Table of Contents
For Emma and Sarah,
my real-life heroes
Acknowledgments
Tremendous thanks to my literary agent, Linda Konner, and the staff and crew at Perigee, namely John Duff and Jeanette Egan, for making my sixth cookbook possiblewow!
Sincere thanks to the vegetarian and vegan communities for their continuing support and encouragement.
Special thanks to my canine hero, Trevor, for holding down the fort and keeping us real.
Introduction
Lifes fast pace can leave anyone with no time to cook, let alone time to shop for all the ingredients. For vegans, the challenge is typically compounded by the extra weekly trek (or two) to the health food store, along with the daily grind of prepping countless fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. With the help of Supermarket Vegan, followers of a plant-based diet will never again have to compromise health and nutrition when theyre on the run. This cookbook offers healthful dishes free of meat, eggs, and dairy, using simple, straightforward ingredients that require a minimal amount of preparation, all with just a quick trip to your local grocery storeno specialty items from the health food store, co-op, or whole foods market necessary.
Indeed, as more and more people are turning toward a healthier diet and lifestyle, an increasing number of conventional supermarkets are stocking a treasure trove of vegan-friendly convenience items, such as precut and washed fresh fruits and vegetables; bagged salads and slaws; exotic frozen fruits and vegetables, such as mango and edamame beans; whole wheat pastas and Asian noodles, such as cellophane, rice, soba, and somen noodles; quick-cooking grains, such as bulgur, couscous, polenta, and quinoa; whole wheat pitas, wraps, and pizza crusts; a wide assortment of canned beans and lentils; prepared salsas and hummus; and an extensive array of international sauces, chutneys, olives, and other condiments. By finding new and innovative ways to use these products, this book presents you with many memorable recipes, from appetizers to desserts, all made with real food. No meat analogs, such as seitan, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein (TVP), or egg and dairy substitutes are needed. Moreover, most recipes are ready in forty-five minutes (or less), require ten ingredients (or less), and are easy on the budget to boot.
Healthy eating is more important than ever when youre trying to keep up with a hectic schedule. When real-life people become overwhelmed and overly busy, its all too easy to slip into poor eating habits. As a result, we feel depleted and run down, bereft of the precious time and vital energy we need to pursue our everyday activities and ultimate purpose in life. Find some time to incorporate a few of Supermarket Vegans real-deal recipes into your daily cooking routine, and find more time for the rest of your life.
GLOSSARY OF INGREDIENTS
Barley A hardy, ancient grain used in soups, stews, cereals, breads, and beer. The most common variety found in conventional supermarkets is pearl barley, which has had the bran removed and has been steamed and polished. Though less nutritious than husked or whole-grain barley, pearl barley is still a good source of soluble fiber and is available in regular and quick-cooking forms.
Black bean sauce An Asian sauce or condiment typically made of fermented black soybeans, sugar, flour, garlic, and soy sauce.
Bulgur A cracked wheat made from the whole kernel that has been cooked and dried. It is most commonly used in Middle Eastern tabbouleh salad.
Cajun seasoning A boldly flavored dry seasoning blend from Louisiana, typically containing garlic, chilies, onion, black pepper, mustard, and celery.
Capers The unopened flower buds of a shrub native to the Mediterranean region. After curing in salted white vinegar, the buds develop a sharp, salty-sour flavor and are used as a flavoring and condiment.
Chinese chili paste A fiery Asian blend of hot chili peppers, garlic, oil, and salt; also known as Chinese chili sauce.
Chinese hot chili oil A fiery condiment typically made from soybean oil that has been infused with dried chili peppers; also known as hot oil, red oil, hot sauce, hot pepper oil, or chili oil.
Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce are smoked jala peo chilies canned in a flavorful red sauce that typically contains tomato puree, onion, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Because the seeds are included, the chilies and sauce can be quite hot. This product should not be confused with commercial brands of chipotle sauce, a spicy, smoky-sweet condiment with a mild to moderate degree of heat.
Chipotle powder The dried, whole, smoked jalapeo chili, ground up into a fine powder. It has a spicy, smoky flavor and is not to be confused with chili powder, which is a milder blend of ground chilies and other spices. It can usually be found in the spice aisle, next to the standard chili powder, in most large supermarkets.
Chutney An East Indian relish consisting of fruits, generally raisins and mangoes, spices, herbs, sugar, and vinegar or lemon juice.
Couscous A granular semolina pasta of North African origin, typically available in conventional supermarkets in quick-cooking, precooked form.
Edamame The Japanese name for fresh soybeans, edamame beans are jade green and plump, with a creamy texture and nutlike flavor. Edamame beans are sold in or out of the pod, fresh or frozen, and must be eaten cooked, with the pods discarded. All the recipes in this book call for frozen shelled edamame.
Fennel Often mislabeled anise, which is an annual herb, fennel is an aromatic plant with a bulbous base, celery-like stems, and bright green, feathery fronds; both the base and stems can be eaten raw or cooked, while the fronds are used for garnish. The licorice-flavored seeds are available whole and ground and are used in both sweet and savory foods. Fresh fennel is available from fall through spring. Choose clean, crisp bulbs with no sign of browning and bright green fronds with no sign of shriveling. Refrigerate, wrapped in plastic, three to five days.
Five-spice powder A pungent Chinese blend of five ground spices, typically consisting of equal parts cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns.
Ginger A tropical root plant with a tan skin and gnarled, bumpy appearance, fresh ginger is a mainstay in Asian, Indian, and Caribbean cuisines. The flavor is peppery and slightly sweet, while the aroma is pungent and spicy. The mature ginger found in most conventional supermarkets has a tough skin, which must be peeled. When purchasing mature ginger, look for plump roots with smooth, unwrinkled skins and a fresh, spicy fragrance. Fresh unpeeled ginger, wrapped in plastic, can be refrigerated for up to three weeks.
Gnocchi Italian for dumplings, gnocchi (pronounced NYOH-kee) can be made from potatoes, wheat flour, or farina. Sometimes eggs or cheese can be added to the dough, so check the label carefully. Frozen and vacuum-packed gnocchi (usually found near the dried pasta or jarred pasta sauces) are available in many conventional supermarkets.
Hoisin sauce A sweet and spicy Asian condiment, also called Chinese barbecue sauce, hoisin is a thick and dark sauce made from a combination of fermented soybeans, garlic, vinegar, sugar, chilies, and other spices.
