I just received my copy of Miyoko Schinner’s newest book, The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples. This book is chock full of great ideas – ketchup, mustard, tofu, tempeh, plant milks, soup stocks, cake mixes, gelato and so much more. I was hooked after the first recipe!
Miyoko, with ease and humor, has given us one of the smartest new vegan cookbooks out there. I love making everything I can from scratch and this book is going to take my cooking and kitchen to a whole new level. I have never even thought of making my own ketchup or mustard but the recipes in this book are super simple, easy, have a few ingredients and allow room for creativity!
The book is broken down into sections including condiments like ketchup and mustard (I am seriously obsessed with these two), jam, dairy free melty cheeses (she is the master of vegan cheese after all), homemade butter (!), soups, meat analogues, pasta and sauces (including the obligatory vegan mac ‘n cheese), breads and crackers and desserts and sauces.
I have marked almost 30 recipes l to try – and that is just in the first round! I have already put together the “well-crafted macaroni and cheese mix” – see recipe below. I made my first actual mac ‘n cheese this week and when this mix is heated up with some homemade plant milk (I made my own brazil nut milk), poured over pasta, and topped with my new homemade ketchup, it is like a dream come true in a bowl!
I also put together the “buckwheat pancake and waffle mix” which I turned into fluffy and really tasty waffles. And the name says it all: “jam: the easy cheat method.” With all of the ingredients on hand, I made raspberry jam which won a blind taste test I gave to my husband!
I went and bought the ingredients for many other recipes and will be cooking away for a few days until my pantry and refrigerator are full of homemade goodness. I am telling you right now, I will never buy bottled ketchup or mustard again.
In the meantime, here is the recipe for “well-crafted macaroni and cheese mix.” Make it to prove to yourself you can do it and then order your own copy ASAP!
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon organic sugar
2 teaspoons powdered mustard
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons onion powder
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until a powder is formed. There should not be any discernible chunks or large granules of cashews, so this may take 3 to 4 minutes of processing. Store this in a jar or portion out into 1⁄3-cup increments and put in ziplock bags and store in the pantry for a month or two or in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
MAKES 1 2/3 CUPS, OR ENOUGH TO COAT THE EQUIVALENT OF 5 STORE-BOUGHT BOXES INSTANT MACARONI AND CHEESE
HOW TO USE WELL-CRAFTED MACARONI AND CHEESE MIX
Cook 1 cup of dry macaroni according to package instructions and drain. Combine 1⁄3 cup mix with 1 cup water or unsweetened nondairy milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk well and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute, then toss with hot cooked macaroni.
Reprinted from THE HOMEMADE VEGAN PANTRY Copyright © 2015 by Miyoko Schinner. Photographs © 2015 by Eva Kolenko. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.