TeamBeing a vegan is much easier today than it was twenty or thirty years ago. People are more understanding and accepting, giving rise to some great deals.
Being Vegan
Being a vegan means giving up all meat and dairy products. In short, you are opting to eat a plant-based diet. Interestingly, scientists are increasingly finding that plant-based diets can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
The majority of vegans choose to eat plants because they are concerned about the suffering of animals and the effect livestock are having on the environment. It is estimated that the livestock industry uses 30% of the world’s landmass and causes much of the greenhouse gas emissions while polluting watercourses.
5 Vegan Deals Under 500 Calories
Of course, despite the increased interest it can still be difficult to be a vegan. The following 5 vegan deals are under 500 calories and still taste delicious.
Vegan Chili – just 270 calories per portion
You will need a pan and a little oil. Heat it then add 6 minced garlic cloves, and 2diced onions. Once softened add half a dozen veggie burgers, crumble them into the mix and then add a pinch of chili powder to taste.
After a few minutes add a can of tomatoes; a tablespoon of soy sauce, one cup of vegetable stock, two tablespoons of tomato paste, and a spoon of red wine vinegar. Let it simmer for half an hour before adding a can of pinto beans and a can of kidney beans. Simmer for another 15 minutes and serve!
Taco Tempehs – 296 calories
You will need:
- Packet soy tempeh
- Small chopped onion
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 pepper sliced
- ½ cup soy milk creamer
- Pinch salt and pepper
Of course, you will also need some corn tortillas. It is best to use a steamer to cook the soy for approximately 6 minutes. Then you can slowly fry all the other ingredients in a pan before adding the tempeh. Cook it all for roughly 10 minutes then put the mixture in the middle of each taco, it should do eight of them.
Scrambled Eggs – 200 calories
This recipe is made with tofu not eggs, otherwise, it wouldn’t be vegan! You will need:
- 2 Cups Tofu
- Pinch of salt
- Little turmeric
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Remove the tofu from its watery packaging and put it in a pan with a little bit of oil and spices. Let it sizzle while breaking up the tofu. It will look like scrambled eggs. After a couple of minutes, it will be ready and you can serve with whatever you like.
That’s the beauty of tofu, it’s plain, allowing you to mix it with anything.
Buddha Bowl – 492 calories
You’ll need:
- 1 cup brown rice – cooked
- Large sweet potato diced
- Several broccoli florets
- 1 carrot shredded
- ½ pound tofu
- Spices to suit your tastes
Mix everything together except for the brown rice. Then, put it in a pan and cook on medium for five minutes. You can then add the brown rice and simmer for another couple of minutes before serving.
It is that simple!
Lentil Burgers
You will need:
- 1 diced onion
- ½ pound of mushrooms sliced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- ½ cup olives finely chopped
- A tin of lentils
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Soy sauce
- Fresh lemon juice
- Your choice of herbs and spices
Your oven needs to be at 350° F. Start by lightly frying the onions then add the mushrooms and herbs/spices. Now put this and the loves into a food processor and add everything else but only half of the breadcrumbs.
Use the food processor to make the mixture smooth. Remove from the food processor before adding the rest of the breadcrumbs and cooking them in the oven for 12 minutes. You can flip them halfway.
Final Thoughts
The only real limitation when cooking vegan is your imagination. There are plenty of delicious dishes that can be enjoyed, all you need to do is think about how you can throw different plant-based ingredients together to create the perfect blend.
