I don’t know how it’s taken me so long to come across your channel! I love it :) you are like real life food network with great ideas that everyday people can easily make. Thanks for making your videos!!!
I'm a vegetarian and one of my easiest meals is black beans over rice (white or yellow) topped with chopped onions (optional) and served with a side salad of chopped tomatoes, avocado, and corn dressed with a little olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Also, love to do pasta salad full of any fresh veggies (I like to do about 50% pasta, 50% veggies) you want, chickpeas, some chopped up fresh mozzarella or crumbled feta, and salad dressing of choice.
My husband is mostly plant based. A super easy and inexpensive meal he loves. Pasta sauce of choice mixed with sautéed veggies,Anything works. Usually I add onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini. Serve it over pasta
People who criticize you about the protein content in your meals,don't know enough about protein. Don't worry about them. I love your content. Have used your recipes, and passed them along. ❤
I've been watching your channel for so long and it's been SO helpful with meal planning and budgeting. As a college student, there's not always a lot of money to go towards a grocery budget, but I've found a lot of non-meat protein sources I didn't realize you could center meals around that are also shockingly easy to make.
One of our favorite Pasta Salads is a Pesto Orzo Salad. It is easy. Makes a huge bowl and is delicious. I like to make a big bowl for lunch in the summer. You can modify it to add meat to turn it into a full meal if you want. It lasts 3 or 4 days refrigerated and is chocked full of vegetables. It is a great salad to take to a pot luck or bbq as it goes with most everything ORZO PASTA SALAD 1 box of orzo pasta, cooked according to the box directions 2 medium zucchini, seeded and diced 1 seeded and diced yellow or orange bell pepper 1 small diced red onion 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives Feta or fresh mozzarella 1 cup of your favorite pesto. I keep a jar of Barilla Pesto in my pantry and just use the entire jar. To turn it into a full meal add cooked chicken, diced ham or cooked shrimp. Your family will most likely like this salad. Feel free to customize the salad to items that your family enjoys. This is a recreation of a salad that I ate on a cruise and I came home and recreated it.
One tip I can give, I grew up in a Mexican household, and we were broke a LOT. You can make enchiladas out of red beans, and mashed potatoes with peas in it. I love how versatile the tortellini is. I have never thought of making even half of those. I've made veggie chili, that's super delicious. I've planted a super big garden this year, so I'm sure I'll be using a lot of your tips as I start harvesting. I would love to try all of these, thank you so much for making this video.
Thank you so much Mindy!! I sent this video to all my friends. I have now gotten almost everyone in my homeschool group following you!! Keep these great videos coming
I wanted to comment because this video style was different and you might want the feedback. I thought it was awesome that you showed some of your previously shared meals that fit into the meatless category! It’s so convenient to have them all in one place. Also, regarding the protein, veggies have lots of protein! It’s so funny that people only really worry about protein when someone doesn’t eat meat, not realizing it’s in so many things. Peas have a lot of protein, for example, unless someone is low in protein, there’s no need to worry about going meatless.
10 years vegetarian here. A few of my favorite meals to make. Tacos (black beans as protein. Season with taco seasoning) Refried bean enchiladas Spanish rice and beans Black bean quesadillas Burrito bowls Alfredo with Brussels sprouts Cincinnati chili White lasagna Chili Mac (no joke a box of Kraft and a can of vegetarian chili) Tomato soup and grilled cheese Black bean soup Cheesy Bean and rice enchilada soup Pizza and salad Pesto and balsamic glaze pizza Red beans and rice (I use Zatarans) Breakfast Chili cheese baked potato I could go on forever but I’ll stop here.
Thank you for the chili cheese potatos. I try to avoid too much gluten so that's fab. Pescatarian here so here's some tips for those who are pescs: Tiny shrimp is cheaper than regular. You can make a shrimp salad or add them to lettuce, homemade salad dressing (mix salad dressing mix with nongmo mayo and plain yoghurt), avocado with thin tortilla chips. Here's a veggie: Late July tortilla chips, kidney beans, taco seasoning, lettuce and melted cheese.
Love love the the 💡 ideals......challenge Mindy try out this homemade pizza bread sticks 😋 2 cups of flour 1 tea sugar 1 1/2 tea garlic salt 1 1/2 tea yeast 1c to 1 1/2c warm water depending on your climate Mix with fork transfer to a bowl that is drizzled with olive oil Rest one hour Spread out on parchment paper 4 tbs butter melted with 1 tea garlic powder and 1 tea Italian seasoning Top with grated mozzarella and whatever toppings you want 425 10 to 15 minutes De freaking list 🥰
My soul always lets out a little happy sigh when I see a new SMM post in my YT feed, but especially in these uncertain times. Thanks for all your efforts and time spent bringing us your wonderful channel!
Ah, thank you so much, Sherilyn! 😊 I really appreciate that. I do try to be helpful and give some realistic ideas, and remain a “calm non-anxious presence”.
I often use button mushrooms as a meat substitute or extender. Add a package to the food processor and pulse until chopped to the appearance of ground beef. Sauté & it’s ready for chili or pasta sauce or a veggie stroganoff… the taste can be changed up by the seasoning added while sautéing. PS - love your approach to cooking & meal planning & nutrition. My family is smaller than yours but your ideas are easily adaptable.
I used to be pescatarian or vegetarian for 11 years and my favorite meatless easy foods were often based around lentils and canned tomatoes. One I often made was a lentil sauce that I ate with pasta. Pasta cooked as usual. Lentil sauce: Fry one or two onions in oil or butter. Once soft add red lentils and add double the amount of water to lentils (I often used about half a cup of lentils and a full cup of water or similar amounts which for me was 2-3 meals at the time. I cooked it until the water was mostly gone and then added a can of tomatoes. I used all kinds of them both with spices and without. I then added garlic, cubes of vegetable broth and herb spices (italian blend or just whatever herbs I had on hand) and let it cook for some further time. I would then add shredded carrot and adjust spices if necessary. I would eat that with the pasta and add cheese if I had some at hand, either feta or regular cheese. Sometimes I used the leftovers to make a soup by just adding the sauce to a pan, add water and chickpeas. I would eat that with a cheese sandwich or just toast with or without butter. Another version that I did was the same sauce but instead of herbs I would add curry powder. I would eat that over french fries with some cheese (the type that melts, not feta or similar types of cheese for this one) I also did a halloumi cheese gratin. For that I would cut halloumi cheese in thin slices and put it in a gratin pan. I would mix double cream and some water and vegetable bullion powder or mashed up cubes and some dill. If I had tomatoes and/or mushrooms I would put that on top of the halloumi cheese and then pour the cream mix over the cheese in the gratin pan. I would end with lots of black pepper on top and bake it in the oven. I make this from time to time even now. The best trimmings are either boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes if you ask me but it is possible to eat pasta and rice too as a side. An easy dinner that felt fancy that I loved was to bake a piece of chevre goat cheese on top of a slice of rye bread with some honey and black pepper. Not an extreme budget meal, I know, but not extremely expensive but very good. Onion soup, broccoli soup, asparagus soup (frozen is perfectly fine for soup), cauliflower soup, pea soup and a mixed vegetable soup are all meatless options that we forget are meatless and these can easily be made vegan if you go for either a soup based on broth or use coconut cream or any other vegetarian cream. Personally, I prefer it to be coconut though.
I absolutely love watching your channel! You continue to amaze me. I am wondering if you have done any videos on veggies from the garden. We are starting to get LOTS of cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes. I feel like some go to waste because I can’t use them quick enough. We share lots too but wondering what you would recommend for these veggies in particular.
Something I really love is quinoa bowls! Especially a Greek themed one with olives, cucumber, feta, and a Dijon dressing. Quinoa is a complete protein just like animal proteins are
Yes I been doing meatless meals started adding tofu, more beans, more potatoes, and pastas. We eat meat four times a month but usually cheap it's of steak, ground beef and chicken thighs.
I’ve been cooking one day per week where I steam veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, celery), cook up some pasta, and either chicken or meatloaf or a casserole. Then during them week I can mix and match. I also add fruit and hard boiled eggs. It’s just me and I find I’m stretching my groceries this way. It’s particularly nice for the hot weather when I can just use the microwave!
I’m also a household of 1. I do something similar, beans, rice, raw veg cleaned & cut up -whatever I can throw in a protein bowl or salad. If I don’t have something quick to throw together I eat junk
@@dianelewis6074 are you reheating in a microwave? I usually run my hand under the faucet, and then sprinkle the water from my fingertips over the rice, just a small amount of water to steam and fluff the rice while it's reheating. Similarly, you can add a small cup or bowl to your microwave with the rice to add steam to your microwave. I haven't tried this second option with rice, but have done it quite successfully for bread.
She has lots of great recipes that can easily substitute with vegetable fats and nut milks. And since they're meatless, no other substitution is needed. I think lots of vegans watch Mindy because of this.
@Mindy I loved seeing this and since we don’t eat meat it’s perfect for my family… I find it easy to follow most recipes and simply use something else like meat substitute or beans but usually beans just because I always have them and they’re inexpensive although we don’t eat this way for financial reasons. I always appreciate it when you explain the protein content in different ingredients because it’s super educational and helpful.
Love this!! Me and my husband love a good sweet potato and black bean taco. I season the potatoes with taco seasonings (and extra cayenne for spice!) and heat up black beans for more protein. We can top it with whatever we want - cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc. So good!
Ok that’s a good idea. We make loaded sweet potatoes. Bake them and slice in half, then top with lime juice, cilantro, sour cream, and sautéed seasoned black beans/onions. SO good!
Megan C. how do you prepare the sweet potato? Cube and roast? I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes, but recently had them roasted. Trying to branch out... they were tasty roasted.
I’m loving all of these great recipes for meatless meals! Thanks bunches 🌻 I have a great recipe for a smashed chickpea salad- it’s simple and delicious and great for sandwiches and wraps. I use the standard veggies- diced red onions, celery and some grated carrots. Lemon juice, mayo, mustard or tahini. Fresh parsley and/ or mint. Salt, pepper and any other favorite spices. Mash the chickpeas, leaving some whole and combine the rest of the ingredients as you would do when making a tuna salad. I am definitely going to make your orzo and chickpea salad! I love your creativity🌻😁 I hope you have an amazing day!
When making grilled cheese sandwiches in my house, they always include a thin slice of tomato directly on the sandwich along with a pinch of Italian seasoning and a dash of pepper! Yum!
@@SeeMindyMom every little bit helps. I've been using your "half the meat" suggestion for a while now. It's easy to buy buy beef patties that are pre-portioned (for about the same price) and then I don't have to worry about forgetting to thaw out meat for dinner either. Just take out two patties (1/2 lb. or 2/3 lb.) and thaw them right in the pan. Ground meat/lentil combos are a great way to sneak some lentils into meals.
Yay we got to sit in a different cabinet! 🤣🤣 I love that Mindy often gives nutrition info. This is such a great, timely video; it reminded me of so many recipes that I intended to make but forgot about. Here’s some thoughts: don’t heat that 2ingredient tomato soup, add pico degallo and lime, chill for a ready to go gazpacho. Lentils are the legume 2nd highest in protein and can be a good substitute for hamburger (hint within a hint-buy lentils at a Middle Eastern or international market to save money) using half beef/half lentils in most dishes won’t be noticed. If you haven’t had vegetarian ‘faux sloppy joes’ you’re missing out! Add some beef broth for the die hard carnivores.
Love this video (and all of yours really)! I've been adding finely diced mushrooms in with ground beef when it's a recipe that calls for sauteing. Tacos, meat for pasta sauce, taco mac, and sloppy joes are my go to ones. The mushrooms cook down and absorb some of the beef flavor so the kids can't tell it's not just beef. It lets me cut down on the amount of ground beef needed, plus sneak in some different nutrition from the mushrooms.
This is such good timing! I just went to the doctor yesterday and realized it’s time to move toward a Mediterranean diet. I will be trying to cook with less meat!
Thank you for clarifying the differences between vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian! As a vegetarian (ovo-lacto), I really appreciate it when I see people use the more precise terms for diets that limit or eliminate animal products.
Glad to see you feeling better. I have been doing lots more meatless meals and it’s nice because they feel so much lighter, especially in summer. I’m going to try a couple of your recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Yellow rice has been a fast, easy meal for me for years, just add Rotel and black beans top with cheese, sour cream, salsa...so easy. Now that I'm not intimidated by rice anymore, I just make my own yellow rice.
Thank you so much for this, Mindy. I think you are so smart for being able to put all of this together. I am not very creative at all, so your videos are much appreciated.
Eggplant and mushrooms have long been considered meat substitutes. A cold bean salad would make a good summer dish with lots of protein. Toss in chopped up roasted peanuts or almonds to veggie dishes to up their protein content.
Mindy I appreciate you so much. You have helped our grocery budget and household menu expand in a healthy and delicious ways. Thank you for all the work you put into helping so many households.
Been pescatarian for about 5 years now, but I tend to eat mainly vegetarian and have fish ever once in a while! As someone who grew up in the south with southern cooking and Cajun food, one of my favorite dishes to make that’s very affordable is red beans and rice! You can make it as cheap or as fancy as you want. I cook mine in an instant pot. Sauté onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; add in your dried red beans, water to cover, Slap Ya Mama seasoning (or another Cajun blend), can of diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaf, paprika, and liquid smoke. I eyeball everything and season to taste. I cook them on manual for around 50 minutes to an hour, let it naturally release the pressure. Once it’s done, I add a bit of milk and about half a stick of butter and mash some of the beans to make it creamy and more paste like in consistency. Serve over rice! It’s probably my favorite comfort dish to make and reminds me of home. Cheap, delicious, hearty, and lots of good protein! If you’re a meat eater, you can fry up some sausage and throw in there too!
I usually don’t eat instant ramen, so when I’m hungry and don’t want to cook I will make couscous. Pour boiling water over the couscous with a little salt and chicken stock granules, wait 3 minutes. Add olive oil and fluff it up with a fork. Top with cheese, salsa and a fried egg. It takes 5 minutes to cook and it is delicious!!!
I know it is summer but last night I needed to use up some veggies. A mish-mosh of items out of fridge. Chicken pot pie with all leftovers. Leftover Kroger fried chicken deboned. It was so good. It wasn't meatless but I did think about making a veggie potpie. Served with fresh cucumber and tomato salad. I eat cottage cheese and fruit for breakfast or lunch.
Hey Mindy, I'm so glad to see your post today! I've missed your videos. Are you going to post any vlogs again? I know things are super busy, but your videos are so fun. I'm so happy to see these meatless meals. Meat prices are so high. And I don't eat meat that much anyway. The ideas you gave are fabulous!
Funny you ask that Shannon, because I just filmed a shop-with-me vlog yesterday that I'm hoping turns out! I brought my kids along so it was kind of funny. LOL
My husband and I often enjoy a meal of Quinoa, lentils and red beans, one cup of each with a little tomato gravy gives us each a cup and a half serving at 34.5 grams of protein. It’s a fav meatless meal that is filling and delicious, we usually have a veggie salad of tomato, cucumber and Romaine lettuce as a side and are very satisfied.
Thanks to Inspirational Mindy, when i had some potent garlic and herb cream cheese left over, i mixed it with some tinned diced tomatoes and it created a fast, easy and really delicious pasta sauce. No other seasonings required.
My family has done this substitute numerous times in lieu of the feta challenge. We tried it when feta wasn't available and liked it so much, we just keep doing it.
I have found that varying the types of beans in your chili can really provide a "meaty" heartiness to it. The best combination I use is black beans, pinto/chili beans, kidney beans and lentils. Using a beef stock or bouillon and Worcestershire can enhance it even further.
Oh that's a good point. I do like the chili ready beans that great value carries because they're different kinds, which fits into your hypothesis on the varying kinds of beans!
Hi Mindy love the video, I've been veggie for a while. I will say be careful with pesto recipes as if authentic will use parmesan cheese which is not vegetarian as it uses rennet which is an enzyme from a calves stomach. I'm lucky in the UK I have found a Vegan pesto quite cheap but will also make my own using Nutritional yeast. Keep making great inspirational videos 😊
Parm is vegetarian. Vegetarian isn't an ethical choice, and there are no super strict rules. You're trying to apply vegan logic to vegetarianism. (Not criticizing veganism at all, just pointing out your confusion.) There may be some vegetarians who avoid parm, but that doesn't mean it isn't vegetarian friendly. Just as some vegetarians will eat something with chicken broth, the vegetarian community is more relaxed.
My Dad is a pescatarian, and has been almost his entire adult life. When I was a kid, I wasn’t familiar with the word pescatarian, and would tell people he was like a vegetarian but ate fish. He ate Parmesan cheese for years not thinking anything of it. I assume he may have eaten jello too not knowing better but I don’t think he even likes jello. It’s one of those things that was hard to avoid at family potlucks for someone of his generation. He’s not a pescatarian for ethical reasons. When he was in the military he was deployed to some country in Asia and avoided meat while there because he was afraid he would unknowingly end up eating meat that is a pet in Western countries. After being there over a year, meat no longer appealed to him when he got back to the US
@@goodaskale I know I’m late but I just came across this comment. Rennet is made with stomach tissue from a dead calf, which I personally would call meat. Some brands (like BelGioso) make a specifically vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which doesn’t use rennet but still uses dairy. I do agree that vegetarian means different things for different people, but many believe parm is not vegetarian because animals were killed in the process of making, (and stomach tissue is incorporated) as opposed to vegan ideology which declines to consume any animal byproduct. stomach tissue is not a byproduct. I call myself a vegetarian, and I eat parm (I like to buy the vegetarian version when I see it) so I’m really one to talk, but I figured I’d chime in as to why some vegetarians (not vegans) avoid parm too.
You have perfect timing. I was just thinking that I need to figure out some recipes with less meat or no meat. I even bought some ground beef recently and split it into 3/4 lb pkgs instead of 1 lb pkgs before I froze it. Did something similar with the chicken breasts. I usually would freeze in packs of 2 but this time I only put 1in a pack unless they were small, then I put 2. I make a lot of one pot meals so I figure I can stretch them with either extra pasta, rice or veggies. Thanks for all the great tips!
Lisa, I do that all the time. I rarely use a whole pound of meat any more when a recipe calls for it. And like you said, I add extra veggies and there haven't been any complaints in my house. :)
While technically not meatless (due to it being beef), the Great Value bag of frozen Ravioli is about $3 for a 25 oz bag. I normally can get about 3 meals out of that bag.
I do meatless meals sometimes, but my husband really wants meat. I can do less meat. We eat a big salad with some cut up left over chicken or steak. We have cheese tortilla with a meat sauce. I buy or make pasta sauce then add the meat later. A little goes a long way. Thanks for the ideas. I love your salads!
Thank you thank you thank you! I eat pescatarian while making omni meals for my family, and it's so hard to find recipes that will work for us that doesn't require me to make two meals! I will be watching this again and taking notes😁 Lisa
You should make one of these again! Eating meatless saves on money. Base your meatless meal prep off of produce that is on sale. Add beans, grain… you’re good to go!
So glad to find this! We have spring break next week and three kids eating 3 meals plus snacks all day..I pre loaded my online cart for groceries and it was over $300 😭😱 and about $60 or so of that is meat products. That’s just insane to me sooo we need some more veggie options to cut the cost some 😅
you make everything sound so tastie what with the cost of living we tend to eat a lot of soup with rice or potatoes for most of the week and have a sunday dinner and mach ybe a stew or something that will stretch out for the rest of the week, if you have any ideas for lentils rather than soup would be really helpful. god bless you and your family for the channel and all the help you give.
It took me a lot longer than anyone else to notice the inflation because I don't eat meat. It's still very easy to make affordable and delicious meals.
We have really cut back on meat the last couple years, even before inflation. Prices are gong up on everything, but I'm noticing it the most on meat and dairy, outside of non-essentials like snacks and soda.
Just thought I'd say... those Sante fe rice and beans were my fave as a teen! Never thought about making it at home... I'd love to know what you put in your "sauce" besides the tostitio queso!
I don’t know how it’s taken me so long to come across your channel! I love it :) you are like real life food network with great ideas that everyday people can easily make. Thanks for making your videos!!!
Welcome to the Mindy crowd! This video included summery ideas from several of her videos but she keeps coming up with more
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate the kind words, Mandy! :)
Better, imo. She doesn't use oddball ingredients, lol!
I'm a vegetarian and one of my easiest meals is black beans over rice (white or yellow) topped with chopped onions (optional) and served with a side salad of chopped tomatoes, avocado, and corn dressed with a little olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Also, love to do pasta salad full of any fresh veggies (I like to do about 50% pasta, 50% veggies) you want, chickpeas, some chopped up fresh mozzarella or crumbled feta, and salad dressing of choice.
My husband is mostly plant based. A super easy and inexpensive meal he loves. Pasta sauce of choice mixed with sautéed veggies,Anything works. Usually I add onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini. Serve it over pasta
Sounds great! Like a pasta primavera! :)
People who criticize you about the protein content in your meals,don't know enough about protein. Don't worry about them. I love your content. Have used your recipes, and passed them along. ❤
I've been watching your channel for so long and it's been SO helpful with meal planning and budgeting. As a college student, there's not always a lot of money to go towards a grocery budget, but I've found a lot of non-meat protein sources I didn't realize you could center meals around that are also shockingly easy to make.
One of our favorite Pasta Salads is a Pesto Orzo Salad. It is easy. Makes a huge bowl and is delicious. I like to make a big bowl for lunch in the summer. You can modify it to add meat to turn it into a full meal if you want. It lasts 3 or 4 days refrigerated and is chocked full of vegetables. It is a great salad to take to a pot luck or bbq as it goes with most everything
ORZO PASTA SALAD
1 box of orzo pasta, cooked according to the box directions
2 medium zucchini, seeded and diced
1 seeded and diced yellow or orange bell pepper
1 small diced red onion
1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
Feta or fresh mozzarella
1 cup of your favorite pesto. I keep a jar of Barilla Pesto in my pantry and just use the entire jar.
To turn it into a full meal add cooked chicken, diced ham or cooked shrimp.
Your family will most likely like this salad. Feel free to customize the salad to items that your family enjoys. This is a recreation of a salad that I ate on a cruise and I came home and recreated it.
Quinoa salad with black beans, tomatoes, green onions. We really like it with a Greek style vinaigrette & topped with avocado
One tip I can give, I grew up in a Mexican household, and we were broke a LOT. You can make enchiladas out of red beans, and mashed potatoes with peas in it. I love how versatile the tortellini is. I have never thought of making even half of those. I've made veggie chili, that's super delicious. I've planted a super big garden this year, so I'm sure I'll be using a lot of your tips as I start harvesting. I would love to try all of these, thank you so much for making this video.
Thank you so much Mindy!! I sent this video to all my friends. I have now gotten almost everyone in my homeschool group following you!! Keep these great videos coming
Thank you so much, Peggy, I appreciate the share! :)
I wanted to comment because this video style was different and you might want the feedback. I thought it was awesome that you showed some of your previously shared meals that fit into the meatless category! It’s so convenient to have them all in one place. Also, regarding the protein, veggies have lots of protein! It’s so funny that people only really worry about protein when someone doesn’t eat meat, not realizing it’s in so many things. Peas have a lot of protein, for example, unless someone is low in protein, there’s no need to worry about going meatless.
I agree, Leisa! And thank you for the feedback! :)
10 years vegetarian here. A few of my favorite meals to make.
Tacos (black beans as protein. Season with taco seasoning)
Refried bean enchiladas
Spanish rice and beans
Black bean quesadillas
Burrito bowls
Alfredo with Brussels sprouts
Cincinnati chili
White lasagna
Chili Mac (no joke a box of Kraft and a can of vegetarian chili)
Tomato soup and grilled cheese
Black bean soup
Cheesy Bean and rice enchilada soup
Pizza and salad
Pesto and balsamic glaze pizza
Red beans and rice (I use Zatarans)
Breakfast
Chili cheese baked potato
I could go on forever but I’ll stop here.
Ooh. I just went to a vegetarian diet so I love seeing your ideas.
Great ideas! Thanks!
Thank you for the chili cheese potatos. I try to avoid too much gluten so that's fab. Pescatarian here so here's some tips for those who are pescs:
Tiny shrimp is cheaper than regular. You can make a shrimp salad or add them to lettuce, homemade salad dressing (mix salad dressing mix with nongmo mayo and plain yoghurt), avocado with thin tortilla chips.
Here's a veggie: Late July tortilla chips, kidney beans, taco seasoning, lettuce and melted cheese.
Love love the the 💡 ideals......challenge Mindy try out this homemade pizza bread sticks 😋
2 cups of flour
1 tea sugar
1 1/2 tea garlic salt
1 1/2 tea yeast
1c to 1 1/2c warm water depending on your climate
Mix with fork transfer to a bowl that is drizzled with olive oil
Rest one hour
Spread out on parchment paper
4 tbs butter melted with 1 tea garlic powder and 1 tea Italian seasoning
Top with grated mozzarella and whatever toppings you want 425 10 to 15 minutes
De freaking list 🥰
My soul always lets out a little happy sigh when I see a new SMM post in my YT feed, but especially in these uncertain times. Thanks for all your efforts and time spent bringing us your wonderful channel!
Ah, thank you so much, Sherilyn! 😊 I really appreciate that. I do try to be helpful and give some realistic ideas, and remain a “calm non-anxious presence”.
Yesss! More meatless meals please! I've saved so much money and I've never felt better.
I often use button mushrooms as a meat substitute or extender. Add a package to the food processor and pulse until chopped to the appearance of ground beef. Sauté & it’s ready for chili or pasta sauce or a veggie stroganoff… the taste can be changed up by the seasoning added while sautéing. PS - love your approach to cooking & meal planning & nutrition. My family is smaller than yours but your ideas are easily adaptable.
I used to be pescatarian or vegetarian for 11 years and my favorite meatless easy foods were often based around lentils and canned tomatoes. One I often made was a lentil sauce that I ate with pasta.
Pasta cooked as usual. Lentil sauce: Fry one or two onions in oil or butter. Once soft add red lentils and add double the amount of water to lentils (I often used about half a cup of lentils and a full cup of water or similar amounts which for me was 2-3 meals at the time. I cooked it until the water was mostly gone and then added a can of tomatoes. I used all kinds of them both with spices and without. I then added garlic, cubes of vegetable broth and herb spices (italian blend or just whatever herbs I had on hand) and let it cook for some further time. I would then add shredded carrot and adjust spices if necessary. I would eat that with the pasta and add cheese if I had some at hand, either feta or regular cheese. Sometimes I used the leftovers to make a soup by just adding the sauce to a pan, add water and chickpeas. I would eat that with a cheese sandwich or just toast with or without butter. Another version that I did was the same sauce but instead of herbs I would add curry powder. I would eat that over french fries with some cheese (the type that melts, not feta or similar types of cheese for this one)
I also did a halloumi cheese gratin. For that I would cut halloumi cheese in thin slices and put it in a gratin pan. I would mix double cream and some water and vegetable bullion powder or mashed up cubes and some dill. If I had tomatoes and/or mushrooms I would put that on top of the halloumi cheese and then pour the cream mix over the cheese in the gratin pan. I would end with lots of black pepper on top and bake it in the oven. I make this from time to time even now. The best trimmings are either boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes if you ask me but it is possible to eat pasta and rice too as a side.
An easy dinner that felt fancy that I loved was to bake a piece of chevre goat cheese on top of a slice of rye bread with some honey and black pepper. Not an extreme budget meal, I know, but not extremely expensive but very good.
Onion soup, broccoli soup, asparagus soup (frozen is perfectly fine for soup), cauliflower soup, pea soup and a mixed vegetable soup are all meatless options that we forget are meatless and these can easily be made vegan if you go for either a soup based on broth or use coconut cream or any other vegetarian cream. Personally, I prefer it to be coconut though.
Is that first recipe with a 1:2 lentil/water ratio with already cooked lentils or dry lentils? Thank you.
@@yvonnepalmquist8676dried lentils, with cooked you would not need any extra water.
@@ellalella1 that's what I figured, but didn't want to assume. Thank you for the response and the great tips.
I absolutely love watching your channel! You continue to amaze me. I am wondering if you have done any videos on veggies from the garden. We are starting to get LOTS of cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes. I feel like some go to waste because I can’t use them quick enough. We share lots too but wondering what you would recommend for these veggies in particular.
Something I really love is quinoa bowls! Especially a Greek themed one with olives, cucumber, feta, and a Dijon dressing. Quinoa is a complete protein just like animal proteins are
Yes I been doing meatless meals started adding tofu, more beans, more potatoes, and pastas. We eat meat four times a month but usually cheap it's of steak, ground beef and chicken thighs.
I’ve been cooking one day per week where I steam veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, celery), cook up some pasta, and either chicken or meatloaf or a casserole. Then during them week I can mix and match. I also add fruit and hard boiled eggs. It’s just me and I find I’m stretching my groceries this way. It’s particularly nice for the hot weather when I can just use the microwave!
Love that!
I’m also a household of 1. I do something similar, beans, rice, raw veg cleaned & cut up -whatever I can throw in a protein bowl or salad. If I don’t have something quick to throw together I eat junk
@@annswann1941
I hear you!
@@annswann1941
I have trouble reheating rice. Any tips you’d care to share?
@@dianelewis6074 are you reheating in a microwave? I usually run my hand under the faucet, and then sprinkle the water from my fingertips over the rice, just a small amount of water to steam and fluff the rice while it's reheating. Similarly, you can add a small cup or bowl to your microwave with the rice to add steam to your microwave. I haven't tried this second option with rice, but have done it quite successfully for bread.
Great video! Since going vegan 6 years ago I have saved tons on groceries! I love watching your channel and adapting the ideas to be vegan
She has lots of great recipes that can easily substitute with vegetable fats and nut milks. And since they're meatless, no other substitution is needed. I think lots of vegans watch Mindy because of this.
@Mindy I loved seeing this and since we don’t eat meat it’s perfect for my family… I find it easy to follow most recipes and simply use something else like meat substitute or beans but usually beans just because I always have them and they’re inexpensive although we don’t eat this way for financial reasons.
I always appreciate it when you explain the protein content in different ingredients because it’s super educational and helpful.
Love this!! Me and my husband love a good sweet potato and black bean taco. I season the potatoes with taco seasonings (and extra cayenne for spice!) and heat up black beans for more protein. We can top it with whatever we want - cheese, salsa, sour cream, etc. So good!
Ok that’s a good idea. We make loaded sweet potatoes. Bake them and slice in half, then top with lime juice, cilantro, sour cream, and sautéed seasoned black beans/onions. SO good!
yum!
Megan C. how do you prepare the sweet potato? Cube and roast? I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes, but recently had them roasted. Trying to branch out... they were tasty roasted.
We do that with lentilsand sweet potatoes! So good!
I make a similar recipe: sweet potato, black bean and chipotle enchilada
I’m loving all of these great recipes for meatless meals! Thanks bunches 🌻 I have a great recipe for a smashed chickpea salad- it’s simple and delicious and great for sandwiches and wraps. I use the standard veggies- diced red onions, celery and some grated carrots. Lemon juice, mayo, mustard or tahini. Fresh parsley and/ or mint. Salt, pepper and any other favorite spices. Mash the chickpeas, leaving some whole and combine the rest of the ingredients as you would do when making a tuna salad. I am definitely going to make your orzo and chickpea salad! I love your creativity🌻😁 I hope you have an amazing day!
Thanks for the tip! Have a great day as well! :)
Mock tuna salad is how I've known this recipe. Yum!!!
@@yvonnepalmquist8676 that’s exactly what we call it! It’s a big hit with our family!
When making grilled cheese sandwiches in my house, they always include a thin slice of tomato directly on the sandwich along with a pinch of Italian seasoning and a dash of pepper! Yum!
Adding avocado is also so good
I tried the tortellini recipe and the grilled cheese pesto and tomato sandwich; it was really easy and really good!
Great ideas! We love using lentils in our meatless meals. Lentil meatloaf with red lentils or lentil tacos with green lentils are our favorites.
I like lentils, too. Trying to get the family on board, but I have to be sneaky. LOL. Just putting a cup full in here and there to various recipes.
Understandable! My daycare kids aren't always a fan either. I cover the meatloaf in ketchup and the tacos in cheese and sour cream!
@@SeeMindyMom every little bit helps. I've been using your "half the meat" suggestion for a while now. It's easy to buy buy beef patties that are pre-portioned (for about the same price) and then I don't have to worry about forgetting to thaw out meat for dinner either. Just take out two patties (1/2 lb. or 2/3 lb.) and thaw them right in the pan. Ground meat/lentil combos are a great way to sneak some lentils into meals.
@@themeatlessmama my grandsons love the faux sloppy joes. I got them hooked before naming ingredients 😉
Awesome!
Home run on the videos... ill be trying most of them .
Thanks for all the great ideas. I have missed seeing you and your videos. Take care.😀😀😀
Thank you so much, Nancy! I'm finishing up 2 videos today, so hoping to get more content out next week! :)
Yay we got to sit in a different cabinet! 🤣🤣 I love that Mindy often gives nutrition info. This is such a great, timely video; it reminded me of so many recipes that I intended to make but forgot about.
Here’s some thoughts: don’t heat that 2ingredient tomato soup, add pico degallo and lime, chill for a ready to go gazpacho. Lentils are the legume 2nd highest in protein and can be a good substitute for hamburger (hint within a hint-buy lentils at a Middle Eastern or international market to save money) using half beef/half lentils in most dishes won’t be noticed. If you haven’t had vegetarian ‘faux sloppy joes’ you’re missing out! Add some beef broth for the die hard carnivores.
great tips! Thanks!
Love this video (and all of yours really)! I've been adding finely diced mushrooms in with ground beef when it's a recipe that calls for sauteing. Tacos, meat for pasta sauce, taco mac, and sloppy joes are my go to ones. The mushrooms cook down and absorb some of the beef flavor so the kids can't tell it's not just beef. It lets me cut down on the amount of ground beef needed, plus sneak in some different nutrition from the mushrooms.
This is such good timing! I just went to the doctor yesterday and realized it’s time to move toward a Mediterranean diet. I will be trying to cook with less meat!
You got this!
Thank you for clarifying the differences between vegetarian, vegan, and pescetarian! As a vegetarian (ovo-lacto), I really appreciate it when I see people use the more precise terms for diets that limit or eliminate animal products.
I just made your tortellini pasta with a salad, thank you this was soooo yummy and quick to make. Definitely adding to my list of favorites.
I’ve been considering meatless meals once or twice a week for a while now but have been really intimidated. Thanks for the great ideas!
You can do it! So glad I could give some ideas!
Love your channel! Thanks for your positive upbeat attitude and inspiration in the kitchen! Way to go Momma!
Glad to see you feeling better. I have been doing lots more meatless meals and it’s nice because they feel so much lighter, especially in summer. I’m going to try a couple of your recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Vicki! I agree, I tend to crave lighter fare in the summertime.
The Mahatma yellow rice packets come in super handy! Cheap, already seasoned, and in different sizes depending on how many portions you want
Yellow rice has been a fast, easy meal for me for years, just add Rotel and black beans top with cheese, sour cream, salsa...so easy. Now that I'm not intimidated by rice anymore, I just make my own yellow rice.
Thank you so much for this, Mindy. I think you are so smart for being able to put all of this together. I am not very creative at all, so your videos are much appreciated.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much!
I'm so glad I found your RUclips channel. You make things so simple.
Eggplant and mushrooms have long been considered meat substitutes.
A cold bean salad would make a good summer dish with lots of protein.
Toss in chopped up roasted peanuts or almonds to veggie dishes to up their protein content.
I'm so excited to watch this. I've been trying to save money in groceries so this will be perfect!!
Hope you find something helpful here, Erin!
Mindy I appreciate you so much. You have helped our grocery budget and household menu expand in a healthy and delicious ways. Thank you for all the work you put into helping so many households.
Thank you! I really appreciate your kind comment, it means a lot to me! :)
Been pescatarian for about 5 years now, but I tend to eat mainly vegetarian and have fish ever once in a while! As someone who grew up in the south with southern cooking and Cajun food, one of my favorite dishes to make that’s very affordable is red beans and rice! You can make it as cheap or as fancy as you want. I cook mine in an instant pot. Sauté onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic; add in your dried red beans, water to cover, Slap Ya Mama seasoning (or another Cajun blend), can of diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaf, paprika, and liquid smoke. I eyeball everything and season to taste. I cook them on manual for around 50 minutes to an hour, let it naturally release the pressure. Once it’s done, I add a bit of milk and about half a stick of butter and mash some of the beans to make it creamy and more paste like in consistency. Serve over rice! It’s probably my favorite comfort dish to make and reminds me of home. Cheap, delicious, hearty, and lots of good protein! If you’re a meat eater, you can fry up some sausage and throw in there too!
Yes, red beans and rice is a great vegetarian meal! Thanks for the recipe!
I usually don’t eat instant ramen, so when I’m hungry and don’t want to cook I will make couscous.
Pour boiling water over the couscous with a little salt and chicken stock granules, wait 3 minutes. Add olive oil and fluff it up with a fork.
Top with cheese, salsa and a fried egg.
It takes 5 minutes to cook and it is delicious!!!
Hubby decided to go more plant-forward a few weeks ago. Love these ideas!
I know it is summer but last night I needed to use up some veggies. A mish-mosh of items out of fridge. Chicken pot pie with all leftovers. Leftover Kroger fried chicken deboned. It was so good. It wasn't meatless but I did think about making a veggie potpie. Served with fresh cucumber and tomato salad. I eat cottage cheese and fruit for breakfast or lunch.
Sounds delicious!
I suffer from zero inspiration for meatless meals, but love them, especially in the summer. Off to get my notepad....
Love your channel and so happy to see meatless recipes as a pescatarian! I normally try and see if I can convert your recipes to vegetarian.
Hey Mindy, I'm so glad to see your post today! I've missed your videos. Are you going to post any vlogs again? I know things are super busy, but your videos are so fun. I'm so happy to see these meatless meals. Meat prices are so high. And I don't eat meat that much anyway. The ideas you gave are fabulous!
Funny you ask that Shannon, because I just filmed a shop-with-me vlog yesterday that I'm hoping turns out! I brought my kids along so it was kind of funny. LOL
@@SeeMindyMom awesome! I can't wait.
Glad to see you back!
Thanks!
Pesto + mozzarella + tomato = caprese and they are delicious!
Hi … heavy cream can be subbed with coconut cream to make a meal vegan. Also nosh (nutritional yeast) for the cheesy taste.
My husband and I often enjoy a meal of Quinoa, lentils and red beans, one cup of each with a little tomato gravy gives us each a cup and a half serving at 34.5 grams of protein. It’s a fav meatless meal that is filling and delicious, we usually have a veggie salad of tomato, cucumber and Romaine lettuce as a side and are very satisfied.
Mindy, I am a new subscriber and already love your channel. Also, I love your hair and your glasses, very chic & cute!!
Thank you so much!!
Thanks to Inspirational Mindy, when i had some potent garlic and herb cream cheese left over, i mixed it with some tinned diced tomatoes and it created a fast, easy and really delicious pasta sauce. No other seasonings required.
My family has done this substitute numerous times in lieu of the feta challenge. We tried it when feta wasn't available and liked it so much, we just keep doing it.
I have found that varying the types of beans in your chili can really provide a "meaty" heartiness to it. The best combination I use is black beans, pinto/chili beans, kidney beans and lentils. Using a beef stock or bouillon and Worcestershire can enhance it even further.
Oh that's a good point. I do like the chili ready beans that great value carries because they're different kinds, which fits into your hypothesis on the varying kinds of beans!
@@SeeMindyMom I didn't know those were varying types of beans. Thanks for that tip.
Love your nail color Mindy.
Thank you for the ideas, Mindy!
Any time!
I'm watching because you're using great value items.. you're a real one 💪
We mix leftover mashed potatoes with taco seasoning for a really easy potato taco. Add cheese, sour cream and the fixings of your choice.
You have some great recipe suggestions here! Thank you so much! 😋
Glad you like them! Thanks!
Slow cooker Soup 🥣 and salad 🥗 is great for a hot day.
I love chickpea salads, and don't know why I fail to think of making them more often. Thanks for the reminder!
I made the creamy tomato tortellini tonight and it was delicious!!!
Hi Mindy love the video, I've been veggie for a while. I will say be careful with pesto recipes as if authentic will use parmesan cheese which is not vegetarian as it uses rennet which is an enzyme from a calves stomach. I'm lucky in the UK I have found a Vegan pesto quite cheap but will also make my own using Nutritional yeast. Keep making great inspirational videos 😊
Parm is vegetarian. Vegetarian isn't an ethical choice, and there are no super strict rules. You're trying to apply vegan logic to vegetarianism. (Not criticizing veganism at all, just pointing out your confusion.) There may be some vegetarians who avoid parm, but that doesn't mean it isn't vegetarian friendly. Just as some vegetarians will eat something with chicken broth, the vegetarian community is more relaxed.
My Dad is a pescatarian, and has been almost his entire adult life. When I was a kid, I wasn’t familiar with the word pescatarian, and would tell people he was like a vegetarian but ate fish.
He ate Parmesan cheese for years not thinking anything of it. I assume he may have eaten jello too not knowing better but I don’t think he even likes jello. It’s one of those things that was hard to avoid at family potlucks for someone of his generation.
He’s not a pescatarian for ethical reasons. When he was in the military he was deployed to some country in Asia and avoided meat while there because he was afraid he would unknowingly end up eating meat that is a pet in Western countries. After being there over a year, meat no longer appealed to him when he got back to the US
@@goodaskale I know I’m late but I just came across this comment. Rennet is made with stomach tissue from a dead calf, which I personally would call meat. Some brands (like BelGioso) make a specifically vegetarian Parmesan cheese, which doesn’t use rennet but still uses dairy. I do agree that vegetarian means different things for different people, but many believe parm is not vegetarian because animals were killed in the process of making, (and stomach tissue is incorporated) as opposed to vegan ideology which declines to consume any animal byproduct. stomach tissue is not a byproduct.
I call myself a vegetarian, and I eat parm (I like to buy the vegetarian version when I see it) so I’m really one to talk, but I figured I’d chime in as to why some vegetarians (not vegans) avoid parm too.
I would like to see more of these options!
Thank you for this video. I have been trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals, but needed some new ideas. 😃
Creamy Tortellini is exactly what we had for dinner tonight.
Brilliant channel. Love from Liverpool UK
Awesome recipes, thanks for sharing 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Bean tostadas is one of my faves
You have perfect timing. I was just thinking that I need to figure out some recipes with less meat or no meat. I even bought some ground beef recently and split it into 3/4 lb pkgs instead of 1 lb pkgs before I froze it. Did something similar with the chicken breasts. I usually would freeze in packs of 2 but this time I only put 1in a pack unless they were small, then I put 2. I make a lot of one pot meals so I figure I can stretch them with either extra pasta, rice or veggies. Thanks for all the great tips!
Lisa, I do that all the time. I rarely use a whole pound of meat any more when a recipe calls for it. And like you said, I add extra veggies and there haven't been any complaints in my house. :)
Yay she’s back. Great meal ideas
Thanks!
I rarely buy meat and love your content. Great ideas thank you!
Thank you so much for making these video's. They are very helpful. Easy and delicious!!
Thanks for encouragement, Kay! I appreciate your kind words!
I'm gonna give the orzo salad a try. I may add some grape tomatoes to mine for a pop of color. Thanks for the money saving ideas.
Oh, I think tomatoes would be great in that salad! :)
I went on a cruise in the Greek Islands 15 years ago and they would have fruit soup (cold) as an appetizer.. I bet it would be great for breakfast.
Great meal ideas and perfect timing. Next month my family is going meatless for the entire month! At least we're going to try.
Great ideas! Thanks Mindy ☺
While technically not meatless (due to it being beef), the Great Value bag of frozen Ravioli is about $3 for a 25 oz bag. I normally can get about 3 meals out of that bag.
Great tip!
I do meatless meals sometimes, but my husband really wants meat. I can do less meat. We eat a big salad with some cut up left over chicken or steak. We have cheese tortilla with a meat sauce. I buy or make pasta sauce then add the meat later. A little goes a long way. Thanks for the ideas. I love your salads!
Thank you thank you thank you! I eat pescatarian while making omni meals for my family, and it's so hard to find recipes that will work for us that doesn't require me to make two meals! I will be watching this again and taking notes😁 Lisa
You are so welcome! Hope you find something helpful here. :)
Can you do an episode on Diabetic cooking (Keto or low carb)? Husband was recently diagnosed and I'm lost!
Mahalo mahalo mahalo
I cannot thank you enough !!!
Wow impressed
Keep sharing keep caring!!!
Thank you!
I’d love to know your chipotle ranch recipe! Great video!! Thank you!
You should make one of these again! Eating meatless saves on money. Base your meatless meal prep off of produce that is on sale. Add beans, grain… you’re good to go!
Using the bean/rice dip that you made, we just used something very similar for bean and cheese burritos sans the rice for our lunches today.
Sounds delicious!
So glad to find this! We have spring break next week and three kids eating 3 meals plus snacks all day..I pre loaded my online cart for groceries and it was over $300 😭😱 and about $60 or so of that is meat products. That’s just insane to me sooo we need some more veggie options to cut the cost some 😅
You made one! Awesome! Thank you!
The video I have been waiting for... thank you!!!
you make everything sound so tastie what with the cost of living we tend to eat a lot of soup with rice or potatoes for most of the week and have a sunday dinner and mach ybe a stew or something that will stretch out for the rest of the week, if you have any ideas for lentils rather than soup would be really helpful. god bless you and your family for the channel and all the help you give.
My grandma used to make just spaghetti with Hunt's pasta sauce and it was good
It took me a lot longer than anyone else to notice the inflation because I don't eat meat. It's still very easy to make affordable and delicious meals.
We have really cut back on meat the last couple years, even before inflation. Prices are gong up on everything, but I'm noticing it the most on meat and dairy, outside of non-essentials like snacks and soda.
Just thought I'd say... those Sante fe rice and beans were my fave as a teen! Never thought about making it at home... I'd love to know what you put in your "sauce" besides the tostitio queso!
equal parts jar sauce and sour cream.
@@SeeMindyMom and this is one of the many reasons I love you!! Easy peasy
So excited to try some of these out 😁
Hope you enjoy!
Thank you for this video. We made your seasoned saltinecrackers. They where a hit!
I’m so glad you liked them, Kayla!
Thank you so much!
Is it possible for you to make a website to link some of your recipes?
Keep them ideas coming
Great ideas, thanks!