Vegan and vegetarian doesn’t have to be boring. Hard to believe? Then check-out The Spicy Plant-Based Cookbook. Featuring 200 easy-to-make, plant-based recipes that transforms everyday meals from “blah” to “bam,” this book is perfect not only for vegan and vegetarian eaters but for anyone wanting to increase the number of plants into their diet and are looking to kick things up a notch by adding spicy flavors.
From Jalapeno Hash Browns to Mango Chili Sorbet, this book has recipes for every meal of the day and also includes a beginner-friendly guide to the plant-based diet (plant-based is plant-forward, but doesn’t necessarily require followers to cut all animal product options).
Here are some recipes to try.
Bourbon and Chili Brownies
yields 12 big brownies
This recipe yields dense, chewy brownies with spicy hints of chili and bourbon. Sprinkle extra chili powder on top after baking for extra heat.
4 ounces vegan chocolate, roughly chopped
1 stick vegan margarine, softened and cut into small cubes
1 cup granulated sugar
Egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup bourbon
1⁄2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8″ square baking pan.
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and margarine. Microwave 20 seconds at a time until melted; stir until smooth. (You can also melt the chocolate and margarine in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat.)
Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl. Add sugar and stir to combine.
Add egg replacer and stir until smooth. Add vanilla and bourbon, then stir.
Add flour, salt, cinnamon, and chili powder. Stir gently until smooth.
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, until just set in the middle and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean.
Let brownies cool before cutting.
Per Brownie
Serves 2
Calories: 218 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 31mg
Cajun Tempeh Po’Boy
This hot and spicy recipe makes two very large sandwiches, so bring your appetite—or you can save some for later.
1 (13-ounce) package tempeh, cut into small, bite-sized squares
1⁄2 cup olive oil
5 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium loaf French baguette, sliced crosswise and then lengthwise in half
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, cored and sliced
In a 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except bread, lettuce, and tomatoes. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
Assemble the sandwiches on bread by layering the tempeh, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Note: All “dressed” up
Traditional New Orleans po’boys are served either plain or dressed. Dressed means it’s topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise, but you can substitute Vegenaise to keep the sandwich vegan.
Mango-Citrus Salsa
Yields 2 cups
Salsa has a variety of uses, and this recipe adds color and variety to your usual chips and dip or Mexican dishes. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro and enjoy with tortilla chips.
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
2 medium tangerines, peeled and chopped
1⁄2 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1⁄2 medium red onion, peeled and minced
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1⁄2 medium jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Gently toss to mix well.
Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. Store any leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It’s the third in their series of cookbooks, the first two of which were both New York Times bestsellers. Tam, who holds a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of California, develops recipes based upon the Cantonese meals her mother cooked for the family when she was growing up and the immigrant cuisine of the San Francisco Bay area where she grew up as well as such American teen basics as cheeseburgers and French fries.
Tam and Fong operate on the premise that weeknight suppers should be healthy and flavor-packed as well as fast and simple. Weekends and celebrations, on the other hand, are the perfect excuse to craft elevated (but easy) crowd-pleasers. Nom Paleo Let’s Go! offers crazy-delicious recipes for all occasions, and every single one is free of grains, gluten, dairy, and refined sugar.
Fong is an attorney who does the photography and illustrations for their books as well as the over all design. In all, they both seem to have a lot of fun in the kitchen and in writing their cookbooks.
All three books coordinate with a multitude of specialty diets—paleo, keto-friendly, vegan, nut-free, Whole30, and plant-based and every single recipe is free of grains, gluten, refined sugar, and dairy. But if it all sounds too healthy, no one you’re cooking for needs to know how nutritious the dishes are. And they won’t know based on the taste either as it’s all seriously yummy.
As always, Nom Nom Paleo’s recipes reflect the diverse cuisines Michelle grew up with and culinary ideas from her travels. Often Asian-inspired, Michelle’s unfussy recipes maximize flavor, optimize whole foods, and are presented with photos of each step so they’re absolutely foolproof–even for novice cooks! New recipes include: Cantonese Roast Duck, Nom Nom Chili Crisp, Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole, Chicken Karaage, Instant Pot Balsamic Beef Stew, and Paleo-Friendly Cream Puffs.
Hash Brown Fish
Umami Stir Fry Powder
⅔ cup dehydrated chopped scallions
6½ tablespoons kosher salt
¼ cup dried shiitake mushroom powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Hash Brown Fish
1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled
½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup avocado oil or ghee, divided
2 teaspoons umami stir fry powder or kosher salt, divided
Four 5-ounce skinless sea bass or cod fillets, each about ¾-inch thick
1 lemon, cut into wedges
MAKE THE UMAMI STIR FRY POWDER (IF DESIRED): Toss all of the ingredients into a mini food processor or spice grinder. Blend to make a fine powder, scraping down the sides occasionally to make sure the dehydrated green onions are totally powderized. (This seasoning will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.)
MAKE THE HASH BROWN FISH: Grate the potatoes with a food processor or by using the large holes of a box grater.
Bundle the shredded potatoes in a clean kitchen towel. Then, wring out the potatoes and discard the liquid.
In a large bowl, toss together the shredded potatoes, scallions and 1 teaspoon of umami stir fry powder or kosher salt.
Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the other teaspoon of umami stir fry powder or kosher salt on the fish fillets.
Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, and then add 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee to the hot pan.
Add two ⅓-cup mounds of potatoes to the pan and flatten them into rectangles, approximating the size of your fish fillets.
Smush a fish fillet onto each potato layer and cover each one with a thin layer of shredded potatoes.
Fry for 5 to 8 minutes or until the bottom layer of potatoes is crisp and golden brown.
Carefully flip the fillet packets over with a fish spatula and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes on the other side.
Once the other potato layer is nicely browned and the center of the fish registers 135°F on an instant-read thermometer, transfer to a plate.
Repeat steps 6 to 11 with the remaining fish and potatoes and serve with lemon wedges.
Ginger Scallion Sauce
This salty, herbaceous condiment is exponentially greater than the sum of its parts. It’s traditionally served with whole poached chicken, but growing up, I would put it on everything! This sauce is transformative, lending massive flavor to any savory dish.
Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 cup finely minced scallions
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ cup avocado oil
Method:
Toss the scallions, ginger, salt, and white pepper in a large heat-proof bowl or 2-cup measuring cup.
Stir it all together.
In a small saucepan over high heat, warm the oil until it’s shimmering but not quite smoking.
Add a tiny piece of scallion to test the heat of the oil. If you see lots of little bubbles, the oil’s ready. (Or just check that the oil reaches 375°F on an instant-read thermometer.)
Pour the hot oil into the scallion and ginger mixture a little at a time. It’ll sizzle and boil, so be careful!
Stir well and let the sauce cool to room temperature. The sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks or frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months.
All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
Despite its name, my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce isn’t just for stir-fries: it’s a fundamental component in recipes of all kinds. This ultra-versatile sauce keeps in the refrigerator
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut aminos
½ cup fresh orange or pineapple juice
¼ cup paleo-friendly fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a measuring cup or jar. Mix it all together.
Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
Makes 8 servings
½ cup plum, peach, or apricot jam, sweetened only with fruit juice
¼ cup coconut aminos
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon honey (optional, not Whole30)
1 teaspoon paleo-friendly fish sauce
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
Pour the jam into a small saucepan. To stay paleo-friendly, be sure to use a high-quality, 100% fruit jam.
Next, toss in the coconut aminos, tomato paste, almond butter, honey (if desired), fish sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, and ground ginger.
Whisk the marinade as you heat it to a simmer over medium heat.
Once the marinade is bubbling and smooth, transfer it to a measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature. (Not ready to roast the pork? You can store the sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days.)
Next, prepare the pork. Blot the pork shoulder with a paper towel. Then, slice the pork shoulder into 2-inch strips of even thickness.
The pork strips should be roughly uniform in size. It’s fine to have fatty pieces of pork because: (1) it’s tasty, and (2) you don’t want to end up with dry char siu. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of kosher salt all over the pork pieces.
Place the pork in a large bowl or in a zippered food storage bag. Pour all except ⅓ cup of the cooled marinade onto the pork. Cover and refrigerate the reserved marinade.
Use your hands to coat the marinade all over the pork strips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 2 to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to roast the pork, heat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position. Arrange the pork on an oven-safe wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping the pork pieces at the halfway point. Take the pork out of the oven and increase the temperature to 400°F.
Brush half of the reserved marinade on the tops of the pork pieces. Pour enough water into the bottom of the pan so that you have a thin layer coating the bottom. This will keep the drippings from burning while the pork cooks.
Roast for 25 minutes. Then, flip the pork pieces over and brush on the remaining marinade. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the pork is slightly charred on the edges. Rest the pork for 10 minutes, and then slice against the grain into bite-size pieces.
Arrange the pork on a serving dish and garnish with 2 sliced scallions, if desired.
Sheet Pan Pineapple Chicken
Serves 4
This easy sheet pan meal is my riff on Huli Huli Chicken, a classic Hawaiian barbecue staple featuring a sweet and savory sauce made with pineapple juice, ketchup, and soy sauce. Believe me: no one can resist a pan of sticky chicken and pineapple, especially when it’s re-imagined with healthier, paleo-friendly ingredients. Don’t substitute fresh pineapple and ginger for canned pineapple and ground ginger! The fresh stuff contains enzymes that break down proteins, so if you use ’em, they’ll make your chicken mushy!
Ingredients
1 (13.5-ounce) can pineapple rings in pineapple juice
½ cup paleo-friendly ketchup
½ cup coconut aminos
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon paleo-friendly fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
5 garlic cloves, minced
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Method:
Open up the pineapple can and set aside the pineapple rings.
Pour ½ cup of the pineapple juice from the can into a large measuring cup. (We won’t be using the rest.)
Add the ketchup, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey, fish sauce, sesame oil to the pineapple juice in the measuring cup. Toss in the ground ginger and minced garlic. Whisk it all together to form a marinade.
Place the chicken in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Pour in ½ cup of the marinade. Set aside the remaining marinade.
Toss the chicken well. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to a day in the fridge.
In the meantime, pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer for about 20 minutes until the liquid has thickened into a sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside. You should now have about 1 cup of sauce.
Set aside about ¼ cup of the sauce to baste the chicken, and save the rest to serve with the finished dish.
Heat the oven to 400°F on convection mode or 425°F on regular mode with the rack in the middle.
Arrange the chicken thighs and the pineapple rings in a single layer on a rimmed, greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes. Then, rotate the tray and brush the reserved ¼ cup of cooked sauce onto the chicken thighs and pineapple rings.
Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the thickest part of the thighs register 165°F on a meat thermometer.
Garnish the chicken and pineapple with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with the reserved sauce!
Mighty Sesame Whole Seed Squeeze and Serve Tahini taps into the growing popularity of tahini, a paste made from ground sesame seeds. An important ingredient in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, sales of tahini are expected to grow by $ 279. 96 million between 2020-2024 according to Reportlinker.com.
In the past, tahini was used as a sauce for falafels, but now is used as an ingredient in cooking (see recipe below) as well as a condiment for raw veggies, toast, falafel, and burgers that can also be used in place of butter and mayonnaise. Nutrient-rich with calcium, magnesium, zinc, and iron as well as a good source of vitamins and antioxidants, like B1 and E, good fats, fiber, and protein, the Mighty Sesame Co. makes two types—their Organic Original Squeezable & Ready and now a new spicy Harissa flavor. Both are organic, vegan, gluten and dairy-free, kosher, and halal.
The Mighty Sesame Co.’s website, www.mightysesame.com, features recipes showing how to incorporate tahini into a wide selection of dishes from dips to entrees to desserts. Included are tahini strawberry banana smoothie, creamy hummus, tahini caramel cups, tahini walnut brownies, tahini coleslaw, grilled sweet potatoes with tahini basil vinaigrette, and fish tacos with tahini and sriracha.
All Mighty Sesame tahini varieties are ready-to-use with just a shake and a squeeze, no stirring required. It is packed with protein and contains 260mg of calcium per serving. Organic, vegan, gluten- and dairy-free, kosher, and halal, it is a 100 percent guilt-free option for everyone.
The TruffleHunter is a United Kingdom based company that sources white and black truffles from both Europe and southern England and creates small-batch truffle products ranging from dairy and cheese to snacks. For the latter, think their vegan and gluten-free Black Truffle Popcorn, Black Truffle Crisps—thinly sliced English potatoes fried in small batches and dusted with Black Truffle Powder, and the more esoteric Black Truffle Seaweed Tempura.
Other products include truffle oils, popcorn, salts, mustard, honey and mayonnaise and have also introduced vegan friendly Black Truffle BBQ Sauce and Black Truffle Hot Sauce. Both ae good for drizzling over vegetables, burgers, meats, and fries, use as a dipping sauce or to flavor other foods with the taste of truffles.
TruffleHunter products are available through Amazon now as well and interestingly are stocked in a temperature controlled warehouse so there’s no huge overseas shipping charges.
For this decadent Toastie, preheat a skillet or heavy-duty griddle. In another small frying pan melt half your butter and add in your chopped mushrooms, rosemary and truffle sauce. Sauté for 5-10 minutes and then start building your Toastie layers.
Layer some kraut on the bottom, followed by a generous handful of rocket. Next your truffle mushrooms and top with a big slice of ripe brie.
Finally brush the remaining butter onto the outer sourdough and place into your hot skillet. Place another heavy pan or an iron grill press on top.
Cook for 4-5 mins and turn at least once during cooking.
“People are eating African American food every day, but they don’t know it,” Angela Shelf Medearis says to me when we chat on the phone. In part, she’s talking about James Hemings who, in the complicated way of slavery, trained in the culinary arts in Paris and became a noted chef de cuisine and yet lived most of his life enslaved. Hemings either created or introduced a variety of the foods we eat now such as macaroni and cheese, ice cream, French fries, meringues, crème brulée, and French-style whipped cream. Another dish he created that we don’t eat regularly if at all is his handwritten recipe for snow eggs–soft, poached meringue, set in puddles of crème anglaise.
Hemings was the son of Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman and John Wayles, the man who “owned” her. The two had six children together. Wayles also had a more traditional family and his daughter Martha married a plantation owner named Thomas Jefferson. Thus, James was the half-brother of Martha Jefferson who “inherited” James (that’s so creepy I even hate writing it) when Wayles died. James was eight when they all came to live at Monticello. His youngest sister, Sally was just an infant. To make matters even more complex, after Martha died and Sally reached some type of maturity—she was probably in her mid-teens, she became Jefferson’s mistress and had six children by him, four of whom lived to adulthood.
So, Sally Hemmings was Martha Jefferson’s half-sister, and her children were half-siblings to Martha and Thomas’s children. I mention all this not only to show how helpless enslaved people were as to what happened to their bodies but also to show how intertwined Black and White families were and how the foodways of both merged.
But while Hemings introduced the Frenchified cookery to America,
Medearis, the founder of Diva Productions, Inc., the organization that produces her multicultural children’s books, cookbooks, videos, and audiocassettes, points out that people weren’t eating black-eyed peas before Africans arrive in this country.
“Back then they even thought tomatoes were poisonous,” she says. “But when they shipped slaves, they also shipped the foods they ate with them because that was a cheap way to feed them,” she says. “The recipes for those foods traveled from one place to the other. If they stopped in the Caribbean or South America before coming here, then the recipes changed with the foods and spices available and the types of cooking techniques.”
“I only cooked enough that social services wouldn’t come and take away my children,” she says with a laugh. But her mother, after she retired, decided she wanted to market her raisin pie for some extra income.
While her mother and sister did the cooking, Medearis who often wears feather boas during her TV appearances and on her PBS cooking show and isn’t shy about being in the limelight, did the marketing.
But when her mother and sister decided to quit, Medearis knew she had to learn to cook if she wanted to keep her food business going.
Now she’s so full force that celebrity chef and restauranteur Bobby Flay arrived for a Jerk Chicken Throwdown while she was marinating jerk chicken for a family get. It was for his Food Network show Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
Who won I ask?
“My chicken had been marinating for hours,” Medearis replies. “He just arrived from Manhattan and threw some spices on his chicken. It burned. I beat Bobby.”
Though she originally didn’t cook Medearis had written several loved historic research. Did I know that George Washington Carver drove a food wagon around to introduce people to healthy foods?
No. I knew that Carver, who famously said, “There is probably no subject more important than the study of food,” was born a slave and became a botanist, author, educator and agriculturalist. He also collaborated with auto magnate Henry Ford on growing peanuts and soybeans.
And don’t even get her started on Carver and black-eyed peas.
“Black-eyed peas, okra, peanuts and sesame seeds, and the oil they produce, are documented contributions from Africa via the slave trade to our American cuisine,” she writes in her syndicated column. “I prepared black-eyed peas any number of ways while doing research for my first cookbook.”
That would be The African-American Kitchen: Cooking from Our Heritage, a best seller that even now 30 years later is considered a standard on the foodways African Americans bought to this country. The problem though was getting it published. Her award winning children’s books were published by Dutton and when she brought the idea for her cookbook, she found an editor there who loved the book. But the editor at the next level turned it down, saying he’d published an African American cookbook almost 30 years earlier and no one bought it. He didn’t think the country was ready for another.
What’s a Kitchen Diva to do? Make a peach pie, of course, as it’s representative of both Black and Southern food history.
“You could hardly get a peach pie anywhere back then in Manhattan,” says Medearis. Wrapping up both the peach pie and the manuscript, separately we presume, she sent both off to the publishing company.
She got the contract.
“That book sold so many copies it was crazy,”
Overall, she’s written 107 books seven of which seven are cookbooks. Published in seven languages, she’s sold a total of 14 million books. But despite that, she’s not ready to stop.
“People ask me when I’m going to retire,” says Medearis who lives in Austin, Texas. “Why should I? I’m having a lot of fun with it. I’m doing what I want to do.”
Creole Chicken Stew
Makes 8 Servings
“This is a quick and healthy version of New Orleans-style gumbo,” writes Medearis about this recipe, which was published in her book, the . “Using frozen vegetables is a real time-saver when making this tasty stew; it’s also the perfect way to use kohlrabi when in season. Select small, tender okra pods for this recipe, and don’t slice them until right before you add them to the stew.”
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
¼ cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons diced seeded jalapeño chile
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup peeled cubed Yukon Gold potatoes or kohlrabi, or a combination
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup halved okra or frozen cut okra
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 green onions, chopped, including green parts
In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the yellow onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, jalapeño, salt, pepper, and thyme and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a plate, leaving as much oil in the pot as possible. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil. Stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour begins to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Gradually whisk in the broth and cook for another 5 minutes, whisking until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the chicken, potatoes or kohlrabi, and zucchini. Return the sautéed vegetables to the pan. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.
Add the okra and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Serve over ½ cup of rice per person and sprinkle with the green onions.
Kitchen Diva: Tap Your Inner Chef With DIY Recipes
Angea Medearis, the Kitchen Diva, wrote one of her syndicated columns on creating Do-It-Yourself recipes.
“Basically, a DIY dinner recipe is about finding a way to retain the flavors of the recipes you love while using the ingredients that you have on hand,” Medearis writes. “If you have always wanted to free yourself from the restraints of a recipe, now is the time to do it! Think of the current lack of ingredients as permission to tap into your inner chef.”
To ease into creating your own DIY dinner recipes, Medearis suggests starting by making a pot of chowder.
“No one really knows the origin of the term chowder,” she writes, “but whether it came from French, Caribbean, Portuguese or Brazilian cooks, the basic meaning is connected to the large pot that the meal is cooked in.”
Medearis is a history buff paritcularly when it comes to food.
“Chowders were introduced to North America by immigrants from France and England more than 250 years ago. Native Americans called the dish ‘chawder’.” she says noting the word interpreted as “chowder” by early settlers and fishermen in New England.
“The original versions of the dish consisted of a pot filled with a mixture of fresh fish, salt pork, leftover hardened biscuits (which were used as a thickener), onions, water and whatever spices were available, writes Medearis. “A chowder is a delicious way to use the ingredients you have on hand to create a meal that does not require extensive prep or simmering for hours. My recipe for Seafood and Sweet Corn Chowder uses the basic techniques.”
My recipe for Seafood and Sweet Corn Chowder uses the basic techniques for making a chowder, but is designed to accommodate the need to vary ingredients based upon what you have on hand or what you can purchase at the store.
Whether you decide to make a seafood or vegetarian chowder, feel free to create your own version of this DIY dinner.
SEAFOOD AND SWEET CORN CHOWDER
If you don’t have all the vegetables, seafood or spices on hand, omit or substitute the ingredient with what you do have. This chowder will still be delicious without it!
3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1/2 cup (about l large stalk) chopped celery
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried dill or tarragon, or 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth, seafood stock, clam juice, bouillon fish base or water
1 to 2 large Russet potatoes, or 3 red skin or Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 2-inch cubes, about 2 to 3 cups
2 large carrots, chopped
2 cups frozen corn, thawed, or 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel or cream-style corn, or 6 ears sweet corn, husk and silk removed, or frozen corn on the cob, thawed with kernels cut from the cobb
2 cups heavy cream, half and half
Whole milk or 2 (14-ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 3/4 to 2 cups fully cooked, skinless salmon chunks, or 1 can (14 3/4 ounces) salmon, drained, flaked, bones and skin removed, or 1 to 2 cups fresh or frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, cooked peeled and deveined shrimp, or cooked crab meat (checked for pieces of shell) or a combination of the seafood equaling 1 3/4 to 2 cups.
1. Place the butter or oil into a large saucepan or Dutch oven placed over medium heat. Add in the celery, onion, green bell pepper, garlic or garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper, dill, tarragon or dill pickle juice, and the cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Saute, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the broth, stock, juice or water, potatoes, carrots and the remaining teaspoon of he salt and pepper. Cover and bring the chowder to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low; stir the mixture, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are nearly tender. Stir in the corn, cream or milk, and the salmon, shrimp or cooked crab meat (or a combination of seafood). Simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.
4. Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped parsley or green onions. Serve with toasted French bread or crackers. Serves 6
Here’s the Jerk Chicken recipe that won the Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
Combine the oil and vinegar in a medium glass bowl. Stir in the orange and lime juice, molasses, soy sauce, cilantro, green onions, garlic, chili, bay leaves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, sage,thyme, allspice, pepper, and nutmeg.
Place the chicken pieces in a large baking pan and pour the spice mixture over them, coating each piece well. Cover with plastic wrap and place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate 12 hours or overnight, turning once.
Allow the chicken pieces to come to room temperature before grilling. Heat the grill until the coals are somewhat white with ash; the flame should be low. Place the chicken on the grill and cover with the lid. Grill for 30 to 35 minutes, turning pieces to cook evenly. Baste pieces with remaining marinade.
In her debut cookbook The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook: Wholesome, Indulgent Plant-Based Recipes, Nisha Vora, the popular food blogger, photographer and content creator at Rainbow Plant Life, shows how to quickly put together delicious and nutritious dinners in an instant pot pressure cooker. A proponent of exciting, beautiful and tasty vegan cuisine, Vora, a graduate of Harvard Law School, left her law career behind and created Rainbow Plant Life, a vegan Instagram account, blog, and YouTube channel. Her colorful and easy-to-use cookbook features 90+ vegan and wholesome recipes made in the Instant Pot. Vora also includes:
Plenty of gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and
refined-sugar-free recipes (80-85% of recipes are gluten-free)
An in-depth guide to using your Instant Pot,
including troubleshooting tips and cook time charts
My vegan pantry staples and essential cooking
tips
Full color design with my signature vibrant food
photography
A little wit and humor peppered in between
detailed, step-by-step recipes
2
tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral, high-heat cooking oil
2 medium
yellow onions, peeled and halved
4-inch piece
fresh ginger, thinly sliced
3 cardamom
pods, lightly smashed with the back of a knife
3 whole star
anise pods
4 whole
cloves
1 cinnamon
stick
1 tablespoon
coriander seeds
1 teaspoon
fennel seeds
1⁄2 teaspoon
whole black peppercorns
1 Fuji
apple, peeled and cut into large chunks
1⁄2 cup
fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2
tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon
coconut sugar
2 cups
sliced shiitake mushroom caps (5 to 6 ounces)
8 cups
low-sodium vegetable broth (you can substitute water for up to 4 cups)
1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more to taste
Toppings
1 (6- or
8-ounce) block baked tofu, cut into cubes (I used a five-spice flavor, which
went really well with the other flavors)
3 scallions,
sliced on the diagonal
1 cup Thai
basil leaves, torn up
1 cup
cilantro leaves, torn up
2 limes, cut
into wedges
2 cups bean
sprouts
Thinly
sliced hot chile peppers or Sriracha
*You can find pho noodles in well-stocked grocery stores or
any Asian market. They come in various thickness, ranging from 1⁄16 inch
(narrow) to 1⁄4 inch (wide).
Place the dried rice noodles in a large bowl, cover with
warm water, and soak until the noodles are pliable and opaque, 30 to 45
minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them to remove excess starch.
(Alternatively, cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package.)
Meanwhile, prepare the Broth: Select the Sauté́ setting on the
Instant Pot and, after a few minutes, add the oil. Once the display reads
“HOT,” add the onions and ginger slices, cut side down. Do not toss and allow
to cook until charred and deeply browned, about 4 minutes.
Add the whole spices (cardamom pods through black
peppercorns) and cook for 1 minute, stirring the mixture frequently. Add the
apple, cilantro, tamari, coconut sugar, and shiitakes. Pour the vegetable broth
and/or water on top and stir to combine.
Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing.
Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 15
minutes.
Once the 15-minute timer has completed and beeps, allow a
natural pressure release for
10 minutes and then switch the Pressure Release knob from
Sealing to Venting to release any remaining steam.
Open the pot and, using oven mitts, remove the inner pot.
Carefully strain the broth into a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl
(discard the solids). Season the broth with 1 teaspoon salt, stir, and taste.
Add more salt as needed.
Place the cooked rice noodles in individual bowls. Pour over
the strained broth and add the baked tofu cubes. Top the pho with the
scallions, basil, cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, and chiles or Sriracha.
Chinese Takeout-Style Tofu and Broccoli
Marinated Tofu
1 (14-ounce)
block extra-firm tofu
3
tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons
Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce
1 teaspoon
toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons
rice vinegar (also known as rice wine vinegar)
Ginger-Chili Sauce
1⁄4 cup
reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1⁄4 cup
agave nectar or coconut nectar (or maple syrup, but that will have a more
robust, less neutral flavor)
2
tablespoons water
1 1⁄2
tablespoons Sriracha or similar chili-garlic sauce
1 tablespoon
toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon
rice vinegar
1 1⁄2-inch
piece fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
For Finishing:
1 1⁄2
tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral, high-heat cooking oil
2 medium
heads broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
2
tablespoons cornstarch
White rice
or brown rice (for serving)
Marinate the tofu: Drain the tofu and cut into 4 slabs.
Place the tofu on a cutting board lined with paper towels. Place more paper
towels on top of the tofu and weight them down with a few heavy cookbooks or a
heavy skillet filled with a few cans of beans. Let sit for at least 30 minutes
or ideally 1 hour, changing the paper towels in between to drain all the
moisture. Cut the tofu into 3⁄4-inch cubes.
Place the tofu in a gallon-size zip-top bag and add the
tamari, Sriracha, sesame oil, and vinegar. Toss to combine and let the tofu
rest in the marinade for 5 minutes, massaging occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the ginger-chili sauce: In a medium bowl,
whisk together the tamari, agave nectar, water, the Sriracha, sesame oil,
vinegar, and ginger until well combined.
Finish the dish: Select the Sauté́ setting on the Instant
Pot and let the pot heat up for a few minutes before adding the grapeseed oil.
Once the display reads “HOT,” use a slotted spoon or fork to carefully transfer
the marinated tofu to the pot. Cook the tofu for 1 1⁄2 minutes undisturbed. Use
a spatula to flip and cook the tofu until it starts to brown on all sides, 3 to
4 minutes total. Add
the ginger-chili sauce and stir to combine. Select the Cancel setting.
Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing.
Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 3
minutes.
Once the 3-minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a
quick pressure release by carefully switching the Pressure Release knob from
Sealing to Venting.
Open the pot. Add the broccoli florets to the tofu and stir
with the sauce to combine. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to
Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting to low pressure and set the cook time
to 1 minute. Once the 1-minute timer has completed and beeps, carefully perform
another quick pressure release.
In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup
water, whisking until combined without any lumps. Select the Sauté́ setting and
press the Sauté́ button again until you reach Less heat. Add the cornstarch
slurry to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook, stirring gently,
until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve the tofu and broccoli over rice.
Ifyougo:
What: Nisha Vora
A Talk & Demo with Nisha Vora
When: Sunday,
July 21 at 2 to 4 p.m.
Where: Read
It and Eat, 2142 N Halsted St., Chicago, IL
Cost: 1
Ticket + 1 Book $44.26; 2 Tickets + 1 Book $64.26; Book Only