easy vegan lunch recipes

Childhood Classics Revisited ~ Vegan Fish Stick Sandwich

Posted on February. 2023February. 2023 by writinstuff

Okay so today’s recipe isn’t so much of a recipe as it is just sharing a childhood favorite among friends.

Things have been so busy lately with my clients keeping me busy and trying to edit my back catalog (shameless promo here if you love romance books and small town romance in general: ), that I haven’t been doing a lot of cooking. Okay, that’s not true either. I have been cooking but mostly things I’ve made thousands of times before.

Vegan salads and Noodles. The end.

But we decided to try out a new vegan food product, more fish sticks. Why do I keep trying these recipes when they inevitably disappoint me? The honest answer is that my husband is responsible for this latent sense of hope that I feel, always with my fingers crossed that I’ll find some I like.

But the truth is that I’m not a fish sticks (fish fingers for my UK friends and readers) fan. Back in my childhood days I would suffer through it because it was that or nothing but I’m just not a fan and these new vegan fish sticks? They taste just like I remember.

So instead of wasting them by tossing them out, I did what I used to do back in the day, turned it into a sandwich! It was my own homemade kiddie version of a filet-o-fish and this time, it was veganized.

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International vegan cuisine, Mexican Dishes, Plant Based, Potatoes, Salads, Vegan

Lazy Vegan Meals ~ Vegan Tortilla Pie

Posted on August. 2022August. 2022 by writinstuff

The good news is that we all have those lazy days when it comes to whipping up something healthy and delicious in the kitchen. The better news is that with every passing month, every other day there are more options to allow you to be a lazy vegan cook.

Today I have one such vegan food find, the vegan tortilla pie by Vemondo. This company is a German company and the products are sold exclusively in Lidl, probably wherever Lidl stores exist, but certainly here in Romania.

Are you one of those grocery shoppers who just makes a beeline for only the things they need? That is totally my husband while I go up and down the aisles that are likely to have some kind of new vegan food products. He can usually be found waiting for me at the end of any particular aisle, protecting the cart with his life as if all the Romanians in the store actually want our veggies and vegan food products!

Anyway, my browsing skills are how I found this particular food. Vegan potato, onion and chickpea tortilla pie or cake, however you’d like to classify it.

However you call it, this was perfect because what I thought was just a one week heatwave has entered its fourth week, making too much time in the kitchen totally unbearable.

I kept it simple and sweet and vegan, because that’s how I roll.

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Bowls, Grains, Herbs, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Salads, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

(Mostly) Raw Vegan Cabbage Salad Recipe

Posted on August. 2022August. 2022 by writinstuff

With the heatwave sweeping through both the United States and Europe, now is the perfect time to revisit one of my favorite lunch time recipes; salad.

I love salad because it is a low calorie dish that is packed with wonderfully colorful vegetables, nutrients and fiber. It’s a win-win-win for my tastebuds and my palate and better than that, it doesn’t require you to use the stove at all…unless you need to rehydrate some TVP, which I used for this recipe.

Some people might quibble over my use of the word ‘salad’ when this recipe lacks any form of lettuce, and the use of cabbage might prompt some to think its a slaw, but I promise that it is a salad. The problem is that here in Romania there seems to be a fresh salad shortage. If you want any type of leafy green that’s (allegedly) been washed for you and packed, you have some options but I prefer my salad with some dirt on it that I wash off myself and that, has been sadly lacking for the past few weeks, maybe a month.

So I’ve had to get creative with my salads because it’s too dang hot for stoves and ovens and all that jazz.

For today’s vegan salad recipe, I decided to use a mix of green and red cabbage, keeping it 95 % raw and vegan.

You can forego the protein altogether or replace with chickpeas or quinoa, or any type of vegan meat alternative you choose.

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Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Vegan Smoked Salmon Bagel Sandwich

Posted on July. 2022July. 2022 by writinstuff

I just wanted to drop in really quick today to share with you another new vegan food product find.

Revo is a new-to-me vegan food company and I don’t know much about them, however I tend to trust German vegan foods company simply because that’s where I lived when I first became vegan and they’re products have always been up to par.

Smoked salmon. That’s right, you heard me. Vegan smoked salmon. And it’s not even made from soy/tofu if you can believe it.

I’ll tell you right up front that I am and never have been a fan of smoked salmon. When I ate animals I didn’t care for the smell or the taste of it and I can’t say why only…blech. But my husband? He was a huge fan of it so I knew the moment he spotted this he would fangirl out and insist on getting a package.

And guess what? He did.

There was just one thing to do with it, in my opinion. Vegan smoked salmon sandwich on a wheat bagel. Duh.

Revo brand vegan smoked salmon/lox/lachs

As you can see, they’ve gotten it pretty spot on with the color if that matters to you. Even the texture is pretty close without all the white membranes going through it, which I think is a good thing.

And best/worst of all, depending on your viewpoint? They do a bang up job of making it taste like smoked salmon. For me that was a total bummer but my husband gobbled up his open-faced vegan smoked salmon sandwiches like they were going out of style!

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Breads, Sandwiches, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Vegan Reuben Deli Sandwiches & Homemade Russian Dressing

Posted on June. 2022June. 2022 by writinstuff

So today’s post will be a quick-ish one but I just had to share another new find from Filgud…vegan pastrami!

I found this on the day I found the vegan caviar and as soon as I saw it, I made a beeline to the bread section to find some type Rye or Pumpernickel bread. I have very fond memories of this sandwich at real delis in Chicago and Boston and I couldn’t wait to recreate it and–cross my fingers–hope the pastrami had that delicious herb-y, pepper-y pastrami flavor.

I have to say that the Filgud vegan pastrami did not disappoint. It had the exact right flavor profile and my only complaint, if you can call it that, was that the strips were a little too thin. I ended up tearing a few strips which made for less pretty photo.

So, let’s get this sandwich party started!

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Asian Food, Bowls, oil free vegan recipes, Plant Based, Sauces & Creams, Vegan

Easy Vegan Lunch Recipes ~ Mushroom & Snow Pea Bowl

Posted on May. 2022May. 2022 by writinstuff

Whether you work at home like me or you have to head to an office each day, lunch is inevitable. By the time noon rolls around, your belly might rumble with hunger or maybe you skipped breakfast, or maybe you just practice intuitive eating and lunchtime is when your hunger kicks into overdrive.

Enjoy some of these vegan lunch recipes:

Veggie Ramen & Miso
Smoke Tofu Bahn Mi
Soul Food Lunch Plate

Whatever the reason you need to eat lunch and you have choices. Will you head to the nearest drive-thru to satisfy your hunger with something greasy and delicious but that won’t provide you for much energy to get through the day? Or will you load up on something healthy and full of vegetables and nutrients to keep you going?

I know which choice we all want to make. The easy choice and that’s a given since our brains are hard-wired to maintain the status quo, to avoid doing anything that might cause the smallest amount of pain or discomfort. But with a few seconds of thought and good decision making you’ll reach your health, work or life goals much easier.

And all of that was just my way of introducing my latest dish, Mushroom & Snow Pea bowl. So simple, right?

Darn tootin’!

Simple and delicious.

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Asian Food, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Soup, Vegan

Vegan Winter Soups ~ Ginger & Veggie Noodle Soup

Posted on March. 2022March. 2022 by writinstuff

Yeah, I know you’re probably bored of my obsession with putting noodles in everything from Bolognese to Ramen with Gravy and all the other ramen or Asian noodle recipes I’ve posted, like my Curry Ramen.

If you’re not in the market for yet another Ramen recipe, leave out the noodles in favor of rice, bulgur, barley or even quinoa if that’s your jam because we all know what my jam is.

It’s soup season and here in Romania the weather has just taken a turn for the worse, which means I am totally upping my soup game.

Why?

Because there are vegetables available now that weren’t a month or two ago, which means I have more options. This soup is kind of like your basic chicken noodle soup only not at all basic, because it’s got sass and ginger and tons of nutrients and flavor, two things I require of all my meals.

Smoked tofu, ginger & veggie ramen soup recipe.

Don’t worry, I don’t plan on boring you with the details. If you know how to make soup, this will be quick and easy and (relatively) painless.

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Asian Food, International vegan cuisine, Noodles, Plant Based, Soup, Vegan

Easy Plant Based Vegan Lunch Recipe ~ Veggie Ramen & Miso Soup

Posted on November. 2021October. 2021 by writinstuff

It’s no secret that one of my biggest food weaknesses is noodles. Whether it’s Fire Noodles, or a peanut butter soba noodle dish, or a vegan noodle soup, I love it. I want it. I need it. I’ll take a double portion of someone else is making it vegan.

And when I’m feeling a little bit lazy or if I just want noodles, I will dig around in the veggie crisper, grab a few favorites and combine them with ramen or udon or soba or…whatever else is out there that I can buy or get shipped to me. When the weather dips a little, add a tiny bowl of soup using the waste free broth I keep on hand, and BAM, a quick and easy vegan lunch.

Have you ever felt like having Miso soup but you don’t have all the ingredients? Me too. I’ve looked into the ethnic food aisles in Germany and Romania and you know what? NONE of them are vegan. They all have some type of fish flakes in them so you have to improvise, and that’s how I came up with my own version of vegan miso soup.

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Grains, Plant Based, Sandwiches, Vegan

Vegan Sandwich Recipes ~ Spinach & Artichoke Open-Faced Sandwiches

Posted on October. 2021October. 2021 by writinstuff

I used to be a sandwich snob. The kind of snob who thought that open-faced sandwiches were an abomination. A way to eat a sandwich without actually enjoying it. I don’t know, there’s just something about biting into two pieces of bread filled with goodness and hoping like hell that the insides don’t fall down your shirt.

Ah, good times.

I still contend that closed sandwiches are superior, but I am doing my best to become a better human, to expand my horizons, and to learn to love open-faced sandwiches. Progress, as they say, comes in teeny tiny baby steps.

Easy vegan spinach and artichoke sandwich recipe

Do you love spinach & artichoke dip? You know filled with vegan mayo or veggiegurt, with red bell peppers, tons of spinach and artichokes and garlic, topped with cheese? Well this is one of my favorite dishes to recreate into pasta dishes, dips, stuffed mushrooms, pizza and pretty much anything that can be spinach and artichoke-d.

If you do, this vegan sandwich recipe is right up your alley. It gives you all the goodness that you get from the dip, only now it’s a hearty and satisfying meal perfect for any weather, the pickiest eater or just for your beautiful self.

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Asian Food, Bowls, Grains, International vegan cuisine, Plant Based, Vegan

Quick & Easy Vegan Stir-Fry – Kale & Vegan Mince Stir-Fry

Posted on October. 2021October. 2021 by writinstuff

I don’t have much time for a post today but I did something recently that I swore I would never do again after a very bad experience when I was ten years old. Eat Kale.

Came across some beautiful looking kale at the market and I figured it was time to give it another try, and guess what? It was pretty damn good. Okay sure, the vegan mince (Naturli brand) helped, as did all the other veggies, but it was tasty (and bitter) and worked very well with the recipe.

If you’ve made one stir fry, you know how to make them all! Start with the veggies with the longest cooking time and work your way down, ending with the vegan mince.

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