Easy Vegan Meals in Quarantine

Whether your city is still in lockdown or starting to open back up, you’re quarantining or practicing social distancing, or you’re just looking for new ideas of easy vegan meals, hopefully this post can offer some inspiration for you!

Many of us are limiting our trips to the grocery store, and relying much more on cupboard staples, frozen foods, and foods that can last longer in the fridge. Here are breakfast, lunch, and dinner meal ideas, plus some sweet treat ideas too! They’re all vegan, gluten-free, and use ingredients that are fairly easy to find and can be stocked up on to last in your kitchen.

The full recipes for each meal idea is linked (unless the meal is so self-explanatory that no recipe is necessary). Staple ingredients are listed under each meal, to give you an idea of how simple they are!

BREAKFAST

Turmeric Oats/Golden Sunshine Oats

• Oats
• Chia seeds/flax seeds:
• Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• Protein powder (opt)
• Toppings: frozen berries, banana, granola

PB&J Buckwheat Porridge

• Buckwheat groats
• Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• Toppings: nut butter, banana, frozen berries

Muesli Bowl

• Muesli
• Plant mylk
• Protein powder (opt)
• Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• Toppings: banana, frozen berries, granola

Pink Porridge

• Oats
• Chia seeds/flax seeds
• Beetroot powder
• Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
• Toppings: banana, frozen berries, granola

Nut Butter on Toast

• Toast (or banana bread!) – freeze loaves to make them last longer
• Nut butter
• Banana, and/or any other toppings you prefer

Yoghurt Bowls:

• Dairy-free yoghurt (lasts long in the fridge)
• Toppings: banana, frozen berries, granola

LUNCH

Baked Beans on Toast or Jacket Potato

• Baked beans – store bought or homemade
• Toast – gf is necessary; freeze and toast
• Spinach or salad leaves, or add frozen spinach to the cooked beans for extra veg

Scrambled Tofu

• Tofu
• Frozen peas
• Spices: turmeric, cumin, black salt, pepper

Tempeh Sandwich

• Tempeh
• Sweet potato
• Hummus – you can buy extra and freeze it, and defrost the night before
• Fresh salad greens
• Toast

Hummus/Avocado Toast

• Hummus – buy extra and freeze it; defrost the night before
• Toast
• Hemp seeds

Soup and Bread

• Store-bought soup can last for long lengths of time in the fridge
• Bread

Homemade Lentil Soup

• Lentils
• Frozen veggies
• Veg stock
• Stock cube
• Spices – cumin, garlic, mixed herbs, turmeric, marjoram

Rice Bowl

• Rice
• Tempeh/tinned beans
• Frozen veg
• Sweet potatoes/fresh veg if available
• Hummus

DINNER

Chickpea Curry/Sweet Potato Curry

• Chickpeas
• Tinned tomatoes
• Red lentils
• Curry sauce/spices
• Frozen veg

Nourish Bowl

• Carb – rice, potatoes, quinoa, etc.
• Veg – frozen vegetables, or any veg you have on hand
• Protein – beans, lentils, tempeh, edamame beans, etc.
• Healthy fat – avocado, tahini, etc.

Tahini Tempeh Stir-fry

• Tempeh
• Tahini
• Maple Syrup
• Sesame Seeds
• Frozen veg
• Rice noodles/rice

Miso Soup

• Tofu
• Miso
• Spring onions – chop and freeze
• Frozen peas
• Rice noodles
• Nori/seaweed

Sweet Potato Chilli

• Sweet potatoes
• Tinned tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Tinned beans
• Red lentils
• Spices – cumin, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic
• Frozen veg

Meatless Bolognese and Gnocchi/Pasta

• Lentils
• Tinned tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Minced tempeh (opt)
• Frozen veg
• Spices – oregano, marjoram, mixed herbs, garlic powder, onion powder
• Gnocchi/pasta (gf if necessary)

SWEET TREATS

Banana Nut Muffins/Bread

• Bananas
• Apple sauce
• Apple cider vinegar
• Oat flour
• Date sugar
• Ground flax
• Baking soda/powder
• Spices – cinnamon, nutmeg
• Dried fruit/nuts

Turmeric Bliss Balls

• Turmeric
• Dates
• Macadamia nuts
• Cashew nuts
• Desiccated coconut

Nut Butter Cake

• Nut butter
• Oat flour
• Gluten-free flour
• Plant milk
• Coconut sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Spices – cinnamon, salt

Flapjacks and Bars

Store-bought or Homemade

• Bananas
• Oats
• Ground flax seeds
• Peanut butter
• Maple syrup
• Sultanas

Frozen Fruit

• You can freeze fruit to make it last longer. I routinely freeze bananas, peeled and cut into pieces; grapes; and berries. But the vast majority of fruits can be frozen!