Once you have the sauce, you can make all kinds of meals
Meal Prepping is the Answer
If you want to eat well, save money, and save time, you need to get into meal prep. Specifically, Vegan Meal Prep. Even if you aren’t full-on vegan, you can prep all the plant-based foods. You may find that it’s perfectly satisfying, or you may want to add a little bit of omnivorous food. No judgment, the meal prep plan still works, and gets plenty of healthy plants on your plate.
The Meal Prep Plan Works
Do you walk into your kitchen, open the fridge, and find a jar of mayo and a few out-of-date leftovers? Meal prep is all about making sure you have really useful, delicious prepared ingredients, so you can walk in that door after a long day and get a meal on the table, fast. Just a few hours on the weekend, or whenever you have a spot open, and you can set yourself up.
Beans, Grains, Veggies, Sauces and Desserts, Prepped
Take this delicious wrap sandwich. On my prep day, I made a batch of Cheesy Cashew Sauce, shredded some veggies with my food processor, and cooked some chickpeas. During the week, I can make mac-and-cheese, cheesy broccoli or cauliflower, or this super easy wrap. If you crave the ease of boxed mac-and-cheese, this is just as fast, because you made the sauce on the weekend.
Meal Prep Saves Money
Instead of grabbing takeout, you have saved lots of cash by making your own. Because you planned ahead and cooked the chickpeas yourself, you shaved the costs down even more. Even if you use canned, you will be spending less than you would at a restaurant. Cooking a pot of quinoa is a smart way to keep meal prep in the fridge.
Cashews Make Great Sauce
For this sauce, I used the best non-dairy cheesy ingredients, including raw cashews, almond milk, and nutritional yeast, known affectionately as nooch. Nutritional yeast is the brilliant yellow, inactive form of yeast that adds cheesy flavor and B12, so it’s a win-win. There’s a bit of turmeric to give the sauce a cheddary, orange look, but if you want to go more Alfredo with it, just leave it out.
Meal Prep for Life
Even if you don’t buy my book, Vegan Meal Prep, A 5-Week Plan with 150 Ready-To-Go Recipes, you can start prepping today. Cook a big pot of whole grains or beans, and make some sauces and dressings for the week. You’ll thank yourself at dinnertime!
Vegan Cheesy Sauce Veggie Wrap
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons red miso
- 1/4 cup arrowroot
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Wraps
- 4 large whole wheat tortillas
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 cups shredded veggies
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- dijon mustard
Instructions
- Place the soaked and drained cashews in the Vitamix, and add the remaining ingredients. Secure the lid and blend, starting on low speed and raising the speed to high to puree completely.
- Transfer the contents of the blender to a small pot, and place over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir until the sauce thickens, then take off the heat.
- To serve, keep warm and add to the wraps, pasta, or cooked veggies. To save as prep, let cool, then transfer to a storage container and chill. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 days.
