Going vegan helped us save $2,800, enough for a 2-week trip to Greece

Kidney and black bean chili served on corn chips, topped by guacamole; spiced with 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp chili pepper; 1 tbsp cumin; 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne; 2 tsp oregano

Here’s a sample recipe for a cheap and easy vegan meal:

Bean & Corn Chili

A 14-oz can of organic kidney beans is 85¢ at Costco. (Dried organic beans soaked overnight and cost half that.)

2 cans organic kidney beans = $1.90, 49g protein

1 bag frozen organic corn = $1.30, 11g protein

8 oz. textured vegetable protein (dry soy flakes, a ground beef consistency), 80¢, 96g protein

2 cups chopped organic peppers and onions, 4 cloves garlic = $1.50

1 cup thinly sliced and diced organic red cabbage = 50¢, 1 g protein

1 large can Nature’s Promise (Stop & Shop) organic tomatoes = $1.89

Spices: 1 tbsp chili pepper 1 tbsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 2 tsp oregano, salt

For $7.89, you get a meal to stuff eight adults consisting of five different vegetables and 157 g protein. It costs 99¢ and gives 19.6 g protein per serving. If each serving is put over a serving of organic brown rice (25¢) or an organic wheat tortilla (25¢), the same potful feeds 12 adults, with equivalent protein.