I create meal plans weekly to not only save money but to reduce stress. When I make my meal plan for the week I like to start the week with a casserole dish. My weeks don’t always go as planned, so it helps to have something that I can heat up quickly at home instead of going out to grab something. Since school started, casserole dishes make a big portion of my weekly meal plan. Between classes and work, cooking is the last thing I want to do some days. To shake things up each week, I explore different types of recipes but I do have a few go-to’s when I’m short on time. One of them being vegan tamale pie. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients.

I ordered a few packs of soy curls from amazon and they’ve have become my new favorite thing. When I ordered my soy curls I also ordered Butler’s Chik-Style Seasoning. The soy curls are dehydrated strips of soy protein and when rehydrated they have a chewy texture that’s reminiscent of chicken. Its flavor is neutral and is the perfect palate for different sauces and seasoning blends like the Chik-Style Seasoning. It reminds me of the seasoning packet in ramen. They’re easy to work with too. And since I meal prep for lunch, I’ve been thinking of ways to incorporate them into my lunches for work.

At first glance, this dish looks a lot like a dish you’d get from a local Chinese restaurant. Fried and tossed in some sort of sauce and served with a side of rice. But what makes this dish different from a Chinese restaurant staple is it’s vegan. It’s cauliflower fried to a crispy golden brown and tossed in teriyaki sauce. And boy, is it good. There are only a few restaurants that offer vegetarian or vegan versions of Chinese restaurant staples. So, why not make it at home? Being a vegetarian or a vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy certain dishes anymore, but that you get to try new ways of cooking those dishes using different ingredients.

Wraps are one of my favorite things to have for lunch or as a quick dinner. They’re healthy, budget-friendly, and go great with a bag of chips. And this southwest veggie wrap with cilantro lime dressing is no exception. Filled with black beans, corn, and a cilantro-lime dressing. It’s one of my favorite wraps to make for lunch and the dressing goes great taco salads. So if you’re looking to try something new that’s simple to make, then give this southwest veggie wrap with cilantro lime dressing a try.

Black beans are high are packed full fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6. They’re also cholesterol-free which means heart-healthy goodness. They’re also loaded with vitamin C and iron. I enjoy using black beans as a substitute for taco filling or adding it to my taco salads. It’s a heart, budget-friendly food, that’s good for your health. This black bean soup is an easy meal that you can that you throw together in a hurry. It’s full of flavor and is great to have with a sandwich.