3 Time Saving Meal Ideas | Vegan & Oil-Free

Cooking a delicious meal doesn’t have to be time consuming. In fact, some of my absolute favorite meals happen to be the quickest to make. Today I’m sharing three easy, oil-free and always vegan options. To help inspire you with a little creativity to whip up a nutritious meal. The meals listed below can be made in less than 20 minutes and all contain easy to find, affordable ingredients, most of which you might have on hand already. All healthy and easily customizable to your preferred tastes. Mix and match my breakfast, lunch and dinner meal options to fit your schedule.

Most importantly, have fun cooking and remember that the best meals are the ones you make for yourself. You have the power to craft the perfect combination of all the ingredients you love most. Start with a base (noodles, salad, rice) and add anything you have available (veggies, sauces, beans). To create a well-rounded meal that’s sure to satisfy your tastebuds and belly!

Breakfast: Frozen Smoothie Jars
Using a quart mason jar, I fill it with my favorite fruit combo (mango, blueberry, banana) and seal it with a lid. When I’m in need of an easy meal, I pour the contents into my blender with a liquid to blend and that’s it. Pour it back into the jar you used to store everything in and add the lid for safe travels.
This is a great option for breakfast, snacking or a post-gym refuel. I love to add a scoop of Amazing Grass Green Superfood Alkalize Detox for an extra boost.

Lunch: The Random Tostada
I love to buy my favorite tortillas, add them to a baking sheet and bake until crispy. During this time a raid my fridge for leftovers, tofu scramble, diced veggies, leftover greens, etc. and I mash everything together with a drained can of beans. Usually pinto or black beans. Toss in a few seasonings and once the tortillas are crisp, I spread the mash on each one and place it back in the oven, with the heat turned off. The residual heat warms up the mash and keeps the tortillas crisp. Feel free to broil in the oven as needed, for extra an crispy texture.

I love to top it all off with hot sauce, fresh cilantro and/or lime juice and call it lunch. This can also be made for breakfast or dinner too. You can plan out your meals according to the time of day as you please, there are no rules.

Dinner: Clean-Out-The-Fridge Stir-Fry 
I love to make a bulk batch of rice or quinoa to eat throughout the week. Usually dinner is the meal that I rush to prep for because I’m caught up in work. With a little prep beforehand, you can avoid struggling to get that last meal on the table. A great option for combining all the extras left from previous meals and making it into a new and improved option that’s filling and easy. You can’t go wrong with stir-fry!

The best way to make a quick stir-fry is having frozen veggies on hand. I heat up a large skillet, add diced onion and/or garlic and use a vegetable stock or water to sauté it. I throw in any leftover veggies I have random portions of, mixed with frozen veggies and heat until tender. At the end I’ll add the grain I made in bulk and season to my desired taste. Usually with coconut aminos and chili paste. Topped with any greens or extras I like, sesame seeds or sprouts. During the warmer months I tend to keep my meals lighter. Options for spiral cut veggies as the base, like my zucchini zoodles pictured above.

What are some of your favorite meals to make in a hurry? I would love to know! For even more quick and easy meal ideas, be sure to browse through the Recipe Index. Filtered by specific categories to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Feel free to also check out my pervious posts on going vegan for only $30 a week and 4 easy no-bake snacks. Both of which can help you save money and time preparing food to make you feel your best!

If you recreate any of the meals I’ve included in this post, please snap a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter. I throughly enjoy seeing all of your beautiful food photos!