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Long-Soak Method for Soaking Nuts: Add nuts to a bowl and cover with filtered water by at least 1 inch. Allow to sit in a shaded area at room temperature for anywhere between 8 and 14 hours, before rinsing and draining.

Short-Soak Method for Soaking Nuts: Add nuts to a saucepan, and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a simmer, and simmer two minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Nut and Seed Butters: I use unsweetened, unsalted

nut and seed butters in my recipes. I also try to use

newer, runnier nut and seed butters, because they

add moisture and are easier to blend. If that’s not an

option, try this trick: Scoop out a few tablespoons

less than the recipe calls for and place in a mixing

bowl with the missing amount of very hot water.

Stir to combine, then allow the mixture to sit for

10 minutes. Stir thoroughly and measure out the

amount needed for the recipe.

Salt: When I call for salt throughout the book, I am

referring to fine-ground, noniodized sea salt. This

is the ideal all-purpose salt for cooking, baking,

and seasoning. Sea salt retains beneficial traces

of minerals. Do not substitute table salt, which is

even more finely ground; using the same amount of

table salt will result in a dish that’s overly salty. For

finishing or garnishing, I recommend sea salt flakes

(Maldon sea salt) and pink Himalayan sea salt.

Aged Balsamic Vinegar: I specify “aged,” because

it is slightly thicker, richer, and sweeter than

regular balsamic vinegar, and the two really aren’t

interchangeable. You can also “age” it yourself by

taking regular balsamic vinegar and heating it to

a simmer in a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring

frequently, until its volume has reduced by about

one third. Allow to cool completely before using, and

store in the fridge.

Butter: All butter used in recipes is unsalted. If

possible, purchase butter from grass-fed cows.

Quinoa: All quinoa cooks the same regardless of

color, so just use whatever you can find. Be sure

to follow rinsing instructions to avoid a soapy

aftertaste.

Scallions or Green Onions: They’re the same thing!

The recipes refer to them as scallions, but some

grocers refer to them only as green onions.

Avocado Ripeness: An avocado is ripe if it gives

somewhat easily when you press it with your thumb.

If it feels almost hollow and gives very easily, then

the avocado has started shrinking away from the

skin. It is likely too ripe and may be going bad. If

you purchase an underripe avocado, store it in a

brown paper bag on the counter with a piece of cut

fruit to expedite the ripening process. You can store

perfectly ripe avocados in the refrigerator for a

couple of days without them ripening further.

Peeling Fruits and Vegetables: If I am using

produce that is on the Dirty Dozen list, I always

peel as the skin holds a high concentration of

pesticides. If it’s organic or not one of the Dirty

Dozen, I usually don’t peel.

Prepping Kale and Collard Greens: To slice the

leaves into ribbons, first rinse the leaves and pat

dry. Lay a leaf flat on the cutting board. Holding

the leaf with your non-dominant hand, use a sharp

knife to slice on either side of the thick part of the

stem (usually almost to the top of the leaf). Remove

stem. Repeat with remaining leaves. Then layer a few

leaves on top of each other, and roll into a log shape.

Slice crosswise into ribbons.