1. Whisk all spices together in nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
2. Once the spices are fragrant and smell toasty turn off the heat and use a mortar and pestle to grind down into a fine powder.
3. Store spice blend in an airtight container.
CHEF'S NOTE:
If you like spicy and hot food, feel free to add more cayenne to this blend or simply add more cayenne or hot sauce to the dish.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER 1 TBSP SERVING)
10 Calories; Calories from Fat 3; Total Fat 0.4g; Cholesterol 0 mg; Total Carbohydrate 1.8g; Dietary Fiber 1.1g; Protein 0.5g
Instant Applesauce
Makes 1 cup
|
Pictured opposite
| I'm always running out of applesauce in the middle of baking, so I've learned to cheat the system and make my own instantly.
1 McIntosh apple, cored
and sliced
ground cinnamon, as
desired (optional)
pumpkin pie spice, as
desired (optional)
1. Place apple slices in a food processor with 2 tbsp of water and let the motor run until applesauce is formed, adding 1 to 2 tbsp more water if needed.
2. Optional: add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for a terrific twist.
3. Store in an airtight container.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER
1
â
4
-CUP SERVING)
Calories 36; Calories from Fat 1; Total Fat 0.1g; Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 9.5g; Dietary Fiber 1.7g; Sugars 7.2g; Protein 0.2g
Vegetable Broth
Makes 4 cups
| Nothing beats the ease of premade broth or bouillon cubes, but homemade vegetable broth is superior in comparison. It's also a great way to use up veggies that are on their way to expiration. I like to use sweet onions, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, and fresh fennel.
1 onion (any), peeled
1 large carrot
1 celery stalk
3 ot 4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 to 2 tsp yellow miso
4 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
fresh or dried herbs (any)
Â
PLUS ANY THREE OF THE FOLLOWING:
1 small brown potato
2 to 4 small red potatoes
1 c mushrooms
1 bell pepper, seeded
1 medium turnip
1 medium zucchini
1 parsnip
1 leek
1. Transfer your selections to a large pot. If using dried herbs, grab each green one you have on hand and give it a good shake into the pot. Otherwise add about 3 to 5 ounces of fresh dill, but any complementary fresh herbs on hand will do.
2. Add 1 tsp of miso or salt, black peppercorns, and bay leaf.
3. Add 8 cups of cold water, or 10 cups if your selections are particularly big.
4. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are falling apart, about 1 hour.
5. Turn off heat and allow to cool to a warm temperature.
6. Use tongs or a spoon to remove bay leaf and vegetables.
7. Grab a cheesecloth or fine strainer and strain liquid into a plastic container.
8. Cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge for up to three days. After three days, store in freezer in 1-cup measurements.
CHEF'S NOTE: You can omit the miso and add salt to taste for a soy-free vegetable broth
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER 1-CUP SERVING)
Calories 49; Calories from Fat 4; Total Fat 0.4g; Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 10.6g; Dietary Fiber 2.2g; Sugars 4.1g; Protein 2.2g
No-Beef Broth
Makes 1 cup
| There are a few commercial mock beef broth bouillon cubes on the market, but I find all of them a little too salty for my taste. This is my DIY version.
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1
â
2
tsp Vegan Worcestershire
Sauce (pg. 272)
1
â
4
tsp granulated onion
powder
1
â
4
tsp granulated garlic
powder
1
â
4
tsp ground ginger
1
â
8
tsp pepper
salt, to taste
1. In a medium saucepan, whisk all ingredients together with 1 cup of water until well combined.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute.
3. If you used water and low-sodium soy sauce, you might want to add a little salt.
CHEF'S NOTE:
If you use this broth in a soup recipe, add a bay leaf during cooking.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER 1-CUP SERVING)
Calories 27; Calories from Fat 2; Total Fat 0.2g; Cholesterol 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 4.3g; Dietary Fiber 1.1g; Sugars 0.7g; Protein 2.7g
No-Chicken Broth Powder