PREPPING YOUR KITCHEN AND FAMILY WITH PLANT-POWER
It may seem like a lot of work to eat plant-powered because more food is cooked from scratch. It does get easier as you get more comfortable with the diet, and there are some strategies that make meal preparation much easier:
- Pantry Primer
- Batch Food and Recipe Preparation
- Involving Your Children: Shopping, Recipe Preparation, Food Discussions
Pantry Primer
Having a pantry that is stocked with a good variety of plant foods will serve you very well. Take some time to review these pantry staples, as it will help you broaden your cooking repertoire and enjoy more ease with your food preparation.
Legumes
Legumes are probably one of the most underutilized foods in the standard diet, but they are gaining well-deserved popularity. Rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, legumes are one of the cornerstones of a healthful vegan diet. Beans are very versatile, finding their way into sauces, dips, burgers, dressings, stews, soups, casseroles, and even desserts.
While I would love to cook all my beans from scratch, as a mom of three, time simply does not always permit. So, I keep a variety of canned and dried beans on hand, in varieties that I use frequently. Look for certified BPA-free canned beans—Eden Organic is one such brand. I do always cook lentils from scratch, because they cook so quickly and do not need presoaking. For information on cooking legumes, see the chart on page 254.
Here are some common varieties of beans and legumes to stock in your pantry (both dried and canned):
adzuki beans
black beans
black-eyed peas
cannellini (white kidney) beans
chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
kidney beans
lentils (brown, red, and French)
mung beans
navy beans (and/or Great Northern beans) pinto beans
split peas
Soy beans (dried) are another plant-powered staple, though most often consumed in the form of tofu, tempeh, soy milk, and fresh as edamame.
Grains and Grain Products
There are many whole grains to explore in the plant-powered world, though you may find you rely regularly on just a handful of varieties. For cooking times and more information on cooking grains, see the chart on page 255. Here are some common whole grains and whole-grain flours to stock in your pantry:
amaranth
barley (pot and pearl barley; barley flour)
brown rice (short-grain; long-grain, brown
basmati rice; brown rice flour)
bulgur
cornmeal (corn flour)
couscous (choose whole wheat)
kamut berries (kamut flour)
millet (millet flour)
oats (steel-cut oats; rolled oats; oat flour)
quinoa
spelt berries (spelt flour)
wheat berries (whole wheat and whole wheat pastry flour)
In addition to whole grains and whole-grain flours, you can stock a variety of whole-grain products in your pantry, including:
Breads (ex: sprouted whole grain, kamut, spelt, etc.; be sure to look for 100 percent whole grain)
Cereals (look for brands that contain whole-grain ingredients and are low in sweeteners)
Pastas (ex: brown rice pasta, whole wheat pasta, kamut pasta, quinoa pasta, etc.)
Seeds and Seed Butters
Commonly used seeds include:
Many of these seeds are available in butter form too, much like peanuts ground into peanut butter. The most common are sesame butter (known as tahini), pumpkin, and sunflower butter.
Nuts and Nut Butters
Commonly used nuts include:
almonds (and almond meal/flour)
Brazil nuts
cashews
hazelnuts
macadamia nuts
pecans
pine nuts
pistachios
walnuts
The majority of my recipes call for raw nuts, with a selection calling for roasted nuts. You can roast nuts yourself (see page 254) or buy some pre-roasted. Some recipes require nuts to be soaked; you can refer to page 17 for more details on soaking.
As with seeds, many nuts are churned into butters. They are more common and popular than seed butters as they are generally naturally sweeter. Common nut butters include almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, and walnut. Soy nut butters are another option, as well as classic peanut butter. These are both technically legumes, however, not tree nuts. If purchasing nut/peanut butters, look for those made with pure nuts.
Coconut (Shredded) and Coconut Butter
Shredded (unsweetened) coconut and coconut butter are special pantry items, and I use both in my recipes. Coconut is technically a fruit, not a nut, so it is well suited for those with nut allergies. See page 253 for tips on making your own coconut butter.
Dried/Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
It is very helpful to have a variety of frozen fruits and veggies, and also some dried and otherwise preserved fruits/veggies, including:
Dried fruit: apricots, cranberries, dates, goji berries, raisins
Dried/preserved vegetables: sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers
Frozen fruit: bananas (see page 18), blueberries, mangoes, pineapple, raspberries, strawberries
Frozen vegetables: artichokes, broccoli, corn, peas, winter squash (cubed)
Dairy Substitutes
Canned coconut milk: Regular and “lite” (for cooking and baking, not drinking).
Nondairy milks: For drinking and also cooking and baking. For most purposes, I prefer plain unsweetened almond and organic soy milks. Other popular nondairy milks include coconut, rice, hemp, flax, and oat milks. You can make your own dairy-free milks at home (see pages 44 and 46 for recipes).
Nondairy yogurt: For snacking and also cooking and baking. Options include almond, coconut, and soy yogurts. Brands and varieties differ in texture and sweetness.
Dried Herbs and Spices
It’s useful to have a good variety of dried herbs and spices in your pantry, including:
allspice (ground)
basil leaves
bay leaves
black peppercorns (whole)
black salt (kala namak/Indian salt)
caraway seeds
cardamom (ground)
cayenne pepper
celery seed
chili powder
cinnamon (sticks and ground)
cloves (ground and whole)
coriander (seeds and ground)
cumin (seeds and ground)
curry powder
dill seeds
dill weed
fennel (seeds and ground)
garlic powder
ginger (ground)
mustard seeds
nutmeg (whole)
onion powder
oregano leaves
paprika
red pepper (crushed flakes)
rosemary leaves
sage
savory
smoked paprika
thyme leaves
turmeric (ground)
Condiments and Seasonings Vinegars
Vinegars vary in acidity and flavor. Some common varieties to keep in your pantry include:
apple cider vinegar
balsamic vinegar
coconut vinegar
red wine vinegar
rice vinegar
Other Seasonings and Condiments
There are many seasonings and condiments you can keep in your pantry and fridge to add dimensions of flavor to your cooking. Some of my favorites include:
barbecue sauce (check labels to ensure that
it’s vegan)
capers
chipotle hot sauce
kelp granules
ketchup (look for natural varieties)
miso (soy-based and chickpea-based)
mustard and Dijon mustard
nutritional yeast
olives (green, black, kalamata, dry olives)
and olive pastes
(ex: Herbamare)
tamari (or coconut aminos, for a soy-free
option)
tomato paste
vegan Worcestershire sauce
Sweeteners
agave nectar
applesauce (unsweetened, organic)
bananas (overripe)
blackstrap molasses
brown rice syrup
coconut sugar (or sucanat or other
unrefined sugar)
dried fruits (ex: dates, raisins, apricots;
powdered natural sugar (made from
unrefined sugar)
pure maple syrup
sweet potatoes (yellow and orange)
Other Baking and Cooking Needs
agar powder
arrowroot powder
cocoa powder
pure vanilla extract
vanilla bean powder (or vanilla beans)
xanthan gum
Batch Food and Recipe Preparation
Pulling together meals on busy days and evenings is much simpler when you have staples at your fingertips. Many foods like beans, grains, and starchy vegetables require advance prep or cooking.
What this means is thinking ahead, a few hours or days, to prepare additional staples that can be used over the course of a few days. For example, whenever I cook quinoa or sweet potatoes, I make enough that I can use the cooked grain for at least one more meal for my family. I also wash fresh produce in batches after grocery shopping. Here are more details of my process, and some staple foods that I prepare in batches.
Washing Fresh Produce
After I grocery shop, I wash most of the fresh produce. The only exceptions are (1) things that are very perishable when washed/rinsed in advance, like berries, greens, green beans/peas, (2) items that store for a long time in a cool pantry/garage (ex: onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash), or (3) if I have stocked up on an item because of a special (ex: lemons, apples), I’ll wash a portion and store the rest until ready to use. Otherwise, I pop everything into the sink for a bath, a quick rinse, and then onto the dish drainer for drying! It takes 10–15 minutes to take out all the produce, remove the stickers, and give them a quick washing. Overall, it saves time and then I know all the produce has been cleaned (instead of washing one bell pepper, one apple, one orange at different prep times). As an example, I might wash six oranges, three zucchinis, four pears, a bunch of bananas, one melon, three bell peppers, a bag of lemons, a bag of apples, five tomatoes, a bunch of carrots, and grapes. With loose items like grapes, wash them last using a strainer, then transfer to the top of the produce on the drainer.
I don’t use a special veggie wash, just a small drop of a natural dishwashing liquid. Don’t exclude fruits like bananas, melons, and winter squash. We aren’t eating the rinds/peels, but there is often a lot of dirt and contaminants on them through transport and store handling. If you cut into an unwashed melon, the knife is entering the flesh of the fruit and carrying materials from the skin. It’s simple food safety. Organic produce is not immune to similar dirt and contaminants, so give it a quick bath as well.
Grains (Quinoa, Brown Rice)
My favorite grains to batch-cook are quinoa and brown rice. That’s simply because we enjoy those grains the most, and they pair well with other recipes and meal components we love. How much you cook depends on how many you are cooking for. I typically cook about 3–4 cups dry quinoa or rice. That gives our family of five enough cooked grains for two meals (paired with vegetables, beans dishes, stews, and such). Cooked grains will keep for up to about 5 days, refrigerated. I don’t freeze grains often. You can for convenience, but I find the texture becomes a little spongy with thawing. But you can easily reheat refrigerated cooked grains (reheat at about 350°F in a covered ovenproof dish until warmed through), or use cold in grain salads, lunch bowls, or in veggie burgers (try Umami Sun-Dried Tomato and Almond Burgers, page 144). Leftovers can also be used in puddings and breakfast porridges (try Creamy Breakfast Rice Pudding, page 28).
Beans
Cooking dried beans requires some time (see page 254), and even if you are using a pressure cooker, you’ll want to batch-cook. I’m not opposed to using canned beans; in fact, some beans I prefer to buy canned rather than cook from dried (ex: kidney beans). Just be sure to find BPA-free cans (ex: Eden Organic).
Beans freeze well, so you can prepare a large batch (using 3–4 cups dried beans) and freeze in portions for recipes. Lentils are especially easy to cook from scratch because they don’t require soaking and cook relatively quickly. As such, lentils are one legume I always cook from dried (rather than buying canned).
Pasta
When making pasta for dinner, I always cook an extra 1–2 cups of dry pasta. After draining, I portion out the extra (just eyeballing the measure) and store it in the fridge. I don’t use it for another dinner meal, but rather use it in lunches for our girls during the week. Re-soften the pasta in a bowl with boiling water (yes, this goes against all the pasta rules to do this, but kids do not mind and it is essential for some varieties like brown rice pasta). Then drain and toss with whatever sauce or ingredients your kids enjoy.
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
I mostly cook with red or Yukon gold potatoes, rather than russet potatoes. We prefer the flavor and texture. We also love sweet potatoes. When I bake either, I typically bake another 2–4 (depending on size), and then refrigerate (they keep for up to 5 or 6 days).
Leftover waxy potatoes are terrific to slice or cube and add to salad or sandwich mixes (see Potato-Meets-Egg Salad, page 66), to use in quesadillas or scrambles/omelets, or to slice and layer in sandwiches or on pizza. I also use cooked potatoes as a thickener in recipes like Mild Cheesy Dip (page 83). Having just a few precooked spuds at the ready will save you time, and if you don’t get to use them, it’s not an expensive food spoil. You can steam or boil potatoes, but my favorite cooking method is baking. Simply wash your potatoes, pierce in a couple of spots, and place on a baking sheet (or directly on your oven racks). Bake at 425°F for 45–60 minutes, until there is no resistance when pierced with a skewer or fork.
If you are new to baking sweet potatoes, the method is simple: give them a quick wash/rinse, and then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don’t pierce the potatoes as they will ooze juices while baking. Bake at 425°F/450°F for 40–60 minutes or longer, until soft (baking time will depend on size of spuds). They are very versatile, and you can use them in sweet and savory dishes. They are also one of nature’s finest baby foods! Add cubed to salads, or combine with spicy fillings in tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. Or, reheat a spud and top with beans, chopped veggies, and a good dollop of cashew cream (page 108) or guacamole! I also use sweet potatoes in puddings and other sweets (see page 169)!
Soaked Nuts
Some of my recipes call for soaked nuts. While there are some digestive benefits to the soaking process, it also benefits texture. Soaking nuts makes them softer, which produces a creamier puree for sauces, dressings, and desserts. There are other times I don’t presoak nuts in a recipe, and this is again to achieve a certain consistency with the ingredients used in that recipe. So follow the requirements of the recipe if you want to guarantee the intended texture and flavor.
Since measuring and soaking small amounts of nuts for any given recipe can be tedious, I soak nuts in batches. Then, the nuts are ready to use from the fridge (or freezer), which is much easier than having to repeat the soaking step a couple of times a week.
To soak nuts, place raw, unsalted nuts in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak for several hours or longer depending on the hardness of the nut. Some nuts need as little as 2–3 hours, others up to 8 hours. For instance, softer nuts like cashews will take about 2–4 hours, whereas harder nuts like almonds need about 6–8 hours. Nuts become softer and also larger after soaking, as they swell from absorbing some of the water. I don’t soak nuts for an extended time—not much longer than needed—as they can lose some integrity of flavor and consistency (the oils can break down). After soaking, be sure to drain and discard the soaking water, and rinse/drain the nuts before using. Then store in the fridge for a couple of days until ready to use, or in the freezer for a few months.
Frozen Bananas
This may seem like an unusual mention. Yet, if you make green (or other) smoothies daily, or make frozen treats for you and your family, batching up bananas for freezing is a great idea. Buy extra bananas once a week, and wait until they are well speckled and overripe. Don’t freeze them whole in their peels (they are tedious to work with). Peel the overripe bananas, cut into chunks, and then transfer to containers or freezer bags to freeze. You can pre-portion if you like (if you know you want 1 or 3 cups for a recipe). Otherwise, just chuck ’em all in a bag or container, and then use a butter knife to easily pry/separate the frozen pieces to use in recipes.
Bread Crumbs
It’s so easy to make bread crumbs that there’s no need to buy them. It’s a great way to use up all the ends of bread that seem to get left behind! When you have bread scraps, collect them and store in a freezer bag. Every few days, if you have more scrappy bread slices, pop them in that freezer bag.
To make bread crumbs, thaw a number of slices/scraps of bread and add to a food processor. Process into fine (or more coarse) bread crumbs. Transfer the crumbs back to your freezer bag, and you’ll have a good stock of crumbs for pasta bake toppings, stuffings, and veggie burger mixes.
Flours and Nut Meals
You can also make nut meals (ex: almond meal) in a food processor, and if you have a high-speed blender, you can also make whole-grain flours and nut and seed meals (ex: almond meal, flax meal). For flours, pulse/process until the mixture reaches a very fine texture. Nuts can turn to a paste quickly with overprocessing, so watch for that. Simply add 2–3 cups of raw nuts, and pulse/process until you reach a fine consistency. Rather than overload your blender or processor with large amounts of nuts/grains to process (which can get stuck and turn gummy), prep in smaller batches and just do several runs. If you’ve made a sizable batch of nut meals, store some in the freezer to optimize freshness.
Recipe Batch-Cooking
Prioritize time during the week to prepare large-yield recipes (or double-batch the recipes) that can be refrigerated or frozen in portions. Soups, veggie burgers, hummus recipes, nut cheeses, muffins, and healthy snack bars are some examples. If refrigerating, many recipes can be repurposed for another meal. For instance, Smoky Bean Chili (page 121) can be enjoyed as a standard stew one evening, then transformed into Ta-Quinos a couple of night later. To quickly prepare those Ta-Quinos (page 147), prep some quinoa in advance (see page 255). A double batch of hummus serves as lunch one day, and can be transformed into Hummus Tortilla Pizzas (page 138) another evening. Look for the batch recipe icon 
throughout this book to see which recipes cook up well in greater amounts, and the batch ingredient icon 
to see which ingredients you can ready ahead of time for easier recipe preparation.
Involving Your Children: Shopping, Recipe Preparation, Food Discussions
I’m often asked, “Do your kids cook with you?” I’d love to say, “Yes, all the time!” mostly because it evokes a loving, homey, idyllic image. Truth is, much of the time I’m preparing a lot of food, the girls are in school, at activities, or doing homework. I try to power through a lot of food prep in very productive windows during the day. Busy parents will understand that it’s not always easy to have the kids underfoot in the kitchen. Still, there are times when I do bring in one or more of the girls to help out with some simpler food prep. When you can afford time for more relaxed food prep, involve your kids, even if just for 10–15 minutes. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn about ingredients and where food comes from.
Allow your children to assist with food shopping. Before you hit the store, ask your children to choose one vegetable and one fruit, either something they already love or something new, they’d like to buy that day. If they go shopping with you, this is even easier, because they can scope the produce aisles with you and select something that appeals to them. They will feel empowered choosing and be more willing to try it.
Find other opportunities to simply talk to your children about food choices. Mealtimes are most obvious, but also after parties, at Halloween, and during the holidays. Open up that dialogue, and your children will become more invested in the foods you are choosing to eat as a family every day. The more they understand (at an age-appropriate level), the more they will feel connected from a health and environmental perspective, and of course on an ethical, compassionate level. This reinforces the choices as they mature into teen years and adulthood.
