Plant-Based In The 'Burgh

I planted these Marigolds from seed in the Spring and they have bloomed all the time from late Spring until now. Such a hardy, cheery little flower that helps repel pests like whiteflies. Now it's time to take a few of the spent flower heads and store the seeds for next year. Open them up and let them dry for a day or two and store in an envelope (so excess moisture can evaporate) in a cool dark place, like the basement.

Once you're done eating your (in this case they were Sweet & Spicy) don't throw away all that liquid. Try throwing different blanched veggies in there and leaving them a day or two in the fridge. Green beans are one of my favorites, and thin carrot sticks a close second.

I don't know who needs to read this, but eating vegan can be cheap. Cheaper-than-fast-food cheap. Take a look at this plate. I ate a version of this pretty much every day growing up in Panama- the legumes would vary (lentils, black beans, red kidneys, split peas, chickpea stew etc), and so would the side vegetables/salad, but usually a variation of this. No fake meats or complicated recipes.
One pound of dry lentils yields about 7 cups cooked, or 14 servings of 12g of protein each! That 1/2 cup has 32% of your daily fiber requirements too. That's a loooot of filling protein, fiber and iron for less than $4 total ($0.28 per portion) - And that's including the onion, pepper, garlic and spices that you add and the gas for cooking it. This is all you need to thrive- legumes, veggies, fruits, grains, some nuts.
Take the step today and cut animals out of your diet. Your conscience will thank you along with your wallet, because no matter what you say out loud, you know the way we raise animals to eat now is horrifying. You don't really want to be a part of that.