11 Things I Keep In My Freezer To Make Eating Vegan Easy

If there's one secret I’ve learned in my years as a vegan, it’s that advance planning is everything. If you're like me and never seem to have enough time in the day, having a freezer stocked with the essentials is the key to eating well every day.

Stocking a vegan freezer is actually quite simple, and you'll be amazed at how much easier it makes your life.

My favorite vegan "egg" replacer. Ground chia flour can be frozen and then quickly mixed with water to create a thick gel that can replace the binding power of eggs in many baking recipes.

I like to grind the seeds in bulk, using a coffee bean grinder. I freeze the flour in a jar and whenever I'm baking and need an egg, I scoop out a tablespoon and mix it with 3 tablespoons of water.

Such little bits of sweet magic. Caramelized onions are simple to make, inexpensive, and add rich flavor to everything they touch, but they take a long time to cook, so advance preparation is key.

Another item that I like to freeze in ice cube trays. You know how recipes always call for 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste? Well, scoop the rest by the tablespoon right into your ice cube tray. Freeze, then pack into freezer bags for the future.

So many meatless recipes begin with a base flavor of chopped onion, but doing the chopping can be a tear­-streaked mess. Get it out of the way with one big chopping session, then store the pieces (a half-inch chop is the right size for most recipes) lying flat in freezer bags — no blanching needed.

Whether you're a workout fiend or just looking for a quick bite of energy between meals, raw vegan energy balls are easy to make and incredibly delicious.

My lifesaver a few nights a month. Pizza is one of my favorite go-­tos for dinner — if I have a batch of dough in the freezer, all I need to do is defrost it in the refrigerator during the day and it's ready to go come dinnertime.

We are often told that store­-bought muffins don’t make the healthiest breakfast, but a good homemade bran muffin can be a great breakfast on the go, and they freeze really well.

These days, it's easier than ever to find high-­quality dried beans in a grocery store. Beans take some time to cook, so spend a weekend afternoon cooking up a pound of them, and then freeze them in freezer­-safe glass containers with lids.

Whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, burritos freeze up beautifully. Stuff them with your favorite ingredients — any combination of beans, rice, salsa, and sauteed veggies will work. Just­­ roll up and place in freezer bags.

When you want a quick meal or snack, just take one out and zap it in the microwave for about 2 minutes.