It's hard to answer with "just one thing", for me, anyway,
@Changing4Best . It eventually becomes simple, from how I experienced it based on emergent medical needs I could no longer ignore, but that doesn't mean it's easy. I encourage people to start by adding more veggies, especially greens, rather than spending energy focusing on what you'll feel like you'll be missing.
Then keep introducing more plants with each trip to the grocery store and eventually each meal, like cruciferous veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes, plant-based milks (oat is my favorite), etc., and increase the amount of times you consume them. Keep an eye out for the "ugly table" (reduced items) in the produce section, and the close-outs and reduced items in other areas of the store. Frozen veggies sometimes get reduced to incredible bargain prices, too. It takes an investment of time, energy, commitment, and sustained interest, for sure, but don't let the thought of that overwhelm your attempts. I call it the grocery tour when I'm seeking the best deals via the online weekly circulars and digital coupons, etc..
With any luck, you'll grow to enjoy the things you add well enough that the other less healthy stuff will naturally get cast aside as you learn to create healthier versions of things you enjoy, as well as new stuff. Seasonings make a huge difference. Watch beginner vegan videos/seek out the beginner shopping lists/seek the "cheap and lazy" and/or "quick and easy" methods for ideas.
I would get the stove leveled out ASAP if that's the main thing stopping you from trying to cook. There's a lot of vegan alternatives, but the highly processed stuff is packed with chemical shit storms and often have an incredibly high sodium content that make them anything but healthy, in my opinion, and from direct experience. It's also a lot more expensive than whole food options/rice/beans/tofu/etc.
Get maintenance to come take care of that stove for you (if I remember correctly, you're in an apartment - please forgive me if I got that wrong). There's a ton of you tube vids to help with basic and beginner instructions for vegan meals/snacks/etc. - just google what your preferences are, and add "vegan version" to the search engine, that suit your finicky tastes and go from there.
Or invest in a toaster oven, rice cooker, air fryer, crock pot, insta pot, etc. They're often found in thrift shops or online via craigslist/marketplace/etc., but then there's the issue with having space for all of that - making the stove that's already there a much more space-friendly and wallet-friendly option.
This article might help a bit. Best wishes in finding a groove that works for you:
Recently, I had a taste of what it’s like to be a vegan who doesn’t cook. For what seems like the past decade or so, I’ve been living with a kitchen remodel. Cooking while my kitchen was torn apart was not really a problem. I
www.theveganrd.com
