Minimal Cooking Ideas

Suggestions for several tasty 5-10 minute, whole food, plant-based (WFPB) meals to prepare on days when you’re too busy to cook.

Loaded Baked Potato: Baked potato topped with steamed frozen veggies (like cauliflower and broccoli) and then top with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, or pepper.

Tostadas: Bake corn tortillas in oven at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes until crisp. While they are cooking open a can of fat-free vegan refried beans (look for the ones that are already seasoned with green chilis), put in a bowl with a dash of taco seasoning and heat in microwave. Chop up some onions, peppers, tomatoes and lettuce. Then top your tortillas with beans, load up all of the vegetables on top, and enjoy.

Naan Pizzas: Buy naan bread or pizza crust (that are made without added oil or eggs) and fat free marinara or pizza sauce. Chop up toppings you like on pizzas (onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, olives, jalapenos, zucchini, etc.). Place the naan/crust on a baking sheet, add a layer of sauce and then add as many veggies on top as possible -- top with nutritional yeast and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until done.

Spaghetti Night: Purchase a fat free marinara sauce, 100% whole wheat or brown rice pasta, and a bag of your favorite frozen veggies. Boil the pasta according to directions, warm up the sauce, and then steam the veggies. Fill your plate with the pasta, sauce, and veggies. Finally, top with nutritional yeast, and you have a feast.

Wrap Night: Buy whole wheat tortillas or veggie wraps and either make or buy a batch of no oil added hummus. Top tortillas with hummus, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, olives, avocado, and onions. YUM!

Rice and Bean Bowls: Cook a batch of brown rice and a batch of black beans early in the week when you have time. To make the beans, simply drain and rinse 1-2 cans of black beans and then put ½ cup water, chili powder to taste, and salt - lightly boil 5 minutes and then store until needed. When you are ready for a fast meal, layer the rice and beans in a bowl and warm up -- top with lots of tomato, avocado, peppers, lettuce, green onions or anything else that sounds good -- the more veggies the better.

‘Burger’ Night: Buy whole wheat buns and black bean burgers. Brown the burgers in a skillet -- while they are cooking open a bag of pre-washed salad mix and add a few tomatoes (keep a few slices for your burgers), onions (keep some for your burgers) and cucumbers. Load up your burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle and add a large salad and you will be satisfied with very little effort.