Category: Quick and Easy

Veggie Burger

Ingredients

  • 1 large slice of Aldi’s sour dough bread cut in half
  • Aldi’s Earth Grown Vegan Veggie Burger
  • 1 tsp. Aldi’s Simply Nature Stir-in Paste Basil
  • 1 Tbsp. Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise
  • 1 slice tomato
  • 1 slice red onion
  • 1/3 cup spring lettuce

Steps

  1. Toast sour dough bread.
  2. Heat vegan burger in microwave for 2 minutes.
  3. Place vegan burger on one slice of bread and add pesto, vegenaise, tomato, onion, lettuce. Top with other slice of bread.
NutrientAmount
Calories302 kcal
Total Fat8.5 g
Protein10–11 g
Sodium548 mg
Sugar1–2 g
Cholesterol0 mg

Simple Arrabbiata and Peas

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of Aldi’s or Trader Joe’s frozen Spaghetti Arrabbiata
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas

Steps

  1. Add arrabbiata with water and tomatoes to skillet and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add peas halfway into cooking. Stir well.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 2
Calories 439
Total Fat 11.3 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 603 mg
Total Sugars 10 g
Protein 16 g

Optional: Add nutritional yeast as a topper to spaghetti.

Quick Spanish Rice and Pinto Beans

Ingredients

  • 2 Packages Trader Joe’s Frozen Spanish Rice or prepare Aldi’s Earthly Grains Spanish Rice
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 3/4th Aldi’s Classic Guacamole

Steps

  • 1. Microwave rice according to directions, about 3 1/2 minutes.
  • 2. Heat pinto beans in small pan.
  • 3. In serving bowl, use slatted spoon to add beans. Add rice and guacamole.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 4
Amount per serving 1
Calories 433
Total Fat 1.9g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 827mg
Total Carbohydrate 94.3g
Dietary Fiber 5.5g
Total Sugars 0.7g
Protein 12.6g

Optional: Roll beans, rice and guacamole into flour tortillas.

Quick Lentil Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 Yukon Potatoes chopped
  • 1 can Aldi’s Lentil Soup or 2 cans of Trader Joe Lentil Soup
  • 1 can of Aldi’s canned tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
  • Dash of Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Steps

  1. Microwave potatoes in container for 4 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, add soup and tomatoes and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  3. Add potatoes, Old Bay Seasoning , and lemon juice and stir to blend ingredients.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 3
Calories 265
Total Fat 5.5g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 1064mg
Total Carbohydrate 40.8g
Dietary Fiber 15.1g
Total Sugars 11.2g
Protein 11.8g

May substitute rice for poatoes.

Air-Fried Zucchini

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Steps

  1. Add all ingredients in a bowl and stir zucchini until well coated.
  2. Add zucchini to air fryer and cook for 13 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cup
Servings: 2
Calories 28
Total Fat 1.4 g
Saturated Fat 0.2 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 301 mg
Total Carbohydrate 3.8 g
Total Sugars 1.9 g
Protein 1.3 g

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Balls

Ingredients

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 2/3 cup toasted shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Steps

  1. In a large mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together.
  2. Cover and chill mixture in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
  3. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls.
  4. Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator for up to a week.

Adapted from “No -Bake Energy Bites.” GIMME SOME OVEN, https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/no-bake-energy-bites/comment-page-18/

Nutrition Facts
Servings – 18
Amount per serving – 1 ball
Calories 90
Total Fat 6g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 4mg
Total Carbohydrate 7g
Total Sugars 2.4g
Protein 3g

Wilted Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 bags (5 ounces each) baby spinach
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

Steps

  1. In a Dutch ovent, heat oil over medium. Add spinach; cook, tossing often, just until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomatoes and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.


Adaped from Stewart, Martha. “Wilted Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes.” Martha up close and personal. September 2006, https://www.marthastewart.com/338273/wilted-spinach-and-cherry-tomatoes.

Kelly’s Italian Bread

Ingredients

6 slices of Italian bread

1 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil

1 tsp. of garlic powder

2 avocados, cut in chunks

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze

Garlic

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Steps

  1. Brush bread with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Broil both sides until lightly crispy.
  2. Spread avocado on bread and add tomatoes and vinegar. Top with sea salt and pepper.

Spicy Asian Noodles

Ingredients

  • 6 chopped green onions
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 or 2 shaved carrots
  • 16 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti
  • 1 cup of low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 3/4 Tbsp. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds toasted
  • 1 1/2 limes
  • 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 4 avocados, chopped

Steps

  1. After chopping the vegetabes, cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. Drain noodles and return to pot.
  2. As the noodles cook, make the sauce. Add soy sauce, maple syrup, hot sauce, and corn starch to a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
  3. Pour the sauce into the cooked noodles and stir until the sauce covers the noodles and thickens.
  4. Mix in green onion, cilantro, carrots, sesame seeds and squeeze of lime juice.
  5. Stir in sesame seed oil. Serve with avocado on top.

Noodles can be eaten warm or cold. Broccoli sprouts are a good add-in.

Adapted from Martin, Shane. “5-Minute Spicy Asian Noodle Bowl.” Shane and Simple. 4 Aug., 2020 . Modified: Jan. 20, 2024, https://shaneandsimple.com/5-minute-spicy-asian-noodles/

Nutrition per 2-cup serving (1 of 4 servings):

  • Calories: ~700 kcal
  • Sugar: ~20 g
  • Sodium: ~800 mg
  • Fat: ~36 g
  • Carbohydrates: ~88 g
  • Protein: ~19 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

Steps

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • 2. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Scoop out 1 tbsp. of dough with small spatula and roll into balls. Place each ball about 2 1/2 inches apart on baking sheet and use a large serving fork to gently flatten the cookies in a crisscross pattern.
  •  3. Bake on the center rack for 12minutes.

One cookie-Approximately 139 calories

Recipe adapted from “Shane Simple”.

Quick Tomato and Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients

  • 1 16 oz. sphagetti
  • 1 containers of Refrigerated Vegan Kale Cashew Basil Pesto from Trader Joes
  • 2 cans of Aldi’s Happy Harvest basil, garlic and oregano diced tomatoes
  • Lemon pepper seasoning to taste
  • Vegan parmesan to taste

Steps

  1. Add the spaghetti to a large pot of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
  2. In the same pot, heat the diced tomatoes.
  3. Add the pesto sauce and spaghetti and mix well. Top with lemon pepper and vegan parmesan cheese.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1/2 medium jalapeño or serrano pepper, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped (decrease or omit if sensitive to spice)
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 limes
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

Steps

  1. Chop veggies or in a food processor, add chunks of onion, pulse, add jalapeno, pulse, add cilantro, pulse and add tomatoes and pulse lightly until tomatoes are roughly chopped but not mushy.
  2. Add lime juice, salt and to mixture and stir.

Serve with chips, arepa, spinach or whole wheat flatbread with hummus.

Adapted from Cookie+Kate.

Arepas

Ingredients

  • cups P.A.N. (pre-cooked white corn meal)
  • 2 1/2 cups of warm tap water
  • 1 tsp. of salt
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • A nonstick grilling pan
  • 2 Tbsp. Vegan butter

Steps

  1. Mix water, salt and oil in a large bowl. 
  2. Gradually add the cornmeal and mix with your hands until completely amalgamated. The dough should be firm enough to not stick to your hands and soft enough to not crack. If not add cornmeal or water.
  3. Let dough sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Wet your hands and form a big (palm size) ball with your hands. Press them between your hands to form patties about 1/2 inch thick.
  5. Heat butter on the grilling pan and cook arepas on medium low heat for 7 minutes each side. You are looking for a crispy layer on the outside (and brownish grilling strips).

Eat plain arepas, or cut in half with corrugated bread knife and open to make a pocket. Fill with small bits of avocado sprinkle with lime juice.

Green Beans Almondine

Ingredients

  • 3/4th cup of water
  • A 12 ounce bag of frozen green beans
  • 1/4 cup chopped almonds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of vegan butter
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt

Steps

  1. Bring water to a boil in a large skillet. Add the green beans. Cover and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes until beans are crisp and tender. Drain beans and set aside.
  2. Chop almonds in a food processor.
  3. Melt butter in same skillet, add almonds, and saute them for a few minutes until they start to brown.
  4. Put the green beans back in the skillet and toss to coat them with the buttery almonds.
  5. Turn off heat and drizzle lemon over beans.
  6. Season with coarse salt.

Adapted from “The Wicked Noodle.”

Pan Roasted Corn

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  •  2 pkg. (16 oz each) frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  •  1/4 teaspoon salt
  •  1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric

Steps

  1.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  2.  Add corn and cook about 12 minutes or until  corn starts to brown, stirring occasionally. 
  3. Stir in chili powder, salt, pepper and turmeric.

Optional: add 2 tablespoons of chopped jalapeño to oil, add chopped cilantro and lime juice before serving.

Vegan Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Ingredient

  • 1 package Upton Bacon Seitan, makes about 5-6 sandwiches.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Aldi Fit and Active 35 calorie whole wheat bread toasted
  • Lettuce spring mix
  • Tomatoes, sliced
  • Veganaise

Steps

  1. In large pan, heat vegan bacon in oil until slightly crisp.
  2. Add tablespoon veganaise to one slice of bread.
  3. Add heaping amount of spring mix.
  4. Add 1-2 tomato slices.
  5. Add with 2-3 slices heated vegan bacon.
  6. Top with slice of toast.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
  • 1 package of Morning Star Vegan Veggie Crumbles
  • 2 10.75 oz. cans Aldi’s tomato soup
  • Vegetable broth, fill 2 empty soup cans
  • 2 cans Aldi’s diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
  • 1/2 package of Aldi’s Stonemill 30% Lesss Sodium McCormick chili seasoning mix
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
  • 2 cans Aldi’s dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 can Aldi’s black beans, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 can Aldi’s pinto beans, rinsed and drained.
  • 1 can Aldi’s northern beans, rinsed and drained.
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice


Steps

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot.
  2. Break veggie crumbles into pot and heat until most moisture is gone.
  3. Add tomato soup, broth and tomatoes. Bring to boil and reduce heat to low.
  4. Mix in chili mix, chili powder, and cocoa powder.
  5. Add beans.
  6. Simmer for  15-20 minutes.

Serve chili with a little brown rice and chopped green onions.


Annie’s Spaghetti with Black Beans

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces of regular Dollar Store Spaghetti (less pasta is better)
  • 1 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 2 cans of 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1 can of Aldi’s diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small can of green chiles
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin

Steps

  1. In large pot, boil water and cook spaghetti for 8 minutes
  2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until lucid and tender. Or saute onion in broth.
  3. Add sauce, tomatoes, beans, chilies and cumin.
  4. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Drain spaghetti, return to pot and add tomato mixture. 

Optional-Sprinkle Vegan Parmesan Cheese-see recipe under condiments.


Guacamole Hummus Wrap

Ingredients

  • 1 tortilla
  • 1 Tbsp. Aldi’s Classic Hummus
  • 1 serving packet of Trader Joe’s Guacamole
  • 1/2 chopped green pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, red onion, and black and green olives
  • 1/3 cup spring lettuce
  • Everything but the Basil Seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp. Aldi’s Casa Mamita’s Mild Chunky Salsa

Steps

  1. Heat tortilla in pan on medium high heat.
  2. Spread hummus and guacamole tortilla.
  3. Fill tortilla with veggies.
  4. Sprinkle seasoning, add salsa and roll tortilla.

Jane’s Avocado Toast

Ingredients

  • 2 slices Aldi’s Knock Your Sprouts Bread
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • Sprinkle of Everything but the Bagel Seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, balsamic vinegar, and juice of lime

Steps

1. Toast Bread.

2. Spread Avocado over toast.

3. Top with tomatoes.

4. Sprinkle toast with Everything Bagel Seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, balsamic vinegar and lime juice