Stocking Your Vegan Pantry

The Topic: Stocking your pantry with vegan essentials with Associate Editor Jennifer Chen

The Dish: At the end of a long work day, cooking dinner is one of my favorite ways to relax. Lately, I've been really into making my own beans and seitan, and stocking up my pantry so that during the week most of the prep is already done. Here are my suggestions for keeping your vegan pantry ready to go for effortless weekday meals on the cheap.

Beans. I used to buy canned beans for convenience, but lately, I've been prepping my own beans. I personally love chickpeas and black beans, which are both so versatile in the kitchen. By buying dried beans in bulk, I can make cups and cups of beans versus one canned container. Soak your favorite beans overnight in two to three inches of water. Cook over low heat for an hour-and-a-half or longer, depending on the bean. Approximately one cup of dried beans will give you three cups cooked. If you have a copy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Appetite for Reduction cookbook, she has a great chart of bean cooking times. And if you love chickpeas, you have to try her Chickpea Piccata.

Seitan. At first, I was intimidated to make my own seitan until I tried Robin Robertson's recipe for basic seitan from 1,000 Vegan Recipes. It's so easy! Really. The main ingredient is vital wheat gluten, which you can find in the bulk section of a health food store or online from Bob's Red Mill. You can flavor it with anything you like. I stick to Robertson's simple additions of nutritional yeast and tamari for a juicy seitan "steak." I make about four pieces of seitan and freeze half for recipes to make later. Here's a basic homemade seitan recipe from Isa.

Tofu. I grew up eating plain tofu with a little bit of soy sauce on it so I love tofu in all forms. If you can get freshly made tofu, I urge you to buy it (such as local brands Hodo Soy and Tofu Yu)—the taste is entirely different. But if you can't, here are my tips for getting the most tofu for your buck. For vegan desserts such as Chocolate Mousse, buy silken tofu in Tetra Paks from a local Asian market. I bought 6 packs for 79 cents each since they have a long shelf life. For firm or extra-firm tofu, buy the packaged kind with two bricks of tofu in one pack so you can use one and save the other. 

Rice and grains. I always buy a huge bag of brown rice from Ranch 99, my local Asian grocery store. And by huge, I mean, it looks like a bag of dog food. While I don't eat rice at every meal, a large bag can cost about $20 and last me at least six months. For grains such as quinoa or millet, I frequent the bulk bins. Quinoa is actually a seed, and this little powerhouse packs protein like nobody's business and magnesium, which helps alleviate headaches by relaxing blood vessels. This little tidbit is especially helpful for someone like me who is deadly allergic to aspirin, or anyone who suffers from migraines.

Nuts. The bulk bin is the best bet for stocking up on almonds, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts. It's certainly not cheap to buy macadamia nuts ($17 a pound!), but for select recipes such as the Luscious Lasagna (Veganize It! November+December 2011), which calls for a macadamia-nut ricotta, the bulk bin is your friend. I've spent ample time buying nuts from Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and here are my top choices. Buy pine nuts from Trader Joe's rather than in bulk at Whole Foods since it's at least a dollar or two cheaper. The pre-packaged almonds and walnuts from the Whole Foods generic brand are cheaper than the bulk bin prices. Lastly, store your nuts in the freezer so they can last longer. The oils from nuts can turn rancid if left on a cabinet shelf, so your freezer is your best bet for fresh nuts.

The Final Word: By making some of your own ingredients and stocking up on vegan essentials, you can save big on your final grocery bill. The time and effort to make your own beans or seitan may outweigh the convenience of already prepared goods, but sometimes a splatter of elbow grease and DIY pluck can help you enjoy your home cooking just a little more.

Cheap Eats: Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

The Topic: How to cook an enviable, cheap and easy vegan version of spaghetti Bolognese using squash with Editorial Assistant Hilary Pollack

The Dish: I'm not the best cook at the VegNews offices, or at my own apartment, for that matter. However, there are a few dishes that I've mastered and managed to replicate time and time again to excellent critical reception. One of my greatest crowd-pleasers of all time is a spaghetti squash version of Spaghetti Bolognese, which is not only more healthful, but more interesting—and in my opinion, tastier—than the traditional stuff. Better yet, it's virtually fool-proof. Here's the lowdown on how I make mouths water without fail.


Easy Spaghetti Squash Bolognese

Serves 2

What You Need:
1/4 cup water
1 medium-sized spaghetti squash, halved with seeds removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 to 5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup vegan ground crumbles
1-1/2 cups prepared vegan marinara sauce
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup mozzarella-style vegan cheese (I use Daiya)

What You Do:
   1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add water. Invert one half of spaghetti squash on bowl, cut side down, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 8-1/2 minutes. 
   2. In a medium frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil, shallot, and garlic. Stir periodically until shallots and garlic are almost translucent, then add mushrooms and crumbles. Continue to stir periodically until crumbles and mushrooms darken slightly. Add marinara sauce, pepper, and salt, and allow to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring periodically. 
   3. Carefully remove plastic wrap from squash and flip over so that cut side is up, and allow to cool slightly. With a fork, comb sides of squash to extract noodle-like strands. Continue until all flesh has been separated into strands.
   4. In a large saucepan, add spaghetti squash strands and cheese. Add sauce and mix well. Serve hot!

The Final Word: This dish is super hearty and much healthier than carb-loaded white pasta. And, even a culinary dunce can whip it up without incident. If you want to make a fancier rendition, try roasting the spaghetti squash halves in the oven topped with olive oil and freshly ground pepper, or replace jarred sauce with our Homemade Marinara or the filling from our Bolognese Lasagna. Spaghetti squash is so easy, tasty, and versatile, it's hard not to get hooked. 

Culinary Adventures

The Topic: Refining your vegan culinary skills without breaking the bank with VN Office Manager Lyndsay Orwig

The Dish: This month, I will be celebrating my 10-year anniversary of being vegan. It feels like just yesterday when I made the decision to no longer eat animal products when I was a junior in high school, but when I really reflect on the last 10 years, I realize that my diet has changed since that time. For about the first five years of being vegan, I subsisted for the most part on convenient, pre-packaged food. This was mainly due to my being in school with little time on my hands, but since graduating, my culinary skills have definitely made a major leap in the right direction, and I'm happy to say that nearly 95 percent of the food in my fridge today is whole ingredients, and I cook a meal almost every night of the week. This has really taken a load off of my wallet, and I'm also much more fulfilled with my vegan lifestyle than I was during the first five years.

With my new love of cooking, I have dreamt of going to culinary school in order to perfect my skills in the kitchen, but I honestly don't see that happening—I can't just pull 25 grand from my back pocket, no matter how hard I wish. Luckily, I have figured out some great ways to hone my skills without spending too much. Here are three ways to become a super chef in your own kitchen, on the cheap:

1. Stock Up on Supplies and Staples

OK, this is more about preparation, but if you're not prepared, then there's no way that you will improve on your skills in the kitchen. I know it may seem like a daunting task to build your spice rack and to increase the amount of kitchen appliances that you own—I know, I've been there! To make it less daunting, I have followed the motto, "Steady goes it." I have been working on my spice collection for the past four years, and it is finally well-stocked. I have also done this with my appliances, acquiring some as Christmas and birthday gifts, and sometimes just saving up my money. And even though Williams Sonoma is a pretty sweet store, I would suggest you go somewhere else in order to save some dough. Even better, check out garage and yard sales, flea markets, and thrift stores—these could have some real treasures. And for spices and other staples? Repeat after me, "Buy in bulk."

2.Use Cookbooks as Your Guide

I have learned all my skills from my cookbooks, and just like with my staples and supplies, I have built my cookbook library steadily. OK, confession time, I am a cookbook fanatic, and in all honesty I have way too many. Seriously, they have literally taken over my small studio apartment, and I know my boyfriend is getting seriously annoyed with my cookbook-collecting ways. That being said, I won't give them up, because I have learned so much from them. However, you really just need a few to start with, and I would really suggest to get a more general vegan cookbook, which also contains a basic cooking skills section, such as Veganomicon or a 1,000 Vegan Recipes. If you don't have enough money to buy even a few cookbooks, then try the library.

3. Recipe Testing
This leads me to my next point—becoming a recipe tester! This is my newly discovered way of honing my culinary skills. I have been recipe testing for Robin Robertson for the last couple of months, and I have just started to recipe test for Joni Marie Newman's new cookbook. Excluding the great perks of recipe testing (being acknowledged, getting a free copy, and getting to know an awesome cookbook author), it's also a great way to learn new skills in the kitchen. Since becoming a tester, I have made a bouquet garni, and jam for my very first time. Unfortunately, the jam didn't turn out too well, but I was able to discuss the problem with the author, and received some good suggestions to succeed the next time I make an attempt. To become a recipe tester, check out various cookbook authors' blogs, as well as their Twitter and Facebook accounts.


Final Word: You don't have to go to culinary school in order to perfect your skills in the kitchen. You just need to practice, practice, practice! Participate in local vegan potlucks, and occasionally cook for friends and/or family members. The ones closest to you are usually the toughest critics, and nothing will make you a better cook than constructive criticism. Finally, be sure to cook food the you want to eat. That way everything you cook will be a spectacular treat!