Basic Tacos

Time: 25 minutes; for dried beans, allow for 6-8 hours soak plus 30-60 minutes simmering

Servings: 6

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

1 lb boneless skinless chicken (breast or thighs) or ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

Dash chili powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for heat; omit for mild version)

¾ c dried black beans, soaked and cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)

Sour cream for garnish

Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Thinly slice chicken if using. Add the chicken or beef to the onion. Cook until no longer pink. Add a three-finger pinch of salt and a few shakes of ground black pepper. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir to combine and cook until spices are fragrant, about a minute. Stir in the black beans. If the mixture is dry, add water 2 tablespoons at a time until desired sauciness is reached.

Serve over salad greens or in tortillas (see Extras) garnished with sour cream, cilantro, guacamole, and/or salsa (see Sauces, Dips, and Dressings).

Chicken Nuggets

Time & Servings

• 20-30 minutes
• Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Set up 3 dipping stations

Station 1
1/2 c all-purpose flour

Station 2
1 egg
1/4 c water

Station 3
1 c all-purpose flour or Panko or whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder


1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ c coconut oil, plus more as needed

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and dredge in each of the stations in order, starting with Station 1.

Heat coconut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces until the bottom of the pan is covered. Don’t add more than one layer of chicken at a time.

Cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until juices run clear. Remove from the pan and serve hot with dipping sauce.

Variations
Chili-fried chicken: Add 1 Tbsp chili powder to seasoned flour.
Curry-fried chicken: Add 2-3 tsp curry powder and ¼ tsp ginger to seasoned flour.
Cheesy-fried chicken: Reduce flour to ½ c and add ½ c finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1 Tbsp oregano or marjoram.
Crisp-fried chicken: Replace the egg mixture at Station 2 with buttermilk or cream.

Curried Chili

Apparently in India this dish is called rajmah. This is my version of this Red Kidney Bean Curry.

Time & Servings

• About 35 minutes
• 6-8 servings (depending on how much naan you eat with it)

1/4 c olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, seeds removed, chopped (use a chili pepper if you like heat)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 1/2 tsp garam masala (Indian spice blend readily available at grocery stores)

1/2 tsp ground turmeric 

1/4 tsp cayenne (optional to add heat)

1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes with juices

1 1/2 c dried kidney beans, soaked and cooked (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Plain yogurt or sour cream for garnish

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until peppers are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and all of the spices. Sprinkle with two 3-finger pinches of salt and some ground black pepper. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and kidney beans. Toss in another 3-finger pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer (uncovered) until the tomatoes are soft and saucy, about 10 minutes. Add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, if the pot gets dry. This should be thick and stew-like, not soupy. But also not dry.

Taste and add another 3-finger pinch of salt (or two) if necessary. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream. Serve over brown rice or with naan bread.

Pita Bread (non-sourdough)

Soaker

8 oz (1 3/4 c) flour

4 g (1/2 tsp) salt

6 oz (3/4 c) water

Stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until all the flour is hydrated. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to 24.

Non-Sourdough Starter

1/4 tsp (1 g) instant yeast

8 oz (1 3/4 c) whole wheat flour

6 oz (3/4 c) water

Stir together until a shaggy dough forms. Knead until all the flour is hydrated and dough becomes smooth. Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. 

After the period of time for prefermentation, mix together the final dough. 

Final Dough

Soaker

Non-Sourdough starter

4 oz (3/4 c + 2 Tbsp) whole wheat flour (can use high extraction or all-purpose flour here if you are afraid of 100% whole wheat)

5 g (5/8 tsp) salt

2 tsp instant yeast

.5 oz (1 Tbsp) olive oil

Knead together all of the final dough ingredients. Dough will be sticky at first. Wet your hands and your work surface to help keep the dough from sticking to your hands and counter as you knead. When the dough begins to turn from sticky to elastic, let it rest for 3-5 minutes. Knead a few more times. It should be strong enough to pass the windowpane test. 

Cover and let rise for about an hour, until it doubles in size.

Gently gather the dough out of the bowl, being careful not to tear it. Cut it (don't tear it) into 8-10 even pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball. Place the balls on a baking sheet, cover, and let rise for about an hour, until the pieces of dough grow to 1 1/2 times their original size.

Heat a grill (or oven) to about 500 degrees F. Roll out each ball of dough until it is flat and 4-5" in diameter. Dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Starting with the first disc again (so they all rest for similar amounts of time), roll out to 1/4" thick. Dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking. To make a good pocket form, don't roll out thinner than 1/4". 

Begin baking with the first disc, again to give them all similar rest time. To help a pocket form, let the first disc rest for at least 5 minutes before cooking. Grill (or bake) the pitas. They should start to puff up in about 1 minute. Once the dough puffs, let cook for another 20 seconds, and then remove from the grill (or oven). As the pitas cool, they will flatten again. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Maple Oatmeal Bars with Dates

This is my version of this recipe.

1/4 c maple syrup
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 c pitted dates, chopped
2 eggs
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c applesauce (unsweetened)
1/2 c plain yogurt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c oat flour
3 c rolled oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
Dash cardamom (it's tasty, and quite strong)

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Grease a 9x13-inch pan with butter.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well-combined. Bake 25 minutes or until turning golden brown at the edges. Cool at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

Creamy White Bean Salad

Time & Servings

• About 15 minutes
• 4 servings

Ingredients

4 c white beans (1 1/2 c dried, soaked, and cooked; or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)

3 medium cucumbers, peeled and chopped

1 small red onion, diced

3/4 c plain yogurt

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

Fresh dill to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Serve with crusty sourdough bread or over a bed of salad greens.

Butternut Squash & Kale Quesadillas

You can use any winter squash (butternut is my favorite, but acorn or spaghetti squash will work here too) and any sturdy green (kale, spinach, collards, chard, beet greens).

This recipe is my version of this one from Pioneer Woman. 

Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-6

1 small winter squash, cut in half, seeds removed
2-3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & pepper to taste
3/4 c dried white or black beans, soaked and cooked (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 bunch greens, stems removed, leaves chopped
8 tortillas (I use Tortilla Land from the store if I don't have time to make them; otherwise, make them from sourdough discard or without a sourdough starter)
Monterey Jack cheese
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lettuce, chopped
Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, chopped avocados, and/or chopped tomatoes for garnish

Heat the oven to 400F. Place the squash cut-sides-down on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, until it is soft enough to peel easily. Alternately, microwave for 3-5 minutes.

To use kale, beet greens, collard greens, or chard in the quesadillas, blanch the leaves in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes to remove any bitterness from the leaves. Drain and set aside. Spinach does not need to be blanched. Lacinato kale (also called black kale) does not need to be blanched.

Remove the squash from the oven, peel it, and cut into bite-sized cubes. Turn the oven to the broiler setting with the rack 4 inches from the heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter. Add the spices and toast them slightly, just until fragrant. Add the squash cubes, beans, and greens. Cook until the squash and greens are tender. Add additional butter if the pan gets too dry.

Taste the filling and add additional seasoning if necessary.

Place tortillas on the baking sheet, as many as will fit. Grate cheese over each and add a sprinkle of cilantro. Add about a half cup of the squash filling and a tablespoon of salsa. Place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, until cheese is starting to melt. 

Meanwhile, smear some sour cream on the tortilla tops. Remove the pan from the oven and place the tops, sour cream side down, on top of each quesadilla. Put them under the broiler for another 2 minutes, until the top tortilla is lightly browned. Remove the pan, flip the quesadillas, and broil another 2-4 minutes, until the tortilla is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. 

Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and use a pizza wheel to cut the quesadillas into halves or quarters. Garnish with additional cilantro, sour cream, etc.