Courses > Plant-Based Foundations
Course Overview
This course offers foundational instruction in plant-based culinary arts. With a focus on the application of core techniques in the plant-based kitchen, the experience will allow you to explore and practice a variety of recipes and flavors. You will learn how to adapt familiar foods, such as stoc…
Click to expand...Course Objectives
- Prepare plant-based stocks and recipes utilizing stock
- Prepare a variety of plant-based soups
- Plan and organize food production and apply principles of batch cooking
- Practice advanced recipe development with plant-based cuisine
- Build mother sauces, dressings, marinades, condiments and pickles
- Prepare plant-based proteins, such as tofu, tempeh and seitan and non-dairy substitutions
- Prepare plant-based pasta and noodle dishes
- Understand principles of flavor balancing, building, layering and seasoning
- Understand flavor profile development including herb and spice combining
- Prepare non-dairy alternatives to milks, creams and cheeses
- Explain the culinary principles of the raw kitchen
- Apply techniques such as juicing, dehydrating and fermenting
Course Syllabus
Unit 1: Orientation & Course Overview
Welcome to the Rouxbe Cooking School. Before you begin learning about how to cook and eat more plant-based foods, we want to be sure that you understand the course structure and how the learning platform works. We also want to explain what we expect of you as a student, and what you can expect from us. This introductory unit sets the stage for your learning.
Lesson 1
Course Orientation
In this unit, we will explain how this course is structured, how the Rouxbe learning platform works, and what to expect in the course.
Unit 2: Plant-Based Staples
In this unit, you will explore everyday staples and foundational recipes to help you build plant-based menus. In this unit, you will learn how to adapt familiar foods, such as stocks, soups, dressings, dairy and meats, and make them plant-based. You will learn about methods, substitutions and products to help you make these adaptations.
Lesson 1
Unit Orientation
Lesson 2
Plant-Based Stocks
In this lesson, you will learn how to create vegetable-based stocks from scratch. These stocks will be a staple for the soups and sauces that you will encounter in future lessons.
Lesson 3
Soups
Appreciated for their comforting and soul-warming qualities, soups are easy to make. No wonder they're a favorite dish in nearly every food culture.
Lesson 4
Dressings, Vinaigrettes & Marinades
Dressings, vinaigrettes and marinades can make any plant-based food shine. In this lesson, you will learn some of the key ingredients and methods for creating these kitchen staples.
Lesson 5
Sauces
This lesson highlights indispensable sauces for the plant-based kitchen: red sauce and white sauce, plus sauces influenced by global cuisines.
Lesson 6
Condiments
In this lesson, you will learn how to make a variety of relishes, pickles, chutneys, salsas and other condiments to highlight your dishes and boost flavor in your meals.
Lesson 7
Unit Review & Assessment
Unit 3: Plant-Based Alternatives to Meat & Dairy
This unit addresses plant-based alternatives to meat and dairy. It will introduce proteins such as tofu, tempeh and seitan, and dairy alternatives such as nut milks and cheeses.
Lesson 1
Unit Orientation
Lesson 2
Basic Plant-Based Proteins
In this lesson, you will learn how to work with plant-based protein products on the market, including tempeh and tofu. You will also learn about pre-prepared products available on the market.
Lesson 3
Seitan | Methods, Uses & Recipes
In this lesson, you will learn about seitan, a protein-rich "meaty" staple on many plant-based menus. You will learn how to prepare it with techniques such as braising, boiling and steaming.
Lesson 4
Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives
In this lesson, you will learn some key plant-based substitutions for dairy products, as well as techniques for how to use them. You'll also learn some basic recipes for creating staple dairy alternatives, so you'll be able to convert dairy-based recipes to plant-based recipes.
Lesson 5
Unit Review & Assessment
Unit 4: Pasta & Noodles
In this unit, you will learn how to choose dried pastas, their standard cooking methods and the varieties on the market. You will also discover how to prepare and use of a number of fresh, from-scratch eggless pastas and Asian noodles.
Lesson 1
Unit Orientation
Lesson 2
How to Make Fresh Laminated Pasta | Egg & Dairy Free
In this lesson, you will create handmade, eggless fresh pasta that will be the building block for multiple dishes, whether paired with a variety of sauces or tucked around stuffed pasta fillings.
Lesson 3
Filled Pastas
In this lesson, you will learn about filled pastas, including ravioli and manicotti.
Lesson 4
Other Global Noodles
This lesson will explore a few techniques and recipes for making fresh noodles from around the world, particularly spaetzel and udon.
Lesson 5
Unit Review & Assessment
Unit 5: No-Heat Cooking | Raw Gastronomy
This extensive unit introduces a full detailed overview of raw gastronomy, outlining the foundational technique, explanation and methodology behind creating therapeutic and comforting gourmet raw and living foods. This curriculum covers all the basics to more advanced approaches in preparing raw plant-based cuisine such as juicing, blending, germinating, sprouting, fermenting, marinating, culturing, and low heat cooking.
Lesson 1
Unit Orientation
Lesson 2
The Raw Kitchen | Introduction
This lesson introduces and discusses the reasons why raw and living foods should be included in the plant-based repertoire. It highlights the essential tools that are necessary in a raw food kitchen, and introduces the concepts of raw living food preparation.
Lesson 3
Juices & Concentrating
This unit discusses the merits of juicing and covers technique and therapeutic uses.
Lesson 4
Showcasing Vegetables
When a variety of vegetables and fruits compose the main portion of your plate on a raw foods diet, it is essential to understand the basic methods in preparing them. In this lesson you will learn basic preparation techniques for showcasing them within your menus from vegetable pastas, wilting, marinating and pressing to low heat methods.
Lesson 5
Recipe Development & Base Recipes
In this lesson, you will learn how to use raw foods to create your own versatile base dishes that can change flavor profile and use throughout your week, and help you reduce your reliance on complicated recipes in your daily life.
Lesson 6
Nutrient-Dense "Superfoods"
This lesson will explore the different categories of superfoods from exotic, less well known ingredients to more common ingredients that truly pack a punch of nutrition.
Lesson 7
Germinating, Sprouting & Kitchen Gardening
There is nothing quite like growing your own. Germinating, sprouting and a basic understanding of kitchen gardening are important techniques and skills when working with living food. In this lesson you will learn the about the simplicity and culinary uses for germinating nuts and seeds, along with methods, how to select, grow and use sprouts within recipes.
Lesson 8
Dehydrating
In this lesson you will explore the varieties, textures and applications you can achieve by using dehydrators. From preserving, warming and wilting to raw snacks, dehydration is an essential method in the raw kitchen.
Lesson 9
Fermenting
Fermenting is an ancient preserving technique used for centuries across most world cultures. This lesson will dive into some of the preparation methods, safety and sample recipes and uses for fermenting foods in your kitchen.
Lesson 10
Culturing Nut Based "Cheese"
In this lesson you will identify the types of of nuts and seeds you can culture and the taste profiles and unique methods used to culture each.
Lesson 11
Raw Sauces & Condiments
Just like cooked sauces and the importance of their functionality within a dish, raw sauces also are key components to bringing a dish together. This lesson will cover a few base sauces and staple condiments that will accent your raw dishes.
Lesson 12
Raw Desserts
Well crafted raw desserts can easily stand up to any cooked dessert counterpart on a menu. Despite the fact that raw desserts can be quite rich (due to the typically heavy use of nuts and seeds), having that sweet tooth satisfied is simple when using whole natural sugars in combination with fruits other sweet ingredients.
Lesson 13
Unit Review & Assessment
Unit 6: Final Assessment
This is where it all comes together. In this unit, you will be given your final assessment on the material that is covered in the preceding units.
Lesson 1
Course Review & Final Assessment
This is where it all comes together. In this unit, you will be given your final assessment on the material that is covered in the preceding units.
Student Work
Pantry
This is a collage photo of my in-kitchen pantry and my back-up pantry. I keep extra supplies in the back-up pantry of those stock i... View More
Practice Recipes
