As the final weeks of my Masters Program commence, I’ve been slacking in other areas…like the kitchen.

The good news?

It means I have some more cheap and easy go-to vegan “recipes” to share! (For more vegan food hacks, click here and here.)

1. CREAMY PUMPKIN STUFF

1 can pureed pumpkin + 1 can full fat coconut milk + 1 onion (+ other veggies if you’re feelin’ fancy) = angels singing Justin Timberlake songs

STEP ONE: Sautee a roughly chopped onion (any kind) in a saucepan over medium high heat until the onions are translucent.

STEP TWO (OPTIONAL): Add your other favorite vegetables like broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and/or baby spinach. I even added black beans to this batch!

STEP THREE: Dump in your canned pumpkin and coconut milk. Stir and let it simmer for a few minutes (it’ll likely thicken up a bit).

STEP FOUR: Season to taste. Some of my favorites with this combo include: white pepper, curry powder, garlic salt and nutmeg.

Voila! Now you can: 1) eat as is as a creamy pumpkin soup, 2) pour it over rice, gnocchi or pasta, or, 3) make a potato bowl.

2. PESTO-MARINATED…ANYTHING

1 container of any pesto-like thing + vegan protein (veggies, tofu, tempeh, etc.) = Jason Bateman being Jason Bateman-y

This new Zhoug Sauce from Trader Joe’s (pictured above) is my everything. Basically it’s a cilantro pesto, minus the cheese, with a very respectable zing.

Slather your “pesto” (however much you please!) over your vegan protein and then roast the crap out of it (for vegetables I do up to an hour, for tofu, 30 minutes, both between 350-400F, stirring or flipping halfway). The grill works great, too!

You can eat this as is…

…over pasta…

…or hey, maybe put it on…

3. PITA PIZZAS

1 pita + your favorite toppings = frolicking baby goats in sweaters

I have so many pictures of pita pizzas, it’s bordering on concerning. (In fact, I’ve already featured them here, but they’re so easy, fun and versatile that I felt they deserved a stand-alone mention.)

My go-to “sauces”:

• Hummus
• Refried beans
• Tomato sauce
• Pesto
• Vegan cream cheese (Trader Joe’s, Tofutti and Kite Hill are my favorites)

Some of my favorite toppings include:

• Roasted vegetables and/or tofu
• Sliced tomatoes
• Scallions
• Soy chorizo (once again, Trader Joe’s for the win)
• Nutritional yeast (like a vegan parmesan)
• Beans
• Arugula (after cooking pizza)
• Vegan mozzarella (I like Follow Your Heart and Trader Joe’s)
• Just Ranch drizzle

Bake directly on the oven rack for 8-10 minutes @ 350F and you’re (literally) golden.

Any kind of pita should work – when I’m feeling healthy, I use whole wheat.

Speaking of healthy, for anyone counting calories, even my vegan cheese-a-rific version comes out to less than 500 calories, so it’s a fantastic alternative to any frozen pizza (serving size = 1/3 pizza? Are they kidding?).

And there you have it! A few recipes you can whip up without breaking a sweat, and still feel like you’re fully adulting!

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HAPPY NOSHING!

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