IN DORIS’S PANTRY

DEVELOPING FLAVORS

The key to successful cooking is being able to develop and balance flavors. A well-developed recipe contains a combination of these basic flavors: sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and bitter. In theory, it sounds easy enough to achieve, but unlike baking—which is more of a science, requiring precise measurements and temperatures—cooking in general is more intuitive. You can follow a recipe, but it will likely have many variables, especially if you are relying on Mother Nature’s bounty of fresh foods to be consistent; for instance, carrots can be as sweet as a fruit or as tasteless as a piece of chalk, depending on when and where you got them. So don’t be afraid to experiment with the recipes and discover what amounts and combinations of flavorings work best for you.

If you are still relatively new to this way of cooking, or to cooking in general, I urge you to make friends with all the wonderful, detox-friendly ingredients and flavorings (listed below) that can be called upon in a pinch to greatly enhance any dish you make. If you are a more experienced cook, you might experiment further with them in order to discover a new and exciting balance of flavors for your palate. Rest assured, the recipes in this book yield flavors that should appeal to most palates, but we encourage you to play around with them and tailor them to your personal preferences and detox level. So, without further ado, here are the items we will reach for again and again.

OILS AND BUTTERS

Traditionally, oils and butters are used to carry flavors. They are the base for bringing together a harmony of other flavors, but more often than not, I find plant-based ingredients can carry the show. A lot of my recipes omit oil or butter entirely. For example, roasted eggplant is creamy and rich and makes a great base for sauces and spreads. Carrots can be pureed and transformed into a delicious salad dressing. And avocado, a great substitute for foods with saturated fats, makes dressings rich and creamy. Although you don’t have to rely on oils and butters to build a recipe, some dishes warrant and deserve them and might even fail without them. That’s when I reach for the following items:

COLD-PRESSED EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL is the most versatile of all oils. But ever since I discovered how to make plant-based dressings, dips, and sauces without relying on oil bases, olive oil no longer takes top billing. Instead, I now let the plant-based ingredients create the flavor. This means I no longer need to buy the most expensive oil on the shelf. I simply buy a decent bottle and move on.

VIRGIN RAW COCONUT OIL is also my go-to fat. It is more stable to cook with than other oils because it will not turn rancid when cooked at high heat. This means it has a higher smoke point, the temperature at which oils become inedible (the higher the smoke point, the better). I use coconut oil to cook and roast vegetables, but I eschew it for seafood dishes, soups, or sauces that do not need a coconut flavor. Coconut oil is best in ethnic cuisines, such as Thai and African, where coconuts are indigenous to the region.

a note about peanuts

PEANUTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE RECIPES IN THIS BOOK. THE FLAVORS OF TRADITIONALLY PEANUT-BASED DISHES ARE CREATED WITH OTHER INGREDIENTS. THIS IS BECAUSE PEANUTS ARE NOT A NUT, BUT A LEGUME. LEGUMES ARE DIFFICULT TO DIGEST BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH A STARCH AND A PROTEIN, AND THEIR STARCH CONTENT MAKES THEM YEAST-FEEDING. PEANUTS ALSO CONTAIN MANY MICRO-TOXINS, WHICH MAKE THEM ONE OF THE MOST COMMON ALLERGENS. FOR DETOX DIET PURPOSES, AVOID DISHES THAT EMPHASIZE PEANUTS.

SESAME OIL is a must when developing most Eastern Asian recipes. Although it is stable and can withstand the heat, I prefer to use it sparingly as a finishing touch rather than cook with it. This keeps the integrity of the flavor, and you wind up using a lot less of it. For the same reason, I prefer toasted sesame oil over raw. The latter is too mild and must be used in higher quantities to make a flavorful impact.

NUT OILS AND BUTTERS—almond, hazelnut, pistachio, and sunflower oils—are all wonderful in dressings, sauces, and some sweets. If you can afford them, use them, but search out unrefined, organic, and/or cold pressed, if available. They do add a certain touch and delicacy to the recipes, but for our detox purposes, the aim here is to use less oil and rely more on plants to create flavorful recipes. None of my recipes require the use of any of these oils because, seriously, I don’t want you running out and buying a bottle when the basics will do.

TAHINI BUTTER, which is made out of ground sesame seeds, is a great base for dressings and sauces. Like sesame oil, the toasted variety has intense sesame flavor, so you can use less of it. If you are fastidious about being completely raw, by all means, use raw tahini; just be prepared to use more. Be sure to blend the tahini before use, since the oil rises to the top, and the paste settles on the bottom.

ALMOND BUTTER should be raw. It is a great neutral base for many dishes. I use it mainly in Asian-inspired recipes, especially Thai dishes that call for peanut butter. I choose almond butter when I want the creaminess of tahini but not the flavor.

BUTTER—or, better yet, clarified butter (in which milk solids are removed from the fat) or ghee (clarified Indian butter)—can be used judiciously and safely. Butter, like cream, is low in casein, making it more easily digestible. For sautéing purposes, I often start off with a pat of butter, and instead of adding more when it starts to fizzle out, I raise the heat and add a teaspoon of water at a time, as necessary, to sauté the rest of the dish without losing the browning effect.

SWEETENERS

How many times have I heard people say, “I’m not a ‘sweet’ person”? This is not a reference to their personality but to their food tastes. Yet, whether we’re aware of it or not, sweet flavorings are used in almost all types of dishes. To balance something salty or sour, you need something sweet. I’m not talking about adding sugar to your steak; it’s usually more subtle than that, such as adding a bit of honey to your soy marinade, so it picks up on the saltiness and then balances it out. Sweet foods are abundant in nature; in addition to fruits, vegetables such as corn, red bell peppers, jicama, snap peas, carrots, butternut squash, and so many others all have a naturally occurring sweet component.

STEVIA is a leafy green plant with a natural sweetness. You can bite down on a raw stevia leaf and taste it. Many companies distribute pure stevia leaf in its dried or powdered state. It can also be found in liquid form, usually suspended in alcohol or glycerin. Some stevia includes additives such as erythritol, dextrose, and maltitol. Look for pure stevia whenever possible, but also remember that you are consuming a very small amount of stevia within the context of a diet featuring gallons of raw vegetable juice, big salads, and beautiful vegetable-centric meals, so don’t torture yourself in your search for sweetness. I find liquid stevia to be the most convenient to use for recipes.

Stevia makes green juices more palatable for beginners by sweetening the bitterness of the greens. It also allows you to use less of other sweeteners, such as maple syrup and agave nectar, which are yeast- and fungus-feeding. Typically, you can use half the amount of a sweetener called for in a recipe by using stevia as a sweetness booster. It also has a great affinity with citruses such as lemons and limes; citrus with stevia creates the natural mouthfeel of sugar without the aftertaste that some people dislike. Add several drops of stevia to a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice to make instant lemonade.

AGAVE NECTAR is derived from the agave plant. Vegans like to use agave as a substitute in recipes that call for honey. Unfortunately, agave nectar is composed mainly of fructose and, like all sugars, should be consumed sparingly. I do use it modestly, often with stevia, to boost the sweetness level of many desserts. It has a simple sugar flavor with an undertone of caramel and creates a gloss or shine in a dessert that you won’t get from just stevia. It is already in liquid form naturally, and the syrup consistency adds the right texture to desserts that call for dissolved sugar or simple syrup.

MAPLE SYRUP is best enjoyed in its pure, organic state without being reduced or processed, but like all sugars, it should be consumed in moderation. As with agave nectar, I like to boost its sweetness with stevia. The specific flavor of maple syrup goes well with fall harvest vegetables such as squash and pumpkin. It is a comforting flavor of country kitchens and holiday cooking.

HONEY is wonderful on its own or in tea. It is perfect in its own right, just like fruit. But I don’t often use honey in cooking; I prefer agave and stevia for sweetness in a prepared dish.

SALTS AND SALT-BASED INGREDIENTS

Most chefs and home cooks are heavy-handed when it comes to salt. It is mindlessly added to everything—sometimes before, during, and after cooking. In my recipes I take the moderate route and suggest you use sea salt and freshly ground pepper “as needed.” Certain preparations require salt, such as pickling, fermenting, and marinating, but for developing most recipes, there are many salty options to choose from, such as miso, soy sauce, anchovies, seaweed, and celery (yes, celery is salty!). Just remember to use them sparingly and as needed.

a note about salt

THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET IS CHOCK-FULL OF SODIUM, BECAUSE MANY MAINSTREAM FOODS ARE HOPELESSLY BLAND WITHOUT IT, AND THE AVERAGE MODERN PALATE HAS BECOME DESENSITIZED TO OTHER FLAVORS. SALT IS FINE IN MODERATION, BUT ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT EATING A CLEANSING, VEGETABLE-CENTRIC DIET IS THAT THE PALATE QUICKLY CHANGES TO APPRECIATE DISHES WITH VERY LITTLE SALT. DETOX DIETERS DEVELOP SENSITIVE TASTE BUDS AND CAN RELISH THE NATURALLY OCCURRING FLAVORS OF THE BEAUTIFUL, PURE FOODS THEY ARE CONSUMING. MOREOVER, SALT DOES NOT CAUSE WATER RETENTION WHEN EATEN IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS LIFESTYLE.

KOSHER SALT has a texture and consistency that allows for even seasoning, which makes it my salt of choice in cooking, baking, and roasting. More often than not, it is unnecessary to add salt to freshly prepared dishes. For raw salad dressings, sauces, and spreads, I rely more on fresh ingredients such as herbs or condiments such as miso and nama shoyu (the Japanese term for raw soy sauce) to provide the saltiness or flavor.

SEA SALT is great to cook with when you actually want the flavor of the sea. It boosts the flavor of seafood, but I find its unique flavor is wasted in other cooked dishes. Sea salt, however, is my salt of choice for table use.

SOY SAUCE—specifically, tamari (gluten free) and nama shoyu (raw)—is a staple in my pantry. I use it for cooking and for making marinades and dressings. Because of its high sodium content, it is not necessary to add salt when using soy sauce.

a note about soy

SOYBEANS AND SOYBEAN PRODUCTS ARE NOT PART OF THIS DETOX DIET BECAUSE THEY ARE DENSE AND DIFFICULT FOR THE BODY TO BREAK DOWN. THEY CAN ALSO AFFECT THE BODY’S HORMONAL BALANCE (THIS IS WHY SOY SUPPLEMENTS ARE OFTEN RECOMMENDED BY DOCTORS TO MENOPAUSAL WOMEN). MOST SOY PRODUCTS ARE FERMENTED AND OVERLY PROCESSED AND WILL CLOG THE SYSTEM LIKE WET CEMENT SENT IN TO DEHYDRATE AND HARDEN. RAW AND UNPASTEURIZED MISO, NAMA SHOYU, AND TAMARI CAN HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR PANTRY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DENSE OR OVERLY PROCESSED AND BECAUSE THEY ONLY NEED TO BE USED IN VERY SMALL QUANTITIES TO FLAVOR A DISH. DETOXERS CAN ALSO SUCCESSFULLY ENJOY WHOLE EDAMAME IN SMALL QUANTITIES BECAUSE IT IS NOT OVERLY PROCESSED.

MISO, a fermented paste made out of soybeans, adds depth and flavor to dressings and sauces and makes a great base for soups and stews. Miso comes in different varieties, ranging from white miso (sweet and mellow) to red miso (rich and savory). Miso is the secret ingredient in many of my recipes.

OTHER SALT-BASED INGREDIENTS in my pantry are sugar-free fish sauce, which is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking, bottled anchovies, organic Worcestershire, concentrated mushroom stock, olives, capers, umeboshi paste (which is made of pickled plums), and tamarind paste.

CITRUS AND VINEGAR

Nothing brings a recipe to life and awakens the palate like something tart, such as lemons and limes, or sour and pungent, such as vinegar. Sometimes you want just enough acidity to brighten the flavor and make you sit up a little. It can really change the dynamics of a dish, especially when paired with something sweet—a classic combination. Citrus is especially refreshing and cleansing.

FRESH LEMONS AND LIMES are the best ingredients when you need something tart and acidic. Squeezing fresh lemon juice on salads is often all you need for a simple dressing. Every detox kitchen should have a large bowl of lemons and limes year-round. Search out seasonal citruses such as Meyer lemons or yuzu for variety and flavor. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus (a cross between a lemon and a lime), available bottled in most Asian markets. Choose brands with no added preservatives or salt.

a note about vinegar

VINEGAR IS AN ACIDIC, FERMENTED FOOD. IT IS USUALLY FERMENTED THROUGH A SUGAR PROCESS (ESPECIALLY BALSAMIC VINEGAR) AND IS THEREFORE YEAST-FEEDING. VINEGAR SHOULD NOT BE THE FOCAL POINT OF ANY SALAD, BUT RATHER USED SPARINGLY AS A FLAVOR ENHANCER. RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND RAW COCONUT VINEGAR ARE THE EXCEPTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE LESS ACIDIC AND WILL NOT FEED SYSTEMIC YEAST.

RAW VINEGARS are second only to fresh lemons and limes in terms of alkalinity. Raw apple cider vinegar is slightly sweet and tart, while raw coconut vinegar has a lighter, slightly sweeter flavor. I use them interchangeably. They are also good substitutes in recipes that call for white vinegar.

MIRIN. Mirin is a cooking rice wine that is a staple in Japanese cooking. A few tablespoons are all that is required in most recipes. Be sure to read the label and take home only the sugar-free brands.

DRIED HERBS AND SPICES

Spicy ingredients can be piquant, fiery, and assertive or savory and complex, or they can walk the fine line and be a little bit of both. Fresh herbs are generally all you need to develop this simple yet complex flavor in a dish. However, store-bought dried herbs and spices also have a place here and can elevate recipes by hitting that savory high note. The more, the merrier!

Usually, the difference between ethnic cuisines is the indigenous use of herbs and spices. Roasted cauliflower with rosemary and crushed red pepper makes a great Italian side dish, while roasted cauliflower with curry powder becomes decidedly Indian. Whole spices have a longer shelf life, and grinding spices just before use helps release their flavors, but for convenience and ease, most ground spices do just as well. Likewise, fresh herbs are almost always superior to dried herbs, but it helps to have some dried types on hand at all times. In my pantry, I keep the following dried herbs and spices.

BAY LEAVES are not always available fresh, so the dried leaves are handy to have around. They are a must for soups, stocks, and tomato-based sauces.

GROUND CHILE is fine, but you can go wild here and try whole ancho chiles, whole Thai chiles, or other international varieties.

CINNAMON is a warming spice, great in sweet and savory dishes, and prominent in Middle Eastern and African cooking.

CORIANDER makes a great partner in crime with cumin, balancing out cumin’s assertiveness with its mellow, sweet, slightly fruity flavor.

CUMIN is a versatile spice used in Mexican, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking. It has a strong, slightly bittersweet flavor.

CURRY POWDER is a mixture of spices and can range from mild to spicy. You can make your own (a combination of ginger, cumin, turmeric, coriander, nutmeg, fennel seeds, cardamom, and/or cayenne).

GARAM MASALA is a five-spice mixture, usually consisting of ground cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, and cumin.

DRIED GINGER is a dismal substitute for fresh ginger but has an affinity to cinnamon and allspice. It’s great for marinades, baking, and tea blends.

WHOLE NUTMEG is preferable to ground, and a little goes a long way. It is the best of friends with cinnamon, and its sweet, aromatic flavor makes it ideal in desserts, chai teas, and savory dishes, such as spinach, and starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes.

OREGANO is my favorite of all dried herbs. I actually prefer it to fresh oregano, which I find too strong. Dried oregano is used worldwide. I like to buy whole dried oregano stalks (as opposed to ground) and crumble the leaves between my hands before use. Oregano is great in tomato-based sauces, beans, soups, and stews.

PAPRIKA is normally mild and warm in flavor but can range from sweet to spicy. It also comes smoked, which is a great crowd pleaser.

FRESHLY GROUND WHOLE PEPPERCORNS is preferable but can be too spicy for some people. You can also purchase black pepper, finely or coarsely ground. White pepper makes me wrinkle my nose; I find no redeeming quality about it other than its color, which renders it invisible in light-colored foods.

SAFFRON has a distinctive bitterness that adds a bit of luxury to a dish. It’s easily the most expensive spice in the world, but a pinch is all you need and worth the price for some Indian and Mediterranean dishes.

DRIED TARRAGON is not a bad substitute for fresh tarragon (drying tames its flavor). Too much tarragon can be cloying due to its licorice-like flavor. It is favored in French cooking.

ZA’ATAR is my favorite Middle Eastern spice blend, consisting of oregano, thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. It makes a great spice rub for goat cheese and a seasoning for pita chips and chopped salads.

REGIONAL SPICE BLENDS

If you want to get to the heart of an ethnic cuisine, look no further than its use of herbs and spices. Without these unique blends, the recipes fall flat and lack the spirit of the region. Spices and spice blends are readily available and affordable since a little goes a long way. I encourage you to make your own spice blends, if possible; the hands-on experience of mixing spices for balancing flavors and creating depth to recipes will make you a better cook.

Here are my favorite blends. In each case, simply mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Chinese Five-Spice Powder

This blend is a staple in Chinese cooking and showcases the five flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty. You can use equal parts of each spice to make your own blend or look for it at your local ethnic market.

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

2 tablespoons ground star anise, or 4 whole star anise

2 tablespoons cinnamon powder

2 tablespoons peppercorns

1 tablespoon cloves

Place all ingredients in a spice grinder and grind until mixture becomes a fine powder.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

My past experience with pumpkin pie spice was limited to making sweet potato pies and puddings. Now I toss a spoonful into teas, smoothies, raw blended soups, and cooked savory soups—anything that calls for a little homey warmth.

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¹/₈ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)

Dry Ranch Seasoning

To be honest, ranch dressing is unappealing to me since my experience with it is limited to the bottled variety, which is ubiquitous in fast food restaurants and salad bars. But the dry seasoning is a different story. I love it sprinkled on root vegetable fries and tossed with puffed Kamut as a savory snack. You can also make your own ranch dressing using avocado and/or goat cheese as a healthier alternative to mayonnaise and sour cream.

1 tablespoon dried parsley or chives

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

NOTE: Khorasan wheat is widely marketed under the brand name Kamut. In fact the wheat is commonly known as Kamut.

Za’atar Spice

I used to buy this in bulk at my favorite Middle Eastern mecca in Brooklyn called Sahadi’s, but this nutty and savory blend has become one of the most requested recipes in my cooking classes. I always took it for granted, but if you can’t find it near you, here is the recipe.

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons thyme

2 tablespoons sumac

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon cumin (optional)

Pizza Spice Blend

Add this to almost any recipe, including soups, salads, flatbreads, and, oh yes, my favorite, Pizza Kale Chips (see page 197), for the instant pizza parlor aroma.

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional for cheese flavor)

Spanish Spice Blend

This is my go-to spice blend for Mexican- or Spanish-influenced dishes.

1½ tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon paprika powder

1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

Herbes de Provence

Yet another wonderful and versatile herb blend, perfect for roasts, poultry, and fish, but even better with roasted vegetables, soups, and stews.

4 tablespoons dried thyme

3 tablespoons dried marjoram

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1 tablespoon dried whole fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried chervil

1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers

Basic Curry Powder

There are dozens of curry powders on the market, ranging from mild (Madras) to spicy (garam masala). I like making my own on occasion because toasting the seeds brings out more flavor.

2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds

2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds

1 tablespoon whole cardamom seeds

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Toast the seeds over dry medium heat until fragrant, approximately 2−3 minutes. Place in a spice grinder and grind until seed mixture becomes a fine powder. Add the turmeric and cayenne, if using.

CONDIMENTS

I have been known to build a menu around condiments, especially hot sauces and mustards. There might be three to five different hot sauces set out on my table with my Fish Taco Wraps (see page 182), or I might make a Kitchen Sink Frittata (see page 162) just for the drizzle of hot sauce. Romaine lettuce is a great vessel for Dijon mustard with a slice of tomato and red onion. Just read the labels and choose condiments with high-quality ingredients.

HOT SAUCES are only limited by your imagination and your threshold for heat. I like sriracha, a type of Thai hot sauce, on almost anything, including eggs, soups, and dressings. I always have on hand a couple of Mexican red and green sauces, including Cholula, both classic and chipotle flavors. Tabasco is also a staple.

CHILE PASTES such as sambal oelek (made with dried chiles, spices, and vinegar) are a staple in Thai and Malaysian cooking. Asian chile garlic paste adds great depth and heat to sauces and dressings. Chipotle chile in adobo sauce gives recipes immediate heat and flavor with a Mexican influence.

CURRY PASTES can be challenging to make from scratch because the long list of exotic ingredients may be hard to find locally. Store-bought pastes are great time-savers, and they are easy to doctor up to suit your personal tastes.

MUSTARDS such as Dijon, whole grain, and wasabi (either as a paste or a powder) have their own shelf in my pantry. High-quality brands using apple cider vinegar as their bases are readily available in all health food stores.

BARBECUE SAUCE is usually sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, so if using, choose agave nectar−based brands.

THE SWEET STUFF, like cocoa powder, carob powder, and dried coconut can be used in many recipes to add flavor or texture. I use a sprinkle on desserts or drinks as a garnish, serve hot cocoa or hot carob on a cold day, or set these items on a table with a hot beverage like warm nut milk for friends and family to top their mugs.

NUTRITIONAL YEAST is different from fungal intestinal yeast; it will not feed systemic yeast growth. It is the condiment of choice for many health food enthusiasts and has long been the vegan “Parmesan cheese.” It even comes in a shaker from the market. This yellow flaky condiment is great on a salad, in a hot vegetable dish, or on kale chips.

TOMATO-BASED INGREDIENTS are a must-have in any pantry. Sundried tomatoes, tomato paste, and chopped or strained tomatoes are the base of many sauces, ketchups, salsas, and more. Store-bought marinara sauces are also great in a pinch, but read the label and choose brands that have the least amount of oil and sugar.

EXTRACTS can enhance or bring out the flavor you are looking for without adding more yeast-feeding ingredients to a dessert. Vanilla, maple, and orange extracts are all used in my dessert recipes.

a note about condiments

SOME TABLE CONDIMENTS INCLUDE ADDED SWEETENERS. IF SUCH CONDIMENTS ARE USED SPARINGLY AS A COMPLIMENT TO THE DEEP FLAVORS OF A WELL-CRAFTED MEAL, THEY WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANTLY YEAST-FEEDING. CHOOSE THE BRANDS WITH THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF INGREDIENTS, AND ALWAYS USE INGREDIENTS THAT YOU KNOW. PURE, CLEAN (THAT IS, NOT CHEMICALLY PROCESSED) SWEETENERS ARE ALWAYS PREFERABLE, SO IF YOU HAVE A CHOICE, ALWAYS CHOOSE AGAVE OR CANE JUICE OVER PROCESSED SUGAR. ALTHOUGH THESE SWEETENERS ARE YEAST-FEEDING, THEY HAVE A PLACE IN YOUR PANTRY IF YOU CAN USE SMALL AMOUNTS FOR THE FLAVOR YOU DESIRE.