Meatless Monday Recipes to Save Cash on Your Grocery Bill

Let’s face it: groceries are expensive at the moment, especially when you’re buying high-quality animal produce. Here are five delicious and nutritious options if you’re ready to jump on board with Meatless Mondays and save some cash by switching up your protein for a plant-based source.

Chickpea & Grilled Fennel Salad

Chickpeas are one of the best plant-based protein sources you can add to your weekly menu. They’re extremely versatile, easy to prepare, and pack a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving. You can cook them, bake them in the oven, turn them into a mash or creamy hummus, or grind them into flour and use them as a substitute for wheat. Even the water they’re kept in when buying the canned version can be used – it’s called aquafaba and it eerily resembles egg whites, both in taste and texture.

This easy-to-make and even easier-to-devour chickpea salad is quick, delicious, and won’t break the bank.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz chickpeas, either canned and drained or cooked and drained
• 1/2 fennel bulb
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 cup raddichio salad
• 1 cup arugula salad
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons aceto balsamico (or any other vinegar of choice)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the chickpeas by placing them in a bowl, and drying them off with a paper towel to ensure they are not wet. You can peel the outer layer or keep it on for extra crunch.
3. Cut the fennel bulb into bite-sized pieces and place them on the baking sheet.
4. Add carrots and chickpeas, drizzle olive oil, and toss around to coat everything well.
5. Place in the oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes, or until you see the edges of the fennel become golden and the chickpeas crispy.
6. In the meantime, place the salads into a large bowl and prepare the dressing.
7. Mix EVOO, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and set aside.
8. When the vegetables and chickpeas are done, take them out and set them aside to cool for at least 10 minutes so you don’t cook the salads.
9. Transfer to the radicchio and arugula mix, and coat well with dressing.
10. Enjoy with a slice of toasted bread for carbs or seed crackers for an extra serving of healthy fats.

Sweet Potato and Leek Soup with Crunchy Tofu and Pumpkin Seeds

This time of the year, there is nothing better than a hearty, creamy soup with crunchy toppings. And if they’re high in protein – they can definitely be your Meatless Monday winner for the week. Tofu is known for its high protein content but often lacks flavor. This easy meal has a hack that will make you reach for tofu more often than you ever thought before.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 block tofu, cut into small cubes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari to make it gluten-free)
• 1 tablespoon miso
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into cubes
• 1 medium-sized leek, cut into 1-inch rings
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• a handful of pumpkin seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• a pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Mix soy sauce, miso, rice vinegar, and ginger in a small bowl, and add tofu cubes. Mix well and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pan drizzle olive oil and add leek rings. On medium heat, fry them off for about 15 minutes, until they’ve completely caramelized. Make sure to toss them around the pan a bit so they don’t burn.
3. Add sweet potato cubes and fry for about three minutes before adding five cups of vegetable stock and a pinch of salt. Let simmer for about 30 minutes until the sweet potato is soft. If needed, add a cup or two of water.
4. Transfer the contents into a high-speed blender (or use a hand-held blender) and process until smooth and creamy. Set aside to cool.
5. In another pan, fry off the tofu cubes until they become caramelized and crunchy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
6. Finally, toss pumpkin seeds on the same pan and let them toast for about 3 minutes or until they start to pop.
7. Pour the soup into a bowl and add the tofu cubes and toasted pumpkin seeds on top as toppings. Enjoy!

Lentil Bolognese With a Twist

If using lentils instead of ground meat wasn’t enough of a twist, this delicious recipe uses more than just tomatoes to create a hearty, nutritious sauce which will fill you up with vitamins and minerals without bringing your grocery bill through the roof.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of green or red lentils, raw (black lentils tend to be more chewy so cook them according to the package to ensure they’re properly prepared)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 + 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1 cup water or vegetable stock (more if needed)
• 1/2 cup eggplant, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup leeks cut into tiny pieces
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 serving of pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the eggplant and leeks onto the baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for 20-ish minutes, or until they begin to caramelize.
3. Place them in a high-speed blender with the fire-roasted tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper, turning them into a rich vegetable sauce.
4. In a large pan, fry off the onion and add the lentils. Toss them around for about a minute and then add the veggie sauce. Let simmer for about 10 minutes before adding a cup of water. Watch it carefully and add more if needed.
5. Your lentil bolognese is done after it’s been reduced and resembles the well-known meat version. Depending on the lentil type, you might be looking at 20-35 minutes so ensure to taste it throughout and cook everything thoroughly.
6. Boil some water in another pan to cook your pasta, and then generously top it with the lentil bolognese, coating every single pasta noodle.
7. Bon appetit!

Pea Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

If you like to be adventurous in the kitchen and don’t mind a bit of preparation, these protein-packed pea burgers are an excellent choice for your Meatless Monday meal. Peas are generally considered to be one of the cleanest and highest-quality plant-based protein sources, and they’re extremely versatile. This makes adding them to your weekly menu easy without much hassle.

These burgers need to be prepared a few hours beforehand or even overnight so they have time to cool off in the fridge and hold their shape while baking.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of peas, raw or frozen
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped into tiny pieces
• 1 vegan egg (1 tablespoon of flax seeds, 3 tablespoons water)
• 1 cup flour of choice
• 1 large sweet potato, cut into thin strips
• 1 + 1 tablespoon EVOO
• pinch of salt
• Burger buns

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the flax seeds and water and sit for about 5 minutes or until it becomes a gel-like consistency.
2. In a large pan, toss the onions and peas and fry them with one tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let them cook through, for about 10 minutes. Take them out and set them aside to cool.
3. Place the pea and onion mixture in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
4. Mix the flour, parsley, and vegan egg in a large bowl, adding the pea and onion mixture at the end. Combine well.
5. Form into four patties and place in the fridge to set for at least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
7. Take out your pre-made pea burger patties and place them on the baking tray. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until slightly golden in color.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the sweet potato, drizzle it with olive oil and salt, and toss it around to coat well. You can place the strips on another baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or drop them into an air fryer and mix around for 20 minutes, checking every so often to make sure they don’t burn.
9. Assemble your burgers by placing the “meat” into the buns and adding any vegetables of choice (think sliced tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, salad)
10. Serve with vegan mayo, ketchup, mustard, or any other sauce of your choice!

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These plant-based dinner options are a great way to become familiar with vegetables and meatless sources of protein. Plan to re-create them this month and give these plant-based desserts a try if you feel like you need another challenge!