Why are weeknight meals always so stressful and annoying to prepare? I often find myself racking my brain on my commute home– Should I make pasta? No, that’s too heavy. Sweet potatoes with rice/veggies? No, that’ll take too long. Salad? No, that’s boring.
However, I have discovered a recipe that is healthy, versatile, quick, and most importantly delicious. I end up making this around 3 of 5 weeknights most weeks.
It consists of mostly raw veggies, beans, some form of carb (usually rice or pasta), and an easy dressing (I’ll give you a couple options).
FOR THE SALAD
- A couple cups of greens (lettuce, spinach, kale, etc)
- 1 large carrot
- 1/4 onion
- 1 tomato/handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1/4 or 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 cup beans
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup carb of choice (e.g. rice or pasta)
OTHER OPTIONAL ADD-INS:
- Pickles
- Pickled jalapeno
- Olives
- Kimchi (my personal favorite)
- Corn
- Salsa (you can see some of my favorites here)
- Cilantro
- Tortilla chips (I really like The Better Chip brand)
FOR DRESSING OPTION #1 (ASIAN)
- Spoonful gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- Small spoonful miso
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Water as needed
- Sesame seeds (a couple shakes will do)
- Water as needed
FOR DRESSING OPTION #2 (TANGY)
- Spoonful gochujang
- 1 tbsp tahini or 1 to 2 tbsp hummus
- 1/2 lemon
- Water as needed
DIRECTIONS:
Chop the veggies (greens, onion, tomato, bell pepper, and avocado) into small, bite-size pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl. Add in the salsa, beans, and carb of choice. Mix everything together until well-combined.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together. Add more water until you reach the consistency you desire. Pour the dressing over the veggie mixture. Mix again until everything is well-combined. Transfer to a serving bowl. EAT!
For more healthy, vegan meal ideas, follow me on IG: @annawildman