What are your tips for eating out (vegan) on a budget?
You will find that many vegan meals are actually cheaper than meals that include meat or seafood. Because for the most part... veggies, rice, beans, potatoes, etc. are all much cheaper than meat is. If however you are eating at a restaurant that does not have vegan options, one thing that you can do is take a look at their options for sides. They may have sides of potatoes, steamed veggies, rice, beans, etc. You can ask for multiple sides and make a meal of those or you can just simply ask the server if they can create a vegan plate for you that contains a combination of their vegetables (cooked) & any grains or starches that they have.
How can I make homemade vegan meals on a budget?
Buy in bulk! Rice, beans, potatoes, and most vegetables are all VERY cheap when bought in bigger quantities. Some really great vegan dishes include... stir fries (rice & veggies), curries (canned coconut milk, veggies, spices), pad Thai/noodle dishes (rice noodles or quinoa noodles served with steamed veggies and any sauce of your choice - peanut sauce - marinara sauce - etc.), sweet potato fries with hummus, hummus and raw veggies, zoodle dishes (zucchini noodles with any sauce of your choice sriracha, avocado, mango, etc.), fajitas or quesadillas with flour or corn tortillas and mixed veggies (peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.) with salsa and guacamole.... ahh the list goes on! It really gets easier once you get started. In time you will get the hang of it - just like any changes you make in life.
How should I approach food combining on a vegan diet?
I think an easy rule of thumb to use is… if it doesn’t seem like it would taste good to combine certain things, than don’t combine them. For example, bananas and oranges – that sounds like a pretty bad combination to me (it’s also a sweet + an acidic fruit). On the other hand, bananas and berries sound like they would be lovely together! They are both on the sweeter side of the spectrum. Usually this rule of thumb works pretty well… especially if you don’t have a super, super sensitive digestive track. If you do have sensitive digestion, I think it is all about trial and error. If you have a meal and your digestion doesn’t flow to well (you feel gassy, bloated, constipated, etc.), then try to determine what you consumed that was different than normal. It could take just one day to figure it out, or it might take multiple different cases of uncomfortable digestion – but eventually you’ll determine what the culprit to your discomfort is. It might be a food combination or it just might be one type of food in general. In general, just don’t be too concerned or too worried that you’re doing things wrong. There is no “wrong”. It’s all about practice, and tuning in to your body, and seeing what works and doesn’t work for you personally. There is no cookie-cutter diet. Every human being is unique. So we must become the expert on our own body. If you'd like to know more about this topic and are interested on finding delicious vegan recipes then I'd suggest you check my book out ''SHE BECAME VEGAN'' you can find it here.