Five Vegan, quick & simple recipes for any student to try!

Veganism has never been as popular as it is today, so why not see what all the fuss is about? Being a student on a budget, with varying culinary skills shouldn't hinder you from transforming your diet like so many others. Approximately 78 million people worldwide are vegan. That’s more than the whole population of the UK! Some may ask how so many people undergo this alternative diet, but by following this student vegan meal guide, you too will be encouraged to become vegan, or gain inspiration for new meals to try out. Studies show that vegan meals are 40% cheaper than buying your alternative meat based meals!

Meaning you’ll have more money by the end of the week to buy that new coat you’ve been eyeing up!

This blog is built on the foundation of providing students with basic to Gordan Ramsay culinary skill levels in the kitchen, with affordable recipe ideas that are simple, quick and require basic equipment. Substituting vegetables for meat products, will half your grocery bill, and will remain a healthy, nutritious student friendly diet. Whether you are starting your vegan journey, challenging yourself to ‘Veganuary’ or just looking for recipes to assist your current student vegan diet, this blog post has you covered. 

This lockdown has never been a better time to challenge yourself and why not try out Veganism? We have curated a meal guide covering Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner recipe ideas, and accommodating to the ‘Snackers’ among us.

Let us know in the comments section below what your first meal as a vegan was and any recipe suggestions you have for us to cover next!!!!

Breakfast:

The phrase ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’, has never been more true, and also applies to vegans. Student life is hectic, with varying class schedules and time to fit in this essential meal. These recipes can be made in a few minutes, and accommodates to your ‘on the go’ lifestyle.

Vegan oatmeal recipe: 

This recipe is suitable with a variety of dairy milk substitutes, personally I think coconut milk is the best option, and it helps create a smooth consistency and adds a delicious fruity essence to the oatmeal! 

You will need:

• 50g porridge oats
• 250ml coconut milk
• Pinch of salt

Toppings:

• Handful of blueberries
• Chopped banana
• Chopped strawberries
• Tbsp of peanut butter

1. To make the simple vegan porridge, put the oats and milk in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook gently over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often.Finish with a pinch of salt stirred through.

The Best Avocado Toast:

This delicious recipe can be made even better with a variety of toppings suitable for all taste pallets.

         What you need:

• 1 ripe, soft avocado
• 2 slices of toast
• Salt, pepper, paprika
• Handful cherry tomatoes 
• Tin of Chickpeas

1. Place your bread in the toaster. In the meantime, cut the avocado in half and scoop the contents out using a spoon, disposing of the stone in the middle.
2. Using a fork, smash the avocado of the toast, dividing between the two slices. Season with salt and pepper and paprika if desired.
3. Toppings: Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and place on top of the prepared avocado toast. If the chickpeas are desired, drain the fluid from the tin, wash the chickpeas under running water. Place the chickpeas in a saucepan with 120ml of water over a medium heat for 30 mins. Season with paprika. Enjoy!

Lunch:

With limited time between classes, lunch for students needs to be mobile and something you can easily make quickly in the morning rush. These recipes aren’t messy and won’t create an unpleasant smell in your bag, which we have all unfortunately experienced from time to time!

‘On The Go’ Vegan Wrap:

This lunch allows for a variety of ingredients and lets you play with your taste palette, with affordable ingredients and is super easy to prepare:

What you need:

• 2 Wholegrain wraps
• 1 soft Avocado, sliced
• 1 large Tomato, sliced
• Handful of Spinach
• 2 Tbsp of hummus
• ¼ cucumber, sliced

1. Prepare your wrap, by spreading the hummus evenly down the center of the two wraps using a knife. Layer the avocado, tomato, cucumber and spinach in even layers.
2. Fold the wrap tightly, by ticking in the vegetables first, then rolling to the end. Cut in half.
   
   Easy Pesto, Tomato, Pasta Salad:

The beauty of this simple yet extremely tasty salad, is that it's still as delicious no matter if eaten hot or cold. The ingredients are basic and affordable to every budget. 

What you need:

• 115g  Penne pasta
• Handful of Cherry Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 Tbsp of fresh pesto
• Handful of pine nuts
• Fresh Basil for seasoning
• Salt and pepper

1. On a hob, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the water from the saucepan and transfer the pasta to a large bowl.
2. Add the spoons of pesto, mixing in thoroughly. Add the chopped tomatoes and pine nuts. Toss until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and fresh basil.

Snack ideas:

Convenient yet tasty snacks to fill in the hunger gap between meals, are part of every student's lifestyle. Whether it’s a quick bite between classes or a late night snack, this post has you covered! 

Of Course we couldn’t get away with writing this post without mentioning the iconic combinations of hummus with literally anything! Whether you’re in the mood for carrots, celery, crackers or toast, this spread is always a good option. 

Peanut Fanatics, here are some delicious snacks ideas for you to further showcase your love for the spread.

Spread that delicious goodness on some sliced apples or if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, slice a date in half and fill it with PB. Especially good as no clean up!!!!

We’d love to hear your favorite spread combinations below (no judgement here how wild they are).

Dinner:

After a long day in school or college, we can understand how you will be starving like the rest of us! Not having meals prepared by mum or dad or a guardian can be frustrating and cooking dinner can be the last thing you want to do. Ordering take-away is always tempting but not so budget friendly. These recipe ideas are tasty, simple and don’t require hours standing by the cooker!

Chickpea Tomato & spinach Curry:

This meal serves 4 people, meaning you can share it with friends or save some for tomorrow or alternatively the curry can be frozen for future cravings of this delicious meal.

What you need:

• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 ripe tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Yeast extract
• 4 tsp red lentils
• 6tbsp coconut cream
• 1 head of broccoli, broken 
• 400g can chickpeas
• 100g spinach leaves
• 1 lemon
• Handful cashew nuts, chopped.

1. Put the onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and whizz to a purée.
2. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the spices, and add purée and yeast extract. Boil for 2 mins, then add lentils and coconut cream. Cook until lentils are tender, then add the broccoli and cook for 4 mins. Stir in chickpeas and spinach, squeeze over lemon and swirl through and cashew mixture. Serve with brown rice.

Thanks for visiting, can't wait to see you back here again soon!