Category Archives: Dairy-Free

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

Enchilada Casserole with Poblano, Beans and Cheese

March 24, 2019 Sam

This is an instant classic. It’s not particularly difficult, nor is it particularly easy. It is full of flavor and fiber and it saves really well. Cook the beans perfectly and season the sauce just right and it’s an excellent all-around meal.

Print Recipe

Enchilada Casserole with Poblano, Beans and Cheese

Still cravable even when you've made them a dozen times

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Dry Beans, Enchiladas

Servings: servings

Calories: 653kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Large casserole dish (13-inch by 9-inch)

Ingredients

Beans

340 g dry black beans
Bean spices 1 bay leaf, 1” kombu, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp peppercorns

Enchiladas

18 tortillas 6 inch, preferrably half-corn/half-flour or corn
½ tbsp olive oil
2 medium red onions 4 tbsp finely minced, chop the rest
2 large poblano peppers trimmed, chopped into ½” pieces
½ tsp salt
4 cloves garlic minced
1 bunch cilantro finely mince stems and chop leaves
12 oz cheese sharp cheddar; can also include Monterey Jack

Sauce and Spices

4 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp flour
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp chipotle
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Beans

Measure and rinse the beans, picking out any debris or malformed beans. Add to the electric pressure cooker pot along with enough water to cover by 1.5” or so. Do not add salt this time. Set aside for about 6-10 hours.
When you’re first starting to prepare dinner (or maybe a bit before), start the beans. They will take about 45 minutes using this method, but it’s fairly fool-proof and set-it-and-forget-it. In a small spice bag, add a bay leaf, 1” piece kombu, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp peppercorns, ½ tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp oregano. Put into the electric pressure cooker pot and submerge. Make sure there is still enough water, about ½" above the beans.
Put on the lid with a sealing ring, and set to high pressure for 5 minutes. Start it. You’re then going to leave it until it pressurizes and then naturally releases pressure. This whole process will take about 45-60 minutes, with 30 minutes of that time for depressurizing. You can end that part early, but don’t do it at less than about 25 minutes, or the beans may not be fully cooked. Once depressurized, the beans should be perfectly soft and cooked. If not, cook a bit longer, but I wouldn't pressurize again or you’ll almost certainly overcook or cause more steam release than necessary.

Prep and Enchilada Sauce

While the beans cook, prep the ingredients as listed above. Also mix together the flour and dry spices in a large cup or bowl.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add the 2 tbsp of the finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring until toasted and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Slowly whisk in the 4 cups vegetable broth. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the mixture has thickened some. Cover and set aside in a warm place.

Prepare enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm, setting a timer for 10 minutes and then checking the tortillas' temperature. You want them at-least warm.
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add the poblanos, remaining chopped onions, cilantro stems, and ½ tsp salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is tender.
Turn heat down to medium. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Next, add the cooked, drained beans and mix well, warming up the beans again (if they cooled after being drained). Season with pepper. Add cilantro leaves.
Next, assemble the casserole. The layers will be: thin sauce layer; 6 tortillas; half of the beans; one-third of the cheese; 6 tortillas; sauce; remaining beans; one-third of the cheese; 6 tortillas; remaining sauce (spread all the way to the edges); remaining cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted and the sauce is clearly bubbling, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Enchilada Casserole with Poblano, Beans and Cheese

Amount Per Serving

Calories 653 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 1411mg61%

Potassium 1016mg29%

Carbohydrates 75g25%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 1395IU28%

Vitamin C 48mg58%

Calcium 563mg56%

Iron 5mg28%

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

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Quick, Rotation, Weeknight Dinner

Lentil, Arugula & Brassica Salad with Lemon & Mustard Dressing

February 24, 2019 Sam

Print Recipe

Lentil, Arugula & Brassica Salad with Lemon & Mustard Dressing

Variation on a delicious theme

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Dry Beans, Quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 673kcal

Ingredients

1 lb broccoli
1 lb Brussels sprouts
½ cup french lentils about 110g, rinsed
4 cups arugula
2 oz Parmesan cheese finely grated
1 small lemon for 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic minced or crushed
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 tbsp olive oil divided
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425ºF and place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Trim the ends of the sprouts, and cut into small pieces; small ones in half, large ones into thirds or quarters.
Toss the broccoli and Brussels sprouts in about 1 tbsp olive oil, and some salt and pepper to taste, until they are lightly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet, spreading them out as much as possible. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until the vegetables are caramelized and tender.
While that bakes, bring 1.25 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the lentils. Reduce to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and retain their shape. Drain off the remaining water, if any.
Meanwhile, prepare the lemon dressing. To a medium bowl (if you want to mix the salad in it later), whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 clove of garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add about ¼ tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper.
When the veggies and lentils are done, add the arugula to the dressing, and then add the veggies and lentils, tossing gently. Add the Parmesan and toss gently. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lentil, Arugula & Brassica Salad with Lemon & Mustard Dressing

Amount Per Serving

Calories 673 Calories from Fat 279

% Daily Value*

Fat 31g48%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 19mg6%

Sodium 1761mg77%

Potassium 1460mg42%

Carbohydrates 71g24%

Fiber 30g125%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 3541IU71%

Vitamin C 334mg405%

Calcium 605mg61%

Iron 9mg50%

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

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Pressure Cooker, Side

Baked Beans

December 2, 2018 Sam

This delicious and relatively easy recipe is a great way to get tasty, from-scratch, vegan baked beans. Easily customizable with the strength and type of mustard(s) you use.

Print Recipe

Baked Beans

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Dry Beans, Grilling

Servings: servings

Calories: 199kcal

Ingredients

½ lb beans Alubia Blanca, Whipple, Cranberry, Yellow Eye
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 small yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
1.5 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
½ tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth

Finishing

¼ cup tomato powder or paste
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp mustard

Instructions

Measure, rinse and pick through the beans. Add to a large bowl with 1.5% salinity water and soak for 6-8 hours. Once ready to make the beans, drain and rinse briefly.
½ lb beans
Heat a little oil in the pressure cooker on medium (sauté). Once warm, add the onion and garlic. Fry until softened and transparent.
1 tbsp neutral oil, 1 small yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
Add the bay leaves, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and plenty of pepper, and stir for a few seconds. Add two cups vegetable stock to the pot. Add the beans to the pressure cooker. Add the lid, and bring to pressure for 10 minutes.
2 bay leaves, 1.5 tsp paprika, 1 tsp dry mustard, ½ tsp salt
When done, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 30 minutes. Open, and the beans may need just a bit more, but they’ll cook with the rest of the ingredients.
Add the tomato powder or paste, brown sugar, and mustard. Turn on heat again to low (sauté low) and cook and stir occasionally. Add additional mustard, salt, and pepper as needed. Reduce sauce and cook further until at the desired result.
¼ cup tomato powder or paste, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp mustard

Notes

Serves 4 as a side

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Beans

Amount Per Serving

Calories 199 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 1858mg81%

Potassium 455mg13%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 567IU11%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 74mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

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

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Pressure Cooker, Projects, Weekend Dinner

Vegetarian Pozole

November 11, 2018 Sam

Lots of replacements are possible here. If you do not want to cook the hominy (or do not have dry hominy available), you can replace with one large can of hominy. I think dried is better in my limited experience, but some people think the canned hominy is better. Also, for the beans you can replace with any large bean (Christmas lima, fava/broad beans, even pinto is fine, but not ideal). I would not recommend canned beans because I never recommend canned beans, but if you want a quick version, canned pintos would be the way to go. (Don’t do black beans, they’re too small.)

For the full recipe, I’m assuming you have two pressure cookers, which I understand is a little crazy. The dual pressure cookers just help this whole recipe go much faster, so it “only” requires about 2 hours, instead of 3-4 hours. If you do not have two pressure cookers, cook the hominy ahead of time, or you can cook either the beans or the hominy without a pressure cooker, but that would (of course) alter the amount of time everything takes.

Hominy, pozole and posole are sometimes used interchangeably (hominy is never used to refer to the soup, but the corn alone is sometimes called pozole/posole). I’m going with “hominy” is the corn part – the dry, frozen or canned version – and pozole/posole is the final product of a soup with hominy in it. Sue me if you disagree.

Print Recipe

Vegetarian Pozole

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Mexican

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 520kcal

Equipment

2 pressure cookers

Ingredients

Pantry / Dry Goods

½ lb dry hominy
½ lb Rio Zape beans or other larger, dark bean
2 bay leaves
1 piece kombu
6 dried chiles de arbol
1 tbsp sweet vinegar e.g., white wine
2 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp epazote (Mexican Oregano)
1 tbsp tomato paste or miso
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder
3 tbsp olive oil divided
2 tsp kosher salt used throughout

Produce

2 yellow onions
6-8 tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
4 radishes
2 avocados
1 small cabbage savoy preferred
2 limes

Other

16 oz stock or equivalent bouillon
6 oz queso fresco

Instructions

For best results, soak the ½ lb. beans all day (6-8 hours) before cooking. Also soak the ½ lb. hominy for best results.
½ lb Rio Zape beans, ½ lb dry hominy
When ready to cook, start with the hominy since it may take the longest. If you only have one pressure cooker, use it for the hominy. And the hominy to the pot along with plenty of water, more than for beans (about 2 quarts). Add 2 tsp salt. To a spice bag, add ½ tsp peppercorns, two dried chiles de arbol, 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp epazote. Add to the pot. Set to high pressure for 15 minutes, allow to depressurize for 15 minutes, and then check.
½ lb dry hominy, 2 bay leaves, 6 dried chiles de arbol, 2 tsp peppercorns, 1 tsp epazote (Mexican Oregano)
Next, do the beans. If you’ve soaked them, you could definitely just cook these on the stovetop. Add to a Dutch oven or large pot with 2 quarts of water. To a spice bag, add two cloves garlic, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp peppercorns, 1 piece kombu, and 1-2 chilies de arbol. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes, then turn to medium-low for 30-45 minutes and check towards the end to see if it is finished. Remove from heat and drain when done.
½ lb Rio Zape beans, 6 cloves garlic, 1 piece kombu
While all of that is cooking, dice 1 onion. Slice the other onion into thin strips, for garnish and adding when serving. Clean and finely dice or crush the 4 cloves garlic and add to the diced onion. Cut the tomatoes until you have about 4 cups (eighths work well for small/medium tomatoes). Cut the 2 limes into halves. Cube the avocado(s) and use the juice of one half of the lime to preserve the cut avocado, and save in the fridge. Chop the cilantro. Slice the radishes thinly.
2 yellow onions, 6-8 tomatoes, 6 cloves garlic, 1 bunch cilantro, 4 radishes, 2 avocados, 2 limes, 2 tsp oregano
Preheat the oven with a sheet pan on the middle rack to 450ºF. Clean the savoy cabbage and then cut into halves and then into slices. Toss or drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. When the oven is pre-heated, throw the cabbage on top of the covered sheet pan and cook for 12-15 minutes, until it is lightly charred around the edges.
2 tsp kosher salt, 1 small cabbage, 3 tbsp olive oil
When the beans are done, drain them and set aside. Start the next steps once the hominy is nearly done. Quickly rinse out the Dutch oven used for the beans. Heat a generous amount of olive oil over above-medium heat. Add the diced onions and garlic. Cook until they start to soften are fragrant. Add 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chipotle and 2 tsp cumin and stir well. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste (or miso) and stir well. Add the tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the 1 tbsp sweet vinegar. Mix well, cooking for 5-10 minutes to draw the flavors out.
1 tbsp sweet vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp kosher salt, 3 tbsp olive oil
Add the 16 oz vegetable stock and stir well. Bring to a boil, then bring down the temperature some. Add the beans and stir well. Add the hominy.
16 oz stock
Serve with the cabbage, radishes, avocado, queso fresco, cilantro and onion slices.
6 oz queso fresco

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegetarian Pozole

Amount Per Serving

Calories 520 Calories from Fat 225

% Daily Value*

Fat 25g38%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 1551mg67%

Potassium 1578mg45%

Carbohydrates 60g20%

Fiber 19g79%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 2230IU45%

Vitamin C 81mg98%

Calcium 328mg33%

Iron 5mg28%

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

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Great Leftovers, Weeknight Dinner

Sauerkraut and White Bean Soup

October 13, 2018 Sam

A simple soup great for the winter. Serve with a crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth.

Print Recipe

Sauerkraut and White Bean Soup

Experiment with the bean choice in this simple soup

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 210kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 cup dry white beans Royal Corona, Large White Lima, Alubia Blanca
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 large yellow onion
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme dried or fresh
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups broth bean, vegetable, no-chicken
2 cups sauerkraut drained

Instructions

First, prep the beans. Ideally, pre-soak the beans for at least four hours in a 1% salinty water. Then drain and add to the pressure cooker along with plenty of water, at least enough to cover by 1" or so. In a cheese cloth or cloth bag, put half the onion, some carrot and celery chunks (or celery greens) and a few cloves of garlic. Add some peppercorns and pepper flakes, but only a pinch or two of each. Add a small piece of kombu. Tie and add to the mixture. Heat to high pressure for the appropriate time for the type of beans. Allow pressure to release naturally, and check for doneness. If not done, repressurize to low pressure for a few minutes and then allow pressure to release for 10 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure.
While that cooks, peel and dice the remaining vegetables and place in one bowl. Vegetables for this part include one carrot, one celery rib, and the remaining half of the onion. Peel and thinly slice the remaining cloves garlic and also add to the bowl too.
When the beans are almost done, warm 3 tbsp olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the vegetables and sauté until soft, about 10 or 15 minutes. (Resist the urge to add salt – saurkraut can be very salty on its own.) Add the thyme and 2 cups broth. Stir well.
Drain the sauerkraut well, allowing to drip.
Gently add the beans and the sauerkraut. Stir until mixed and gently simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes. The soup should be very hot. Check for seasoning and ladle into soup bowls. Serve with a crusty bread.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Sauerkraut and White Bean Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 210 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 648mg28%

Potassium 804mg23%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 8g33%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 3595IU72%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 115mg12%

Iron 4mg22%

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

Basics, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Favorites, Holiday, Quick, Side

Whipped Cream

August 19, 2018 Sam

Print Recipe

Whipped Cream

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: Powdered Sugar

Servings: servings

Calories: 348kcal

Ingredients

1½ 355ml cups heavy cream
½ cup 60g powdered sugar
1 tsp 5ml vanilla extract

Instructions

Place your metal kitchen-aid bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to chill. Add the heavy cream to the freezer too, but only for 10 minutes at the very most, so it doesn’t freeze.
When ready to make the whipped cream, get the bowl out of the freezer and add the ingredients. Whip using the whisk attachment, starting at low speed and increasing to high speed. Beat until stiff peaks form. Don’t over-beat.
Keep unused whipped cream refrigerated in an airtight container.

Notes

4 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Whipped Cream

Amount Per Serving

Calories 348 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 19g119%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 95mg32%

Sodium 23mg1%

Potassium 82mg2%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 1238IU25%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 56mg6%

Iron 0.1mg1%

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

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

Skillet Chili with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

September 24, 2017 Sam

This can be made dairy-free if you just skip the cheddar and sour cream. You can also use vegan alternatives, but it’s probably better to just skip the cheese entirely with this one.

Print Recipe

Skillet Chili with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

It's a classic meal for a reason!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Vegetarian

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 465kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker
Dutch oven

Ingredients

Beans

¾ cup dry pinto beans (or 1 can pinto beans)
Bean spices bay leaf, garlic, red pepper flakes, kombu

Chili

1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium green bell peppers trimmed and chopped
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 jalapeño stemmed and chopped
6 tomatoes chopped (or 15oz can peeled tomatoes chopped with juices preserved)
½ bunch cilantro stems finely chopped and leaves chopped and kept separate, for serving
2 tbsp tomato paste

Spices

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano fresh or dried
½ tsp chipotle chili powder

Biscuits

1 cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp white vinegar
2 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp honey
2 oz cheddar cheese
¼ cup water more or less

Serving

2 oz cheddar cheese
¼ cup sour cream

Instructions

Prepare the dry beans, if using. First rinse and then soak the beans in about 1000ml water and 10g salt (for 1% salinity) for at least 4 hours. Drain most or all of the water and then put into a pressure cooker with about 3 cups water and your chosen bean spices. Bring to high pressure for 6 minutes (for pinto beans). Allow pressure to release naturally for at least 25 minutes. Then check the beans. If not quite done, you can boil with the lid off or bring back to pressure for 3-5 minutes, let pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes, and then release pressure fully. Drain beans but reserve the cooking liquid. (If making in advance, save the beans in their cooking liquid.)
3/4 cup dry pinto beans, Bean spices
Once the beans are ready, preheat the oven to 425°F. Preheat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and then add 1 tbsp of olive oil until shimmering.
1 tbsp olive oil
Add the chopped onion, bell peppers and jalapeños. Season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes, or until they start to develop some browned color.
2 medium green bell peppers, 1 large yellow onion, 1 jalapeño
Add the chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, and the spice blend. Add more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes, or until the tomatoes begin to break apart.
6 tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
Add the beans and about 1 cup of the bean water. Stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder and the 2oz cheddar cheese. Add about ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Then add 2 eggs, 1.5 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 2 tsp white vinegar, plus about ¼ cup of water. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
1 cup cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, 2 tsp white vinegar, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1½ tbsp honey, 2 oz cheddar cheese, ¼ cup water
Using a tablespoon, top the chili with scoops of the biscuit batter, leaving some space between the scoops, ideally.
Bake for about 8 minutes and then top with the remaining 1-2oz cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the batter is set and cooked through.
2 oz cheddar cheese
Serve with the sour cream and cilantro.
½ bunch cilantro, ¼ cup sour cream

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Skillet Chili with Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

Amount Per Serving

Calories 465 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 79mg26%

Sodium 329mg14%

Potassium 974mg28%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 1713IU34%

Vitamin C 58mg70%

Calcium 240mg24%

Iron 4mg22%

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

Dairy-Free, Favorites, Rotation, Weeknight Dinner

One-Pot Lemon Pasta

September 10, 2017 Sam

This is one of the quickest and most satisfying ways to make a weeknight pasta dish using dried pasta. It’s simple to make but it really tastes incredible, far outweighing the amount of work it takes.

Past variations have included arugula instead of spinach and a sliced jalapeno added instead of the red pepper flakes. Below is the classic.

Print Recipe

One-Pot Lemon Pasta

Simple and delicious way to make a weeknight pasta

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 559kcal

Equipment

Water kettle
Wide, deep pan

Ingredients

225 g spaghetti or linguine about ½ package
250 g cherry tomatoes about 1 pint
2 large lemons
½ tsp red pepper flakes
60 ml olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
200 g spinach
2 oz Parmesan

Instructions

Set the water kettle to boiling with more than 1 liter of water. Get out a wide, deep pan (wide enough to fit the pasta laying down, and deep enough to hold a good quantity of ingredients – about 3" or so).
Lay the dry pasta down in the pan. Halve the cherry tomatoes and throw them into the pan. Grate the 2 lemons and put the zest in the pan. (You can squeeze the lemon juice into a separate storage bowl to make a salad dressing, or save for something else.) Add 60 ml (4 tbsp) olive oil and 1 heaping teaspoons of a thick or flaky salt – or less of a fine grain salt. Add ½ tsp red pepper flakes.
Add about 600ml of the boiling water to the pan. Turn the burner on medium to medium-high and cover until it’s boiling again. Then, remove the lid and using tongs mix the pasta every 30 seconds or so, until it’s simmered for 6 minutes.
Simmer the pasta until most of the water had evaporated, about 6-10 minutes. Then turn off the heat and add the spinach, tossing to wilt the spinach some.
Serve, topping with grated permesan cheese.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

One-Pot Lemon Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 559 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 13mg4%

Sodium 757mg33%

Potassium 739mg21%

Carbohydrates 62g21%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 6806IU136%

Vitamin C 38mg46%

Calcium 315mg32%

Iron 4mg22%

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

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Polenta, Rotation, Summer, Weeknight Dinner

Summer Vegetable Marinara with Polenta & Eggs

August 27, 2017 Sam

Delicious, dairy-free meal perfect for summer.

Print Recipe

Summer Vegetable Marinara with Polenta & Eggs

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Inspired by Sun Basket

Servings: servings

Calories: 970kcal

Ingredients

Beans

¾ cup dry white beans e.g., alubia blanca
bean spices

Polenta

2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup polenta
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt

Eggs, Marinara, Vegetables

2 large eggs
1 large red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 large red bell pepper
1 ear corn
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 large lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Beans

Soak the beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours. As the first step, before preparing ingredients, drain the soaked beans, add to a large pot (not the large sauce pot, you will be using that) and cover with plenty of water. Cover and turn heat to high. While it comes to a boil, put your various bean spices (bay leaf, garlic, oregano, etc.) into a disposable or reusable spice bag and add to the water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Then turn down heat to a gentle simmer and cook for another 15-45 minutes, checking frequently, until softened.
¾ cup dry white beans, bean spices

Polenta

In a large saucepot, boil 2 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups water over high. Once boiling, slowly whisk in the polenta and keep stirring for a few minutes until no clumps remain. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until individual grains are tender and texture is creamy. Once done, remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoons olive oil. Season to taste with about 1 tsp salt and some fresh pepper. Cover, and keep warm.
2 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1 cup polenta, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt

Eggs, Marinara and Vegetables

In a small saucepan, add 1.5 inch of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, gently lower eggs into the pot. Cover the pot and cook the eggs for up to 9 minutes. Drain eggs, set aside to cool and then peel after they have cooled slightly.
Prepare the vegetables. Bowl 1: Chop the red onion and mince the garlic cloves. Bowl 2: Clean and rough chop the bell pepper. Bowl 3: Shuck the corn and lay the cob flat and cut the kernels from the cob and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Separate: Coarsely chop the cilantro. Juice the lemon.
1 large red bell pepper, 1 ear corn, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 3 sprigs fresh cilantro, 1 large lemon
Once the beans and polenta are finished, you can fry up the vegetables and tomatoes. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and beans and cook until starting to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the corn and tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro, and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt
Carefully peel the eggs. Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.
Transfer the polenta to individual bowls and spoon the marinara alongside. Top each with an egg and serve.

Notes

Serves 2

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Summer Vegetable Marinara with Polenta & Eggs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 970 Calories from Fat 261

% Daily Value*

Fat 29g45%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 186mg62%

Sodium 2234mg97%

Potassium 2508mg72%

Carbohydrates 147g49%

Fiber 20g83%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 5020IU100%

Vitamin C 196mg238%

Calcium 287mg29%

Iron 12mg67%

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

Basics, Dairy-Free, Spice Mix

Enchilada Sauce

July 29, 2017 Sam

This recipe contains all of the spices you may want to use to make enchilada sauce. You certainly don’t have to use all of them, but it’s clear that you must use the primary spices.

Print Recipe

Enchilada Sauce

Course: Ingredient

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Keyword: Enchiladas

Servings: servings

Calories: 141kcal

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp flour all-purpose or whole wheat flour
1 tbsp ground chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp sumac
¼ tsp harissa
¼ tsp salt
Pinch of cinnamon
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp vinegar white or apple cide
Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Everything comes together quickly, so measure out everything before starting. Place all dry ingredients (flour and spices) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the 2 tbsp tomato paste and 2 cups broth near the stove as well.
In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the 3 tbsp oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient.
Once it’s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)
Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Enchilada Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 141 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Sodium 727mg32%

Potassium 177mg5%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 1380IU28%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 2mg11%

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