Robertson - Cook the pantry: vegan pantry-to-plate recipes in 20 minutes (or less!)

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Cook the Pantry: Vegan Pantry-to-Plate Recipes in 20 Minutes or Less by Robin Robertson (Copyright 2015 by Robin Robertson)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except in the context of reviews and fair reference, without written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 13: 9781941252192

First Edition, October 2015

Vegan Heritage Press, LLC books are available at quantity discounts. For information, please visit our website at www.veganheritagepress.com or write the publisher at Vegan Heritage Press, P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Robertson, Robin (Robin G.)

Cook the pantry : vegan pantry-to-plate recipes in 20 minutes or less / Robin Robertson. -- First Edition.
pages cm
Cook the Pantry is a comprehensive revision of Vegan Unplugged: A Pantry Cuisine Cookbook and Survival Guide by Jon Robertson and Robin Robertson.
ISBN 978-1-941252-18-5 (paperback) -- ISBN 978-1-941252-19-2 (epub) -- ISBN 978-1-941252-20-8 1. Vegan cooking. 2. Quick and easy cooking. I. Title.
TX837.R62376 2015
641.5636--dc23
2015018488

Cover Design: Annie Oliverio. Photo Credits: Cover and recipe photos by Annie Oliverio. Cover Photo: Paella from the Pantry , page 92.

Incidental photos from stock photo sources include: Pantry Bulgar Pilaf (page 104) and Chocolate-Almond Truffles (page 145).

Disclaimer: The information provided in this book should not be taken as medical advice. If you require a medical diagnosis or prescription, or if you are contemplating any major dietary change, juice fast, or change in your exercise habits, consult a qualified health-care provider. You should always seek an expert medical opinion before making changes in your diet or supplementation regimen. Neither the publisher nor the author are responsible for readers health issues.

Publishers Note: The information in this book is correct and complete to the best of our knowledge. Website addresses and contact information were correct at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for specific health or allergy issues or adverse reactions to recipes contained in this book.

Vegan Heritage Press books are distributed by Andrews McMeel Publishing.

for the animals

Contents

Introduction

S everal years ago my husband Jon and I wrote a book based on our experiences of cooking without power in the aftermath of a strong hurricane. The book, Vegan Unplugged , was filled with advice for managing life in a home without electricity, along with 70 recipes one can make using only pantry ingredients and a single-burner butane stove.

The positive feedback for Vegan Unplugged was tremendous, with people telling us they used the recipes not only for power outages and travel, but also as quick, go-to recipes to make any time (not just when the power was out). We also heard from college students who appreciated the easy 15-minute recipes that didnt require the use of a full kitchen.

But we heard from many others as wellthose who loved the recipes but wanted to incorporate fresh ingredients into them in order to make the suitable for everyday cooking. So, in Cook the Pantry, the advice on emergency preparedness and cooking without power has been eliminated and fresh ingredients (and lots of new recipes) have been added.

Cook the Pantry is a cookbook that celebrates pantry cooking with recipes that rely mostly on whats on your pantry shelf and in your freezer, but with the inclusion of some fresh ingredients as well. The result is the best of both worlds: the convenience of pantry ingredients and the flavor and nutrition of fresh ingredients. Best of all, all these recipes can be made in 20 minutes or less, for the ultimate in convenience cooking.

As a former restaurant chef and author of over twenty cookbooks, my default setting is to cook from scratch. But on those days when time is short and hunger looms, I also love the convenience of a quick meal using ingredients from my pantry or freezer. Add some fresh produce to the meal, and a good thing becomes even better.

Cook the Pantry empowers you to make the most of your on-hand ingredients by using whats already in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to make delicious meals in minutes with a variety of flavorful and nutritious plant-based ingredients.

When you think about it, every good meal begins with a look in the pantry for inspiration. Cook the Pantry shows you how to use your pantry to jump-start any meal. Just add fresh produce and proteins to make the more than 100 recipes in this book, many of which can be made with pantry ingredients alone. With Cook the Pantry, you can transform your everyday staples into extraordinary meals.

M any of us are often too busy to prepare complicated recipes with long cooking times. Sometimes its tough enough to find the time or energy to even boil water. Thats where Cook the Pantry can help. The recipes in this book are made with ingredients that are most likely already in your pantry. They are the go-to solution for when your mind says, I want a healthy home-cooked meal, and your body says, Wheres the take-out menu? With these recipes, you can make amazingly delicious and very quick meals from canned, boxed, and bottled ingredientsfrom shelf to table in 20 minutes or less.

When you keep a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer, you are only minutes away from a healthy, great-tasting meal, or as I like to call it, pantry magic.

Before we get to my recipes, I want to talk about the ingredients that either are or should be in your pantry, as well as some tips for pantry cooking. Lets begin with my top ten reasons why youll want to cook the pantry.

Ten Reasons to Cook the Pantry

Variety: Ingredient components allow you to build meals with great flavor combinations, making for endless variety.

Nutrition: Incorporating nutritious plant-based ingredients such as beans, grains, and vegetables ensures that you eat well-balanced meals.

Economy: Cooking with on-hand ingredients saves you money. When its easy to whip something up, youre less likely to reach for convenience foods or take-out menus.

Convenience: You can assemble recipes and reheat them later or take them along to eat at work.

Fun: Cooking the pantry can be a creative way to involve your family in eating well. Let them help choose the dinner ingredients.

Flavor: When your pantry is filled with interesting sauces, seasonings, and condiments, you can explore the flavors of the world without leaving your kitchen.

Speed: Because many of the ingredients are ready to eat or already prepared, you can often put together a meal in just minutes.