Kitchen Essentials

Equipping your kitchen with useful cookware, tools, and appliances is helpful preparation for making most meals, drinks, and smoothies. Here are some basics that should be within reach.

Soaking and Cooking Beans and Grains

NOTE: Soaking beans and grains in water with cider vinegar makes them easier to digest and makes their nutrients more readily absorbable. The longer they soak, the more beneficial for digestion.

SOAKING BEANS AND LENTILS: In a large pot, bring 8 cups water and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 1 cup dry beans or lentils. Soak overnight, uncovered. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain well.

SOAKING RICE, QUINOA, AND MILLET: In a deep bowl, preferably glass, combine 2/3 cup rice (or quinoa or millet) in room-temperature water to come 4 inches above the rice (or quinoa or millet) and a couple drops of cider vinegar. Soak for at least 1½ hours and as long as 12 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain well.

CANNELLINI BEANS/CHICKPEAS/KIDNEY BEANS/BLACK BEANS

Makes 2 to 3 cups

1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups water and 1 cup of beans.

2. Over medium-low heat, bring the beans to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, adding water as needed, for 2 to 4 hours, until tender, stirring occasionally. Cooking time for black beans and chickpeas is 3½ to 4 hours; cooking time for cannellini beans and kidney beans is 2½ to 3 hours.

FRENCH LENTILS/BLACK LENTILS/MUNG BEANS

Makes 2 to 3 cups

1. In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water and 1 cup lentils or mung beans.

2. Over medium-low heat, bring the lentils or beans to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.

GREEN LENTILS

Makes 2 to 3 cups

1. In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water and 1 cup lentils.

2. Over medium-low heat, bring the lentils to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.

SHORT-GRAIN BROWN RICE

Makes 2 cups

1. In a small saucepan, combine ⅔ cup rice to 1⅓ cups water.

2. Over medium-low heat, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 14 to 18 minutes, until tender.

QUINOA AND MILLET

Makes 2 cups

1. In a small saucepan, combine ⅔ cup of quinoa or millet to 1⅓ cups water.

2. Over medium-low heat, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, until the grains are tender. Cooking time for quinoa is 14 to 16 minutes; cooking time for millet is 12 to 14 minutes.

NOTE: Soaking grains decreases cooking times.

Homemade Nut Milks

NOTE: For a consistency similar to that of whole milk, use 1½ cups almonds or shredded coconut. For a thicker consistency, increase the nuts or coconut flakes to 2 cups. In place of almonds, you can use almost any nut to make nut milk, such as cashews, brazil nuts, macademia nuts, pecans, and walnuts. If using cashews, they do not have to be strained (step 2) since they blend smooth.

ALMOND/COCONUT MILK

Makes 7 cups

1½ to 2 cups almonds or unsweetened shredded coconut

6 cups cold water (add more water for a thinner consistency)

For sweetened milk, add the following:

2 pitted dates

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves

1. In a high-powered blender, process all of the ingredients for 2 minutes.

2. Strain through a nut-milk bag and refrigerate in an airtight container. The milk will keep for about 5 days.