Here are my 3 easy and vegan week day dinner ideas for you! These 3 easy vegan dinner ideas are a fun twist on the classics -DIY Panda Express Orange chicken, Lentil Sloppy Joes and DIY Easy and Healthy Ramen with Soba Noodles. All of these can be made ahead of time and reheated, or is a dinner made in 30 mins or less.

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It’s time for back to school and busy schedules! Going back to school has never been easier. These easy and healthy dinners are easy healthy and 100% vegan dinner ideas. You can whip them up in no time, and they feed a hungry family of 4 easily. They are even delicious as leftovers that can be packed as a quick and reheat-able healthy school lunch.

This crispy, sticky, tangy orange chicken is so much better than Panda because it's made with soy curls! I've been dying to use soy curls in a recipe and figured why not now! To cook the soy curls simply, pour them into a large bowl and cover with vegetable broth or vegan chicken-style broth and set aside to soak for 10 mins. This will soften them and give them flavour. While you’re waiting for that, you can prepare the delicious orange chicken sauce. Whisk together orange juice, orange zest, coconut sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and if you like it spicy- sriracha. Then transfer half of the sauce into a large bowl or plastic zipper bag.

Drain the soy curls well and press them firmly with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Using your hands is best here. Then add the rehydrated soy curls to the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat them completely. If you are not pressed for time, allow to marinate from 1 hour to overnight- If you are pressed for time, allow to marinate until needed. Like while you cook your rice.

When you’re ready, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add the saucy soy curls to the skillet and cook until heated through and slightly crispy. Or really crispy if you like them that way. Remove soy curls from the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low and add the remaining sauce to the skillet along with a cornstarch slurry. Cook stirring frequently until the mixture thickens about 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked soy curls, green onions and toss to coat. The serve, divide cooked rice between 4 bowls or plates (about 1 cup per dish) and top with cooked soy curls. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions and voila! Dinner is served.

Traditional Japanese ramen can take a long time to prepare and an even longer time to perfect. To make this easy vegan ramen all you have to do is, heat sesame oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat and cook garlic and ginger until fragrant. Then add your veggie broth of choice- I like No-Chicken-style veggie broth- and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add mushrooms and smoked tofu and cook, stirring occasionally. I LOVE smoked tofu for this recipe because it's easy, and you don't need to marinate it like you would regular tofu.To finish off the ramen broth, add soy sauce and wakame to the broth mixture and set aside. Now, cook your soba noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water, and divide between 4 bowls. Top with greens of choice, mushrooms, tofu, green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chilies if you like it spicy.

Did your parents ever make you sloppy joes growing up? Mine did. I would visit my dad on the weekend and he would make us sloppy joes and then give us and the neighborhood kids a “who can be the messiest eater” challenge. In this recipe I used a mix of lentils and veggie ground round- two things I always have in my pantry or fridge. The lentils and ground round ground are cooked with onion, red pepper, garlic cumin, chili powder, BBQ sauce and tomato. And is then scooped high onto a toasted and buttered bun. Try garnishing it with fun toppings like pickles, pickled jalapenos or coleslaw.

About Candice:

I'm The Edgy Veg, a gal on a journey to revolutionize the food we define as “vegan”. Instead of salads days in and day out I choose to re-purpose familiar favorites, by recreating childhood cravings for an audience with sophisticated palettes and food-nerd obsessions with nostalgic fare. Connect with me on the interwebs here:

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