The DIY Pantry (39 page)

1. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 2" of warm water. Pour in the vinegar and stir. Let sit for 12–18 hours; then pour off the soaking liquid and rinse the beans.
   
2. Add beans to a large stockpot and add the 12 cups water, along with the onions, garlic, celery, and dried chipotle. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; then reduce temperature to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beans are tender, about 3 hours. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.
   
3. Strain the beans, remove the vegetables, and reserve for other uses—salads, chili, bean dips, or refried beans, for example.
   
4. Pour the broth into storage containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 year.
   

Store-bought bouillon cubes and broth powders are notorious for containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), the excitotoxin that can cause a host of physical, behavioral, and emotional issues ranging from headaches and ringing in the ears to ADHD and inability to control anger in young children. By making this homemade broth powder, you can have a natural flavor enhancer to add to soups and sauces that is nourishing, easy to make, and easy to use, not to mention delicious. Despite containing only vegetables, herbs, salt, and nutritional yeast, this broth powder is a dead ringer for chicken bouillon and it just may become your new secret ingredient for making all your dishes more flavorful!

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until homogeneous.
   
2. To make broth or to use in soups, stews, and sauces, use 1 scant teaspoon of powder for every cup of water.
   

Pesto is incredibly easy and fairly quick if you make it in a food processor, but the best flavor will come if you chop everything by hand. It takes a few extra minutes, but trust me, it’s worth it. Because you add the ingredients a bit at a time, some items end up chopped into oblivion and some are left a bit chunky. This means more variation in flavor and texture as you chew, which is basically my definition of “soul-satisfyingly delicious.” Basil and pine nuts are the universal standard, but feel free to use any dark leafy green (spinach, arugula, parsley) and any nut (walnuts, pecans, cashews) for flavor variations.

1. If using a food processor, place basil, garlic, and pine nuts in it and pulse several times until everything is finely chopped.
   
2. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil.
   
3. Scrape down the sides; then add in the cheese and pulse to combine.
   
4. If crafting pesto by hand, begin by chopping the garlic and about a quarter of the basil. Once these are fairly coarsely chopped, add 2–3 more basil leaves, chop, and continue to add basil a few leaves at a time until the basil is all incorporated and very finely minced.
   
5. Add about half the pine nuts and chop them coarsely. Add the rest of the pine nuts; then chop those coarsely as well.
   
6. Add half of the Parmesan and chop until it’s coarsely chopped. Add the rest of the Parmesan and chop until everything is finely minced.
   
7. Press the pesto into a disk and place in a very small bowl. Cover with the olive oil and reserve. Stir together just before serving. To store, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.