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1 cup red lentils 3 cups water 1 onion, diced 8 cloves garlic, minced 2 pimento/red bell peppers, diced small 1 15 oz can sweet or dairy-free cream corn 1 15 oz can pumpkin 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 tablespoons neutral oil Preheat oven to 400°F. Add 3 tbs neutral oil to the bottom of a large stock pot or Instant Pot, add your diced peppers, onions, and garlic and sauté until the peppers are soft, and the onions are translucent. Rinse your red lentils and add them to the pot and stir around to sauté for a minute before adding 3 cups water to the pot and either bringing to a boil before covering and simmering 15-30 minutes, or pressure cooking on high for 3 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Remove from heat, and mix in the can of puréed pumpkin and can of cream corn (drained if using sweet corn), and use an immersion blender to purée the soup base together. 3 Chicken breasts, diced small (optional) 2 cups diced carrots 2- 3 cups diced squash 3 tablespoons Caribbean Spice (recipe below) 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 15 oz can coconut milk 1 15 oz can sweet corn, drained 3 tablespoons neutral oil 1 teaspoon sea salt Toss your chicken, squash, and carrots in the oil and sea salt, lay out on a baking tray in a single layer, and roast until the chicken is cooked to 166°F and the vegetables are fork-tender, about a half-hour. Add the roasted vegetables and chicken to the soup pot, along with the broth and coconut milk, and bring the pot to a gentle boil before serving. This recipe makes a very large pot - easily serving 12-16 people, or making plenty for both dinner and freezing. Low Glycemic Caribbean Spice: ½ cup coconut sugar 2 tablespoons sweet paprika 2 tablespoons sea salt 1 tablespoon ground thyme 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground ginger Ground cayenne or scotch bonnet peppers, to taste (optional) Mix and store all ingredients in a 16oz jar with a tight seal. Store in a dark, cool place. Did you enjoy these recipes? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

4 flax eggs (4 tablespoons ground flax seed soaked in 12 tablespoons water) 1 1/4 cups baking cocoa 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup beef tallow or vegan butter 2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (wheat or gluten free mix) 1/2 cup sweetened oat milk creamer or plain oat milk Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9”x13” pan. Put ground flax seeds on to soak, set aside. Place tallow or vegan butter in a microwaveable bowl, and microwave on high power until melted, about 2 minutes. Mix baking cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder, and coffee granules together in a large mixing bowl. Add flax eggs, melted tallow or butter, creamer or oat milk, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients, and use a hand mixer to bring the batter to a whipped consistency. Turn the batter out into your greased pan, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. Store remaining brownies in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

5-7 cheap steak cuts, like a bottom round 1 cup vinegar 3 tablespoons oil 3 tablespoons prepared mustard Salt and pepper to taste, or favorite steak seasoning mix Use those proportions, but you can use any vinegar, oil, and prepared mustard you would like for this recipe. Lay your steaks out in a low casserole dish, and sprinkle each steak generously with salt and pepper, or with your favorite seasoning mixture. Be sure to coat both sides of the steak. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, oil, and mustard together until the marinade comes together. Pour it evenly over the steaks, making sure they’re fully coated in marinade. Cover the dish, and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Remove from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before cooking. Heat your largest skillet on high heat, I prefer well seasoned cast iron for this. Place the steaks in the skillet and cook until they temp at 130°F or your preferred temperature, about 3-4 minutes per side. Allow the steaks to rest for 2-3 minutes before cutting and serving. Do you have leftover steak the next day? Turn it into Steak & Pinto Beans Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

This is part two of a series I started here . The rice: Long grain white Long grain brown Basmati Jasmine The legumes: Dry red lentils Dry brown lentils Dry pinto beans Dry black beans Dry dark red kidney beans Dry black eyed peas Dry chickpeas Canned black beans Canned chickpeas Canned cannellini beans Canned black eyed peas or dark red kidney beans Why some canned? Because some days, you need a convenience meal, and canned beans make that easy. See my No Effort Pantry Food Ideas For One post for more details. Other canned goods: Coconut milk ( coconut ) Green Chiles ( nightshade) Pumpkin purée (nothing added) White hominy ( corn) Canned/packaged tuna ( fish ) Canned/packaged salmon ( fish ) Canned sardines ( fish ) Smoked oysters ( seafood ) Other pantry goods: Pasta of choice ( wheat or gluten free), would recommend something that would make a good pasta salad or casserole, and a ramen or pad Thai noodle. Tahini ( seed ) SunButter ( seed ) HFCS-free fruit preserves Raisins, or other dried fruit White onions ( allium ) Garlic cloves ( allium) Baking potatoes ( nightshade ) Sweet potatoes Be sure to store the onions and potatoes separately! For the freezer: Frozen peas Frozen corn ( corn) Frozen green beans Frozen broccoli Frozen mixed veggies ( corn ) Frozen stir-fry veggies ( corn , nightshade ) Frozen fruit mix If you eat fish, frozen salmon, tilapia, and catfish fillets. If you eat chicken, frozen boneless breasts and thighs, or bone-in quarters if you prefer. If you eat beef or venison, mid-grade steaks, stew meat, and ground beef re-packaged if needed into 1 lb portions before freezing. Nitrate-free hot dogs. If you eat pork, pork steaks, pork chops, pork butt, sausage, and bacon. Don’t forget your microwave’s defrost function for quickly and safely thawing meat! For the fridge, at a bare minimum: Oat milk Celery Carrots A snacking fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, bananas - don’t store bananas in the fridge!) A salad mix or greens of choice Nitrate-free deli meats Hot tip for the meat eaters - if you go to your local supermarket’s deli at closing time, they’ll put out the close-to-dating deli meats at clearance prices. Whatever you can’t eat before it dates, you can freeze for later. Breads: Whether you buy them or make them, having these in the fridge means you’re ready for all handheld food experiences - A sandwich loaf (make sure you check the ingredients for soy and egg even if you’re like me and you can have wheat, both are common commercial additives) a flatbread for wraps or a burrito-sized tortilla Corn tortillas for tacos ( corn ) Where should I shop for all of this? Again, international supermarkets are going to have the best quality and price on these items, but places like Walmart and Aldi also have all of this for good prices and conveniently located in a lot of areas. Do I have to buy everything you recommend? No, I’ve marked items in both posts that are common allergens, obviously skip those if they’re your allergens. And buy what you know you’ll use, you have your own likes and tastes. Many items up there come with lots of options to pick and choose from to suit your needs. Did you find this shopping list useful? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

This is part one of a series, you can read part two here . The absolute basics : Iodized salt Sea salt or Pink salt Black pepper (pre-ground or corns in a grinder) Onion powder ( allium ) Garlic powder ( allium ) Baking soda Baking powder Whatever thickening starch you best tolerate ( corn , arrowroot, tapioca, etc) All-purpose flour ( wheat , or your favorite gluten free mix) Cornmeal ( corn) Plain quick cooking oats Ground flax seed ( seed to substitute for eggs) The herbs : Oregano (preferably both Italian and Mexican) Basil Marjoram Thyme Rosemary Dill Chives ( allium ) Parsley Bay leaves The spices : Smoked paprika ( nightshade ) Sweet paprika ( nightshade ) Ground hot peppers of choice, like cayenne or scotch bonnet ( nightshade ) Whole Guajillo peppers ( nightshade ) Whole chile de arbol ( nightshade ) Whole dried smoked chipotle peppers ( nightshade ) Gochugaru dried chili peppers ( nightshade ) Ground cumin ( seed ) Ground mustard ( seed ) Ground tumeric Ground cinnamon Ground ginger Ground coriander ( seed ) Ground allspice Ground nutmeg ( seed ) Ground cloves The “nice to have, but I can generally cook without it” : White pepper Celery seed ( seed ) Sumac MSG Roasted sesame seeds ( seed ) Mushroom powder Bullion powder (check ingredients for allergens) The cooking fats : Extra Virgin Olive Oil Avocado Oil Coconut Oil ( coconut ) Roasted Sesame Oil ( seed ) Beef Tallow Reserved bacon grease The vinegars, in order of priority : Distilled white vinegar, 5% Raw apple cider vinegar, 5% Rice vinegar Balsamic vinegar Red & white wine vinegars The other liquids : Coconut aminos ( coconut ) Worcestershire sauce ( seed , check the ingredients for soy) Fish sauce ( fish , check the ingredients for soy) Hot sauce(s) of choice ( nightshade ) Liquid smoke (check the ingredients for soy) Boxed broth (check ingredients for all allergens) Vanilla extract The mustards (all seed products) : Plain yellow Dijon Spicy brown The sweeteners : Turbinado sugar Coconut sugar ( coconut ) Honey (preferably local or domestic, raw or very lightly processed) 100% pure maple syrup (grade B has more vitamins and more maple-y flavor, if you can find it) Maple sugar The un-categorizeable: Plant Based Mayonnaise HFCS-free pickle relish Bottled lemon juice, or dehydrated lemon/lemon peel Where to purchase? Check out international supermarkets, especially those owned and catering to Indian, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, Caribbean, or folks from Hispanic countries. You’ll find the freshest product at the best prices at these markets. Nowhere like that near you? Search for the closest with an online shop, and have them ship your order. Online marketplaces like Thrive Market (I’m not affiliated with any of them) will also have many of these ingredients. You’ll also find a small selection at places like Dollar General and Dollar Tree, especially of the must-haves and the herbs and more common spices like cinnamon. If you’re looking to buy in large quantity, check out places like Costco, or your local restaurant supply chain. You may be wondering why I didn’t recommend any spice mixes? That’s because you can make literally any spice mix you want to with all of these ingredients on hand. You can then blend them into your choice of the liquid ingredients to make all kinds of sauces and syrups and dressings, too. No more having to dodge soy oil in your commercially-made salad dressings. Did you find this shopping list useful? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

2+ cups 100% apple juice or apple cider (can substitute cranberry juice) 1 15 oz can of pear slices in HFCS-free heavy syrup 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons agar agar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/4 teaspoon coriander Drain the syrup from your can of pears into a measuring cup, and top off with apple juice until you have 3 cups of juice total. Empty the pear slices and chop or mash them to your preference to cover the bottom of an 8”x8” casserole dish, a loaf pan, or dessert molds (if you’re not a fan of chunks in your gelatin, you can skip this part). Add the juice mixture to a medium saucepan, and add the rest of the ingredients to the saucepan before setting it on medium low-heat. Whisk your pan frequently at first, until you’re whisking constantly as it begins to boil. Once the pan has come to a good boil, carefully remove the saucepan from the heat, and immediately pour the mixture into your waiting pan or molds. Cover securely with an airtight lid, and place your jelly into the refrigerator until it has completely chilled, 8+ hours. Remove from the pan or molds and slice with a sharp knife if needed to portion before serving. Can be served with non-dairy whipped topping, if desired. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

3/4 cup pumpkin purée (about half of a 15oz can) 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 3-4 tablespoons cooking water from your pasta 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon each thyme, marjoram, & rosemary, dried and crushed (or 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, if you prefer a more traditional “spaghetti sauce” vibe) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Salt to taste (if needed) In a medium saucepan (I usually use the one I cooked the pasta in as the pasta sits in the strainer in the sink), whisk all ingredients together over a medium-high heat, bring to a boil while whisking constantly, and boil while whisking until the sauce thickens to your liking, usually 2-4 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat, and either add your pasta to the pot to absorb the sauce before serving, or serve on top of your choice of cooked pasta. Makes about 2 cups of sauce. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1 1/2 cups oat milk 1/2 cup sweetened oat creamer* 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt or pink salt *Feel free to adjust the milk/cream ratios to your preference. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and hold at that boil for 1-2 minutes, still whisking constantly before removing the saucepan from the heat. Allow the hot chocolate to rest a few minutes to cool prior to serving in a heat-proof mug. Dilute with hot or cold water as needed, if needed. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

For a dry dough: 5 cups bread flour (unfortunately, I have not had luck with gluten free blends in this recipe, if you do please let me know which brand/blend you used in the comments!) 2 cups warm water 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons instant yeast For an oil dough: 4 tablespoons neutral oil or melted fat In a small bowl, combine your water (“tap hot,” around 100°F), yeast, and sugar, whisk together to dissolve, and set aside. In a large bowl or mixing bowl, combine your flour and salt (and oil or fat if using) and whisk together. If you have a stand mixer, this is where you fit it with a dough hook, start the mixer, and pour the yeast solution into the mixer bowl to form the dough. Or you can mix it into a raggy dough with clean hands, just make sure all the flour is in the dough, but it doesn’t have to be perfectly kneaded at this stage. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm space (I use a heating pad under the bowl in cold weather), before punching the dough down, kneading it, and re-shaping it. Let it rise one more time. For sandwich loaves: I prefer an oil dough. Makes two 2lb loaves. Divide dough, shape, and place in loaf pans, covered with a towel, to double in size before scoring the top of the loaves and baking at 450° F for 30 minutes, cool before turning out and slicing. For rustic loaves: same as above, except bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet or on a preheated pizza stone or in a preheated cast iron Dutch oven. For pizza crust: divide dough in the portions you’d like for the size of pizza you’d like to make, and roll out to 1/4” thickness. Place your toppings, and bake on a preheated cast iron or pizza stone (or in your preferred baking dish) in a 450° F oven for 15-30 minutes. For hamburger or hot dog buns: makes 16 total. Divide dough, shape, place on parchment lined baking sheets, cover and let rise for 20 minutes before baking uncovered at 450° F for 20 minutes. For dinner rolls : makes 16-24 total, depending on the size you choose. Divide dough, shape, place in a lightly greased casserole dish, cover and let rise for 20 minutes, before baking uncovered at 450° F for 20 minutes. If you want to top them with a glaze, mix 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon ground rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon marjoram with 1/2 cup of melted beef tallow or olive oil. Whisk together really well, pour evenly over your unbaked rolls, and then lightly dust the tops with sea salt. Bake as directed above. For bagels: use the dry dough. Makes 16 large bagels total. Put a wide pot on with at least 6” of water to boil. Divide the dough, form the bagels (I poke and widen holes into the center of a dough ball), and allow to rest while you whisk 1/4 cup of honey or maple syrup into your boiling pot of water. Boil each bagel in the pot of sugar water, 3 minutes per side, before carefully removing from the pot, dipping the top of the bagel in your selected topping, and placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 450° F for 20 minutes. For English Muffins: use the oil dough. Divide the dough into 16 muffins, shape, and let rest for 20 minutes. Bring a large skillet or griddle, preferably cast iron, to heat, and grease lightly. Place your muffins on the cook top and cook for 4-6 minutes per side, flipping when the muffin is a toasty brown. Re-grease your surface during the cook time as needed. For pita bread: makes 8-16 loaves, depending on size. Divide the dough, form into balls, while heating a large skillet or griddle on your cook top. Roll out your dough balls as thin as you can, and place them on your lightly greased cooking surface. Cook each pita 2-4 minutes per side, until the bread has dark brown cook marks and have puffed up. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, if possible (they do keep refrigerated or frozen in plastic). For spiral buns: roll out the dough into a rectangle shape about 1/2 inch thick. For cinnamon buns: spread the dough with a generous amount of plant butter, beef tallow, or coconut oil, leaving 2” of dough plain at the top, then cover with a generous amount of cinnamon sugar, made at a 3:1 sugar:cinnamon ratio with your sugar of choice. For savory buns: spread the dough with a generous amount of plant butter, beef tallow, or olive oil, then cover with your choice of sauces, spreads, dairy-free “cheeses,” vegetables, meats, etc. Starting from the bottom, roll the dough into a spiral, encasing all the filling, and pinch it together with the dough you left plain at the top to seal the filling in. With a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 1” spiral rounds, and place them in a casserole dish that has more of your fat and seasonings of choice liberally covering the bottom. Cover with a towel, and let the buns rise for 20 minutes before baking uncovered at 450° F for 20 minutes. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

1/3 cup plain quick-cooking oats 1 teaspoon ground flax seed 1-2 teaspoons maple sugar 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice 1 pinch sea salt 1/4 cup raisins or Craisins (optional) 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds (optional) Combine all ingredients in a heat-safe bowl or mug, and add 1 cup of water just off the boil. Cover the container, and let the oatmeal cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix well before eating. Can top with non-dairy creamer, if desired. To prepare ahead, combine all ingredients in a tightly sealed food storage baggie. Transfer to your heat-safe container before adding hot water to cook. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

2-3 leftover steaks, or 1lb stew meat (optional) 1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted 3-4 cups water or broth of choice 1 onion, finely diced 3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced, or 2-3 large spoonfuls of jarlic 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon liquid smoke Salt & ground black pepper to taste If you aren’t using an Instant Pot, soak your beans using your favorite method (overnight, or by bringing to a boil and soaking in the just boiled water for one hour). In your cooking pot or Instant Pot, sauté your onion in the oil or grease until it’s translucent. Add your garlic, and sauté until it starts to brown. Add the spices to the pot (except the liquid smoke), and sauté for 1-3 minutes, to warm the spices and infuse the oil/grease. Slice your leftover steak into thin, bite-sized strips and add to the pot, or add your stew meat here and brown it up. Add your water or broth to the pot with the liquid smoke, and here is where you’ll use your own cooking method: If you’re using an Instant Pot, add your rinsed, un-soaked beans to the pot, seal the lid, and set to pressure cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Naturally steam release for 15-20 minutes at the end of the cook time. For this method, use 3 cups of liquid for cooked beans without a lot of liquid, 4 cups if you prefer a soupier bean. If you’re using a pot on the stovetop, drain your soaked beans, give them a rinse with fresh water, and add the soaked beans to your cook pot. For this method, you will likely want 4 cups of liquid or more, as you’ll lose more to condensation. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer or transfer to a crock pot, cover, and cook for 2 hours, or until your bean mixture is cooked through and creamy, while stirring the pot occasionally. Add more liquid during the cook time, if needed. Serve the steak & beans with rice, over a baked potato, or with cornbread . Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie

3/4 cup coconut oil or beef tallow, melted 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons water and set aside for 5 minutes to gel) 3/4 cup brown or coconut sugar 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup oats 1 cup all-purpose flour (wheat or gluten free) 1/2 cup unsweetened powdered cocoa 1 cup shredded coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened) 1 cup chocolate chips (optional) Melt oil or tallow in large, microwaveable bowl, add the sugar, honey, flax eggs, and vanilla, and whisk to combine. Don’t freak out if it doesn’t whisk together perfectly, just try to get all the ingredients together. Add salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, flour, oats, and shredded coconut, and stir into the wet ingredients with a spatula. Spoon into a greased 8x8 pan, and cook at 350°F for 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and serving. Did you enjoy this recipe? Support yr very appreciative Auntie with a tip at ko-fi.com/yrauntie