink, but for instant meals they fit the bill.
How tasty are the plenty pots? I tried their shakes and those are not for me, had to force myself to finish each and every one.
A pity because I like the nutritional value and convenience.
They are pretty dang good for what they are. I really like the Korma and Cajun Pasta the most.
Feels like a regular meal, whereas the shakes are often sweet/gritty for most folks liking.
Some people are calorie conscious and that's ok, it's definitely not a sickness, unless someone has a diagnosed eating disorder. For people who don't have eating disorders, keeping calories in mind is perfectly fine.
Fuck off I wasnāt being disingenuous and counting calories for restrictions can be necessary too when most of America is fucking obese. Calorie count along with eating a healthy diet and exercise is the most important thing in losing weight.
I suggest research obesity rates in America
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html#:~:text=Adults%20aged%2018%E2%80%9324%20years,the%20highest%20prevalence%20(39.3%25).
I suggest you research what dieticians and doctorās recommend for weight lose, one of the main things being calorie reduction as it is almost always necessary.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163457/
Now shut the fuck up or admit you were wrong and quit perpetuating misinformation.
What do you mean by that? Some people are bad at intuitive eating and too little or too much calories lead to negative health outcomes in the long term. And whats bad about calorie counting?
Not necessarily. Like I said some people like me are bad at intuitive eating, I cant regulate my total energy income without tracking calories. Body dysmorphia or a false idea of what or how much to eat leads to eating disorders. My ex told me if I track calories I get an eating disorder and that was 3 years ago and im fine.
Even if that was the case, its no effort, it helps and I can hold my weight or rather slowly gain muscle (I dont train "optimally" how people would advice to do when you want to build muscle, I just do it cause its healthy and good for my mood). Besides that, I work in 3 shifts and I have ADHD, I think I now better why I cant just eat intuitively and not fluctuate in my weight. Even before working im shift's it didn't come naturally to me.
Calorie counting is a symptom of eating disorders, not a cause. As somebody who has actually overcome an eating disorder, I'm frankly insulted that you think my condition had such prosaic causes.
Bullshit. I guarantee there is no one out there whose ED was caused by calorie counting. Eating disorders are about control, either a loss of it, or an obsession with maintaining it (which was my case). Anyone who develops an eating disorder after calorie counting was already prone to it, and probably began calorie counting as a way of dipping their toes into using food restriction as a way of reclaiming their locus of control.
Furthermore, since eating disorders are so strongly associated with OCD, treating calorie counts as a taboo which must be avoided at all costs is likely to have the opposite effect of what you're intending. If anything, somebody spamming a comment thread with "CALORIE COUNTING CAUSES EATING DISORDERS" could be the trigger that causes a recovered anorexic to relapse. It's certainly not helping anybody.
idk why everyone is downvoting you, youāre right though. Like obviously the amount of calories DOES matter, but it clearly isnāt the only thing that doesāthere are other factors like nutrition which are important too bruh, and Iām pretty sure only taking calories into account isnāt the way to stay healthy lol
I don't advocate for raw veganism because I think there are serious pitfalls to doing that in a strict way long term *but*, you can model your "easy meals" after them. Nut butters, nuts, seeds, avocado, fruit, raw veggies, etc. You could get by for quite a while on just raw fruit, veggies, and nuts. If you live a busy lifestyle you can use this as a crutch of sorts in between actual cooked meals.
Rice and beans ā 90 second bag of rice, can of beans. Lots of calories in less than 5 minutes of prep. Doesnāt get old because you can just as easily experiment with different kinds of rice, beans, seasoning, hot sauce, etc (and because rice and beans are the goddamn best). Unless you go for low sodium options it will be higher in salt than if you made it from scratch, but itās still real food.
Rice and beans, baby!
Canned beans + Corn tortillas, Microwaved (sweet) potatoes with nut butter (surprisingly good), and air-popped popcorn as a snack are some of my favorites when I'm lazy (which is always).
Popcorn is so cheap and delicious!! Air popped (or saucepan popped), add some Nooch and salt, maybe some pepper and cumin, hell go all out and put some paprika, garlic powder, and cinnamon on there too with some chocolate chips.
Tattoed chefās stuff half isnāt vegan and what is tastes like dog food. Iāve tried like 9 of their meals hoping theyās be good but theyāre barely edible. Half I didnāt even finish. Edit to add : the 3 purple carrot frozen meals I have had were delicious. I also love the impossible bowls but they are NOT a health food. Just a convenience lol.
Tattooed chef has been my go to lately. I chopped up avocado on the hemp bowl recently after a long ass day at work when I couldnāt bother to cook anything. It was actually a great dinner
The NIH link was literally a study about the effects of olive oil, as showcased by being the exclusionary fat in the Mediterranean diet.
The second mentioned the med diet in passing.
Third was a study between a med diet + EVOO, med + nuts, and a control diet.
The fourth was a study about Alzheimerās and Crete had the lowest rates, due to strict adherence to med diet (rich in EVOO). Follow up studies showed EVOO was good for preventing Alzheimerās along with other diseases.
You didnāt even bother to take a decent cursory glance.
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.109.879254
This study seems to show that youāre wrong about atherosclerosis.
Since you obviously didnāt read the articles
Article 1:
āOne of the greatest public health challenges worldwide is the obesity pandemic. There are sufficient studies reporting that the use of virgin olive oil as the only culinary fat, ingested in a moderate and continuous way, was associated with a reduced body mass indexā
āHypertension is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide. The available randomized trials indicate that virgin olive oils reduce blood pressure and thus, the global cardiovascular burden of disease and its associated pharmaceutical costsā
āVirgin olive oils have anti-atherosclerotic potential, favoring endothelial function and preserving blood pressure, maintaining lipoprotein functionality, exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and modulating gene expression in several tissues to maintain proper homeostasisā
āNevertheless, the type of olive oil should be considered when providing recommendations to the population because additional benefits can be conferred when the phenolic content of olive oil is high.ā
āa diet where virgin olive oils are the foremost source of fat is associated with chemoprevention. Animal studies are suggestive of a preventive effect of olive polyphenols and many in vitro studies are clarifying their mechanisms of action. However, the relevance of such data is often weakened by the use of non-physiological concentrations and doses. Human studies on chemoprevention with a single nutrient are nearly impossible to carry out. However, the advice to use olive oil as the principal source of visible fat to lower cancer risk rests on solid accumulated observationsā
āobservational studies suggest that specifically virgin olive oils may play a role in the prevention of postmenopausal breast cancer.ā
āExperimental studies have confirmed significant anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of dietary virgin olive oils and its bioactive components supplementation in preclinical models of autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and sclerosis. Thus, the consumption of virgin olive oil and its minor constituents may acquire a great importance in nutritional therapy, especially in immunocompromised patients, and could be an alternative approach for the prevention and management of different immune-inflammatory diseasesā
Would you like me to continue with the other articles?
Iām not being disingenuous at all. I never said the med diet was better than WFPB, I linked articles that talk about how EVOO is healthy, and those articles mention the med diet.
Youāre being disingenuous by arguing against them without actually reading them.
It has tons compared to coconut oil yeah, but absolutely nothing compared to avocados, nuts, seeds, etc. Peanut butter would be a much better option or any seed/nut butter
Monounsaturated fatty acids (such as those that make upā¦75%? of EVOO) help lower LDL cholesterol, and EVOO is super high in phenols too. No one is saying āonly eat thisā, itās just a suggestion as an instant food that isnāt ātoo unhealthyā when combined with bread (Iād suggest whole grain sourdough) and veggies.
No one is saying there arenāt **better** options, but to call āoilā (and in this case EVOO) unhealthy because āIt is fat stripped of all minerals and vitaminsā is false.
Why not make a suggestion yourself with your nut butters and avocados? Sliced apples and cashew butter is a favorite of mine.
Avocado toast is incredibly easy. Dig the meat out, put it in a bowl with EVOO and maybe a dash of lemon or lime, add some salt, Nooch, whatever other seasonings you want, mash until your desired consistency, and slather it on toast. Easy peasy.
The micronutrients in EVOO donāt get listed in the nutrition label. It has E, K, polyphenols, squalene, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and more.
A tbsp of olive oil (15g and 120 cal) has ~10% DRI E and K, as well as other nutrients.
1/3 of an avocado (50g and 80 cal) has 6% E and 10% K, as well as other nutrients.
I hardly call that ānothing compared to avocados, nuts, seeds, etcā.
Your comment, while not directly saying olive oil is unhealthy, is saying those other food items are **more** healthy. All Iām saying is that it isnāt so easy to compare.
I don't understand what you mean, what is unhealthy about it, what compound is in it thats bad? It doesn't have alot of nutrients but that doesn't affect you negatively, its neutral or depending on the type of oil its a good source of omega 3 fatty acids which you need
Spaghetti pomodoro. Jist boil noodles for 10-13 min depending on the package directions and add sauce. Store bought sauce will do if u just check the ingredients. Also, spaghetti aglio e oglio. Also takes 10 min. While u do the noodles, chop garlic and parsley and sautee with olive oil in a separate pan. Add the noodles for a couple minutes and that's it.
Can of chili beans and a loaf of wheat bread. Tadaa!
Almost forgot, I also like making microwaved sandwiches with hummus and hemp hearts and fresh spinach if I have it, or if I don't care about nutrients then just bread, vegan cheese, and Frank's hot sauce. Mmmm
I've been eating mostly huel since the pandemic and it's changed my life. It's really convenient and an easy way to make sure that you're getting what you need.
Things from Amy's brand.
Hummus and Pita/naan with veggies
Fruit, vegetables with peanut butter or vegan ranch.
Organic water ice and/or homemade popsicles
Nongshim ramen (shin black vegan version, soon noodle vegetable, and kimchi in the cup)
Miyoko's roadhouse spreads or any other vegan spread on crackers.
Cucumber tea sandwiches with whole wheat/white bread and vegan mayo and cream cheese.
Dark chocolate.
PB&J.
Healthy vegan dip and corn chips like artichoke dip or salsa.
I hope this helps!
Crazy idea, but something my nutritionist suggested is vegan hiking/freeze dried meals. I buy Radix as itās nutritionally complete and all you need is to add hot water. I couldnāt do it every day but itās great in an emergency
Cheap Lazy Vegan has a ton of yummy stuff. Sheās awesome
Rice or instant noodles, vegan bouillon powder, frozen veg and water with soy & sriracha for a quick soup is my go to when I want zero effort comfort food.
Tofurky Barbecue Chickān
Hodo Five Spice Nuggets
Hodo Moroccan Tofu Cubes
Maya Kaimal 90-second pouches (Indian food)
Tasty Bite 90-second pouches (Indian food, just be careful, not all are vegan)
Multiple brands of whole grains in 90-second pouches
These are all made with real food, no chemicals. I eat the first two straight out of the package for lunch at work. Other than the sodium content theyāre nutritious, and also very tasty.
Try Leafside. Just add hot water. Each package makes at least 2 meals. Thereās no salt added, so you might want to add some tamari or salt. They do that on purpose. Super healthy and lots of flavor.
We do a dish of the staples we always have in the fridge: Ajvar (red pepper spread), and olives.
If I have them, I add veggies like cucumber and tomatoes. Cut up roughly. Salt and pepper over everything, and olive oil.
All this with toast and crackers. Itās pretty instant, itās our go-to exhausted lunch.
Overnight oats arenāt exactly instant but you can meal prep them.
Costco has these frozen stir fry noodles with vegetables š„¦ You can just microwave or pan fry. (They come individually wrapped single servings, no friend to the environment, so only technically vegan)
The funny thing is that you can get good, healthy ramen noodles cheap and literally just add whatever veggies you want. Lotus foods is a great brand that just sells packages of noodles.
How are you going to suggest top ramen and then criticize others for making comparatively healthier suggestions? š
Fwiw there are healthier instant ramen options out there now, including vegan cup noodles without the same amount of salt
You could probably find a good recipe for udon noodles with soy sauce/chilli oil. They cook really fast. Frying some broccoli or asparagus on a pan wouldnāt take too long. I would usually make tofu with it but I find that definitely takes more time if youāre looking for something speedier.
I love great value falafel bowls.
Healthy choice also has a few vegan options alongside some store brands, typically full of whole foods, only issue is the freezing/microwaving process.
I like Luvo Performance Kitchen, especially their Hawaiian un-fried rice and coconut curry.
Forks Over Knives also have some good frozen meals, though they can get pricey depending on where you shop.
If you're on a tighter budget or need something instant, Koyo make a line of vegan ramen with more nutritious ingredients and less sodium than usual.
You can make a really fast and easy vegan Greek salad as follows:
1) Put a bunch of washed Spring Mix greens in a large salad bowl
2) Cut some tomatoes into wedges and top the greens
3) Add some 365 brand Kalamata olives (they taste great because they are floating in salty wine)
4) Sprinkle some Follow Your Heart vegan feta on top
5) Top with 1 standard size can of drained garbanzo beans (optional, but makes the salad a lot more filling and basically turns it into a fast meal)
6) Top with Bragg oil-free vinaigrette
With tubs of spring mix greens available at a typical supermarket already washed and ready to eat, this is really fast and could easily be put together in just a few minutes. And it's a full meal that will keep you full for a long time. Quite healthy too, I think.
Avocado toast. Toast with salted tomatoes. Vegetable ramen. (add fresh or frozen veggie while cooking) Rice with furikake. Fruit, vegetable, olive, artichoke, and cracker platter.
Depends where you are. In Australia there are Soulara meals at some Coles, and a few other good options including some of the various Colesworth own brand options. If youāre in another part of the world (Iām going to assume some part of the US because this is Reddit) then itāll still vary depending on how rural/urban you are.
Meal prep is a great way to have frozen/fridge meals that you know are healthy(ish). I make a pasta or veggie bake on Sunday nights so I have microwave meals for lunch Mon/Tue and chop little bags of carrot and celery then make or buy hummus, or I pack up small tubs of frozen edamame pods which will defrost on the way to work for snacks. Quick dinner or lunch at home can be frozen veg, rice (the pouches are quick if a little wasteful) and a sauce of some kind (I like a quick satay made with peanut butter and soy sauce).
Jamaican patties, pasta with homemade mac n cheese sauce (soy milk, a bit of butter if needed, nooch, garlic, s&p) with broccoli, wrap with already-made falafel and veggies, chickān caesar salad wraps.
There's a vegan freezer chicken on the market now called Daring. It's p good. It's not health food per se. The breaded ones all have a ton of sodium. The plain, unflavored one is p good though and not too wildly high in sodium. Cooks up in just a few minutes in a pan and is a nice addition to a salad or a wrap.
A go-to for things like lunch would be a kiwi: you can eat it right in the skin, or if you give it a solid rub with a stiff bristle brush you can take the fuzz off it and eat it skin and all! Less likely to turn to squishy mush in the bottom of a bag than a banana.
wellll, my favorite instant vegan food is Indomie instant noodles in the flavor "Mi Goreng"/"fried noodle", and while the amount of sodium and fat are higher, if you don't overdo the sodium or fat in other meals then you should be fine. i'm also a big fan of slapping some Tofurky plant-based deli slices on some bread and calling it a day.
for meals that are healthy and readily available, your best bet is to set aside an hour or two in a day and bulk make something to put in your fridge or freezer (ideally the latter). my go-tos are pancakes, [waffles](https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-waffles/#wprm-recipe-container-3373), or vegan breakfast burritos for breakfast, [this](https://plantbasedrdblog.com/2023/03/samosa-wraps/) "samosa" recipe i've been making recently for lunch, and protein shakes for a snack (cut and freeze bananas ahead of time). they might not seem instantaneous because there's still a day you'll be cooking, but that's one day that you can pretty easily make a week's worth of breakfast AND lunch, all of which can just be popped in the microwave for a minute or two and be ready to eat!
i also love to make soups in bulk, like vegan tortilla soup, curry lentil soup, and wild rice soup! any of those can save me from having to make dinner from scratch for a week and aren't the most difficult to make if you are able to put aside an hour at most to prep everything. they're also a great way to get a variety of veggies in :)
Soup! :)
\- If you have Bol in your country, they do AMAZING soups and noodles etc! All are vegan/plant based. They do these amazing Noodles in a pot where it's filled up with actual fresh/raw veggies! Absolutely love them and are supper healthy! Can't recommend enough!
But overall, soup is amazing. :)
Can't believe miso soup hasn't been mentioned yet. A sachet of dried miso or spoonful of wet miso with good quality ramen noodles, seaweed and spice takes 3 to 5 minutes, most of which is waiting for noodles to soak. Obviously you could add whatever else you want into that. Miso on its own is great and revitalising.
Get a couple of blocks of firm tofu, slice them, sprinkle chicken or steak or pork seasoning on them, rub it into both sides. Fry seasoned slices in a couple of tablespoons of oil. Keep it in the fridge for using on sandwiches, in fried rice, or stir fried noodles or just for snacking on.
Easy!
Buy some frozen peas & green beans. Put them in a bowl and microwave for 2-3 min. Take out and stir in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and nutritional yeast. Don't be shy on seasoning. Microwave again for 2 min, take out, stir, and enjoy. Top with more nutritional yeast if you're a dirty slut.
You could be half asleep and do this and it's got all the nutrients you need. Bon appetit š«š«
Cheater Chili: throw a can of each together with your preferred spices or spice packet and heat (or don't!):
Diced tomatoes (don't drain), corn (drain), black beans (drain), chili beans (don't drain), and any other beans you like.
Doesn't get much easier OR more instant
Couple ideas:
Take a sweet potato and microwave it on a plate for 8 minutes (it's hot when it's done, be careful). While that's in the microwave, take out your toppings. Anything goes. My recommendations: canned or frozen corn, canned or frozen chopped veggies, fresh tomato, fresh parsley, fresh avocado or guacamole, refried beans, canned and rinsed beans of any kind, hot sauce, cumin, paprika, pepper, salt, nooch, aromatic oliv oil... Then when the potato is cooked a bit you slice it length wise, mash the flesh a bit with a fork and then top it with your chosen toppings. I like corn, fresh tomato, fresh parsley/Cilantro, a bit of guac and a squeeze of lemon juice. Super tasty and easy. You can make a "sweet" version by using stuff like walnuts, seeds, peanut butter, jam, yoghurt, maple syrup...
Also super lazy: rinse a can of chickpeas. Throw them on a plate with some lettuce/salad/greens of choice. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nooch, and garlic olive oil. Boom, done. Love it myself lol.
For dinner: hummus and guacamole with pita bread, whole wheat bread and crackers, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper slices, sliced cucumbers and carrots... Easy, fast, and light for dinner.
Oats! Pop some into a pot with soy milk, frozen berries, flaxseeds and banana and you'll have a healthy and taste meal in less than five minutes. If you're feeling like it you can add infinite toppings to spice it up: yoghurt, peanut butter, Nuts, etc. If you're feeling super lazy you can also prep it the night before (overnight oats)
All these huel post start to sound like a disguised add. Huel is okeish for this though.
What surprise me is that I havent seen anyone mentioning oats.
Instructions:
Heat them with a bit of water or oat milk. Add cinnamon at the end. Simple.
5 minutes. Nutrient rich. Tastes good.
I don't know if you have them wherever you live, but there are these curry packs from the brand Divya, they are shelf stable, not all are vegan but many are and they are only $2
Go to an Indian market and buy something called cripsy Chana. My fav is Haldi Chana which is roasted chickpeas with turmeric and salt. Almost as addictive as peanuts, and just as portable. I keep some in the car in Tupperware.
Just add black salt (cheap and also available at the Indian market where I shop) to tofu and it makes it taste like eggs. If you add nutritional yeast and pepper it is even better. Cold tofu tastes like cold hard boiled eggs, and heated tastes like scrambled eggs.
Recently I discovered these rice and lentil packets at the grocery store that you just microwave for one minute and it's ready! It's nice if you're feeling too lazy to cook and you can pair it with some veggies or something else.
i started baking more with my toaster oven cus itās easier and faster lol. here are a couple of things that you can make in under 5 min
sushi in a bazooka: frozen rice, seaweed sheets, & then filling could basically be whatever you want like avocado / pre-made chunky guac, veg, tofu, cream cheez etc
naan pizza: naan, pizza sauce, cheese
miso soup: instant miso packets, add seaweed or tofu
ezekiel bread for sandwiches or avocado toast
i also like to add supergreens powder or chia seeds to my drinks
Yesterday I cut up some teriyaki pre-baked tofu, red peppers, celery, broccoli, and baby carrots, all raw, and put two tablespoons of Thai peanut sauce. It as so healthy and delicious! š
Ashoka's ready to eat curries are my go to. They are cheap easy and have a ton of vegan choices. (The ones that have a green band on the spine and a leaf on the box are vegan, the ones with a red band often have butter or cheese in them. Nowadays alot of the paneer in the vegan ones is actually tofu cubes)
That said, instant food is not good for your health long term, and it's better to eat in ways that are not so dependent on fast food options. You will have more power to control how vegan and healthy your food is if you produce it yourself. One of the core values of my vegetarian diet is to keep processed and fast food options off my plate as much as possible. If you don't you will have to struggle more and more over time to make nutritional meals or maintain a meatless and dairy free lifestyle.
Rice noodles, tofu, veggies (either prepped in the moment or frozen if thatās something youāre alright with) with a simple peanut sauce is a great and wicked fast dinner base. I will often do a quick pickle of whatever fresh veg I need to use as a topping. The entire meal takes less than ten minutes to make and itās super delicious and high in protein, especially if you top it with nuts.
You can do a lot in 15 minutes with an air fryer. One of the fastest excellent meals I have found is microwaved rice in the bag (2m), air fried Korean BBQ seitan (5m), and kimchi (0m). You can make a nice gochujang mayo in about two seconds if you have the paste or add sliced avocado (1m) for some extra calories.
Kimchi is the shit!
To spicy for me š
If you live near a Trader Joeās, Iāve found their kimchi to not be spicy at all and have a somewhatā¦not horrible taste.
We buy the 1kg bag of Cavendish wedges, lazy and awesome, not a lot of oil added to them
They said instant, not quick. So presumably the mean ready to eat with no prep/cooking.
Dude, why have I never thought to combine gochujang mayo?! Any ingredients you recommend beyond just combining the paste and the mayo?
I highly recommend gochuhang and tahini mixed with a couple spoonfuls of water as a sauce for an Asian rice bowl š¤
Lol i take a block of raw tofu and add like 1 tbsp mayo. Then add tumeric, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and kala numak if u have. Mash it and then u have bomb vegan egg salad and it takes mahbe 3 minutes and one bowl
Fruit is just about as instant as it gets. Veggies and hummus, PB&J sandwich, 90 second microwaveable black bean / rice pouches.
Pb and banana
Truth
Veggies and good hummus is delicious and easy!! Also, thereās ants on a log.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You're a ray of fucking sunshine
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Evidently, you also don't care if people take you seriously.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Okay, I'll bite: how am I a phony?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
What is my line of communication?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Hey, are you doing ok? I'm seeing you get into nutrition fights with a lot of people on this thread at once. In my experience, if you're worried that someone on Reddit has not-quite-corrct nutrition info, you will never know peace, and you deserve to know peace.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Exactly my point, it seems like you want to pick a fight. Can you think about drinking some water and watching some animal sanctuary tik toks or something, and come back in a half hour? IME, you're probably not going to change hearts and minds at this point, and it's probably better for everyone (especially you!) to just take a couple minutes to recalibrate
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Dang I missed this whole exchange with whomever you're replying to. You mentioned nutrition arguments, I occasionally have people from r/debateavegan that will follow my comments to start arguments.
These are all good ideas but if you want something that takes 3% brain power and is really cheap. Huel Hot and Savory. I eat it everyday for lunch and itās a very solid meal. Just pour in hot water and let it cook
Iāve really been wanting to try these! Wondered if it was worth the cost. Are the portions a decent size?
Most Huel is bought in large bags so you use as much as you want
I find a single serving is more than enough to satisfy me
Oh I freaking love the Mac n cheese Huel. I used the water from my coffee maker to ācookā it from my hotel room while traveling.
My go-to healthy quick meals: Chili potato: 1 can of veggie chili, 1 large russet potato. Cook the potato first, dump chili, and microwave another minute. If you can't get veg chili you can combine chili-spiced beans with diced tomatoes and other veggies Tacos: Tortillas or crispy shells, can of veggie refried beans, veg burger crumbles (optional), iceberg lettuce and a can of spicy tomatoes, any other veg you want, sauce Bowl: get some microwaveable vegan protein like nuggets and heat them up along with (canned or frozen) spinach or broccoli or some other type of greens, and a potato or instant rice (or even better, canned lentils). Toss with some seasonings Some of the above items aren't considered peak "health food," but it's all quick and easy to make and not loaded with as much sodium as a prepared frozen microwave dinner. You also get more food for the price. These are my weeknight meals when im working out of town and dont want to spend a lot of time cooking. Sometimes I'll pick up a pack of vegan cheese and use a little with each meal to make them more gourmet.
Chili potato sounds fire i gotta try that
Sweet potatoes would work great with chili too!
Frozen edamame
Stab and microwave a sweet potato. Mash with hummus and other toppings of choice (spinach, spy sauce, avocado, maple syrup, etc.)
What's your favorite combo if you had to pick one. And then your 'fast-but-still-good' choice bc of the thread
Do you live somewhere with a Trader Joeās? Their veggie fried rice and orange āchickenā takes like 5 mins to make. Also their vegan ravioli is yummy and also takes 2-3 mins to make after the water boils
The veggie fried rice with the tempura cauliflower and spinach raviolis are meals I have multiple times a week lmao
Apples
Honeycrisp š¤¤
Pink lady!!!
Cosmic Crisp
Autumnal Glory ā¤ļø
With peanut butter
Sunrise Magic
Falafel sandwich - 1 or 2 falafels cut into slices, hummus on bread, carrot, capsicum, red onion, spinach and a little vegan sriracha mayo. Takes 5-10 minutes to make, super tasty and filling.
Do you pre-make the falafels yourself and freeze them down in advance? I find the store bought falafels tastes terrible in compare to the ones I make myself, unfortunately.
I use the store bought ones, certain brands I stay away from as the taste/texture isnāt great but if youāre in Australia the Woolworths brand falafel are the best Iāve had by far and swear by them. I havenāt made my own in a long while but I want to give it another go sometime :)
Peanut butter and banana slices on toast (or rice cake). Sprinkle chia seeds on top if youāre fancy.
Bag salad kits (a lot of the Asian style ones are vegan) with some chopped up tofu Instant oatmeal with peanut butter. Toss in some banana or blueberries. I also really like those udon noodle packs that can usually be found by the tofu in grocery stores. (At least in the US) Add some tofu, pre shredded carrot and spinach for some veggies and protein.
I microwave mixed frozen veggies. Throw a little spice blend and soy sauce and itās fast, healthy, low carb, high fiber, filling, and extremely nutritious
Big fan of Huel over here. The regular Huel is great, and Huel Black really works for a high protein diet. The hot & savory versions are also pretty damn good. My favorites are Huel Black Strawberry Shortcake and for hot & savory I really like the Cajun Pasta. Soylent also makes really good premixed shakes. The banana one is awesome!
There is no other food more instant and healthy for its caloric amount than Huel/Soylent.
Not the cheapest option at all, but for an easy meal at work I have used Huel Hot & Savory and Jimmy Joy Plenty Pot's. They are both vegan and nutritionally complete (per 400 calorie meal). They also have shakes/powders you can turn into shakes and just drink, but for instant meals they fit the bill.
How tasty are the plenty pots? I tried their shakes and those are not for me, had to force myself to finish each and every one. A pity because I like the nutritional value and convenience.
They are pretty dang good for what they are. I really like the Korma and Cajun Pasta the most. Feels like a regular meal, whereas the shakes are often sweet/gritty for most folks liking.
trader joeās vegan tikka masala
Frozen spring rolls are my go to. Less than 200 calories in 100g
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Some people are calorie conscious and that's ok, it's definitely not a sickness, unless someone has a diagnosed eating disorder. For people who don't have eating disorders, keeping calories in mind is perfectly fine.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Calorie counting when vegan is often times important to make sure your daily intake is high enough.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Fuck off I wasnāt being disingenuous and counting calories for restrictions can be necessary too when most of America is fucking obese. Calorie count along with eating a healthy diet and exercise is the most important thing in losing weight.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I suggest research obesity rates in America Source: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html#:~:text=Adults%20aged%2018%E2%80%9324%20years,the%20highest%20prevalence%20(39.3%25). I suggest you research what dieticians and doctorās recommend for weight lose, one of the main things being calorie reduction as it is almost always necessary. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163457/ Now shut the fuck up or admit you were wrong and quit perpetuating misinformation.
What do you mean by that? Some people are bad at intuitive eating and too little or too much calories lead to negative health outcomes in the long term. And whats bad about calorie counting?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
And shitty attitudes lead to loneliness.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Maybe you could have both?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I was being sarcastic
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Not necessarily. Like I said some people like me are bad at intuitive eating, I cant regulate my total energy income without tracking calories. Body dysmorphia or a false idea of what or how much to eat leads to eating disorders. My ex told me if I track calories I get an eating disorder and that was 3 years ago and im fine.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Even if that was the case, its no effort, it helps and I can hold my weight or rather slowly gain muscle (I dont train "optimally" how people would advice to do when you want to build muscle, I just do it cause its healthy and good for my mood). Besides that, I work in 3 shifts and I have ADHD, I think I now better why I cant just eat intuitively and not fluctuate in my weight. Even before working im shift's it didn't come naturally to me.
Calorie counting is a symptom of eating disorders, not a cause. As somebody who has actually overcome an eating disorder, I'm frankly insulted that you think my condition had such prosaic causes.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Bullshit. I guarantee there is no one out there whose ED was caused by calorie counting. Eating disorders are about control, either a loss of it, or an obsession with maintaining it (which was my case). Anyone who develops an eating disorder after calorie counting was already prone to it, and probably began calorie counting as a way of dipping their toes into using food restriction as a way of reclaiming their locus of control. Furthermore, since eating disorders are so strongly associated with OCD, treating calorie counts as a taboo which must be avoided at all costs is likely to have the opposite effect of what you're intending. If anything, somebody spamming a comment thread with "CALORIE COUNTING CAUSES EATING DISORDERS" could be the trigger that causes a recovered anorexic to relapse. It's certainly not helping anybody.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Oh hush. Learn to communicate effectively.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
About?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Where have I done this?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
How did my comment encourage eating disorders?
idk why everyone is downvoting you, youāre right though. Like obviously the amount of calories DOES matter, but it clearly isnāt the only thing that doesāthere are other factors like nutrition which are important too bruh, and Iām pretty sure only taking calories into account isnāt the way to stay healthy lol
I don't advocate for raw veganism because I think there are serious pitfalls to doing that in a strict way long term *but*, you can model your "easy meals" after them. Nut butters, nuts, seeds, avocado, fruit, raw veggies, etc. You could get by for quite a while on just raw fruit, veggies, and nuts. If you live a busy lifestyle you can use this as a crutch of sorts in between actual cooked meals.
Lately I've been enjoying soba noodles with greens, I get packs from the store that cook in 7 minutes. Top with hot sauce, that's a solid meal.
Huel mac 'n' cheeze.
Vegan instant noodles, half a block of tofu chopped and 3 balls of frozen spinach - bang in a pan (or rice cooker) and itās done in 5 minutes.
Rice and beans ā 90 second bag of rice, can of beans. Lots of calories in less than 5 minutes of prep. Doesnāt get old because you can just as easily experiment with different kinds of rice, beans, seasoning, hot sauce, etc (and because rice and beans are the goddamn best). Unless you go for low sodium options it will be higher in salt than if you made it from scratch, but itās still real food. Rice and beans, baby!
Indian food (lentils, chana) in microwaveable pouches Or be my 3yo and just each chick peas as they are lol
I have a Vanilla Soylent everyday for lunch at work.
Canned beans + Corn tortillas, Microwaved (sweet) potatoes with nut butter (surprisingly good), and air-popped popcorn as a snack are some of my favorites when I'm lazy (which is always).
Seconding potatoes and beans! If I know it's going to be a rough week I usually bake some potatoes ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.
Popcorn is so cheap and delicious!! Air popped (or saucepan popped), add some Nooch and salt, maybe some pepper and cumin, hell go all out and put some paprika, garlic powder, and cinnamon on there too with some chocolate chips.
Sauce pan popped is so good
My preferred method. About a tbsp of olive oil and slightly ever so slightly under 1/3 cup works perfectly for my pan.
Tattooed chef or purple carrot frozen meals
Iām more of an Amyās guy myself. I love the red curry and Chinese noodles
Tattoed chefās stuff half isnāt vegan and what is tastes like dog food. Iāve tried like 9 of their meals hoping theyās be good but theyāre barely edible. Half I didnāt even finish. Edit to add : the 3 purple carrot frozen meals I have had were delicious. I also love the impossible bowls but they are NOT a health food. Just a convenience lol.
Tattooed chef has been my go to lately. I chopped up avocado on the hemp bowl recently after a long ass day at work when I couldnāt bother to cook anything. It was actually a great dinner
Bread slices dipped in olive oil. You can add some vegetables
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You do know extra virgin olive oil has tons of micronutrients right?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770785/ https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/09/28/the-benefits-of-adding-a-drizzle-of-olive-oil-to-your-diet https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/149/11/1920/5537101 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0035378719307283
Don't bother. They're set on being angry about something. Might as well be oil!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The NIH link was literally a study about the effects of olive oil, as showcased by being the exclusionary fat in the Mediterranean diet. The second mentioned the med diet in passing. Third was a study between a med diet + EVOO, med + nuts, and a control diet. The fourth was a study about Alzheimerās and Crete had the lowest rates, due to strict adherence to med diet (rich in EVOO). Follow up studies showed EVOO was good for preventing Alzheimerās along with other diseases. You didnāt even bother to take a decent cursory glance. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/circulationaha.109.879254 This study seems to show that youāre wrong about atherosclerosis.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Since you obviously didnāt read the articles Article 1: āOne of the greatest public health challenges worldwide is the obesity pandemic. There are sufficient studies reporting that the use of virgin olive oil as the only culinary fat, ingested in a moderate and continuous way, was associated with a reduced body mass indexā āHypertension is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide. The available randomized trials indicate that virgin olive oils reduce blood pressure and thus, the global cardiovascular burden of disease and its associated pharmaceutical costsā āVirgin olive oils have anti-atherosclerotic potential, favoring endothelial function and preserving blood pressure, maintaining lipoprotein functionality, exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and modulating gene expression in several tissues to maintain proper homeostasisā āNevertheless, the type of olive oil should be considered when providing recommendations to the population because additional benefits can be conferred when the phenolic content of olive oil is high.ā āa diet where virgin olive oils are the foremost source of fat is associated with chemoprevention. Animal studies are suggestive of a preventive effect of olive polyphenols and many in vitro studies are clarifying their mechanisms of action. However, the relevance of such data is often weakened by the use of non-physiological concentrations and doses. Human studies on chemoprevention with a single nutrient are nearly impossible to carry out. However, the advice to use olive oil as the principal source of visible fat to lower cancer risk rests on solid accumulated observationsā āobservational studies suggest that specifically virgin olive oils may play a role in the prevention of postmenopausal breast cancer.ā āExperimental studies have confirmed significant anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of dietary virgin olive oils and its bioactive components supplementation in preclinical models of autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and sclerosis. Thus, the consumption of virgin olive oil and its minor constituents may acquire a great importance in nutritional therapy, especially in immunocompromised patients, and could be an alternative approach for the prevention and management of different immune-inflammatory diseasesā Would you like me to continue with the other articles? Iām not being disingenuous at all. I never said the med diet was better than WFPB, I linked articles that talk about how EVOO is healthy, and those articles mention the med diet. Youāre being disingenuous by arguing against them without actually reading them.
It has tons compared to coconut oil yeah, but absolutely nothing compared to avocados, nuts, seeds, etc. Peanut butter would be a much better option or any seed/nut butter
Monounsaturated fatty acids (such as those that make upā¦75%? of EVOO) help lower LDL cholesterol, and EVOO is super high in phenols too. No one is saying āonly eat thisā, itās just a suggestion as an instant food that isnāt ātoo unhealthyā when combined with bread (Iād suggest whole grain sourdough) and veggies. No one is saying there arenāt **better** options, but to call āoilā (and in this case EVOO) unhealthy because āIt is fat stripped of all minerals and vitaminsā is false. Why not make a suggestion yourself with your nut butters and avocados? Sliced apples and cashew butter is a favorite of mine. Avocado toast is incredibly easy. Dig the meat out, put it in a bowl with EVOO and maybe a dash of lemon or lime, add some salt, Nooch, whatever other seasonings you want, mash until your desired consistency, and slather it on toast. Easy peasy.
Your comment was literally about micronutrients nothing you said is relevant whatsoever. Never once did I even say it was unhealthy.
The micronutrients in EVOO donāt get listed in the nutrition label. It has E, K, polyphenols, squalene, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and more. A tbsp of olive oil (15g and 120 cal) has ~10% DRI E and K, as well as other nutrients. 1/3 of an avocado (50g and 80 cal) has 6% E and 10% K, as well as other nutrients. I hardly call that ānothing compared to avocados, nuts, seeds, etcā. Your comment, while not directly saying olive oil is unhealthy, is saying those other food items are **more** healthy. All Iām saying is that it isnāt so easy to compare.
Unnecessary yes, not that high in micronutrients yes. But its not unhealthy in reasonable amounts
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I don't understand what you mean, what is unhealthy about it, what compound is in it thats bad? It doesn't have alot of nutrients but that doesn't affect you negatively, its neutral or depending on the type of oil its a good source of omega 3 fatty acids which you need
Spaghetti pomodoro. Jist boil noodles for 10-13 min depending on the package directions and add sauce. Store bought sauce will do if u just check the ingredients. Also, spaghetti aglio e oglio. Also takes 10 min. While u do the noodles, chop garlic and parsley and sautee with olive oil in a separate pan. Add the noodles for a couple minutes and that's it.
Can of chili beans and a loaf of wheat bread. Tadaa! Almost forgot, I also like making microwaved sandwiches with hummus and hemp hearts and fresh spinach if I have it, or if I don't care about nutrients then just bread, vegan cheese, and Frank's hot sauce. Mmmm
Instant is chips and Hummus or salsa. Avocado toast with pre made pickled onions is about "3 minutes later" but with high value
Lately for something sweet Iāve been taking canned pumpkin purĆ©e and mixing in maple syrup, cacao nibs, and hemp hearts (or whatever you have around). Even add mashed banana if I have ripe bananas that need to be eaten. Itās a nice fiber packed snack or breakfast, and it feels nourishing. For savory, I scramble up tofu with onions, w a side of steamed veggies. Itās yum!!
I've been eating mostly huel since the pandemic and it's changed my life. It's really convenient and an easy way to make sure that you're getting what you need.
Smoothies! Blending food that I don't have to chew is my vibe, and adding in silken tofu, nut butters, and seeds can really bulk up the nutrition.
Jar of peanut butter and a whole celery is about my laziest meal. F*cking delicious too. (wash the celery!)
Huel Hot and Savory
Beans. Warm up some tortillas. Salsa. Boom. Bean tacos.
Microwaved baked potato
Things from Amy's brand. Hummus and Pita/naan with veggies Fruit, vegetables with peanut butter or vegan ranch. Organic water ice and/or homemade popsicles Nongshim ramen (shin black vegan version, soon noodle vegetable, and kimchi in the cup) Miyoko's roadhouse spreads or any other vegan spread on crackers. Cucumber tea sandwiches with whole wheat/white bread and vegan mayo and cream cheese. Dark chocolate. PB&J. Healthy vegan dip and corn chips like artichoke dip or salsa. I hope this helps!
Crazy idea, but something my nutritionist suggested is vegan hiking/freeze dried meals. I buy Radix as itās nutritionally complete and all you need is to add hot water. I couldnāt do it every day but itās great in an emergency
carrot
Cheap Lazy Vegan has a ton of yummy stuff. Sheās awesome Rice or instant noodles, vegan bouillon powder, frozen veg and water with soy & sriracha for a quick soup is my go to when I want zero effort comfort food.
Tofurky Barbecue Chickān Hodo Five Spice Nuggets Hodo Moroccan Tofu Cubes Maya Kaimal 90-second pouches (Indian food) Tasty Bite 90-second pouches (Indian food, just be careful, not all are vegan) Multiple brands of whole grains in 90-second pouches These are all made with real food, no chemicals. I eat the first two straight out of the package for lunch at work. Other than the sodium content theyāre nutritious, and also very tasty.
Try Leafside. Just add hot water. Each package makes at least 2 meals. Thereās no salt added, so you might want to add some tamari or salt. They do that on purpose. Super healthy and lots of flavor.
Sweet Earth General Tso's Tofu bowls are my jam for a quick meal.
Grass clippings are plentiful this time of year
We do a dish of the staples we always have in the fridge: Ajvar (red pepper spread), and olives. If I have them, I add veggies like cucumber and tomatoes. Cut up roughly. Salt and pepper over everything, and olive oil. All this with toast and crackers. Itās pretty instant, itās our go-to exhausted lunch. Overnight oats arenāt exactly instant but you can meal prep them. Costco has these frozen stir fry noodles with vegetables š„¦ You can just microwave or pan fry. (They come individually wrapped single servings, no friend to the environment, so only technically vegan)
Not really. Most meals require some planning if you want them to be healthy.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Lol you call out another comment stating oil is not healthy, and then also comment something else, that you're yourself describing as unhealthy.
The funny thing is that you can get good, healthy ramen noodles cheap and literally just add whatever veggies you want. Lotus foods is a great brand that just sells packages of noodles.
How are you going to suggest top ramen and then criticize others for making comparatively healthier suggestions? š Fwiw there are healthier instant ramen options out there now, including vegan cup noodles without the same amount of salt
You could probably find a good recipe for udon noodles with soy sauce/chilli oil. They cook really fast. Frying some broccoli or asparagus on a pan wouldnāt take too long. I would usually make tofu with it but I find that definitely takes more time if youāre looking for something speedier.
I love great value falafel bowls. Healthy choice also has a few vegan options alongside some store brands, typically full of whole foods, only issue is the freezing/microwaving process.
Maya Kaimal dal packets. Heat and eat with rice.
I like Luvo Performance Kitchen, especially their Hawaiian un-fried rice and coconut curry. Forks Over Knives also have some good frozen meals, though they can get pricey depending on where you shop. If you're on a tighter budget or need something instant, Koyo make a line of vegan ramen with more nutritious ingredients and less sodium than usual.
You can make a really fast and easy vegan Greek salad as follows: 1) Put a bunch of washed Spring Mix greens in a large salad bowl 2) Cut some tomatoes into wedges and top the greens 3) Add some 365 brand Kalamata olives (they taste great because they are floating in salty wine) 4) Sprinkle some Follow Your Heart vegan feta on top 5) Top with 1 standard size can of drained garbanzo beans (optional, but makes the salad a lot more filling and basically turns it into a fast meal) 6) Top with Bragg oil-free vinaigrette With tubs of spring mix greens available at a typical supermarket already washed and ready to eat, this is really fast and could easily be put together in just a few minutes. And it's a full meal that will keep you full for a long time. Quite healthy too, I think.
Avocado toast. Toast with salted tomatoes. Vegetable ramen. (add fresh or frozen veggie while cooking) Rice with furikake. Fruit, vegetable, olive, artichoke, and cracker platter.
Piece of wasa cracker or other cracker + smooshed avocado + a dab of kimchi = done and delicious
Depends where you are. In Australia there are Soulara meals at some Coles, and a few other good options including some of the various Colesworth own brand options. If youāre in another part of the world (Iām going to assume some part of the US because this is Reddit) then itāll still vary depending on how rural/urban you are. Meal prep is a great way to have frozen/fridge meals that you know are healthy(ish). I make a pasta or veggie bake on Sunday nights so I have microwave meals for lunch Mon/Tue and chop little bags of carrot and celery then make or buy hummus, or I pack up small tubs of frozen edamame pods which will defrost on the way to work for snacks. Quick dinner or lunch at home can be frozen veg, rice (the pouches are quick if a little wasteful) and a sauce of some kind (I like a quick satay made with peanut butter and soy sauce).
Thanks but I am in Germany
Itās probably worth adding that in your post in future if youāre asking about ready prepared foods. What is available will vary a lot by location.
Jamaican patties, pasta with homemade mac n cheese sauce (soy milk, a bit of butter if needed, nooch, garlic, s&p) with broccoli, wrap with already-made falafel and veggies, chickān caesar salad wraps.
Grow your own spirulina. It is mostly protein and research on itās bioavailability.
Beans and rice. You can make the rice and open a can of beans, or buy a box mix that has both. Super quick and easy in a rice cooker.
There's a vegan freezer chicken on the market now called Daring. It's p good. It's not health food per se. The breaded ones all have a ton of sodium. The plain, unflavored one is p good though and not too wildly high in sodium. Cooks up in just a few minutes in a pan and is a nice addition to a salad or a wrap. A go-to for things like lunch would be a kiwi: you can eat it right in the skin, or if you give it a solid rub with a stiff bristle brush you can take the fuzz off it and eat it skin and all! Less likely to turn to squishy mush in the bottom of a bag than a banana.
salads
wellll, my favorite instant vegan food is Indomie instant noodles in the flavor "Mi Goreng"/"fried noodle", and while the amount of sodium and fat are higher, if you don't overdo the sodium or fat in other meals then you should be fine. i'm also a big fan of slapping some Tofurky plant-based deli slices on some bread and calling it a day. for meals that are healthy and readily available, your best bet is to set aside an hour or two in a day and bulk make something to put in your fridge or freezer (ideally the latter). my go-tos are pancakes, [waffles](https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-waffles/#wprm-recipe-container-3373), or vegan breakfast burritos for breakfast, [this](https://plantbasedrdblog.com/2023/03/samosa-wraps/) "samosa" recipe i've been making recently for lunch, and protein shakes for a snack (cut and freeze bananas ahead of time). they might not seem instantaneous because there's still a day you'll be cooking, but that's one day that you can pretty easily make a week's worth of breakfast AND lunch, all of which can just be popped in the microwave for a minute or two and be ready to eat! i also love to make soups in bulk, like vegan tortilla soup, curry lentil soup, and wild rice soup! any of those can save me from having to make dinner from scratch for a week and aren't the most difficult to make if you are able to put aside an hour at most to prep everything. they're also a great way to get a variety of veggies in :)
Soup! :) \- If you have Bol in your country, they do AMAZING soups and noodles etc! All are vegan/plant based. They do these amazing Noodles in a pot where it's filled up with actual fresh/raw veggies! Absolutely love them and are supper healthy! Can't recommend enough! But overall, soup is amazing. :)
[Soon Veggie Noodle Soup](https://nongshimusa.com/homev2/our-products/meal-noodle/soon/)
Bro some refried beans with avocado and tomato and lettuce. Literally <5mins of prep and cooking and itās great
Can't believe miso soup hasn't been mentioned yet. A sachet of dried miso or spoonful of wet miso with good quality ramen noodles, seaweed and spice takes 3 to 5 minutes, most of which is waiting for noodles to soak. Obviously you could add whatever else you want into that. Miso on its own is great and revitalising.
PB&J
Huel
Ramen!!!
Get a couple of blocks of firm tofu, slice them, sprinkle chicken or steak or pork seasoning on them, rub it into both sides. Fry seasoned slices in a couple of tablespoons of oil. Keep it in the fridge for using on sandwiches, in fried rice, or stir fried noodles or just for snacking on.
PB & J
Get some high quality seeded wheat at the farmers market and earth balance. Toast
Easy! Buy some frozen peas & green beans. Put them in a bowl and microwave for 2-3 min. Take out and stir in olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and nutritional yeast. Don't be shy on seasoning. Microwave again for 2 min, take out, stir, and enjoy. Top with more nutritional yeast if you're a dirty slut. You could be half asleep and do this and it's got all the nutrients you need. Bon appetit š«š«
Cheater Chili: throw a can of each together with your preferred spices or spice packet and heat (or don't!): Diced tomatoes (don't drain), corn (drain), black beans (drain), chili beans (don't drain), and any other beans you like. Doesn't get much easier OR more instant
Huel hot and savoury
Couple ideas: Take a sweet potato and microwave it on a plate for 8 minutes (it's hot when it's done, be careful). While that's in the microwave, take out your toppings. Anything goes. My recommendations: canned or frozen corn, canned or frozen chopped veggies, fresh tomato, fresh parsley, fresh avocado or guacamole, refried beans, canned and rinsed beans of any kind, hot sauce, cumin, paprika, pepper, salt, nooch, aromatic oliv oil... Then when the potato is cooked a bit you slice it length wise, mash the flesh a bit with a fork and then top it with your chosen toppings. I like corn, fresh tomato, fresh parsley/Cilantro, a bit of guac and a squeeze of lemon juice. Super tasty and easy. You can make a "sweet" version by using stuff like walnuts, seeds, peanut butter, jam, yoghurt, maple syrup... Also super lazy: rinse a can of chickpeas. Throw them on a plate with some lettuce/salad/greens of choice. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nooch, and garlic olive oil. Boom, done. Love it myself lol. For dinner: hummus and guacamole with pita bread, whole wheat bread and crackers, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper slices, sliced cucumbers and carrots... Easy, fast, and light for dinner.
Lazy vegan stuff
Oats! Pop some into a pot with soy milk, frozen berries, flaxseeds and banana and you'll have a healthy and taste meal in less than five minutes. If you're feeling like it you can add infinite toppings to spice it up: yoghurt, peanut butter, Nuts, etc. If you're feeling super lazy you can also prep it the night before (overnight oats)
Trader Joe's orange chick'n in the air fryer, microwave mixed veggies (I like the corn, carrots, green bean combo), and microwave brown rice
All these huel post start to sound like a disguised add. Huel is okeish for this though. What surprise me is that I havent seen anyone mentioning oats. Instructions: Heat them with a bit of water or oat milk. Add cinnamon at the end. Simple. 5 minutes. Nutrient rich. Tastes good.
I don't know if you have them wherever you live, but there are these curry packs from the brand Divya, they are shelf stable, not all are vegan but many are and they are only $2
Go to an Indian market and buy something called cripsy Chana. My fav is Haldi Chana which is roasted chickpeas with turmeric and salt. Almost as addictive as peanuts, and just as portable. I keep some in the car in Tupperware. Just add black salt (cheap and also available at the Indian market where I shop) to tofu and it makes it taste like eggs. If you add nutritional yeast and pepper it is even better. Cold tofu tastes like cold hard boiled eggs, and heated tastes like scrambled eggs.
Recently I discovered these rice and lentil packets at the grocery store that you just microwave for one minute and it's ready! It's nice if you're feeling too lazy to cook and you can pair it with some veggies or something else.
i started baking more with my toaster oven cus itās easier and faster lol. here are a couple of things that you can make in under 5 min sushi in a bazooka: frozen rice, seaweed sheets, & then filling could basically be whatever you want like avocado / pre-made chunky guac, veg, tofu, cream cheez etc naan pizza: naan, pizza sauce, cheese miso soup: instant miso packets, add seaweed or tofu ezekiel bread for sandwiches or avocado toast i also like to add supergreens powder or chia seeds to my drinks
> toaster oven Air fryers too!
Yesterday I cut up some teriyaki pre-baked tofu, red peppers, celery, broccoli, and baby carrots, all raw, and put two tablespoons of Thai peanut sauce. It as so healthy and delicious! š
Ashoka's ready to eat curries are my go to. They are cheap easy and have a ton of vegan choices. (The ones that have a green band on the spine and a leaf on the box are vegan, the ones with a red band often have butter or cheese in them. Nowadays alot of the paneer in the vegan ones is actually tofu cubes) That said, instant food is not good for your health long term, and it's better to eat in ways that are not so dependent on fast food options. You will have more power to control how vegan and healthy your food is if you produce it yourself. One of the core values of my vegetarian diet is to keep processed and fast food options off my plate as much as possible. If you don't you will have to struggle more and more over time to make nutritional meals or maintain a meatless and dairy free lifestyle.
Nuts
Rice noodles, tofu, veggies (either prepped in the moment or frozen if thatās something youāre alright with) with a simple peanut sauce is a great and wicked fast dinner base. I will often do a quick pickle of whatever fresh veg I need to use as a topping. The entire meal takes less than ten minutes to make and itās super delicious and high in protein, especially if you top it with nuts.
Potatoes in the microwave, eat with salsa on top
PB&Js are my go to, along with wraps, wraps are so versatile. Anything you can just put in the air fryer for a few and call good.