Essentials

zenbellys guide to mastering the basics

Simone Miller
Essentials
Zenbellys guide to mastering the Basics

Whether youre transitioning to a gluten or

grain-free lifestyle, want to cook more food
from scratch, or just want to up your cooking
game, it all starts with the basics. Having an
arsenal of essentials like the ones in this book
is a great foundation to becoming a better
cook, improving your health, and connecting
with the food that nourishes you.

The recipes included in this book are ones that

I consider to be foundational in nature; once
you master these, you will likely find yourself
more confident in many more than the 11
recipes within. The vinaigrette recipe in this
book has nearly limitless variations; blueberry
muns can be just about any kind of mun,
and a simple roast chicken can be transformed
into something truly decadent with the addition
of aromatics, citrus, and herbs.

You get the idea. Now go have some fun in the

kitchen!
 Essentials | zenbellys guide to mastering the basics

Written and photographed by Chef Simone Miller, best-selling author of The Zenbelly Cookbook
For more about Simone and Zenbelly visit zenbelly.com

zenbelly 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or
other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and
certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email zenbellyinfo@gmail.com

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chicken broth
Homemade broth is liquid gold. This broth is tasty enough to
be sipped out of a mug, and is also the perfect base for soups
and stews. You can make this broth with beef, lamb, or pork
bones, or a combination of what you have on hand. Save bones
in your freezer until you have enough to make a batch. You can
do the same with veggie trimmings, too.
Ingredients
5-6 pounds meaty chicken bones (backs, necks, and feet are best)
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
3-4 quarts cold, filtered water
2 pounds carrots, roughly chopped
1 pound parsnips, roughly chopped
1 pound celery, roughly chopped
1 pound celery root, roughly chopped
6-8 cloves garlic
a small bunch of each parsley and dill
Method
Place the chicken bones, apple cider vinegar, and salt in your pressure
cooker or large stockpot.
Add the water, cover, and bring up to pressure (or a boil if using a stock-
pot) over high heat.
Once the pressure valve pops, turn the burner down to the lowest pos-
sible heat to keep the valve popped. If using a stockpot, bring down to
a simmer and cover.
If using a pressure cooker: Allow to cook for at least 1 hour, up to 1
hours. If using a stockpot: Simmer for at least 3 hours for good flavor,
and longer if you want to get more minerals out of the bones.
Uncover the pressure cooker or stockpot and add the vegetables and
garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce, uncovered, for 1 to 1 hours, until
the vegetables are very soft.
Strain the broth, getting as much liquid out of the ingredients as possi-
ble. Pour into jars. Once the fat rises to the top, plunge a small ladle
into the jar to remove and discard it, or save it for future use.
Store the broth for up to 1 week in the fridge or up to 6 months in the
freezer.
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basil-balsamic vinaigrette
Store-bought salad dressings are expensive and full of
Ingredients
undesirable ingredients. Lucky for you, making your own is
extremely simple! cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
pinch of ground black pepper
cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard,
sea salt and black pepper.

While continually whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. It should emul-
sify and thicken.

Stir in the basil and serve over your favorite salad

Variations:

instead of balsamic vinegar and basil, try:

equal parts apple cider vinegar and lemon juice, a clove of crushed gar-
lic and a teaspoon of honey

red wine vinegar and a teaspoon of fresh oregano

champagne vinegar and fresh snipped chives

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mayonnaise
Making your own at home is not only simple, but is much
tastier that the kind youll find on the supermarket shelf! An Ingredients
immersion blender is the key to easy mayo making. Spices and 3 egg yolks
fresh herbs transform mayo into a dairy-free dip. Thinning it 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
out with vinegar, lemon juice, or water makes it a creamy
teaspoon finely ground sea salt
dressing.
cup oil (light olive oil, macadamia oil, avocado oil, or a combination),
divided

2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method
Place the egg yolks and vinegar in a wide-mouthed quart-sized glass
jar, or similar-sized vessel. Blend with an immersion blender for 1 min-
ute.

Add the salt and blend again.

With the motor running, slowly drizzle in cup of the oil, keeping the
stream small. Incorporate the oil by moving the blender in small up-
and-down circles.

Add the water and blend until combined.

Slowly drizzle in the remaining cup of oil, continuing to run the

blender.

Blend in the lemon juice.

Store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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stir - fry marinade sauce
When you eliminate gluten, corn, processed sugars, and soy
from your diet, Chinese take-out sadly disappears from your Ingredients
life. The good news? Its incredibly simple to whip up a batch 1/2 cup coconut aminos
of stir-fry sauce thats even better than take-out! This one is 1/3 cup orange juice
versatile, too. See the suggestions after the recipe for some
2 teaspoons fish sauce
ideas.
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili paste or Sriracha (more if you like it spicy!)

Method
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Store in a jar in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to one week.

How to use it:

marinate meats: cover protein with the marinade and refrigerate for:

fish: 1-2 hours

chicken: 4-6 hours (bone-in) 1-2 hours (boneless)

beef or pork: at least 4 hours or overnight

stir-fry: Saut your favorite veggies and meats and stir in the sauce to-
wards the end. Allow to simmer for a minute or two. Mix in zucchini
noodles for a quick lo-mein!

salad or cole-slaw dressing: Mix one part stir-fry sauce with one part
oil (something neutral tasting such as light olive oil) and use it to dress
your salad or slaw.

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blueberry muns
The texture of these muns is undistinguishable from the ones
Ingredients
you remember and love. They are dierent, though, in that
they have much more protein and healthy fat, and far less sugar cup palm shortening or softened unsalted butter
than the originals. Feel free to swap out the blueberries for 4 large eggs
your favorite fruit, or whatevers in season. cup honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cups almond flour
cup arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cups blueberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment
liners.

Add the shortening, eggs, honey, and vanilla to the bowl of a food
processor and blend.

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, coconut

flour, and baking soda.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir to thoroughly combine.

Fold in the blueberries.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, filling them two-
thirds full, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted
into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool in the muffin tin on a wire rack before removing from the pan.

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pizza crust or flatbread
This recipe has been called the best grain-free pizza crust recipe countless
times. And for good reason; its crispy on the bottom, has just the right Ingredients
amount of bite, and hold up to all of the toppings you can imagine. You 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
can par-bake these ahead of time until youre ready to top with toppings 1 tablespoon honey
and finish baking. cup warm water (should feel warm on the inside of your wrist but not
burn)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon egg white (less than 1 egg)
1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
cup almond flour
cup tapioca starch
teaspoon finely ground sea salt
Method
In the warmed bowl of a stand mixer (or, alternatively, the bowl you'll
be using with hand-held beaters), add the yeast, honey, and warm wa-
ter and whisk to combine. Let sit for a good 5 minutes. It will get foamy
and active. (If not, the yeast is a dud, and youll need to start over.)

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, egg white, and apple cider vine-
gar.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the almond flour, tapioca starch,

and salt.

Once the yeast is foamy, add the wet and dry ingredients to the bowl
with the yeast mixture and mix on medium-high for 30 seconds using
the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, scraping down the bowl once
to make sure it's all incorporated.

(contd next page)

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pizza crust or flatbread
For fun hors doeuvres, top your flatbread with assorted toppings; arti-
choke, pesto, caramelized onions or fig jam and prosciutto, or carnitas
pineapple and jalapeo, or anything you can dream up! Cut into bite-
sized pieces.
(contd)
Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula again to gather the dough
together. It will not look like the dough you remember; it is much wet-
ter. Use the spatula to get it into as much of a ball as possible.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set in a warm (but not hot) place.
Allow it to sit for 1 to 1 hours. The dough wont rise as dramatically
as a traditional dough recipe, but it will aerate and increase in size a bit.
After the dough has had time to rise, preheat the oven to 500F. If us-
ing a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat up while the oven pre-
heats.
Lightly oil a sheet of parchment paper and turn the dough out onto it.
It will likely stick a bit to the bottom of the bowl; just scrape it out as
best as you can.
With oiled hands, gently flatten out the pizza dough into a 9- to 10-inch
circle. It will be aerated, so you might have to patch it together if there
are empty spaces.
Carefully transfer the dough, still on the parchment, onto the pizza
stone or a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in the lower third of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it's start-
ing to brown at the edges.
Add desired toppings and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Allow to cool
for a minute before slicing.
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roast chicken
Once you know how to perfectly roast a chicken, you open up all sorts
of culinary possibilities. Its a great meal as is, no doubt, and youll also Ingredients
have leftovers for soup, salads, quick stir-fries, and more! This recipe is 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
for the most basic roast chicken, which yields crispy, salty skin. Feel
1 tablespoon finely ground sea salt
free to add citrus and/or herbs to the cavity, root vegetables to the pot,
and any spices you love. Theres nothing wrong with keeping it simple, Method
either. Preheat the oven to 425F.

Coat the entire chicken with the salt and place in a Dutch oven, breast
side up.

Roast the chicken, uncovered, for 1 hour 15 minutes, after which begin
checking every 15 minutes until its cooked through, reaching an inter-
nal temperature of 165F.

Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Leftover ideas:

chicken salad: mix chopped chicken with mayonnaise, diced apples,

pecans and celery.

chicken soup: simmer diced veggies in chicken broth until tender, and
add shredded chicken and fresh dill.

quick stir-fry: saut your favorite veggies until tender, and mix in
chopped chicken and stir-fry sauce. Top with sesame seeds or toasted
almonds, if desired.

10
seared steaks with pan sauce
Knowing how to make a good steak is a cornerstone of kitchen
confidence. Youll be surprised at how much flavor you get from the Ingredients
simple pan sauce, just a few ingredients adds the perfect sweet, finely ground sea salt
pungent, savory accompaniment to any cut of steak. 4 (6- to 8-ounce) New York strip or rib-eye steaks, about 1 inch thick
1 tablespoon lard, melted or softened
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
3 tablespoons golden balsamic, white wine, or champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
a few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano (op-
tional)

Method
Liberally salt the steaks and allow them to come to room temperature,
about 30 minutes. Pat them dry and coat them lightly with the lard.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat.

Once the pan is very hot, add the steaks and sear for 3 to 4 minutes
per side for medium-rare, or longer if you like more well-done steaks.
Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes, loosely covered
with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the coconut aminos, vinegar, and mus-
tard. Allow the pan to cool a bit before adding the vinegar mixture and
the herbs, if using, to the pan. Using the residual heat in the pan, re-
duce by about half, but do not turn it into a syrup. If that happens, sim-
ply add a bit of water to bring it back to a liquid.

After the steaks have rested, slice and serve with the sauce.

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zucchini noodles (zoodles)
The perfect alternative to grain-based pasta; so versatile, and a great
way to sneak a veggie into your meal! Use them into any dish that uses Ingredients
traditional pasta. Theyre wonderful with meat sauce or your favorite 2 pounds zucchini (6 to 7 medium)
pasta sauce, and also make great cold sesame noodles. 1 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
Method
Peel the zucchini, if desired. (This is completely optional, but it's some-
times a good idea if youre trying to replicate the look of spaghetti.)

With either a julienne peeler or a spiral slicer, julienne the zucchini into
long, spaghetti-like strands.

Toss them with the salt in a colander and allow to sit for 20 to 30 min-
utes.

Give them a good rinse with cold water and drain.

To further dry them, lay on several layers of paper towels or a clean tea
towel.

Depending on the dish youre serving them with, you can leave them
raw and heat them in the sauce youll be eating them with, toss them
into a dry skillet to heat through and soften, or simply toss them with
sauce to serve them at room temperature.

For an easy recipe for Sesame Zoodles, visit the zenbelly blog.

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roasted asparagus
Roasting asparagus isnt only extremely simple, it also happens to be
Ingredients
the method that yields the most flavor. Its wonderful left as is, with a
1 pound asparagus (medium thickness or more recommended for this
sprinkle of sea salt, but feel free to add lemon zest, melted butter, or technique)
your favorite vinaigrette to liven it up even more.
2 tablespoons light olive oil, melted duck fat, or fat of choice
teaspoon finely ground sea salt
teaspoon ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 375F.

To trim the asparagus: Hold a single spear between your thumb and
forefinger, towards the bottom of the spear. Bend it and it will snap in
the exact spot that the woody end meets the juicy stalk. Once one
spear is trimmed, you can line it up with the rest, and trim them in the
same spot as the one you snapped.

Toss the asparagus with the oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness. The spears should

be golden brown and softened but not mushy.

Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and serve with vinaigrette, hollan-
daise, lemon juice and zest, or aioli, if desired.

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brownies
While we cant call dessert essential from a nutritional standpoint,
sweet treats are an indulgence that a lot of us would rather not give up Ingredients
entirely. These brownies are rich and chocolatey, and not too sweet. 1 cup unsalted butter or coconut oil, plus more to grease the pan
Youll be able to serve them to gluten-eating friends without them
cup chocolate chips
batting an eye.
cup honey
5 large eggs
1 cup coconut sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon coconut flour
teaspoon finely ground sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering,
not boiling, water. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey.

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric

mixer, beat the eggs on medium-high speed until theyre light yellow
and fluffy. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla, and melted chocolate mix-
ture. Beat on medium until well incorporated.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, tapioca starch, coco-
nut flour, and salt. Add to the mixer and beat on low until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes,
or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to
cool in the pan on a rack before cutting.

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Ingredients used in this book:

almond flour

arrowroot powder
coconut aminos

coconut flour

coconut sugar

honey
palm shortening (sustainably harvested)

tapioca starch

vanilla extract

Equipment used in this book:

dutch oven

immersion blender

mun tin

parchment mun tin liners

pressure cooker

spiral slicer

stand mixer

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