Eating a plant-based diet is not only better for the environment, but can also benefit your budget. With rising food prices, incorporating vegan meals in your diet can help you save some money, while reducing your carbon footprint. To celebrate World Vegan Day, Brioney – RGU Go Green‘s member – shares 5 easy and affordable vegan recipes.

Did you know that if every family in the UK removed the meat from just one meal a week, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 16 million cars off the road? Facts like this is a huge reason why I have been vegan for the last 7 years.
While I don’t think its necessary for people to make sudden drastic changes to their diet, I really believe that cutting back on animal products is one of the best actions you can take for the benefit of our planet.
Greenpeace found that “global meat and dairy production and consumption must be cut in half by 2050 to avoid dangerous climate change and keep the Paris Agreement on track”. This highlights how beneficial a vegan diet is for climate change.
I would be lying if I said that I am a perfect vegan who never slips up and had some dairy milk chocolate every once and awhile. However, if you take energy away from being perfect and more towards tying to make conscious choices in the meals that you eat, you can cut back on your personal strain on the planet.
I understand it can feel overwhelming to know where to start when it comes to starting a vegan diet, especially when other options can feel more accessible. That is why I decided to share five easy and tasty vegan meals you can make to start your own plant-based journey!
Comforting tacos

Ingredients
Method
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ½ of a pack of Quorn mince meat
- Can of mixed beans
- Can of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons of soya sauce
- 1 table spoon of Worcester sauce
- 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
- Spices of your preference, I would go for cumin, chili, ginger
- Taco shells
- Vegan guacamole
- Salad leaves
- Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil until golden.
- Add Quorn mince meat and cook for a couple minutes.
- Add the can of beans and tomatoes
- Add all flavours – soya sauce, Worcester sauce, maple syrup and spices.
- Cook until most of the liquid has been boiled down and the consistency is smooth but thick.
- Put your taco shells in the oven or microwave for a couple minutes.
- To prepare – spread the guacamole on the inside of the shells, place a small handful of salad leaves and place a generous handful of the mince and bean mix inside.
Vegan lentil Bolognese

Ingredients
Method
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 small finely chopped onion
- 2 cups of soaked lentils
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 medium carrot
- 400g of tined tomatoes
- 2 teaspoon of rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of basil
- 1 stock cube
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- Heat up the oil in a pan and add garlic, onion, celery and carrots.
- Cook for a few minutes, add the herbs, and continue to cook.
- Add in soaked lentils, tinned tomatoes and half a can of water.
- Bring to the boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve with your choice of pasta, rice or potatoes.
Ramen bowl

Ingredients
Method
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- Two cloves of garlic
- Chopped mushrooms / vegan meat of choice
- 3 tablespoons of soya sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 nest of rice noodles
- 1 stock cube
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Salad leaves
- Spring onion
- Start by frying the garlic in a pan until golden.
- Add the mushrooms.
- Cook them in soya sauce.
- Cook the noodles in hot water.
- Add soy sauce, garlic, stock cube, sugar, spices and lemon juice to the noodles.
- Serve with salad leaves, spring onion and the mushrooms.
Roasted pepper and courgette pasta

Ingredients
Method
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 400g of mushrooms, chopped
- 480g of roasted red peppers
- 2 small courgettes, diced
- 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
- 2 stock cubes
- 3 tablespoon of tomato puree
- Garlic puree
- Heat up the oil in a saucepan and fry the courgettes and mushrooms for about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic puree and roasted peppers and cook for another 5 minutes before adding the tomato puree and stock cubes.
- Pour over the tomatoes and some water and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve with your favourite pasta.
Vegan sweet potato, courgette and chickpea tagine

Ingredients
Method
- 1 large onion
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 400g of chopped tomatoes
- 400g of chickpeas, drained
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 courgette, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 2 teaspoon of sugar
- Garlic puree
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
- Heat oil in a pan an add the onion, sweet potato, carrot, garlic puree and courgette.
- Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and the spices and cook for another 20 minutes until thickened.
- Serve with couscous.
Brioney Redmond
Let us know in the comments if you try any of these recipes, we hope you’ll like them!
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