Category Archives: Dairy-Free

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Pressure Cooker, Weeknight Dinner

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

February 26, 2022 Sam

An excellent, relatively simple recipe.

Print Recipe

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Bean Soaking8

Total Time9

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: California, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Sandwich

Servings: servings

Calories: 781kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker

Ingredients

Beans

½ lb dry garbanzo beans
bean spices garlic, onion, bay leaf, oregano, etc.

Salad

6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
6 tbsp tahini
2 large lemons 3 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped scallions

Sandwich

8 slices bread
8 leaves butter lettuce
4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise optional

Instructions

Beans

Soak the beans in 1.5% salted water for 8 hours, ideally.
½ lb dry garbanzo beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water to the pressure cooker. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. Cook under high pressure for 8-12 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes. Then check doneness. If done, proceed; if not, cook again under pressure or not, depending on how much is needed. Drain beans and set aside to drain completely, cool some, and release steam while you prepare the other ingredients.
bean spices

Salad

In a large bowl (or large food processor), combine oil, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk (or pulse) until well combined.
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 6 tbsp tahini, 2 large lemons, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
Add cooked, drained garbanzo beans and mash gently, for a chunky texture (or briefly pulse in food processor). Add celery and scallions and mix (consider not pulsing again and mixing with a spatula). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
½ lb dry garbanzo beans, ½ cup finely chopped celery, ½ cup finely chopped scallions

Sandwitch

Prepare sandwiches. Optional mayonnaise can go on each side of the bread. Then add butter lettuce. Consider other toppings like tomato, avocado, cucumber, pickles, etc. Also consider making the mayonaise spicy with a bit of sriracha.
8 slices bread, 8 leaves butter lettuce, 4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

Notes

Makes 4 big sandwiches

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Amount Per Serving

Calories 781 Calories from Fat 432

% Daily Value*

Fat 48g74%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Polyunsaturated Fat 9g

Monounsaturated Fat 22g

Sodium 922mg40%

Potassium 958mg27%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 1243IU25%

Vitamin C 36mg44%

Calcium 193mg19%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Fall, Great Leftovers, Quick, Spring, Summer, Tofu, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

February 19, 2022 Sam

This great meal is fairly quick and easy and makes a healthy number of servings of fairly healthy food, even if the coconut milk adds quite a bit of saturated fat.

Note: start the tofu among the first steps, before cutting the veggies, to be most efficient. You can chop the veggies while the tofu bakes.

Print Recipe

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, California, Thai

Keyword: Inspired by New York Times, Tofu, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 639kcal

Ingredients

Tofu

14 oz tofu dried, pressed and cubed
2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp salt

Curry and Veggies

13½ oz coconut milk do not shake can
½ cup vegetable stock
4 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
3 tbsp Thai green curry paste vegan, check ingredients
1 medium onion cubed
1 medium red bell pepper cubed
1 large zucchini cubed
½ small peeled sweet potato cubed
1 cup green beans trimmed, cut into 1-2"
1 large lime juiced
8 leaves basil cut into thin strips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425ºF with a sheet pan in the top third position. Cube and pat-dry the tofu. Place in a bowl and drizzle lightly with olive oil and lightly salt, mix. Once oven is pre-heated, pour tofu onto sheet pan and place back in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through to give both sides a bit of a crisp. Remove and set aside. Turn off oven.
14 oz tofu, 2 tsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt
Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Spoon 6 tablespoons of the coconut cream from the top of the can into a medium saucepan. Pour remaining contents of can into a medium sealable glass and mix well by shaking (or stir well in a bowl). In a medium measuring cup or bowl, combine vegetable stock, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
13½ oz coconut milk, ½ cup vegetable stock, 4 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar
Place saucepan of coconut cream over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add curry paste and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until very fragrant, about 3 minutes; adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.
3 tbsp Thai green curry paste
Add onion, red pepper, zucchini, sweet potato, green beans, and tofu. Stir until vegetables are hot, 2-3 minutes. Stir in remaining coconut milk, bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
1 medium onion, 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 large zucchini, ½ small peeled sweet potato, 1 cup green beans
Add the soy sauce mixture and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste; you may use the juice of an entire lime. Stir and mix well. Add up to 1/4 cup water if the curry seems too thick.
1 large lime
To serve, place the curry in a warm serving bowl and garnish with the basil strips. Serve over rice.
8 leaves basil

Notes

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 639 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 19g119%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Sodium 785mg34%

Potassium 726mg21%

Carbohydrates 87g29%

Fiber 11g46%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 26g52%

Vitamin A 7790IU156%

Vitamin C 83mg101%

Calcium 262mg26%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Fall, Favorites, Pressure Cooker, Rice, Rotation, Spring, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

January 25, 2022 Sam

This recipe is best with pre-planning, so you can cool the rice to give it the perfect texture. But even if you cook the rice fresh before making it, this meal is worth it. The four generous servings are packed with deliciousness.

Print Recipe

Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, California

Keyword: Inspired by New York Times, Rice

Servings: servings

Calories: 703kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker optional, for the rice

Ingredients

Rice (Make Ahead)

200 g brown rice
250 g water

Everything Else

1 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 onion finely diced
½ cup neutral oil
6 oz great mushrooms finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 inch ginger finely chopped
1 tsp red-pepper flakes
2 tbsp soy sauce
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables do not thaw
6 eggs
2 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

Rice

Do not rinse the rice. Add 200g rice and 250g cold water to the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker). Add a tiny pinch of salt and mix well.
200 g brown rice, 250 g water
If you do rinse the rice, account for the added water as part of the cold water. To do this, first measure the dry rice out to be 200g and measure the weight of the dry rice and inner pot of the Instant Pot. Remember that. Then rinse the rice and drain well. Add to the inner pot and put on the scale. Add enough water to equal a total of 250g above the weight of the dry rice and the Instant Pot weight. (Alternatively, subtract about 45 grams from the water per cup of rice.)
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Then let pressure release naturally for 5 min. Then release remaining pressure. Check if rice is cooked and moisture has been absorbed. If it has, fluff and serve. If not, let steam release for a bit and it will likely solve itself.

Everything Else

Place a sheet pan on the middle oven rack and heat to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice with salt, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, sesame oil and half of the diced onion. Toss to combine well. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and spread the rice out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes.
1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 onion
While that cooks, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp neutral oil and the remaining diced onion. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the onions start to soften, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes more until translucent.
½ cup neutral oil, 1 onion
Add most of the remaining neutral oil except about 1 tbsp, along with the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the mushrooms are completely soft. If the oil bubbles too much, reduce the heat to low.
½ cup neutral oil, 6 oz great mushrooms, 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp red-pepper flakes
After 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven, add the frozen mixed vegetables and toss with the rice to evenly distribute. Make 4 to 6 divots in the rice (depending on how many eggs you are using), drizzle a tiny bit of neutral oil into each divot to prevent sticking, and break an egg into each. Return to the oven for 6 to 10 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
16 oz frozen mixed vegetables, 6 eggs
To serve, spoon some of the sauce over the rice and top with scallions. If the rice needs more seasoning, add more sauce or season with salt.
2 scallions

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sheet-Pan Fried Rice

Amount Per Serving

Calories 703 Calories from Fat 396

% Daily Value*

Fat 44g68%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 246mg82%

Sodium 1754mg76%

Potassium 719mg21%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 6324IU126%

Vitamin C 16mg19%

Calcium 107mg11%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Winter

Baked Royal Corona Beans

January 23, 2022 Sam

This delicious preparation of Royal Corona beans is fantastic. The huge beans are well-flavored and taste great in the rich tomato sauce. Serve with bread, pasta, vegetables, rice, farro, etc. It pairs exceptionally well with a full-flavor feta.

Print Recipe

Baked Royal Corona Beans

Prep Time30

Cook Time2 30

Total Time3

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Inspired by Rancho Gordo

Servings: servings

Calories: 389kcal

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb Royal Corona beans
1 onion peeled and cut in half
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp peppercorn

Tomato Sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp oregano
28 oz crushed tomatoes
½ tbsp honey
2 tsp salt

Instructions

Beans

Soak beans overnight in a huge bowl, covered, with 3 liters of water and 45 grams of salt.
1 lb Royal Corona beans
Drain the beans. Place soaked beans in a large pot and cover with water by 3 inches. Add the halved onion directly to the pot; add the other bean spices to a small spice bag or a steeper. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a bare simmer and cook until tender but holding their shape, which could be 30 minutes (highly unlikely) to 3 hours (also unlikely); probably around 2 hours total. Beans will be super creamy in texture when done. Add salt to taste just before the beans are finished cooking. When done, do not drain; set aside.
1 onion, 2 bay leaves, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp peppercorn

Tomato Sauce

When the beans are done or nearly done, add the olive oil to a very large all-in-one pan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until soft and browning; the trick is to let the onion sit for a bit once heated, so it develops some brown spots.
3 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion
Add the garlic, tomato paste and oregano. Mix well until aromatic.
2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp oregano, 4 cloves garlic
Add the tomatoes, sugar and salt and stir well. Let it simmer down some, but it should remain quite saucy. Taste for flavors here and add anything additional, like salt, pepper, more oregano, etc.
28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp salt, ½ tbsp honey
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Drain the beans but reserve the liquid and discard the onion halves and other spices. Gently mix in the beans. If the mix is looking a little dry, add some of the bean water. You want the beans to be fully submerged and the sauce to be fairly liquid, as it will cook down in the oven further.
Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot, at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Royal Corona Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 389 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1007mg44%

Potassium 1884mg54%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 384IU8%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 257mg26%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dairy-Free, Pressure Cooker, Quick, Rice, Side

Simple Brown Rice (Pressure Cooker)

January 22, 2022 Sam

This simple method for pressure cooking brown rice is excellent and fast, if slightly more work than just throwing into the rice cooker.

Print Recipe

Simple Brown Rice (Pressure Cooker)

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Asian, California

Keyword: Basics, Rice, Simple

Servings: servings

Calories: 181kcal

Equipment

1 Instant Pot or other pressure cooker

Ingredients

200 g brown rice
250 g water

Instructions

Do not rinse the rice. Add 200g rice and 250g cold water to the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker). Add a tiny pinch of salt and mix well.
200 g brown rice, 250 g water
If you do rinse the rice, account for the added water as part of the cold water. To do this, first measure the dry rice out to be 200g and measure the weight of the dry rice and inner pot of the Instant Pot. Remember that. Then rinse the rice and drain well. Add to the inner pot and put on the scale. Add enough water to equal a total of 250g above the weight of the dry rice and the Instant Pot weight. (Alternatively, subtract about 45 grams from the water per cup of rice.)
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Then let pressure release naturally for 5 min. Then release remaining pressure.
Check if rice is cooked and moisture has been absorbed. If it has, fluff and serve. If not, let steam release for a bit and it will likely solve itself.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Simple Brown Rice (Pressure Cooker)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 181 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 134mg4%

Carbohydrates 38g13%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 4g8%

Calcium 18mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free

Crispy Sheet-Pan Noodles With Marinated Tofu

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Crispy Sheet-Pan Noodles With Marinated Tofu

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 809kcal

Ingredients

Noodles and Tofu

9 oz instant ramen noodles 3 blocks
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp neutral oil
2 tbsp soy sauce

Tofu and Bok Choy

14 oz tofu patted dry, cut into slices
3 baby bok choy trimmed and sliced vertically into 4 pieces
1 tbsp neutral oil
½ tsp salt
Cilantro optional, a small amount

Marinade

2 tbsp hoisin
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Prepare Noodles

Pre-heat the oven to 450ºF, with one rack on the top and one on the bottom.
Fill a kettle with ~2 quarts water and boil. Place the noodles in a heat-proof large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain. (Save the bowl.)
9 oz instant ramen noodles

Marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and sesame seeds.
2 tbsp hoisin, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp sesame seeds

Bake Noodles

Place the noodles on a sheet pan. Add the sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Toss to combine, then spread the noodles out evenly.
2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp neutral oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce
Dip each tofu slice into the marinade, coating both sides, then add them to the sheet pan, pushing the noodles aside so that the tofu touches the pan and doesn’t just sit on top of the noodles. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reserve excess marinade.
14 oz tofu

Prepare and Bake Bok Choy

Place the baby bok choy into the reserved bowl, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon of neutral oil and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and toss to coat.
3 baby bok choy, 1 tbsp neutral oil, ½ tsp salt
Remove the sheet pan from the oven (the noodles should be crisp on the bottom and around the edges) and add the bok choy to the pan. Return the sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and bake for 4 to 7 minutes until the greens are vibrant with crispy edges, and the top of the noodles are crispy.
Drizzle with the remaining marinade, top with cilantro leaves and serve.

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Sheet-Pan Noodles With Marinated Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 809 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 2222mg97%

Potassium 161mg5%

Carbohydrates 113g38%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 42IU1%

Vitamin C 18mg22%

Calcium 214mg21%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Mayocoba, Cilantro Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Mayocoba, Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Rice

Servings: servings

Calories: 579kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker
1 Large food processor

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb Mayocoba beans
bean spices

Cilantro Brown Rice

4 cups water
½ tbsp olive oil
2 large limes zested and juiced, saving half of juice for paste
1 bay leaf
2 cups brown rice medium or short-grain
½ bunch cilantro leaves chopped
½ tsp salt

Cilantro Hemp Paste

1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems toughest stems removed
1 cup hemp hearts
1 large jalapeño destemmed
2 cloves garlic trimmed
1 large lime juiced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Sides

4 large bell peppers

Instructions

Dry Beans

Soak the beans in 1% salted water for 6-8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.)
1 lb Mayocoba beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. (If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water.) If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 5-8 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 20-30 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.
bean spices

Brown Rice

Boil at least 1 quart of water in the kettle.
4 cups water
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large sauce pot. Add the lime zest, bay leaf and rinsed rice. Stir well.
½ tbsp olive oil, 2 large limes, 1 bay leaf, 2 cups brown rice
After the rice starts to crackle and smell aromatic, add 4 cups boiling water. Give everything a good stir and bring it to a boil again (if not already) before turning to just above low. Cover and let the rice cook completely undisturbed and covered for 30-35 minutes.
4 cups water
Turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf and fluff well. Add the cilantro, half of the lime juice, and a pinch or two of salt and stir well to combine. Taste and add ½ tsp salt at most, but keep it under-salted.
2 large limes, ½ bunch cilantro leaves, ½ tsp salt

Cilantro Hemp Pesto

To the bowl of a full-size food processor, add everything except the oil, including half of the lime juice from the cilantro brown rice. Process until everything is finely chopped; pause to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Add about ½ tsp salt, more if your salt isn't very salty.
1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems, 1 cup hemp hearts, 1 large jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, 1 large lime, 1 tsp salt
Slowly add the olive oil while still mixing, continuing until it is all well-combined and creamy. Taste and add salt if needed.
2 tbsp olive oil

Assembly

Add the rice and beans to the containers. Top with the cilantro paste. Add the bell peppers on top.
4 large bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Mayocoba, Brown Rice and Cilantro Hemp Paste

Amount Per Serving

Calories 579 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 458mg20%

Potassium 1359mg39%

Carbohydrates 80g27%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 2830IU57%

Vitamin C 115mg139%

Calcium 207mg21%

Iron 11mg61%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Lunch, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, and Sikil Paak

January 8, 2022 Sam

Print Recipe

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Quinoa, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 501kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure cooker
1 Large food processor

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb garbanzo beans
bean spices

Quinoa

2 cups quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

1 cup pepitas
1 serrano pepper
4 cloves garlic trimmed
1 small cilantro toughest stems chopped off
1 large lime zested and juiced
½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Sides

4 large bell peppers sliced
½ cup sesame seeds

Instructions

Beans

Soak the garbanzo beans in 1% salted water for 8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.)
1 lb garbanzo beans
Add the soaked beans and ~2 quarts of water. Add bean spices in a spice bag or other container. (If unsoaked, add more water; if soaked long enough, you may be able to use less water.) If fully soaked, cook under high pressure for 8-12 minutes; if unsoaked, cook under high pressure for 30-40 minutes. Allow pressure to release for 25 minutes. Drain beans, salt lightly, and set aside.
bean spices

Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa and drain well. Add to a large sauce pot.
2 cups quinoa
Add the 2 cups vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on the kind of quinoa. Cook until done and all liquid has been absorbed.
4 cups vegetable broth

Sikil Pak

Add the sikil pak ingredients to a food processor. Mix until everything is combined. Lightly salt, if desired.
1 cup pepitas, 1 serrano pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 1 small cilantro, 1 large lime, ½ cup fire-roasted tomatoes

Assembly

Once all ingredients are ready, add to small containers in roughly equal proportions, starting with qunioa and beans, then the sikil pak then the sesame seeds and bell pepper slices.
½ cup sesame seeds, 4 large bell peppers

Notes

Makes 8 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lunch: Garbanzos, Quinoa, Sikil Pak

Amount Per Serving

Calories 501 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 516mg22%

Potassium 1035mg30%

Carbohydrates 73g24%

Fiber 17g71%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 2957IU59%

Vitamin C 111mg135%

Calcium 191mg19%

Iron 8mg44%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

December 25, 2021 Sam

Shakshuka, possibly meaning “all mixed up” in Arabic, is traditionally in the US considered to be tomatoes, bell peppers, eggs and feta ^{[citation needed]}. But given the (very briefly researched) word origin, I’m mixing it up.

One of my problems with the “traditional” shakshuka, which I still love, is that the eggs don’t save well. So I wanted to find a way to make the delicious base but make it more leftover-friendly.

For this, you can leave out the eggs, because the large white lima beans provide the necessary texture and protein to make this more than a tomato soup.

Print Recipe

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Bean Time6

Total Time6 45

Course: Brunch, Dinner

Cuisine: California, Middle Eastern

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 479kcal

Equipment

Slow cooker

Ingredients

Beans

½ lb dry lima beans
bean spices (bay leaf, red pepper, peppercorns, a little salt, celery stalks, garlic cloves)

Main Dish

3 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes finely diced
1 large jalapeno pepper small diced
2 large red bell pepper chopped
½ bunch cilantro thick stems removed then chopped
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Optional

4 large eggs

Instructions

Beans

I think white lima beans do best in a slow cooker, or slowly cooked in some method. My method is to rinse the beans, add to a slow cooker with 2 quarts water, some salt, and various bean spices (in a bag or tea steeper, except for large items like celery and bay leaves).
½ lb dry lima beans, bean spices (bay leaf, red pepper, peppercorns, a little salt, celery stalks, garlic cloves)
Set to high and cook for 3-8 hours, depending on the age of beans, the amount of salt, what your slow cooker considers "high" and various other variables.
When the beans are soft and creamy, remove from heat, remove cooking spices, drain off some of the water (so you have just enough to cover the beans) and add salt so it stops it from cooking further. If you're ready to cook the shakshuka, proceed. Otherwise, store in the fridge until ready to cook.

Shakshuka

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prep your ingredients as specified above.
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in an ovenproof, wide skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
1 small yellow onion, 2 large red bell pepper, 3 tbsp olive oil
Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, another minute or two. Add the sun dried tomatoes and tomato paste and cook until fragrant. Add half of the cilantro and mix well.
4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, ½ bunch cilantro
Add the tomatoes and jalapeno and sauté for about 5 minutes until everything begins to come together and some of the water is demonstrably cooking off. Add salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp may be too much, leave it a bit undersalted here).
28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes, 1 large jalapeno pepper, 1 tsp salt, Fresh ground black pepper
Add the beans and mix well. (Save cooking liquid still.)
Carefully place the skillet in the preheated oven, uncovered, and bake for 15 minutes (if the beans are warm) or 20 minutes if the beans were in the fridge. If it gets dry, add some of the bean liquid.
[Optional] If you are using the eggs, remove the dish from the oven. Using the back of a spoon, make four pockets in the mixture. Crack an egg into each pocket and lightly salt and pepper the tops of the eggs. Place back in the oven, covered, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the eggs are set. (Less time if you like runny eggs.] Remove and keep covered for 5-10 minutes, or serve immediately if you like runny eggs.
4 large eggs
Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve right from the skillet.
½ bunch cilantro

Notes

Nutrition facts include the eggs. It would decrease the calories by about 70/serving, and fat and protein by ~5g/serving, and remove all cholesterol.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Lima Bean Shakshuka

Amount Per Serving

Calories 479 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 186mg62%

Sodium 978mg43%

Potassium 2129mg61%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 18g75%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 3491IU70%

Vitamin C 133mg161%

Calcium 167mg17%

Iron 9mg50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Basics, Dairy-Free, Favorites, Low Calorie, Quick, Side, Snack

Stovetop Popcorn

December 12, 2021 Sam

Oil Options

Canola oil: neutral taste; tolerates high heat; goes with nearly any topping
Olive oil: familiar and typically light flavor; tolerates medium-high heat; goes with most toppings
Sesame oil: stronger taste that adds a unique flavor; tolerates high heat; coordinate with toppings
Coconut oil: traditionally used by movie theaters, but I’ve never tried it; tolerates high heat
Other oils: can be fun to experiment; oils with a high smoke point are best

Topping Options

The best part of homemade, stovetop popcorn is your toppings options are only limited by your tolerance for experimentation. Also, you and whoever you are enjoying this with can each add your own favorite topping, for a custom experience. Here are some options, but don’t feel limited by this.

Salt, especially if you have a seasoned salt, like a smoked salt or chili-lime salt
Melted butter and salt, for that classic movie-theater experience
Salt and black pepper
Zaatar (my husband’s favorite)
Salt, smoked paprika, pinch of cayenne or chipotle powder (my favorite, requires a spoon to eat)
Sweet drizzle: honey (1 tbsp), melted butter (2 tbsp), and cinnamon (1/4 tsp); mix together, then drizzle on top
Dulse (or other seaweed flakes / nori), and consider adding sesame seeds
Nutritional yeast (which I like sometimes, but not frequently)

Print Recipe

Stovetop Popcorn

Cook Time15

Total Time15

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American, Mesoamerican

Keyword: Basics

Servings: servings

Calories: 201kcal

Equipment

Large saucepot or other large (>6 quart) lidded pot, preferably one with a heavy bottom

Ingredients

¼ cup popcorn kernels
2 tbsp oil

Instructions

Add the 2 tbsp oil to a heavy-bottomed pot. Place just three popcorn kernels in the pot. Cover and heat over medium heat. After a few minutes, the kernels will pop, which is how you know the pot and oil is preheated.
2 tbsp oil
Once you hear the kernels pop, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Add all of the remaining kernels of popcorn and cover the pot again with the lid. (No need to remove the popped kernels.) Gently shake and toss the pot for 10 seconds or so, the coat the kernels in the warmed oil.
¼ cup popcorn kernels
Wait 30-45 seconds – this is an important step in preheating the added kernels. Then place the pot back on the stove and turn the heat to medium. After another 2-5 minutes, the kernels will start popping.
Once they start popping, it will be done popping in 30-90 seconds. During that time:
Gently shake the pot 2-3 times, while keeping it on/near the heat.
Carefully lift one side of the lid to allow steam to escape. This step, done carefully, will lead to a crispier, better popcorn. But be careful, because the little popcorns come rocketing out with some force, so you want to tip the lid open just enough to allow a tiny bit of steam to get out.
Once you don’t hear popping for a few seconds, remove from heat and divide into large serving bowls. Immediately add your favorite topping (see reverse), toss well, and serve.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Stovetop Popcorn

Amount Per Serving

Calories 201 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 1mg0%

Potassium 56mg2%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 2g4%

Calcium 1mg0%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.