This is so great! Your recipes both sound great and cost effective. I am now craving spaghetti with chickpeas!
I have to say though, veggies are not always that expensive. Meat and dairy are much more expensive. As someone who eats only pareve (due mainly to dairy allergies and being a vegetarian), I save lots of money. I am just out of graduate school, and am repaying my student loans, so I am very tight with my budget. My local grocery also has sales on things like chickpeas right before Shabbos of course… so you just need to know how/when to shop.
Here are some suggestions: Frozen peas, corn, kale, and spinach have saved my life on a number of occasions – and frozen vegetables are much better for you than canned ones. Bell peppers are inexpensive, cherry tomatoes are often on sale, and lettuce is very cheap as well. Tofu is an excellent cheap option. I don’t personally like broccoli, but it is often inexpensive as well. The only thing I buy that is a little ridiculous in price is lox. I eat a lot of canned tuna, and that is often on sale too.