Budget Vegan

A new vegan lunchable?

2011-08-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

I almost fainted when I saw a lunchable I can actually eat. It contains the makings for peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, a fruitcup and fruit snacks. Yes, it isn't the healthiest lunch and it is ridiculously easy to throw together your own pb&j. However, lunchables are just fun! They were a rare treat growing up, so I was excited to treat myself to them now. Not to mention I grabbed them at my local 99cent store, so for a buck how could I resist?

Quick dinner

2011-03-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

It's almost 7pm and I've been up since 6am. I'm starting to get hungry for dinner, but need to go shopping and I don't feel like cooking anyway. What to do? What to do? Well, I had two BOGO coupons for Del Taco, so I made the trip. I gobbled up two bean burritos (hold the cheese), two classic tacos (hold the cheese, sub beans for meat) and an iced tea all for around 3 bucks. I'm incredibly stuffed now, but happy. :)

Great Costco finds

2011-03-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

There are some surprising deals for healthy eaters at Costco. One such gem is the veggie patties from Don Lee Farms. They are some of the best veggie burgers around, in my opinion. Especially when barbecued.
I've also spotted agave nectar at Costco for cheaper than other groceries.
They have good deals on soy or almond milk and of course produce. So stop on by, you never know what goodies you might find.

Warm Lasagna on a Wintry Day

2011-02-26T11:12:00.001-08:00

I made a trip to the 99cent only stores today. Here's my loot:
3 boxes of Hankeez facial tissue
3 packages of Mori-Nu tofu
1 package of frozen spinach
2 packages of mushrooms (button and crimini)
1 package of napkins
1 package of small sweet peppers
3 packages of gum
2 packages of pita bread
Total: $16.24

Not bad at all. I was excited to see they had a brand of tissues that is dedicated to sustainability. Just because I'm broke doesn't mean I don't care about certain causes, such as the environment. It seems that particular issues are synonymous with the stereotypical white bread wealthy suburbanite. Where do stereotypes come from anyway? Enough of my rant.... I am in the process of making a delicious vegan spinach lasagna from Mori Nu's recipes. Perfect for a chilly day!

FRESH SPINACH LASAGNA
Servings: 8

Ingredients
3 bunches fresh spinach, washed
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. lasagna pasta
1/2 cup chopped green onion
3 pkgs. Mori-Nu Silken Firm Tofu, drained and crumbled
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 tsp. miso
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup grated soy-Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 cup grated soy-Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Sauce:
About 26 oz. (1-1/2 to 2 cups) marinara sauce (homemade or bottled) with:
2 cups sliced mushrooms, sauteed in
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Method
Boil 4 qts. of water in a large pot. Blanch spinach for 1 min.; drain in colander. Stir 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 Tbsp. olive oil into water. Add pasta to water; boil for 10-12 mins. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water, lay pasta flat on cutting board. Saute onions in 2 Tbsp. olive oil for 1 min. Chop spinach and add to onions. Combine with remaining ingredients (except cheese) and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil small rectangular baking dish and spread 1/3 of prepared sauce over bottom. Lay strips of pasta so they cover the bottom and hang over sides of baking dish. Later fold pasta over top to seal in fillings. Spread 1/2 spinach filling; add another layer of pasta. Continue to add pasta, sauce, Parmesan, and filling, ending with pasta and covering with sauce. Sprinkle Monterey Jack and/or chopped fresh basil lightly on top if desired. Cover with foil and bake 20 mins. Remove foil and bake another 15 mins. Let the lasagna rest 15 mins.; cut and serve.

Nutritional Notes
Contains just 2.5g of saturated fat; 2g of fiber per serving.

Nutritional Facts
Calories: 308 Fat: 15g Carbohydrates: 28g
Sodium: 610mg Cholesterol:: 1.5mg Protein: 16g

Money making ideas

2011-02-25T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'm out of ideas for making money. I've put my name out there for a house/baby/pet sitter and have had little to no luck. I've listed almost 30 books and dvds, mostly on amazon and have only sold five. I take surveys online for checks and collect cans and bottles to recycle for cash. What do you guys do for some extra bucks? I need all the advice I can get.

Good choice, bad choice.

2011-02-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

My first class of the day today was canceled and I had a test in my second. I decided to hang around the coffee shop (typical college student style) and study, sipping a medium soy hazelnut latte. This set me back a whopping $4 and something odd cents. For one drink. This was a bad decision. I really don't even like coffee all that much and I probably didn't really need it to stay awake. After I took the test, (Which I think I aced, if I can say so.) I realized I forgot my lunch. Doh! So, I rushed to the cafeteria and picked up a veggie burger, fries and an iced tea. Which cost me.... only slightly more than my latte. I should have saved myself the $$ and skipped the coffee. *Second face-palm of the day* Oh well, you live, you learn.

Exhausted from the long, fun 3-day weekend

2011-02-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Lunch today is pasta salad with whole wheat pasta, salad dressing and green peas. Snacks are soy milk and enjoy life cookies* and applesauce.**

* I got these on sale at Sprouts. If you happen to have one in your area, do check it out! Just a word to the wise, stick to the door busters and sales. Know what you want when you walk in and don't stray from the list. They count on the good deals getting people in the door to spend more than they intended.

**bought from the 99cent store. Depending on your area they vary on the items they carry. One time I found a jar of organic tahini! It was a month away from expiration, so I had to use it fast,but I was OK with that!

Book find

2011-02-18T17:34:00.000-08:00

I just found a book that looks great! It's called "Vegan on the Cheap" and can be bought for less than $7 on Amazon. You can also preview the first chapter for FREE, so just follow the link. I haven't read this one yet, but it has good reviews.

Rainy day

2011-02-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

My camera is a little on the fritz today, so I don't have a picture of what I'm eating for lunch. Instead, I thought I'd post a picture of what I'm wearing. It's a shirt that says "A compassionate world begins with you" It's promoting Farm Sanctuary and has a cow on it. Anyone who knows me knows I love cows!

Today, I am eating: a pb&j sandwich, fruit cup and cookies. The peanut butter is natural pb that I found on clearance and the strawberry jelly is an organic brand that's a decent price at Costco. If you don't have a Costco card (as I don't) you can try borrowing one from someone, because they do have a few good deals.

Packing for a park picnic

2011-02-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

I love alliteration. I don't have an abundance of patience for small children however, so my picnic on a Saturday where every mother and her 20 heel-biters were out running and screaming didn't end up as enjoyable as I thought. Especially since my neurotic rescue Chihuahua isn't fond of young ones either. This made things double-stressful. At least the food was good.

Picnic includes: boca "chicken" sandwich, potato chips in my lovely apple print reusable snack bag (hand-made with love from my mom), ice tea, a blue cloth napkin.

Sub Sandwhich kind of day

2011-02-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

After three times of running back to my class for my forgotten lunchbox, I've finally decided to do something. I'm going to clip my lunchbox to my backpack. Sure, I'll probably look like a dork, but no more so than interrupting the class after mine searching for my lost lunch containers under the desks. Today's yum-yums include: sub sandwich*, pretzels, kiwi and a Mrs. Mays snack bar.

*Sub Sandwich is made up of: whole wheat french bread, avocado, tomato, onion, lettuce, mustard and black olives. Normally I also include bell pepper slices, but I'm all out.

My attempt at health

2011-02-08T07:49:00.001-08:00

In an attempt to eat healthier I am going to blog about the lunches I pack. Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm at college all day long, so this food spans meals and snacks. Today is pasta salad*, edamame with chopsticks and soy sauce for dipping, a tangerine, water, a granola bar and in the corner is a green tea latte made out of almond milk. The white piece of cloth with blue stars and spots is my own homemade napkin!

*pasta salad is made of whole wheat rotini, tomatoes, onion, black olives and salad dressing.

Good websites

2009-08-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a two helpful websites I found:
http://veganonabudget.wordpress.com/
http://www.veganfamilyliving.com/vegan-shopping-budget

Thrift stores

2009-08-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

I love thrift stores! You really never know what you're going to find when you go. Unlike regular stores which are very standardized. You can find a neat treasure or a few duds. The thrill of the hunt is exciting. There are also other reasons to shop thrift stores.
-Save money
-Lower your environmental impact
-Support a good cause

Some vegans even shop for items secondhand that they wouldn't want to give their money to otherwise such as wool and silk.
What do you think? Do you like thrift stores?

25 money saving ideas

2009-07-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot about this blog post that I had bookmarked until I was looking through my "compassionate living" folder. Here's a great list of money saving tips from a fellow vegan. I recently started cooking dry beans from scratch. (One of the tips) I was always hesitant to try it because I thought it was complicated and/or time consuming and it isn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Besides the fact that I'm getting no hours at work so I might as well spend my free time making good food. haha!

Check out the list here.

Free sample of Kiss my Face showergel

2009-07-27T09:19:00.001-07:00

Boy do I love freebies in the morning! :)

http://dengaku.com/free_off1.php

Treading Water

2009-07-21T23:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been posting much. Mostly because I have been too depressed. It seems no matter how much I try to save money or make money it isn't enough. I'm beginning to think there's nothing I can do to save my house. I've been very disheartened.

I've been using this search engine: http://www.swagbucks.com/
which gives you points that you can redeem for things just for using it. (If you sign up please enter my name under the referral which is Elfearz)

I've also tried this site: http://cash4books.net/index.php?ref=41667
but they won't accept any of my books. It's worth it to check out anyway, in case you have some books they are looking for.

Hope these help.

Stuffed pita pocket

2009-06-05T17:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick go-to meal idea* that can be made cheap and fast. It's what I turn to when I'm lacking in creativity, money or time. However, it is really delicious. I've seen similar pocket sandwiches sold in the supermarket for a lot more. Start out by sauteeing veggies in a small pan. Whatever veggies you like. I usually use zucchini, onions, sliced garlic cloves, various squash, sometimes carrot, bell pepper strips etc. While those are cooking open a whole grain pita pocket and spread a bit of spaghetti sauce on the inside. Microwave for a few seconds, maybe 20 just to warm it up. When veggies are soft pile them into the pita and enjoy!

*not really a recipe

More lovely vegan giveaways!

2009-05-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

http://allergickid.blogspot.com/2009/05/earth-balance-giveaway.html

http://www.onefrugalfoodie.com/2009/05/03/one-sweet-giveaway-enter-to-win-a-prize-pack-from/#comments

Check them out and good luck!

Compassion Over Killing's tips to staying vegan on a budget

2009-03-16T14:09:00.000-07:00

MONEY-SAVING TIPS:

Plan your meals in advance: It might sound time consuming, but it can be as simple as jotting down dinner ideas a few days ahead. Make lists of things to buy for the week (or month!). This can save you time and money!
Pack a lunch: Don't be tempted to eat out everyday.
Buy in the bulk sections of grocery stores: You can often buy bulk pasta, rice, dehydrated meals, spices and beans. These items are usually cheaper than buying them pre-packaged, and you can get as little or as much as you need.
Use a crock-pot: Soak dry beans overnight; cook them in the crock-pot while out for the day.

(For more ideas check out the website: tryveg.com)

Win free coupons!

2009-03-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Did you ever want to try one of Turtlemountains new coconut milk products? Now you can for free. You can win a chance for some free coupons. Please visit this blog and follow the instructions.
Good luck!

Sweet Carrots

2009-03-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

I like to keep things simple. I've grown up in the city and never quite escaped from there. I often dream of living a slower country life. Sitting on the porch sipping lemonade and eating simple dishes. In reality, this is probably not what country life is really like. Then again how would I know?

Sweet Carrots*
(Serves 1)
-1/2 cup cooked carrots coins (I use canned)
-1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (I use pure maple syrup,but that can be quite pricey. It's one of my few splurges)
- pinch of salt and pepper
-pinch of dried Italian seasonings

Throw ingredients together in a bowl. Stir and heat either in a microwave or on the stove top.
Serve warm as a side dish or put over 3/4 cup brown rice to make it a meal.

The Verdict:
The maple flavour wasn't as prominent as I would have liked. Next time I will add some more. This was pretty good, though!

*Inspired by this recipe.

Penne with sundried tomatoes

2009-03-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

I love pasta. Many of the ingredients for this simple, rustic Italian dish can be found for cheap, depending on the area you live in. For me, most of these came from the 99cent store.

Penne with Sun dried Tomatoes
1/2 cup wheat penne (spiral pasta works too)
1 baby carrot
2 tablespoons onion
5 sundried tomatoes
1/4 cup cannelloni beans
pinch of Italian seasonings and garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
oil

Cook pasta according to the directions. Dice onions and thinly slice carrots. Begin sauteing in a drizzle of oil. Put the pinch of seasonings and garlic powder in the pan. Saute until onions and carrots are soft. Roughly chop tomatoes and add them in. Saute for another minute or so. Add beans. Saute for another minute or less. Just to warm the beans. Add pasta and salt and pepper to taste and keep on stove until warm. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 1-2

Hint: I make a scrambled tofu the next morning with onions,carrots and sun dried tomatoes.