Many people believe that healthy, wholesome meals are extremely time-consuming to prep and also very expensive. It definitely doesn’t have to be.
It’s possible to throw together simple, affordable ingredients to make a simple, quick but delicious meal. In fact, any vegetable, starches and proteins will taste great if they are cooked well and seasoned properly. It takes a bit of practice, but you can have so much fun with it!
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ingredients, spices, etc. I’ve tried so many new ingredients and dishes I wouldn’t have done before—such as, tempeh, dumplings, tacos, healthy sugar free baking, etc. All these ingredients are readily available in Singapore so it’s really not so hard. Try different styles and cuisines and you will surprise yourself. I personally am partial to pantry-friendly recipes.
Here are 3 super easy vegan recipes you can always rely on:
1. Creamy Tofu Peanut Noodles
Made with simple but wholesome, good-for-you ingredients, these creamy tofu peanut noodles packs a flavourful punch. If you have ever been underwhelmed by steamed carrots, I promise these roasted ones are way better.
Add the tangy, chilli peanut sauce and toss them all together and voila — you have a high protein, colourful and nutritious weekday lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Main:
- Carrots
- Green Beans
- Tofu
- Edamame noodles (or substitute with soba)
For the peanut sauce:
- 1 part chilli sauce
- 1 part peanut butter
- 1 part maple syrup
- 1 part soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 220 deg C.
- Cut carrots, green beans, tofu into simple strips. Pro tip: Press your tofu for at least 1 hour under a heavy plate to make it thicker and friable chunks.
- Cook edamame noodles (boil for 2.5 minutes)
- Place carrots and green beans in the oven on a baking tray, spray cooking oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
- Pan fry salt and pepper tofu chunks.
- Blend all sauce ingredients for a smooth, creamy chilli peanut sauce; add a little water if it’s too thick for your liking.
2. Two Ingredient Broccoli Soup
A quick and fuss-free, nutritious soup, this broccoli is only made of 2 main ingredients, I kid you not. Huge credits to @gordongram for this insanely easy original recipe! I know it sounds so bland, but this soup has a smooth, clean flavor that matches beautifully with spicy croutons.
The key is to salt generously and clean your broccoli properly.
If you are the sort who have saltier tastebuds, feel free to add onion powder, garlic powder, chilli powder, anything you like.
Ingredients
- Broccoli (one small head), cut into florets
- Salted water
- Walnuts (optional)
- Spicy croutons (optional)
- Cheese (optional)
Directions:
- Bring salted water to a rolling boil.
- Boil broccoli for 4-5 minutes until it softens.
- Drain the broccoli (saving the water) and let it cool for 1 – 2 minutes.
- Blend the broccoli on high. Add ½ cup of broccoli water and continue to blend.
- Sprinkle with walnuts, croutons and cheese.
- Serve with warm, toasted bread.
3. Vegan Brownies (70-calories only)
You know how every vegan brownie recipe calls for extra chocolate chips and nuts? The thing is, vegan brownies tend to be bland — you need that extra chocolate to fully bring out the flavour. Well, not this one!
Treat yo’self with these low-calorie, gooey, fudgy brownie with a beautiful crackly top. (Thanks to @foodiefloura for giving me the idea of using apple sauce for the brownies which turned out really good!) Each brownie may look small but trust me, they’re so rich and satisfying, perfect for your sweet tooth cravings!
Yields: 15 small brownies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Apple, chopped into 2 cm cubes
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp instant coffee (optional)
Instructions:
- Cook down your chopped apple for 20 minutes with 3-4 tbsp water.
- Blend the apple to make a smooth applesauce.
- While the apples are cooking, use this time to mix your flax and water and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 175OC/ 350F.
- Sift your flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
- Mix the oil, flax mix and applesauce thoroughly. You can choose to add ¼ tsp instant coffee into the mix to bump up the chocolate flavour.
- Pour into a lined baking tray and bake for 13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (time may vary so toothpick test is best).
- Let cool for 1 hour and then cut and serve.
Vasu is currently battling year 3 at university while running her Instagram food blog @vasouschef. She is addicted to chickpeas and soy milk. In her little free time, she enjoys baking heart-healthy desserts for her family and neighbours.
