Vegan Seasoning Basics

by Michelle
(Chicago)

Sassy - My question is about vegan seasoning basics. I like to eat simple meals that I can throw together quickly - like brown rice w/ beans, & one or two vegetables on the side. The problem is that although the rice & beans taste ok, they're a little dry and also "flat" on taste.

Since I'm throwing these things together (vs following a recipe), I have no clue about how to season the rice and beans to decrease the dryness and increase the flavor. Can you help me?

*****
Sassy Sez: Hi Michelle! Very good question. Let's talk seasoning first, because that is one of the first steps I would do.

Chop some onion, garlic, bell peppers, zucchini - just about any flavorful veggies you have on hand - and add them to a large skillet (or pot) that has a little olive oil -OR- vegetable broth (which is what I use these days) -- yes, you can saute veggies just beautifully with veggie broth! Place a lid on top if you prefer, stirring occasionally.


----------------
Side Note:
As you might know, freshly-made brown rice tends to have more moisture since the steam is still trapped inside. But once it cools, and then chills, that steam/excess moisture flies out the window.

It sounds as if you are pre-cooking your rice and beans, and then placing them in the fridge so you can pull them out when you need to whip a meal together. Very smart plan!
---------------


Now, back to our pan! ;)

When your veggies are tender, add a bit more veggie broth (or water), if needed (you will likely need to do this, especially if you used oil originally to heat the veggies. Add your brown rice (and/or beans), and heat on medium with the lid on. This will, in effect, trap some steam in the pot and breathe new moisture into your rice.

You will learn through trial and error how much liquid to add.

So now you are left with steamy and warm rice and beans with yummy cooked veggies tossed in for good measure - and flavor. ;)

From here on out, add the herbs and spices that you like. Keep the main flavors in mind: sweet, spicy, sour, salty, and bitter. For instance, a little maple syrup or Agave nectar, dried chili pepper flakes, lemon juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I also like to add a squirt of flax oil to my rice to add even more moisture and a delicious soft, rich flavor. And to round out just about any recipe I usually add a little Bragg's Liquid Aminos (a healthy soy sauce) and nutritional yeast (B12 and slight cheesy flavor). Something about the combination of these 3 items seems to always pull all the other flavors together for me. But maybe that's just me and my old-school ways. ;)

Have you seen the Brown Rice "Vegan Flavor Matches" on VeganCoach.com? Click the link for some ideas to get you started with some vegan seasoning ideas.

Another thing you can do is focus on international flavors. For instance, if I want to go with a more Mexican flair, I might add some cumin, lime instead of the lemon, corn, and tomatoes. For Greek, try oregano, marjoram, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil instead of the flax. Or for Chinese you could add ginger, rice wine vinegar instead of the lemon juice, basil, bok choy, and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Finally, when you are REALLY stuck and your brain has just stopped working, pull out a cookbook and see what flavor combos are used in some of your favorite recipes. You can translate just about any flavor combo over to rice and beans because they can handle just about any flavors you throw at them.

Play around with flavors. It's really hard to mess it up, and you will likely come across a flavor combo you LOVE.

Hope this helps. xo
p.s. By the way, I use this same concept for all leftover grains I have on hand, such as quinoa, millet, and buckwheat.