We all know how challenging being a full-time college student can be — stressing over projects, papers and exams is a daunting component of student life. Some people barely have time for extracurriculars or social events, let alone worrying about going home and cooking dinner. For a lot of college students, not only do they struggle with fitting cooking into their schedule, but they often struggle affording the groceries in the first place. Nowadays especially, it’s harder and harder to find cheap and multipurpose ingredients for meals. But I’m going to tell you about a few recipes that are guaranteed to be affordable and last for days. Just a heads up — a huge reason these recipes are so affordable is because they are vegan! Which, if you ask me, is even better!
Personal tip: I would recommend going to your local Trader Joe’s or even Aldi’s for the most affordable ingredients!
Recipe 1: Tofu Stir Fry
1/2 a block of tofu
Any veggies you like! (I use broccoli, edamame, carrots, and spinach)
1/2 cup of frozen rice cakes (or just rice, if preferred)
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tablespoon of sriracha (amount is up to you depending on how spicy you’d like it!)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While it’s preheating, go ahead and chop up your vegetables in any way desired. Once done with the veggies, cut your tofu into cubes (about an inch thick). Toss your broccoli (if used) and tofu in a little olive oil (or whatever oil desired) and evenly spread onto a baking sheet. Place your broccoli and tofu into the oven for 10-12 minutes, checking in about halfway and tossing for evenly cooked results. While that’s in the oven, boil some water in a pot and add in your rice or rice cakes. Grab a large saucepan and coat it in a little olive oil, then add in your other veggies. Once the tofu, broccoli, and rice cakes are done, add them into the saucepan with the rest of the veggies. Add in your honey and sriracha and mix well. Place in a bowl and enjoy!
Recipe 2: Vegan Sundried Tomato Pasta
1 yellow onion
1 8 ounce jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic (or 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
4 cups vegetable broth
1 box of any short pasta (i.e., rigatoni, penne, etc.)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 can of coconut milk
Chop up your onion and garlic, and in a large pot add in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Place over medium heat, and once warm, add in your garlic and onions. Stir occasionally until onions are translucent. Begin to chop up the leftover sun-dried tomatoes. Add in your vegetable broth, coconut milk, herbs and spices, and tomatoes to the pan. Grab some salt and 3/4 cup of water and add to the pot as well, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in your pasta and make sure to cover the uncooked noodles with liquid in the pot. Reduce heat to low and cover the pot for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in your nutritional yeast, making sure to stir well. Let sit for 15 minutes. Once done, your pasta should be creamy and delicious!