Category Archives: Meal Prep

Dairy-Free, Dinner Party, Dry Beans, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker, Projects

Vegan Chorizo

This fantastic replacement chorizo is not only a good simulacrum to meat-based chorizo, I think it tastes even better. It’s spicy, crunchy and flavorful. While it appears to be complicated, it is reasonable given the quantity you end up with is easily several servings. It goes well in burritos, tacos and bowls. Serve with other beans, veggies, avocado, or anything else.

Print Recipe

Vegan Chorizo

Fantastic vegan alternative
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Bean Soaking Time8 hours
Total Time9 hours 30 minutes
Course: Ingredient
Cuisine: California, Mexican
Keyword: Dry Beans, Inspired by Joe Yonan, Vegan
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 421kcal

Equipment

  • 1 pressure cooker
  • 1 large skillet
  • 1 bean or potato masher
  • 1 small food processor

Ingredients

Beans

  • 115 g garbanzo beans
  • Bean spices

Quinoa

  • 1 cup dried quinoa red preferred
  • 1½ cups water
  • ¼ tsp salt

Everything Else

  • ¾ cup walnuts
  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 1 tbsp ground chipotle chile
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ cup bread crumbs panko-style
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp salt smoked or kosher
  • ⅔ cup neutral oil

Instructions

Beans

  • Rinse the beans. To soak them, add to a medium bowl along with 1 quart water and 2 tsp salt. Mix well. Set aside for at least 6 and up to 10 hours. Drain.
    115 g garbanzo beans
  • Place the beans in pressure cooker (electric or stovetop). Cover with about 1” water (a bit more if unsoaked). Add various bean spices (e.g., bay leaf, dried red pepper / pepper flakes, peppercorns, celery seed, garlic, onion) either in a spice bag or a metal steeper.
    Bean spices
  • Pressure cook for 7-10 minutes on high; for new and well-soaked beans, use 7 minutes, for shorter-soaked or older beans, go to 10 minutes. For completely unsoaked beans, cook up to 40 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
  • If beans are not fully soft, you can bring to pressure again for 1-2 minutes and then release pressure manually and that should finish them off. If they seem to need a lot more time, try cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes and then releasing pressure after 5-10 minutes.
  • Drain and set aside.

Quinoa

  • Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Rinse the quinoa. Add the quinoa, a bit less than 1½ cups water and ¼ tsp of salt and stir well. Once it has come to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until done and the quinoa has fully absorbed the water and is fluffy, about 35 minutes. If any liquid remains but the quinoa is cooked, leave uncovered while the heat stays on medium-low and occasionally (ever 2-3 minutes) stir it up so the steam can release. Once the water is fully absorbed, turn off the heat and leave uncovered.
    1 cup dried quinoa, 1½ cups water, ¼ tsp salt

Everything Else

  • Toast the walnuts on a large, heavy-bottomed dry skillet over medium heat, for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so to prevent scorching. Let cool and then chop or crush. Leave skillet for future steps.
    ¾ cup walnuts
  • Cut open the ancho chiles and discard the seeds and stem. Cut into ½” pieces and transfer to the small food processor. Add chipotle, pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and cloves. Process until everything is finely ground.
    2 dried ancho chiles, 1 tbsp ground chipotle chile, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Once the beans and quinoa are done, add the beans to a very large bowl. Mash the beans well. Add the quinoa and let cool for a few minutes (if fresh off the stove).
  • Stir all ingredients together except the oil. That is, add the chopped walnuts, spice mixture, the soy sauce and salt, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until everything is well-combined.
    ¾ cup walnuts, ½ cup bread crumbs, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp salt
  • In a very large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat ⅓ cup of neutral oil until it is hot and add half of the chickpea mixture. Stir as it cooks until it absorbs most of the oil. Spread it out and leave it undisturbed for a minute, then stir and scrape it around before spreading it out again. Repeat this process until it has developed darker color and is crispier, about 10 minutes total. Scoop into a bowl and repeat with the second half and another ⅓ cup oil.
    ⅔ cup neutral oil
  • Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container (for up to one week). It freezes well (up to three months).

Notes

Nutrition is for one of eight servings; it likely makes more than that, depending on what else you are eating with it.

Nutrition

Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 465mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2638IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Chorizo
Amount Per Serving
Calories 421 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 1g
Sodium 465mg20%
Potassium 512mg15%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 2638IU53%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 64mg6%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Favorites, Meal Prep, Pressure Cooker, Spring, Summer, Winter

Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans

I’ve been making these for many years, and barely need a recipe anymore. But it’s good to have as a reference, and in case I want to quickly remember a fantastic method for making refried beans.

This version uses a pressure cooker, as there are no downsides to cooking this in a pressure cooker, given you want these beans fully cooked.

Print Recipe

Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Bean Soaking6 hours
Total Time7 hours 30 minutes
Course: Ingredient
Cuisine: California, Mexican
Keyword: Dry Beans
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 295kcal

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dried beans Mayocoba, Pinto, Black, or other
  • 2 tbsp oregano Mexican Oregano, Epazote, or other
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 small jalapeno
  • 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
  • 6 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Soak the beans in 1.5% salted water for 6-8 hours, ideally. (Or skip this step and just rinse the beans and increase cooking time substantially.) Drain the beans, rinse quickly.
  • To the pressure cooker, add the one pound of dried beans. Add 2 quarts water.
  • Peel and cut the white onion in quarters. To spice sacks, or cheesecloth tied with twine, add two quarters of the onion, 2 tbsp oregano (Mexican, epazote, or Italian), and 3 cloves of garlic. Set the for high pressure for 5-8 minutes (Mayocoba), or 4-6 minutes (Pinto), or 4-6 minutes (Black).
    1 lb dried beans, 2 tbsp oregano, 1 medium white onion, 6 cloves garlic
  • Allow to release pressure for 25 minutes naturally, and then release the rest of the way. Taste for doneness – they need to be creamy and soft, but not overcooked. If they are not done, turn to sauté and boil until done.
  • While the beans cook, mince the rest of the onion, the jalapeno, and get 1 tbsp of the chipotle in adobo sauce (including one pepper). Mince the garlic. You can combine all of this into a storage container and put in the fridge while the beans cook.
    1 medium white onion, 1 small jalapeno, 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo
  • When beans are done, drain the beans, reserve the bean-cooking liquid and discard the spice bags.
  • In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the 6 tbsp oil until shimmering. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
    6 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Stir in beans and cook for a few minutes, lowering the heat some. Add ¼ cup of reserved bean-cooking liquid to start. Using bean masher, potato masher, or back of a wooden spoon, smash the beans to form a chunky purée; alternatively, use a stick blender to quickly make a smoother purée. Add more bean cooking liquid if needed, to make it just wet enough to cook down. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Makes about 8 servings

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 820mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition Facts
Spicy, Flavorful Refried Beans
Amount Per Serving
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 32mg1%
Potassium 820mg23%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 10g42%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 13g26%
Vitamin A 134IU3%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 74mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Dairy-Free, Fall, Favorites, Great Leftovers, Indian, Meal Prep, Rice, Spring, Summer, Tofu, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Tofu Tikka Masala

This is an edited version of an old classic, which for me started as Chicken Tikka Masala, and then turned into Paneer Tikka Masala, and now is a California-adjusted Tofu Tikka Masala.

You can substitute two pounds of fresh tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes, if you wish. It does make the dish more fresh, but crushed tomatoes work well.

This version includes butter and cream, but this could easily be made dairy-free by switching to oil instead of butter and using a non-dairy cream. It shouldn’t affect the taste too much in either case.

Print Recipe

Tofu Tikka Masala

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: California, Indian
Keyword: Tofu
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 432kcal

Ingredients

Ginger-Garlic-Serrano Paste:

  • ¼ cup garlic cloves whole
  • ¼ cup fresh ginger peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 serrano peppers trimmed, seeds removed
  • 2 tbsp canola oil

Paneer or Tofu

  • 20 oz tofu firm Hodo Soy or extra firm regular
  • 1 tsp canola oil

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Ginger Garlic Paste

  • Add garlic cloves, fresh ginger, trimmed and seeded serrano peppers and canola oil in a mini-food processor and process until it is a semi-smooth paste.
    ¼ cup garlic cloves, ¼ cup fresh ginger, 2 serrano peppers, 2 tbsp canola oil

Tofu

  • Preheat the oven to 425ºF with a sheet pan on a middle rack. Cube the tofu. Toss with 1 tsp of canola oil and salt and pepper. Once the oven and pan have preheated, add the tofu and bake for 10 minutes. Check and toss and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until tofu looks crispy and baked.
    20 oz tofu, 1 tsp canola oil

Sauce

  • When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add melt the 2 tbsp butter.
    2 tbsp butter
  • Add the Ginger-Garlic-Serrano Paste and saute until lightly browned.
  • Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes.
    2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Add 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tsp paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.
    1 tsp garam masala, 2 tsp paprika
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and salt. Add about ¼ of water.
    28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tbsp salt
  • Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water to keep a thick-soup consistency (i.e. not dry).
  • If serving with rice, start cooking the rice.
  • Once the tofu is ready and the sauce is well-cooked, use an immersion blender to blend the sauce, if needed.
  • Add the tofu. Keep the heat on low for a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Once it has cooked together, add the ½ cup cream and stir gently. Serve over rice or with naan.
    ½ cup heavy cream

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 1259mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1267IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 286mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Facts
Tofu Tikka Masala
Amount Per Serving
Calories 432 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 1259mg55%
Potassium 766mg22%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 1267IU25%
Vitamin C 28mg34%
Calcium 286mg29%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.