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5 Cheap & Easy Vegetarian Meals For A Cold Winter Night

In a world where Instagram models tout buckets of fried chicken as the fuel to their hot bod machines it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Well newsflash, you don’t have to eat chia seeds and superfoods every meal to be healthy.

You don’t have to starve yourself or feel restrained by unrealistic expectations nor sting of your back pocket. Good ol’ potatoes, beans and rice pack a nutritional punch and can be purchased with dollar bills. So hang up the phone on Dominos and listen up as I tell you about five cheap, easy meals you will want to cook everyday.

#1 Bean Chilli

This chilli is hearty, protein rich and wholesome. Takes you to that warm, fuzzy place.

Ingredients

  • half a red onion
  • one chopped carrot and zucchini (optional)
  • one cup of frozen peas and corn (optional)
  • one can of red kidney beans (rinsed) and one can of diced tomatoes
  • seasonings such as salt, pepper, paprika, chilli powder and cumin

Grab a large saucepan and sweat the onion off in some oil, add the carrot and zucchini until they are slightly softened. At this point you can add your frozen veg, cook for a minute then add the beans, tomatoes and seasoning. When all the vegetables are cooked through, give yourself a hi five because you’re done.

#2 Rice Paper Rolls

Think about these as mini burritos that are good for the soul. You can put anything in them and wont feel bad after you’ve eaten a whole plateful.

Ingredients

  • thinly sliced veggies such as carrot, cucumber, capsicum, lettuce, avocado
  • marinated tofu
  • rice paper

Give the rice paper a bath in a bowl of warm water. Lay that bad boy on a kitchen towel, fill with veggies and roll.

#3 Buddha Bowl

AKA making simple veggies, beans and grains Instagrammable AF.

Ingredients

  • a few tablespoons of cooked quinoa or rice
  • roasted veggies- potato or pumpkin work great
  • beans- any kind of beans that you have rinsed and drained
  • some kind of leafy green- spinach or rocket work great
  • bean sprouts, avocado or pea shoots
  • add a dollop of hummus if your a saucy kinda person

Combine these ingredients in a bowl, take a snap and dig in.

#4 Mushroom And Kale Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese, yaaass please.

Ingredients

  • canned sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • cheddar cheese
  • 2 slices bread

Brown the garlic in the oil and add the kale and mushrooms, cooking for about 4 minutes. Cover the bread with cheddar, kale mixture and more cheddar on top and stick that in an oiled sandwich press.

#5 Easy Curry Noodles

This meal is cheap as chips and way better than that greasy, MSG filled Chinese takeaway you were thinking about getting.

Ingredients

  • half a package of rice noodles
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup frozen or fresh mixed veg
  • 1 tbsp of curry powder, peanut butter, soy sauce
  • squeeze of lemon
  • 2 tbs maple syrup

Put everything in a pot and cook on medium heat until it starts to boil. Then turn the heat to low, chuck on a lid and cook everything for 10 minutes.

So there you have it – go forth, eat clean, save some dollars and be kind to yourself.

Image Sources: Taste.com, That Clean Life, Chubby Soul 

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