Vegan Mac & Cheese

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Check out this creamy, cheesy Mac recipe. This recipe can be nut free if you decide to use a vegan cheese without nuts. Many vegan Mac & cheese recipes call for nutritional yeast, potatoes (for cream) and carrots (for color). This is simple and utilizes locally made vegan cheese!

This recipe has been adapted from the Crowded Kitchen recipe.

Ingredients

• Macaroni pasta: gluten free or regular macaroni both work fine.

• Vegan Butter

• Gluten free all purpose flour: or regular all purpose flour if you're not gluten free.

• Vegan milk: Opt for plain, unsweetened plant-based milk. (Be sure to check the ingredient label as some unsweetened nut milks still contain vanilla flavoring!) We prefer oat milk in this recipe for its neutral flavor.

• Salt

• Pepper (optional)

• Vegan cheese: we use shredded vegan cheddar cheese in this recipe. You can use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella, or one or the other. We've tried this recipe with a few different store-bought options and they've all worked well!

  • A few of our favorite brands for shredded vegan cheese that actually melts: VioLife, Daiya, and Follow Your Heart. *Note: some vegan cheeses contain nuts so be sure to read the label if you have an allergy.

  • You can use local brands such as cashew-based Cultured Kindness, which offers otions like Gouda or Havarti. These come in soft rounds, so its best to cut them into smaller pieces and mix in slowly.

Instructions

1. Get your macaroni cooking in salted water. We use 1 teaspoon of salt for every 4 cups of water. Cook until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, start the cheese sauce by melting the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it's melted, add in the gluten free flour and whisk well until it forms a smooth paste.

3. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking while you add it, until no lumps remain. Let simmer for a few minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn.

4. Whisk in the salt, pepper and vegan cheese. Vegan cheese takes a bit longer to melt and fully incorporate, so be patient and keep stirring! After a few minutes of whisking over medium-low heat, you'll have a super smooth, creamy, velvety cheese sauce.

5. Add in the cooked macaroni and stir well until fully coated.

Vegan Tempeh & Avocado Ruebens

Vegan Tempeh & Avocado Ruebens

Thanks to Dani Adelman, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Dani’s recipe, Dani will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! Submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

This recipe is mostly my husband's creation, with inspiration from others. It's evolved quite a bit over the years. We love to pair this with a fresh butter lettuce salad with oil, balsamic and vegan brazil nut parmesan. It's also great with a side of roasted potatoes. I used quite a few People's Co-op ingredients, including most of the bulk spices and others.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Sandwiches and fixin’s

8 slices of Ezekiel bread (or your favorite)

Sauerkraut (preferably homemade!)

Pickled onions (preferably homemade!)

Vegan butter 

Tempeh 

8 oz tempeh (preferably in bulk from People’s Co-op!)

1/2 cup veggie broth  

1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, grated  

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp smoked paprika 

1 tsp onion powder 

1 tsp caraway seeds (optional)

2 tsp tamari, shoyu or soy sauce 

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 

1 Tbsp vegan worcestershire 

Sauce

3/4 tsp coriander 

1 1/4 tsp hot sauce and/or 1/2-1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon

3 Tbsp Ketchup

3 Tbsp Vegenaise 

Avocado Spread 

1 large avocado 

1/2 tsp garlic salt (use less to start and adjust to your taste)

1-2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast (use less to start and adjust to your taste)

Squeeze of lemon 

Directions

Mix all tempeh ingredients except the tempeh in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. 

Cut the tempeh in half vertically so you have 2 rectangular pieces. Then cut the rectangular pieces in half through the middle so you end up with 4 thinner pieces. Cut remaining pieces into whatever shapes you’d like (triangles or squares) — you should have about 8 total pieces. 

Put the tempeh pieces into a shallow container and add the marinade. Make sure all the tempeh gets coated. Let it sit for 30 min. 

In the meantime, mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge. 

Then, make your avocado spread. Mash avocado in a bowl. Add garlic salt, nutritional yeast and lemon and mix it up. Set aside in the fridge. 

When the tempeh is ready, heat a large pan on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add the tempeh (reserve the marinade for later!) and cook until browning — about 3-5 min. Flip and cook the same on the other side. Add more oil if necessary. Toward the end of the cooking, add the reserved marinade and cook until it’s all been absorbed. 

Remove tempeh from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate. Wipe out your pan as best you can.

Now it’s time to assemble the Reubens! 

Lightly butter both sides of all 8 slices of bread. Place 4 slices on the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned. Flip and add 1/2 of your sauce to the cooked side of all 4 slices. Add sauerkraut and pickled onions to two of the slices and top with two pieces of tempeh each. Add 1/2 of the avocado spread to the other two slices of bread and let it finish browning. 

Flip the avocado slices onto the tempeh/sauerkraut slices to form your sandwiches and cook another couple minutes on each side until everything is nice and brown. Really press it down to get it cooking and held together.

Repeat this process if making 4 sandwiches.

Cut sandwiches in half and enjoy!

No-Bake Chocolate Avocado Fudge

No-Bake Chocolate Avocado Fudge

Thanks to Alice Ma, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Alice’s recipe, Alice will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! Submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

I created this recipe when I first started moving towards a vegan lifestyle in 2015. I wasn't familiar with how vegan desserts were made, and this was a super easy first try! This recipe holds an extra place in my heart because it helped me make a lot of friends when I first moved to Moscow, Idaho. I started a plant-based, budget-friendly cooking class series with the Moscow Food Co-op and this was part of the dessert class.It was by far, the most impressive recipe of the whole class series and having people love my food and give me such great feedback on a class I totally made up made me feel like such a part of the community that was new and foreign to me. I taught that same class for three years until the pandemic put a stop to it, but I also slowly became more involved with the Moscow Food Co-op through this class and ended up being President of the Board of Directors. In a way, this recipe launched my friendships and love for my Co-op. Now, eight years later, I have uprooted my life again to move to Portland. I am glad to see we have more than one Co-op here and love the atmosphere of People's.

Recipe

Serves 20-25

This recipe is no-bake, so it's great for hot weather when you want sweets but don't want to turn on the oven!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup nut or seed butter, melted slightly to make blending easier
• 1/2 cup mashed avocado (1/2 of a large avocado or one whole small one)
• 1 cup cocoa or carob powder
• 1/2 cup maple syrup, agave, or brown rice syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract
• Optional: 3/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except nuts in a mixing bowl or food processor and mix
until smooth. Fold in chopped nuts. Spread mixture evenly in a baking dish or pan lined with
parchment paper. Freeze for approximately one hour, or until firm. Slice into 20-25 squares.

Corn Summer Salad

Corn Summer Salad

Thanks to Selene Jones, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Selene’s recipe, selene will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

Growing up, summer was always my favorite time of year. Summer meant no school, days spent in the public pool, sleepaway camp, and all my favorite fruits and veggies. I still love summer, except work doesn’t stop, I haven’t found an adult sleepaway camp, and I can’t spend every second at the pool. One thing that hasn’t changed is my excitement for all my favorite seasonal fruits and veggies finally being available at the farmers’ markets. 

Fresh corn is one of my absolute favorite summer foods. Whether grilled, steamed, or raw, I can’t get enough corn in the summer. When I was in high school, my mom’s best friend brought over this corn summer salad for one of our summer BBQs, and my mind was blown. It had fresh corn, tomatoes, another one of my favorite fruits, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. It was the perfect side dish for any summer meal. My mom’s friend gave us the recipe, and together, my mom and I made it almost every week all summer. 

When I think about corn salad, I think about community and how a simple dish can unite us. Last year I moved to a small house in South Tabor, to a quiet neighborhood where I didn’t know any of my neighbors. Slowly over the last couple of months, as the days got longer and hotter, I started to meet and connect with the little community on my block. Last weekend we had a block party, and I knew exactly what I wanted to bring. The corn salad was a hit and reminded me how food can play an essential part in bringing us together. 

There have been some tweaks to the recipe over the years, but the heart of it has stayed the same; corn and tomatoes with some olive oil and basil! I hope you share and enjoy this dish with your family and friends. It is perfect as a side for those summer potlucks and BBQs. Mix it with fresh spring mix to make it a more traditional salad. Or grill the corn before taking it off the cob to give it a smoky flavor. You can do so much with this recipe, so make it your own. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Large ears of fresh corn (shucked and sliced off the cob) 

• 1 basket of cherry tomatoes (halved)  

• 1 shallot (diced) (can substitute ½  red onion)

• 8-10 leaves of basil (roughly chopped) 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

• ½ teaspoon of salt 

• 1 lime or ½ lemon juice 

• Fresh pepper to taste 

• (Optional) Fresh mozzarella balls cut into bite-sized pieces 

• (Optional) One whole avocado (cut into small cubes) 

Recipe:

Shuck the corn and cut the corn off the cob into a bowl. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, diced shallot, roughly chopped basil leaves, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good mix. If you are adding mozzarella or avocado, throw those in the bowl and mix again. Serve and enjoy!

Romano Bean Salad

Romano Bean Salad

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients

2 quarts water

2/3 lb Romano beans, trimmed & cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tsp kosher salt

1 garlic clove

2.5 Tbsp chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 tsp capers

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 tsp lemon zest

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne (optional)

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans, 2 teaspoons of salt, and garlic: cook for 8 minutes or until tender.

Drain and plunge beans into ice water. Drain again.

Place beans in a medium bowl. Finely chop garlic. Add garlic, parsley, and all remaining ingredients to the beans and combine. Season with salt to taste, and a light dust of cayenne if you want to add a little kick.

Blueberry Shrub & Drinking Vinegar

Blueberry Shrub

by Eleanor Escafi, Board President

Ingredients:

12 ounces organic blueberries

1-1.5 cups organic white sugar

1 cup vinegar (I like apple cider vinegar but you can use red wine vinegar, whine wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar)

Instructions:

1. Gently mash berries into a medium bowl with a fork.

2. Transfer to a 1-quart glass jar with a lid, add sugar, and stir to combine. 

3. Seal jar and let fruit mixture sit at room temperature for one day. Shake every so often. 

4. Stain through a sieve or colander and eat or discard fruit pulp (I love it over vanilla ice cream)

5. Add vinegar to the blueberry syrup and stir to combine. Taste, and add more vinegar or sugar to preference. 

6. Add to a clean jar, and cover with a lid. Allow flavors to meld over one week. 

7. Serve 2 tablespoons over ice and top with club soda! 

Grandma Lois’s Very Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Thanks to Paul Cole, Member-Owner, for sharing this recipe.

Because we published Paul’s recipe, Paul will receive a $25 gift card to the Co-op. You can win a gift card by sharing your recipe, too. If we publish it, we will give you a gift card! submit recipes to marketing@peoples.coop

Grandma Lois’s Very Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Note from Paul:

This recipe never fails to impress. It tastes like yummy angel food cake!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1.5 teaspoons baking soda

0.5 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon lemon zest.75 cups white sugar

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1.5 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Grease a muffin tin.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and zest in a bowl

4. In another bowl, mix the sugar, milk, oil, extract, and vinegar.

5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir until barely mixed — don’t over stir!

6. Fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula (be gentle so they don’t pop!).

7. Fill the muffin tins a bit more than halfway full with the batter. Sprinkle a few extra blueberries on top if you like.

8. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F, then rotate the tin 180 degrees and lower the temperature to 375F and bake for another 8 minutes — or until a cake tester comes out clean.

9. Let cool on a wire rack, then EAT!

Ginger Tea by Bie

Ginger Tea by Bie

Love ginger, especially this time of year? We do too. Bea, one of our storekeepers, has an excellent and simple ginger tea recipe. “I like to make a big pot of ginger tea. It’s very refreshing. Have it hot or, for a nice cool drink, add a little ice.” Check out more of Bea’s recipes on her blog Thai Veggie with B. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4-5 slices of ginger root - fresh if possible (smashed with cooking knife), add more ginger if you like it to be stronger

• 2 cups of water

• 1-2 tbsp sweetening (optional) – I use maple syrup; you can use other sweetening such as honey or nothing at all

Directions

• In a medium size pot, add water. Turn heat to high.

• When the water comes to a boil, add ginger and turn heat down to low. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat.

• Serve hot or as a cool drink. Enjoy!

For the last month we have been selling local ginger grown by Olde Moon Farm outside of Silverton, OR. We purchased the last of their supply for this year and hope to stock much more next year!

Radish, Pea and Asparagus Salad with Mint & Feta

I love this simple and quick recipe and think of this as my late spring/summer-time Greek salad. chunks of crunchy vegetables, spring onions, fresh herbs and feta, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Serves 4

Variations:

Mix and match your vegetables

Delicious herbs that you can add to suit your taste are fresh oregano, parsley, tarragon, chervil, chives or any combo.

Substitute 1/3 cup toasted seeds or nuts for the feta.

Ingredients

1 bunch radishes, washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

2-3 Japanese salad turnips (Hakurei turnips), washed, trimmed and cut into chunks

1 spring onion or about 1/4 cup any onion you have, chopped

4-5 asparagus spears, washed and thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 cup snap peas, strings removed and cut into thirds

Handful of mint leaves, chopped (see variations)

A little fresh or dried thyme

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 ounces feta, crumbled (see variations)

 

Directions

Put all the ingredients, except the feta, in a bowl. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning

with vinegar and/or salt or oil. Gently toss in feta and serve.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

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What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail). Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Tagged: snacks, simple, Parties, vegetarian

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Spring Quinoa Salad w/ Herbs, Scallions & Lemony Vinaigrette

This is a very adaptable salad (template). Substitute vegetables and herbs as you wish just be sure to chop everything quite small. This is a good dinner salad on a warm night especially if you add cooked beans, cheese and/or toasted seeds or nuts or other proteins.

This makes a lot of salad so feel free halve the recipe. I load mine up with herbs, especially mint, parsley, cilantro, chives and thyme. The more the better!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 cups quinoa

One bunch radishes, trimmed and chopped

3-4 carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced or diced

2 cups bok choi stems, cut into small dice

2 cups mizuna or arugula or young mustard greens, fairly finely chopped

4 green onions (scallions) or 1 shallot or 1/2 a small onion, finely diced

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint, basil, dill, sorrel, cilantro in any combination)

Salt

Dressing

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

1 garlic scape or stalk of green garlic or 2 cloves garlic, minced

Grated zest of a lemon

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa in a fine meshed sieve under cold, running water for a minute. Quinoa has a natural coating (saponin) which is a bit bitter and the rinsing removes it. Put the rinsed quinoa in a pan and add 2 ¼ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil then cover and turn down to a simmer. Cook, for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed. Put in a large serving bowl and let cool while you prepare the vegetables.

In a small bowl whisk mustard, garlic, zest and vinegar until smooth. Slowly add oil while whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. This dressing needs to be salty and tart. The quinoa will absorb a lot. You’ll be surprised how much vinegar and salt you need especially if you don’t serve it right away.

Add the vegetables and herbs to the cooked and cooled quinoa and drizzle on most of the dressing and mix well and taste and adjust with more dressing and/or salt and pepper as needed.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

Get 50% off a Subscription to the Seasonal Recipe Collection

What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Pumpkin Seed Butter Cookies

This recipe was chosen by our Bulk Co-Buyer, Zahra Salim. Zahra has been working on introducing new bulk products and revitalizing pre-pandemic offerings, including our alternative nut butter section! All of these ingredients can be found in our bulk section. Enjoy!

“These chocolate dipped pumpkin seed butter cookies are a delicious, allergy-friendly treat. They’re soft, chewy, and decadent yet nutritious. These cookies are nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free. They’re kid-approved and perfect for school snacks.” - Jennifer Bell

Author: Jennifer Bell

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 57 minutes

Servings: 12

Check out the full recipe article with step by step photos here.

Equipment

• Sheet pan

• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter (with no added sugar or salt)

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Optional topping: pumpkin seeds for sprinkling on top of the cookies

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Add the pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, vanilla extract, vinegar or lemon juice, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and use your hands to mix well until a dough is formed.

• Use your hands to roll the dough into 12 evenly sized balls and place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

• Use your fingers to press the cookie dough balls into flatter circles.

• Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until they look solid and slightly golden around the edges.

• When then cookies are finished baking, allow them to cool to room temperature.

• While the cookies are cooling, melt the dairy-free dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate), either in the microwave or on the stove. To melt it in the microwave, add the chocolate to a microwave safe bowl, then cook on high power for 20 seconds, stir, and repeat until it’s melted. To melt it on the stove, add the chocolate to a pot on the stove set to low heat and stir constantly until melted.

• Once the chocolate is melted and the cookies have cooled to room temperature, dip the cookies in chocolate so that half of each cookie is submerged in chocolate and the other half is not, then place them on a platter (or two dinner sized plates) lined with parchment paper (you can reuse the parchment paper that you baked the cookies on).

• Sprinkle a few pumpkin seeds on the chocolate dipped sides of the cookies, then place the cookies in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden before serving.

Notes

• To make this recipe even quicker and easier, skip the step of dipping the baked cookies in melted chocolate. You can mix the chocolate into the raw cookie dough instead.

• Store these pumpkin seed butter cookies in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them for up to six months.

Winter Squash & Peanut Stew

Recipe by Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have

The stew is delicious with butternut, red kuri, hubbard or buttercup squash. I wouldn’t use delicata as it’s not meaty enough.  This stew is rich, nutrient dense, sweet, savory, just a little spicy and vegan. Garnish with green onions and crushed roasted and salted peanuts for an extra kick.

 You can also add carrots or substitute carrots for some of the squash.

 Serves 6 +/-

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced

2 pounds winter squash cut into chunks, about a rounded 4 cups of chunks (you can always roast a whole or half squash, seeds strings and all, for 20 minutes or so in a 400-425 oven and then remove it and peel and dice which is easier than doing it raw and then proceed with the recipe)

A couple of carrots, scrubbed and cut into rounds (optional, see headnote)

1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 cups canned tomatoes, juice and all

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Dash of cayenne pepper (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

4-5 cups Vegetable stock + extra as needed

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

Fresh lime juice, for serving (optional but very good)

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium- high heat. Add the onion and sauté about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, and continue to cook for another 3 minutes, until garlic is fragrant, turning down the heat if garlic begins to brown. Add the squash, the red lentils, the tomatoes, the cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and give it all a good stir to combine.

Add 4 cups vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil. If there isn’t enough broth to cover everything by at least 1 inch, add another cup of stock. When soup boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes, or until squash and lentils are very tender. If things look too dry add more broth as needed.

Add peanut butter and stir well. Using an immersion blender, blend soup until partially pureed, for a varied texture.

Season to taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Serve, topped with a tablespoon each of green onion and crushed peanuts and squeeze of lime juice.

Ribollita (Tuscan Kale & Bean Soup)

This simple but thick and luscious soup is a mainstay of Tuscan cooking and used to be made by re-cooking (ribollire) yesterday’s minestrone and simmering it over stale bread in this second incarnation. I make it all in one go, as do many Italians, but it is even better the next day. It takes a while to make unless you are using already cooked beans, but it is worth the time.

Ribollita calls for a modest list of ingredients and the bread and some good olive oil are important. And it’s extra good if you have some roasted to use, but canned is just fine. 

Note: The acidity from the tomatoes can prevent your beans from cooking properly and getting tender. This might happen if your beans are quite old (which is sometimes hard to tell). So to be safe you can cook your separately and follow the instructions for using cooked (or canned) beans below.

Serves 6

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

• 2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped

• 1 large or two smaller stalks celery (if there are leaves attached include those), chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 3/4-inch dice

• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped canned, fresh or roasted tomatoes or 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 cup dry white beans (that you’ve soaked over night or for at least 4 hours), drained (or you can use 2 1/2 cups already cooked beans as well but you’ll add them to the soup a bit later). Use cannellini or navy beans. I’ve also, inauthentically used borlotti beans with great success.

• 1 very large or 2 smaller bunches Dinosaur kale (also called Tuscan or Lacinato kale) or any kind of kale you have, washed and well chopped (it really is best with Dinosaur kale though)

• 8 cups water or combination of water and bean cooking liquid if you’re using already (home) cooked beans

• 2 teaspoons salt, more to taste

• Plenty of freshly ground pepper

• Good olive oil

• 4 slices, crusty bread (several days old is fine), toasted and torn into bits

1. Saute the onion, celery and carrot and thyme in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, potatoes and tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes. Add the drained (but not cooked) beans, water and kale and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring everything to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes. If you are using already cooked beans, add them 30 minutes into the cooking time and simmer gently for another 45 minutes. Add pepper and taste and adjust with salt. It will likely need a bit more. 

2. Stir in the bits of bread and simmer for 5-7 more minutes until it’s somewhat broken down and has thickened the soup. Serve hot with plenty of good olive oil and more salt and pepper, to taste.

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People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Roasted Pepper and Tomatillo Salsa Verde

In late summer, early fall when peppers of all kinds are abundant I make a sauce like this when I have a few minutes to spare. I usually don’t have a specific plan for using it but it never lasts long. It makes a great (fairly spicy) dip but also a wonderful base for a salad dressing or topping for roasted vegetables or meats or is delicious stirred into eggs or beans or even spread on a sandwich.

This is quite similar to this tomatillo based  however the high percentage of Anaheim (Poblano would work too) peppers here gives it a richer flavor.  You can vary the ratio of peppers to tomatillos to suite your taste and/or what you have on hand. It’s a very flexible sauce that is a good template for most any pepper, sweet or hot.

Yields about 2 cups

• 3-4 Anaheim peppers (or other peppers, see headnote)

• 1 jalapeno or Czech Black pepper

• 6 medium tomatillos

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• Splash of olive oil

• Salt, to taste

Set your oven to broil. Put the tomatillos and peppers on a baking sheet and set under broiler. Check frequently and turn peppers to evenly blister. The smaller peppers will likely be done before the larger ones so remove as they are blistered and soft. Put roasted peppers and tomatillos in a bowl and cover with a towel or plate to steam for a few minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel peppers and remove most of the seeds. Put peppers, tomatillos and garlic in a food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped. Add salt and little olive oil, pulse again and taste and adjust seasoning. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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 What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

Cook-with-what-you-have Chana Masala

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.

The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it’s really quite quick to make. It’s one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it’s been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.

–Inspired by 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

 Serves 4-6 (makes wonderful leftovers)

 Variations

• Substitute any combination of sweet and semi-spicy (anaheim, poblano) peppers for the kohlrabi and greens

• Make a greens heavy version with just chickpeas and mustard greens, chard, spinach or beet/turnip greens

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2-3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup chickpea cooking liquid or water

3 teaspoons ground coriander (toast whole seeds in a dry skillet for about 60 seconds, cool and grind if you have time)

1 teaspoon ground cumin (toast whole seeds and grind if you have time)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne or other dried, ground red pepper (or more if you love heat!)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 cups chickpeas (home-cooked cooking liquid reserved or canned and drained)

2 medium/large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice

1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into small dice

1 small bunch mustard greens, spinach or chard (see headnote), washed and finely chopped including stems

3 cups water or chickpea cooking liquid

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup plain yogurt, for serving (optional, see variations)

• Put 1/3 cup water in a blender jar. Add the garlic and ginger and blend until smooth.

• Heat the ghee or oil over medium-high heat. Add the whole cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds. Add the blended garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes until fragrant and thickened a little. Add the tomato paste, water and spices, lime juice and 1 cup water or chickpea cooking liquid and mix well. Simmer uncovered for 7-8 minutes until thickened a bit. Add the chickpeas, potatoes, kohlrabi, greens or whatever vegetables you’re using along with 3 cups water and the salt. Stir well, bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

• Stir in the cilantro, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice. Serve warm with naan, rice or as is. Top with yogurt if you’d like.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

Get 50% off a Subscription to the Seasonal Recipe Collection 

What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail). Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Tomato Paella

Tomato Paella

This is a delicious, quick, inexpensive, vegetarian version of the classic rice and seafood dish. Mark Bittman published this recipe in the New York Times many years ago and I’ve been adapting it ever since. It’s best with really flavorful, juicy, ripe slicing tomatoes. If you have a few big beautiful heirloom tomatoes, this is the place for them. Unlike Bittman I cook the whole thing on the stove top instead of finishing it in the oven but with either method it’s a quick one-dish meal with a simple green salad on the side.

Note: It’s important to season the ingredients properly as you go. It’s a shame to under salt this dish as you can’t make up for it at the end. Taste your stock or bouillon to make sure it’s well seasoned.

Serves 4-6

• 3 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water 

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe, slicer/heirloom tomatoes (not sauce tomatoes), cored and cut into thick wedges (about 4 medium to large tomatoes)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 medium onion, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• Large pinch saffron threads

• 2 teaspoons Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika), or other paprika

• 2 cups Spanish or arborio or other short-grain rice (I use arborio)

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt (if the stock isn’t very salty or you’re using water–see Note)

• Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

1. Warm stock or water in a saucepan. If using water, add a teaspoon of salt to the water. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat.

2. Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in saffron if you are using it and pimentón and cook for a minute more.

3. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another two to three minutes. Add hot stock or water and stir until just combined. It will bubble furiously.

4. Give the hot broth and rice a stir and then carefully arrange the tomato wedges on top of the rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl. Cook covered, over medium heat undisturbed, for 18 -20 minutes. Check to see if rice is dry and just tender. If not, keep cooking for another 5 minutes and remove lid if there is excess liquid.  If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water. When rice is tender turn heat up to high and cook an additional few minutes to develop a crust on the bottom, then take off heat and let rest 5 to 10 minutes.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

Get 50% off a Subscription to the Seasonal Recipe Collection

What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant

Sweet, Sour & Hot Eggplant 

This is so good! I can eat the whole dish by myself. Serve it as a side or with rice.

 Serves 4

•  2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 -1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh, minced Serrano, jalapeno or other hot pepper, to taste

• 2 medium eggplant (or several smaller ones—any kind of eggplant will work in this dish—the long slender Japanese ones, more common Italian, globe ones, . . .), skin on, cubed, about 6 cups worth

• 1 sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (optional but very good)

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 3-4 tablespoons Thai basil, basil, or cilantro, roughly chopped

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok heat the oil and sauté onions and pepper (if using) over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add red pepper flakes (or fresh hot pepper) and eggplant and cook, covered, until it softens and browns a bit, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the minced garlic and stir well and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add the sauce and stir well to mix and coat veggies. Cook over medium heat for a a minute or two until sauce thickens. Stir in the herbs, reserving a few for garnish. Taste and adjust with salt, if needed, which is unlikely thanks to the soy sauce. Serve hot over rice with remaining herbs.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

Get 50% off a Subscription to the Seasonal Recipe Collection

What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Quick Eggplant & Tomato Curry

Quick Eggplant & Tomato Curry

This is savory, complex and delicious and uses Thai red curry paste to create a lot of flavor quickly. You can serve it over potatoes instead of rice.

Variation

• Green beans would be a wonderful addition here. Add them at the same time you add the tomato sauce and coconut milk.

• If you don’t have time to make tomato sauce and have fresh tomatoes, add fresh, chopped tomatoes to the curry paste after you’ve fried it for a few minutes and let reduce a bit before adding the eggplant and remainder of the coconut milk.

• Use green curry paste if you don’t have red

Serves 4-6 

3 Japanese eggplants or globe or Italian eggplant, cut into 2 x 3″ chunks (about 8 cups)

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons red curry paste (or green, see Variations above)

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or grated on a microplane (optional)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

1 1/2 cups plain tomato sauce

1 can full-fat coconut milk

Cilantro and scallions, for garnish

Rice or potatoes (see headnote) for serving

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant chunks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté over fairly high heat, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Then cover the pan and cook until eggplant begins to collapse and brown in places, another 5 minutes or so. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Put solid/fat part of the coconut milk in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add curry paste, ginger, if using and spices and mix well. Fry this mixture for about 3 minutes then add the eggplant and combine well and cook for a minute or two. Add the tomato sauce and remaining coconut milk and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered for about 15 minutes until thickened a bit. Serve hot over rice or potatoes.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

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What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/

Summer Cole Slaw (template)

A Summer Cole Slaw Template

This is my go-to, quick slaw to use with any kind of cabbage, even Napa. I vary the ingredients based on the season and how hearty I want it to be. Quantities are approximations so feel free to use what you have.

The dressing is delicious and good on most anything–a bowl of rice/quinoa and beans with herbs, on roasted vegetables, on a burger, in fish tacos. . . so double the recipe for the dressing and have it on hand to enliven other things.

Variations:

• For a heartier slaw, add chicken and toasted seeds

• For a creamy dressing add 1/3 cup plain, whole milk yogurt (you’ll have more dressing than you need for this salad but it’s good on many things)

• Add sliced sweet peppers or radishes or kohlrabi cut into matchsticks

• Swap parsley and/or mint for cilantro

• Add sweet onions, shallots, or other onion in place of green onions

• Add quick-pickled onions in addition to or instead of green onions

Serves 4-6

½ a small to medium cabbage (about 6 cups sliced), cut into thin strips

2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks grated on the large holes of a box grater or in the food processor

2 green onions, thinly sliced or 1 tablespoon quick-pickled red onions (thinly sliced onions soaked in red-wine vinegar)

Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped

Handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped (optional)

1/2 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Dressing

2 tablespoons apple cider  or wine vinegar, more to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 large clove garlic, minced and mashed

4-5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

Several pinches red pepper flakes or a small hot pepper like Serrano or Jalapeño, minced (or more if you like heat)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Shake dressing ingredient together in a small jar with tight-fitting lid or whisk together in a bowl.

2. Put slaw ingredients in a large serving bowl.

3. Pour about 2/3 of the dressing over vegetables. Mix well. Add more as desired. Reserve the rest for another use (see headnote). Let rest for 15 minutes to soften vegetables and let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Become a scrappy, creative cook who can make something delicious and nutritious with what’s on hand. The Recipe, Tips & Inspiration you Need to Eat Well Every Day!

Get 50% off a Subscription to the Seasonal Recipe Collection

What to do with the vegetables in the fridge? Short on time but still want healthful meals? And how to be well-stocked so that cooking is more fun and frankly, realistic. People’s is partnering with Cook With What You Have, a subscription-based, online seasonal recipe collection created by People's Member-Owner Katherine Deumling. Katherine empowers you to cook freely and build creativity and confidence with every dish. Cook With What You Have is providing a discounted subscription to the Recipe Collection for People’s Members/Owners & Customers for $29/year, or $2.99/month (50% off retail).  Use discount code PEOPLES to subscribe at https://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com/get-started/