The DIY Pantry (10 page)

1. Place the masa harina in a large bowl.
   
2. Add 1
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cups of the water to the masa harina. Stir to combine and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
   
3. Knead the mixture in the bowl with the palms of your hand, as if you were kneading bread dough, until it seems to soften, about 2–3 minutes. Add a little more water or masa harina to the dough as needed. It should be neither crumbly nor sticky, but soft and mostly cohesive.
   
4. Divide the dough into sixteen balls and prepare two pieces of wax or parchment paper. Heat a dry griddle over medium-high heat until fully heated.
   
5. Working with one ball at a time, place a ball of masa harina on top of a piece of wax paper. Top it with the other piece of wax paper and squish the ball flat with the ball of your hand. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough very thin, always working from the center out and rotating the paper as needed.
   
6. As each tortilla is rolled, place it on the hot griddle and cook until dry and beginning to brown, about 30 seconds per side. Place cooked tortillas under a dishtowel until you are ready to serve. Store completely cooled tortillas in an airtight container for 2–3 days.
   
7. To reheat, place the tortillas in a 200°F oven for 2–3 minutes, but don’t leave them in the oven for longer than 5 minutes, as they will begin to dry out.
   

There’s nothing better than waking up to a warm, creamy bowl of oatmeal on a cold morning. Old-fashioned oats and other rolled grains will work just fine in this recipe too—you’ll just need to let them sit for a couple of minutes longer when you’ve poured in the boiling water. If you adjust the recipe, be sure not to blend more than one-third of the oats into the flour or the final oatmeal will be goopy.

1. Place 3 cups of the oats in a blender and pulse to cut into small pieces. Add the coconut oil and continue to pulse until ground into a coarse flour.
   
2. Toss oat flour with remaining oats, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and any add-ins.
   
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
   
4. To serve, mix
   ¹
   ⁄
   ₂
   cup of instant oatmeal mix with 1 cup boiling water and let sit for 1–2 minutes.
   

It seems like the more you flip over cracker boxes, soup cans, and ketchup bottles to look at their ingredient lists, the less products there are that actually offer some kind of nutritional benefit. Nowadays, grocery store shelves are filled with the same undesirable ingredients—preservatives, additives, and artificial colorings—over and over again. It may seem like you have to spend hours in the kitchen just to create healthy options, but that’s just not true. The recipes in this chapter will show you that you can make convenient meals without all that extra junk—and they can even taste just like those foods you love! All of these recipes are designed to “make ahead,” so that you can fill your shelves and freezer with wholesome, homemade versions of your favorite foods instead of stocking them full of cans and boxes.

Macaroni and cheese is a staple in many households, but depending on what country you live in (including the U.S.), your favorite meal-in-a-box might include food dyes derived from crude oil and a vast array of natural and artificial preservatives. This homemade stovetop variety of the family favorite uses natural ingredients, dirties only one pot, and can be made relatively quickly without creating a huge mess, making it the perfect meal for just about any time.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil; then toss in a few tablespoons of salt and the pasta.
   
2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk the egg yolks, milk, turmeric, paprika, salt, mustard, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside. Shred the cheese and set aside.
   
3. When the pasta just reaches al dente, about 6–7 minutes, drain very well but do not rinse. Return the empty pot to the stove and melt the butter over low heat.
   
4. When the butter is melted, pour in the egg-milk mixture. Whisk constantly for about 30 seconds while the sauce cooks; then add the cheese and stir to combine.
   
5. Toss in the pasta and stir to coat evenly; then stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is creamy. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
   
6. Store the macaroni and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.