MNN - Mother Nature Network

These fruits combined were $1.00. They were good, and they were filling, and they were easy. I cut up my banana and drizzled a bit of honey and cinnamon on top, which makes a great summer breakfast or afternoon dessert. 

 

In the summer, I love making coffee the night before, putting it in the fridge, and having a refreshing iced coffee in the morning with soy milk and vanilla syrup or extract. I also like to add a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg.

 

Pita Grill is a great lunch place that has several New York locations. It has a wide variety of pita sandwiches, grilled vegetable dishes and, of course, falafels. There are lots of meat dishes, but vegetarian or vegan options are extensive, as well. Every day, the staff makes fresh pita bread from scratch. My falafel meal was served over mixed greens and the sauce was perfect — flavorful but not too heavy. It only cost $5.25.

 

I decided to get a little creative with this dish and mix my Curried Mango Grille Sauce from Whole Foods with miscellaneous items from my fridge. Stonewall Kitchen makes numerous marinades like this one that are all excellent and unique. This particular one is great for both meat and vegetables, and it usually makes just about anything taste good.

 

I sauteed eggplant and yellow bell peppers in the marinade and some olive oil, and then I mixed a little marinade into some brown rice. I sauteed some spinach in oil, garlic powder, and pepper to go on the side. The end result was a slightly sweet, spicy and exotic tasting dish that was fresh and filling. To top it off, I had a glass of Beaujolais-Villages wine from Louis Jadot.

 

Overall, Monday was a nice start to my week of vegan eating. Considering the portions I took from my groceries, my meals for the entire day cost less than $20 in total. They were all quick. They were all easy. And most importantly, they were unique, flavorful and healthy.