Here’s a table I put together to give you ideas about how to stock your kitchen so you’ll be ready to prepare many vegan meals. I hope you find it useful.

Herbs (and spices) are crucial to creating flavorful dishes.

• Herbs are the aromatic leaves of a plant. Examples include oregano, thyme, dill, rosemary, sage, and basil.
• Spices are anything other than the leaves, such as the roots (e.g. ginger), seeds (e.g. cumin), fruit (e.g. chili), or bark (e.g. cinnamon).

Substituting fresh and dry herbs

Generally speaking, you can use either dried or fresh herbs in your recipes. You do need to adjust the measurements if you’re substituting for what’s specified in the recipe since dried herbs are more concentrated. The basic guideline is to use a ratio of 3-1 when substituting fresh for dried.  For example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, you would use 1 tablespoon (which is equivalent to 3 teaspoons) of fresh rosemary.

A couple of exceptions for which I wouldn’t recommend interchanging fresh and dry:

• Basil – its taste and strength are very different in fresh and dried forms.  Generally speaking, fresh basil is preferable and more flavorful.
• Oregano – While many chefs say that in general fresh herbs are preferable to dried herbs, oregano is often preferred dry because the flavor develops in the drying process.

Difference in flavor developing times

Add fresh herbs towards the middle or end of cooking time to keep their flavors full. Too much cooking time breaks them down. Hearty herbs, e.g. thyme, sage, rosemary, can take more heat and for longer. Very delicate herbs, e.g. parsley, basil, cilantro, are best added at the very end of cooking, after you remove the dish from the heat source.

On the other hand, dried herbs should be added to the recipe towards the beginning of cooking time because it takes 25-30 minutes to develop their flavor.  Other tips for using dried herbs:

• Rub the herbs between your fingers to help bring the oils to the surface before adding them to your recipe.
• If you’re making a marinade or dressing, using an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, citrus juice, or wine, allow the dried herbs to steep in the acidic ingredient several minutes before adding the oil, so the herbs have time to infuse and develop the flavor.

Storing herbs

Fresh – The best way to store fresh herbs varies.  Properly stored fresh herbs will last up to a week, possibly longer. Although the fresher used, the better.

• Any herb with stems or roots in tact should be stored stem down in a glass with 1-2 inches of water.  Loosely tent the herbs with a plastic bag to retain the moisture. You can keep these on your kitchen counter.
• Herbs without intact stems and roots are best wrapped lightly in a damp paper towel and put in a plastic bag. Store them in the door or crisper section of your refrigerator.

Dry – It’s important to store dried herbs in a cool dark place, away from any heat source.  This is because the flavor in herbs is in the oils.

So…

You’ll probably want to use both fresh and dry herbs. Keeping a store of dried herbs in your kitchen is convenient and really essential for any cook. You’re also going to find you often want fresh herbs, which you’ll buy as needed and/or grow your own.

Tofu is like a blank canvas. Untouched it’s bland. Yet tofu can absorb flavors and take on a range of textures, making it a very versatile food that can be both delicious and satisfying.  Here are some general tips to help you achieve good taste and texture.

These tips are mainly for preparing “regular” tofu to ready it for common cooking methods such as baking, broiling, grilling, pan and stir frying.  So first you need to understand a little about the types of tofu.

TIP 1 then is to choose the right type of tofu for your dish.  Buying tofu can be a little confusing. There are 2 general categories of tofu: REGULAR and SILKEN. Within each of these categories are gradations of soft, medium, and firm.

Use REGULAR if you want the tofu to retain some shape. Regular tofu is found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

Regular Tofu

The firms – firm, extra firm, and super firm – are what you’ll likely use most often for baking, broiling, grilling, pan and stir frying. When cubing or using small pieces, and for grilling, use extra or super firm. Personally I tend to use these firmest varieties most often.  I’ll use a plain firm, or even medium, for crumbling (e.g. ricotta, scrambles, salads), though extra firm here as well.

There’s also “soft” regular tofu. Personally I rarely buy regular soft tofu, except occasionally for use in Asian-style soups. The line between soft and silken tofu is blurry and in a pinch you can use soft in place of silken as described below.

Silken Tofu

Use SILKEN for blending up into sauces, dips, and desserts (e.g. pie fillings, mousse, puddings). Silken tofu also can be used to replace eggs in many recipes.   Sometimes silken is found packed in water in the refrigerated section along with the regular tofu, but often it’s in vacuum packed, aseptic boxes on the shelves with the Asian food. Non-refrigerated silken tofu tends to be the creamiest, but it’s not as commonly found in mainstream groceries, so you may need to go to an Asian market or “natural foods” store.  There’s not that much difference between soft and firm varieties of silken tofu, so unless your recipe specifies, don’t worry about which firmness you buy. Again, do not be confused – all silken tofu is “soft.” If you need an “extra firm tofu” to make something solid, do NOT buy “Silken Extra Firm;” It will fall apart.

OK then, the remaining tips are only for regular (i.e. not silken) tofu.

TIP 2 – Always drain and press your tofu before cooking with it. Reducing the water content leaves the tofu open to absorb flavors as well as improves the texture. Drain and press is the minimum you’ll want to do. Simply drain out the water the tofu comes packed in, then wrap it in a clean dish towel or paper towel, and place it between two plates. Put a weighted object (such as a can or pan) on the top plate and let sit for about 15 minutes.  Then pour off the released water and pat the tofu dry with a towel.

TIP 3 – Dry fry before marinating and the tofu will really absorb the flavor! Dry-frying in a non-stick or well seasoned cast iron skillet without any oil will remove the water from the tofu really well. (Without the oil, the tofu will stick to the pan, which is why you need to use non-stick or seasoned cast iron.)  To dry-fry, use a medium-low heat and let the tofu sit a couple minutes on each side until the water sizzles out and each side is slightly golden. Pressing the tofu down with a spatula helps.

TIP 4 – Freezing then thawing tofu changes the texture making the tofu very dense and chewy. This method also is great for extracting the water content, enabling the tofu to soak up seasonings and marinades. (Many people love this technique so much, they won’t prepare tofu any other way.)  Just put your package of tofu in the freezer for at least overnight. (You could leave it in there for months.)  The day you want to use it, take it out and allow at least 3-4 hours for it to thaw completely. Then drain and press and watch the water gush out. You also could just squeeze the tofu by hand over the sink.

TIP 5 – Quick broil after baking. If you want to give your baked tofu a chewier texture, just broil for a few (about 3) minutes at the end of your baking time.

TIP 6 – This one is very basic, yet important. Cut tofu into appropriate sized pieces. Whatever size and shape you choose (rectangular slices, triangular slices, strips, cubes or anything else you come up with), keep in mind:

• As in cooking anything, you want to cut the tofu into uniform size pieces for even cooking.
• You also want to consider what you’re cooking it with. E.g. cubes or strips work great for stir fries. Just make sure their size works with the other food.
• If you’re going to put tofu on the grill, make sure the pieces are at least ½ inch thick.  Typically when I’m baking or pan frying, I’ll cut a standard tofu block into eight slices.  For the grill, I’ll cut into only six slices.

TIP 7 – well this is perhaps multiple tips, but there are several basic cooking techniques that especially apply to tofu. When marinating, longer is better. Try to give tofu at least an hour in marinade.  Regardless whether you’re baking, broiling, grilling, or pan frying:  1) don’t crowd your pans when you cook; 2) don’t move the food around constantly; allow time for each side to sear/cook; and use high enough/appropriate heat. In most cases, you’ll want your tofu to get golden and perhaps a little crispy on the outside.

Traditional baking relies heavily on eggs and dairy, so people often assume it’s difficult or impossible to bake without them.  The truth is that it’s quite easy.  It’s not eggs or dairy-based butter, milk, and cream that are required. It’s the functions they serve such as binding, moisture, creaminess, and to some extent, leavening, and all of these can be easily accomplished with plant-based foods.

A bonus – when you make a batter without raw eggs, you can lick the bowl with abandon and no worries about salmonella! But to clarify – just because vegan baked goods use all plant-based ingredients does not automatically make them health foods.   Baked goods often are intended as treats, not dietary staples. It’s true that the vegan baked goods might rate a little better on the healthy food continuum than baked goods using eggs and dairy simply because the vegan versions don’t contain cholesterol or much saturated fat.  You could make delicious muffins, cookies, pies, cakes, breads etc. that are in fact health foods, but you’ll probably also want to make very traditional tasting desserts and treats that use sugar and regular flours.

BAKING WITHOUT DAIRY

This one is simple. There are plenty of non-dairy milks, creams, and buttery spreads on the market that you can use one-for-one exactly as you would the dairy versions.

• Milks – I tend to use plain, unsweetened soy or almond milk. Oat milk is another excellent choice. I find coconut milk imparts a small amount of flavor, so unless I want that, I just use neutral milk.  Many people use rice milk and it works OK, but I find it a little “thin” for baking probably because it has less protein and fat.  Plant-based milks are readily available in mainstream groceries and you also can make your own at home very easily. (See my post https://www.veganculinaryclasses.com/homemade-almond-milk/)
• Creams – The above comments about milks also apply to creams. You can purchase commercial brands of plant-based cream and use it one-for-one in place of dairy.  To make nut-based cream yourself, use less water than you would for milks – about one part water to one part nuts for cream.
• Buttery spreads/margarines – Read the labels to make sure the product is vegan and made of good quality ingredients rather than a long list of chemicals. You often can even substitute neutral oils – such as canola, grape seed, and vegetable oils – for butter. Use a little less oil than the amount specified for butter. (Use about 75% of the specified amount.)
• Buttermilk – You can make buttermilk by simply adding a souring agent such as vinegar or lemon juice to your plant-based milk and letting it stand for about 10 minutes.  Add a tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) for every cup of milk.

BAKING WITHOUT EGGS

There are many options for baking without eggs that work wonderfully, and many are quite nutritious. Unlike replacing dairy, however, there’s not always a one-for-one plant food swap for eggs, so if you’re trying to “veganize” a favorite recipe that uses eggs, it may or may not work. Generally speaking, if you have a recipe that calls for 1, maybe 2 eggs, you should be able to veganize that recipe.  However, if the recipe calls for numerous eggs, you’re much better off finding an alternate recipe that is vegan for whatever you’re trying to make.

Below is a list of some of my favorite ways of replacing eggs. This list is not exhaustive, but should give you plenty of options.

Commercial Egg Replacers – (Follow package directions for 1 egg equivalency)   There are two excellent potato starch-based egg replacers available at groceries.  These egg replacers are multi-purpose, convenient, very economical, and have a long shelf life so are great to have in your kitchen. They do not, however, offer any nutritional benefits. The two brands I know are vegan:

• Ener-G – 1 ½ teaspoons combined well with 2 tablespoons of water = 1 egg
• Bob’s Red Mill – 1 tablespoon combined well with 3 tablespoons of water = 1 egg

“Flax Eggs” – 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds + 3 tablespoons of water = 1 egg  (Whisk ground flax and water together well until thick and creamy. This can be done easily in a blender or food processor.)  Flax eggs provide binding and a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Choose golden flax seeds over brown if you don’t want the color to show, though either type flax seed works well. Flaxseed has a slightly nutty flavor and works well in breads, bran muffins, oatmeal cookies, pancakes and waffles.

Silken Tofu – ¼ cup of silken tofu whipped in a blender = 1 egg  Silken tofu provides wonderful creaminess, is quite nutritious and high in protein and fiber.  Purchase organic, non-GMO tofu. If you can find it, the vacuum packed is slightly creamier than the silken tofu in the refrigerated section of most groceries, but either will work well.  Silken tofu works well in place of eggs for dense, rich, moist cakes, pies, brownies, and muffins, as well as for puddings and mousse.

Unsweetened Applesauce – ¼ cup of applesauce = 1 egg   Applesauce acts as a binding agent and provides moisture.  It’s also low in calories and fat, and adds fiber and vitamins, so is a healthful choice. I really love using applesauce in baked goods.  Buy organic if you can because apples are one of the more heavily sprayed fruits. Applesauce works well in brownies, muffins, cakes, and quick breads.

Canned Pumpkin Puree – 1/3 cup pumpkin puree = 1 egg   Pumpkin puree, like applesauce, is a nutritious choice that provides binding and moisture. It works well in quick breads, cakes, and muffins where the pumpkin flavor is desirable.

Mashed Ripe Banana – approximately ¼ cup mashed ripe banana = 1 egg  Banana provides binding and moisture, as well as added nutrition, such as potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Obviously banana will add some flavor, so use when appropriate. Works well in muffins, cakes, breads, and pancakes.

Vinegar and Baking Soda – Eggs are sometimes used to provide additional leavening. Baking soda combined with distilled vinegar works well in place of eggs for cakes, cupcakes, and breads.

Here’s a review of tips for making vegan burgers that we discussed during last night’s Vegan Burgers and Sides class.

Generally speaking, vegan burgers are best when “being themselves.”  That is, don’t try to make them taste like a beef burger.  (You can always pick up store bought vegan burgers for traditional hamburger style burgers. My personal favorite at the moment is Gardein’s Ultimate Beefless Burger.)

You can make infinite variations of burgers, combining a few or numerous ingredients. There’s no rule that you have to include a specific category of food. You can make a burger without any beans, or without vegetables, or grain, etc. Experiment with ingredients you have in your kitchen.  Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

 Binders  – You’ll need a binder to hold the burgers together.  Some common options are: “flax eggs” (ground flaxseeds mixed with water, at about a 1:3 ratio), commercial egg replacer, oats, potatoes, wheat germ, and bread crumbs.

Texture / Moisture Content – A common problem with vegan burgers is mushiness and/or crumbling. To avoid this problem, make sure to remove extra water from your ingredients as you prepare. 

• Drain your beans and blot them with a towel. The same goes for cooked vegetables and grains. 
• Mushrooms are wonderful to include for adding meatiness. Just be sure to cook with some salt to draw out the moisture. 
• If you still find your patties are too moist, just add some additional binder, and/or bake them in the oven rather than pan frying or grilling.

Flavor – There are so many ways to flavor using different herbs, spices, condiments, and of course choice of ingredients.  A few things you may consider.

• Use some aromatic vegetables as a base. Sauté onion and garlic in a little oil, and season with salt and pepper. The salt draws out the liquid and sugar, helping to caramelize the onion.  As a general practice, add the onion before the garlic, as garlic cooks quickly and could burn.
• “Soup stock” vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, potatoes can be a nice base with color, taste, and texture.
• If you’re using beans or legumes primarily for nutrition or texture, and want to highlight another flavor, choose something with a mild flavor, such as lentils, chickpeas, or white beans, which will absorb the accent flavors rather than compete with them.  For example, if you want to highlight basil or lemon, one of these mild beans/legumes would work much better than black beans, which have a strong, distinctive flavor.  (Black beans of course pair very well with “southwestern flavors,” such as cumin and chili.)
• If you’re using nuts, lightly toasting them first adds depth of flavor.
• Liquid smoke is great for creating that outdoor grill taste.
• Try some of these to impart strong flavor: hot sauce, barbeque sauce, mustards, ketchup, and nut butters. 

Preparation – Making vegan burgers is very quick if you have a food processor, but they’re not required.

• Pulse or chop your ingredients small, but don’t puree. You want some texture.
• Make your burgers all approximately the same size for uniform cooking.  An easy way to do this is to divide the batter first in half, then in half again, etc. 
• You can roll into balls and flatten by hand for a very decent looking, rustic burger. (This is what I do.) Or, to be fancier, you can use a cookie cutter and form smooth-edged burgers that look store bought.

Cooking tips – You can pan fry, bake, or grill.  Don’t be concerned about using some oil. Vegan burgers are so much lower in fat than beef burgers, and you need some fat to prevent sticking, to create texture and flavor. 

• Pan frying is quick and easy.  Just heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet, and depending on the burger, it’ll take 3-5 minutes per side.
• Baking takes a little more time – typically 12-15 minutes per side – but it’s inactive time.  It’s a good idea to spray or rub a little oil on both sides of the burgers before putting them the oven to help them get a nice golden, crispy exterior. Typical oven temperature for burgers is 350 or 375 degrees. Baking is an especially good for delicate burgers that may not withstand a lot of handling.
• Grilling requires you start with a firm burger and add oil generously.  Also clean and oil your grill grates. You need the fat to prevent sticking, as well as to develop the flavor and texture.