Hi Sweet Friends,
My pantry is the trusty scout leader of my kitchen — always prepared!
Over time, I’ve stocked my pantry with items that are the foundation for my meals and can be used in a variety of recipes or all on their own. Once you begin to collect your own favorite pantry pals, you’ll see a few things shrink: your grocery bill, your shopping list and your meal planning woes. Suddenly, half your recipe ingredients are already on hand and all you need at the store are fresh herbs and produce, some toilet paper and a trashy magazine every once in awhile (come on, you know you read them!).
This week, I’m making good use of my pantry with a south of the border inspired dinner — taco night! Psst … Don’t miss the Crazy Sexy Refried Beans recipe at the end of this blog. De nada.
Here are some of my must-have pantry items:
- Coconut Oil: Coconut oil (aka coconut butter) has a sweet, light, buttery flavor. Make sure to choose organic unrefined extra virgin coconut oil, since the hydrogenated kind contains trans fats (boo!). The saturated fat in coconut oil is mostly lauric acid, which supports thyroid function and raises good cholesterol. I spread it on my morning waffles, add a dollop to my veggie sautes or use it as an oil substitute while baking. Oh! And it’s also a divine skin moisturizer (we have a tub of it in the bathroom).
- Protein Powder: Since proteins are the building blocks of every cell in your body, adding a scoop of plant-based protein powder to your smoothies is an awesome way to give your muscles and organs a little extra lovin’. At the moment, my favorite brand is PlantFusion.
- Almond Milk: Almond milk has a sweet, creamy taste that’s perfect for hot breakfasts (oatmeal, millet or quinoa), tasty smoothies and sauces. Did I mention iced chai lattes? Yeah, that too. Word to the wise: If you’re watching your sugar intake, opt for the unsweetened variety, it tastes just as good, if not better. Nutrition label tip: 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. The American Heart Association recommends (at most) 5 teaspoons of sugar for gals, 9 teaspoons for guys and 3 teaspoons for kids.
- Buckwheat Soba Noodles: I adore these gluten-free noodles in chilled salads or tossed with an Asian-style stir fry. Soba noodles cook in a snap, but be careful not to overcook them — they’ll turn to mush. Buckwheat is also a complete protein, which makes this noodle a no-brainer in my kitchen.
- Nutritional Yeast: Fondly known as “nooch,” this cheese-flavored powder has been a longtime comrade of vegetarians and vegans. Nutritional yeast is full of B vitamins and it’s another (you guessed it!) complete protein to add to your repertoire. I love using nutritional yeast in sauces, salad dressings, soups and even in my organic tofu scramble. Go ahead and smooch the nooch, you won’t be sorry — lordy, I crack myself up!
- Rice Pasta: I usually reach for Tinkyada brand rice pasta, but there are a variety of brands out there. Choose brown rice pasta if you can, since we all know that whole grains are better than the white stuff. Rice pasta can be used as a gluten-free substitute for any wheat pasta, but I use it most often in my Penne a la Vodka recipe.
- Quinoa: In addition to being a plant-based protein powerhouse, quinoa is also high in magnesium (great for your bone health) and iron (immune system supporter). It’s the main ingredient in easy-peasy buddha bowl — a big serving of cooked quinoa topped with diced raw veggies, avocado, hemp seeds, olive or flax oil and an hefty squirt of Bragg’s amino acids or organic tamari. Heaven.
- Pinto Beans: Dried and canned beans are a fiber-filled friend that I always have on hand. Just keep in mind that you should choose a BPA-free brand whenever possible. And when you go for dried beans, head for the bulk aisle to save some bucks. Worried about gas? Soak your beans overnight and cook them with a strip of kombu (seaweed) to tame those pesky toots.
- Lentils: Colorful, protein-rich legumes make mealtime a snap. All you need is a simple sauce, veggies and lentils to create a fabulous one-pot meal, which also means less dishes (halle-frickin-lu-yah!). And if you’re in a pinch for time use red lentils; they cook in a jiffy.
- Sea Vegetables: These sassy sea plants are packed with marvelous minerals, including potassium, calcium and magnesium. It’s also one of the best sources of iodine, which is crucial to thyroid health. I sprinkle dulse flakes on my salads, nibble on sea veggie chips as a snack and roll up veggies and brown rice in nori sheets for some sushi.
- Rice Crackers: The big dipper! Rice crackers are a crispy and delicious gluten-free option when you’re looking for something to munch on. I dip them in hummus, guacamole, organic tofu eggless salad and beyond.
- Goji Berries: Reach for goji berries next time you’re putting together a trail mix or topping your oatmeal. They’re lower in sugar and packed with antioxidants.
Well, that’s my pantry in a nutshell. I hope this up close and personal look at my shelves inspires you to stack your pantry with a treasure trove of nourishing supplies.
I love that my panty carries many of the same goodies that your does – must mean I’m on the right CS path 😉 Oh and love the sound of the CS Refried Pinto Beans recipe, a definitely must-try for our house. As always thanks for your insights and inspirations!!
Catherine xoxo
@AlmostRawVegan.com
How about almonds, like alomond butter. Does it have to be organic?
Hi Kris,
I keep spices in my pantry and I actually use them every day!
In the morning, I cook oatmeal with a spice blend I made up of cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg… plus some freshly grated ginger.
I’ve also started to use Za’atar when roasting veggies, in marinades and salad dressings. It’s a spice blend made from lightly toasted sesame seeds, sun dried herbs and ground sumac.
Love & Light,
Valerie
@Valerie
My hubby loves a good bowl of oatmeal sometimes but has struggled with switching from the pre- sweetened kind. Your spice mix sounds perfect. Might try it in the homemade gluten, sugar, dairy (sounds boring right) carrot muffins he makes me. I’m still looking for an egg free version of our muffins (sans flax) that I could tolerate and taste OK.
Thx!
Marie, try using apple sauce or mashed banana to replace egg, instead of the “flax” egg. 🙂
Have you tried soaked chia seeds instead of flax?
Thx ladies!
I don’t know if this helps as far as oat meal, but I grew up drinking oatmeal as opposed to the traditional porridge in the States. I mix my oatmeal with quinoa, cream of wheat, maca powder, chia seeds and spices. I make it more dilute with almond or coconut milk, that way I drink it and it seems to go faster than when i make it more solid, it is when I really take my time and sometimes don’t even finish it.
@wendy
Thx so much for your idea. If I could tolerate everything in it I would love to give it a go. My guy is Scottish/ Irish and a bit picky with some foods (aren’t we all?). He likes his oatmeal tradional, stick to your ribs style with a bit of fruit, maple syrup and some chopped nuts. I do think he’d try the chia along with Valerie’s spice blend. FYI being have British (half French Cdn) I grew up only knowing oatmeal as porridge and my dad LOVED cream of wheat!
Sounds like a variation on Pumpkin Pie spice! Yum!
Did you ever try Z’atar mixed in with homemade hummus? Mmmm…..
please let them know any hints and tips and ideas. They are new so asked that we all be patient with them. I ttaesd this pizza and OH MY if you are hankering for a thin crust pizza this is it. Awesome taste, awesome pizza and I was totally amazed. You have to check them out.I will blog about it soon.
I’m not strictly vegan, so my pantry includes anchovies, Bonita flakes, fish sauce and my fridge has eggs (from chickens I know personally, who truly free range and live out their lives even after they’re done laying). I have olive oil, olives, capers and grapeseed oil. I don’t eat much of any unfermented soy as it contains too many anti nutrients to be worthwhile, but I always have natto (acquired taste, I know), and tamari. I also always have aduki beans and I don’t buy any canned beans, only dry. I don’t just soak them overnight, I sprout them – much more nutrition, leaches out a ton of phytic acid and you can eat lentils without cooking once sprouted if you want to.
A couple of thoughts: sugar. The AHA would not be my go-to for info. A better recommendation is no more than 15gms sugar in any form, including fruit, for anyone with an ongoing inflammatory issue of any kind; otherwise, up to 25gm total.
Buckwheat soba. Make sure to read the label – most have some wheat in them. The pure buckwheat ones are pricey, but worth it.
Nutritional yeast. Be careful about adding to hot foods. Let the soup cool to just warm first, or you kill off all the lovely B vitamins.
One more thing that’s in my pantry and fridge always are wild fermented veggies. Put them in the coolest, darkest corner and in the fridge once opened. Tons and tons of healthy gut bacteria in great variety, and delicious. Another thing you don’t want to heat up but add to food as a condiment.
And brown rice pasta? Get it imported from Thailand or India. Brown has double the arsenic levels of white and in the US even organic has quite a bit. I’m becoming more fond of white rice, and really, I don’t count on pasta for its nutritional density, it’s more a vehicle for other things anyway. I have glass noodles in my pantry and also rice wrappers at all times, because they prep in minutes and carry all kinds of yummy goodies that ARE loaded with nutrition.
I’m happy to see our pantries look very similar! Wonderful products!
Love your pantry! I have lots of the same ingredients, but also love my almond butter, raw honey, brown rice, a greens supplement powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, Purely Elizabeth granola, and coconut flakes! 🙂
Agreed with the almond butter. I can’t have it but I came across a great tip to stuff Medjool dates with some AB and my husband LOVED it…says they’re a bit addictive. Its a very sweet combo so two is his max. A colleague of his brings medjool dates home from the UAE and they are so much better than the ones here in Canada : (
Oooh yes, that’s a great idea Marie! I love dates too and tend not to buy them because then I eat them all, even though it’s sugar overload! You can also sprinkle them with coconut flakes! Instead of almond butter, try cashew butter or sunflower seed butter (without all the added sugars!)
I’ve been waiting for a post like this! Thanks so much!
I love this!!! We have many of the same pantry staples, I would add flax and chia seeds, a variety of nut butters (sunflower, cashew and almond butter) and lundberg rice cakes. Rice cakes or veggies/ fruit slices with nut butter are my “go to” snack—and flax and chia are a must for smoothies, oatmeal and baking.
LOL – I forgot about the rice cakes……my go to food as well.
Hi Kris,
Love that your pantry has the same things as mine does. I also include maca, raw cocoa nibs, grated coconut, dates and a variety of unopened nut butters.
Because nuts and seeds can go rancid, I store them in my freezer and the opened nut butters in the fridge. I also store my chia, hemp and flax seeds in the freezer too.
Running through this list make me want a Maca Madness Smoothie…..I know what I will have later today.
Keep sharing the wellness message Kris. Can wait to hear you speak at the “I can do it Toronto”
Jo-Ann Blondin
Hi Jo-Ann,
So, please tell….what’s in the Maca Madness Smoothie?
thanks!!
Hi Kris, I love reading your blog. I am REALLY trying to get healthy. I find it very difficult due to my busy schedule. I want to exercise but can’t seem to find the time… I know sounds like an excuse. I want to eat better and try new things but I also have a 6 year old fussy child that really does not eat anything that is good for her. Any suggestions you have would be appreciated… Every Monday I start over only to fail by Tuesday… UGH ..
Lane, Dr. Fuhrman has a book to help us get our kids to eat right. Check out “Disease Proof Your Child”. He addresses the “fussy” eater dilema 🙂
Thanks so much Leila… It is such a discouraging battle.. She has a bad gag reflex, let me just tell you that does not bake it any easier…
Lane, If she has a bad gag reflex it’s often a texture thing, not the flavor. If she gags more with mushy foods add a little crunch…it will help her chew more and gag less. If she gags on crunchy or dry foods, blend them up a little. Depending on how old she is, she will grow out of a lot of this, with help. It took me about a year & a lot of research to figure out why my son was gagging. He wouldn’t eat pasta ever, ripe bananas, etc. So for the pasta i crumbled up some GF pretzel bits and he ate it down. Bananas i get immediately when the green disappears but before brown spots begin. Good luck.
I have the same problem with my 6 yr old boy. Very picky eater, will not do smoothies of any kind. I hide good stuff in our foods all the time, flax, squash, sweet potatoes. Just put them in his pancakes, oatmeal, cookies and use honey and pure maple syrup instead of sugar.
Onions everywhere–in the pantry, on the counter, stuffed in drawers (just kidding!)
Kris, a question on Nutritional Yeast – can you enjoy it if you are following a candida diet. I avoid it because of the “yeast” but some people say it is OK. Do you have any info you can share? Thanks
I’ve checked out the candida diet website and someone had asked the same question. The response:
Lisa Richards (she runs the site):
“The yeast cells in nutritional yeast are dead, but they are not always well tolerated by Candida sufferers. You can think of it as a test food – avoid it at first but introduce it later in your diet and see how it goes.”
Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks Celina. I will do that approach. What a great community.
My understanding is that nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast and can be safely enjoyed by those with candida issues. It is different from the type of yeast used in baking and from brewer’s yeast, which is often used as a dietary supplement as well.
I just used it in the onion-and-chive cashew “cream cheese” recipe from Crazy Sexy Kitchen – so good!
I’ve dealt with candida for years and read conflicting advice on this (what else is new right) but found I was very sensitive to it. My new family doctor is more educated and open to this issue so I’m hoping she will help me find what works for me to better control or even resolve it.
Good luck to all if us who struggle with candida…it’s not a fun gi : (
Thank you for sharing your pantry! Mine looks quite similar — well, not as neat and tidy — but full of all those gluten-freen goodies, beans & lentils, hemp & chia seeds, and nuts galore. I know what I’m making for dinner; your Penne a la Vodka recipe. Thanks for helping so many get to the heart of radiant, exceptional health!
@Kris
We’ve used your website as one of our go-to guides for my husband’s diet changes including avoiding dairy when he realized it was causing some of his bladder/prostrate symptoms etc. He now uses almond milk on his morning cereal and almond milk yogurt (plain). At 62 and a lifetime dairy lover I was proud of him and he feels much better. We don’t believe in extremes so he does allow for some good qlty cheese (has to be worth the consequences) on occasion and he still enjoys some pasta dishes with it. He said the key is to not expect it to taste like dairy. He’s also upped his intake of plant based calcium sources as his doctor advised recent studies are not favourable for calcium supplements especially with men (we did look them up). He also has to avoid citric acid as it interferes with his ADD meds. His diet is very different and some of his friends who are of similar age look ten yrs older (good since I’m younger) and tease him about getting skinny (he’s similar build to Dr Oz so no) but some have been inspired and are making similar changes. He’s not juicing yet or giving up his maple mini wheat cereal but he makes small steps.
Thx for helping me to help my hubby while I help me!
Recently it was brought to my attention that most store-bought almond milk contains degraded carageennan which studies have stated is potentially cancer causing. I now make my own almond milk which is super easy to do; it lasts 4-5 days in the refrigerator, and if you buy your almonds in bulk, comes out to be less expensive than store-bought almond milk. I also add dates and a little vanilla for flavoring sometimes; tastes way better than purchased almond milk. I play with the amount of purified water to make it creamier which I enjoy with my daily cup of Dandy Blend each morning.
Mine looks looks very similar, though not always quite as organized! 🙂 I do love my raw cacao. I have 3 little kids which means snacks — raisins, dates, and dried mangos, nuts, as well as a variety of gluten free flours for yummy, healthy sweet treats. I also love quinoa pasta and have been ordering local dried beans.
I keep walnuts in the fridge because I have had them go bad, but all others are in the pantry. Anyone have thoughts on this?
I LOVE soaked and dehydrated walnuts, almonds too I dehydrate them at 110 degrees until they are totally dry. So worth the effort. I do keep them in the frig.
Great idea! I really want a dehydrator based on everything I keep reading you can use them for.
Thanks for the peek in your pantry Kris. Love all your wonderful advice and help on dealing with cancer. Plus I love your sense of humour. You are really funny. Hi from Australia!
As an alternative to canned beans (which may have BPA in the can), I love to stock up on frozen lentils and chick peas (try Trader Joes or Whole Foods frozen sextion) for nights when I don’t feel like cooking them from scratch. My mantra is: fresh is best (local and sustainable is better!), next is frozen, canned as a last resort.
I’m glad to see that we have some of the same staple items, although there were a few, like sea veggies, that I just added to this week’s grocery list!
Some of my other pantry essentials, in addition to the ones you listed, are whole grains in addition to my staple of quinoa, like millet (which is considerably less expensive, especially if purchased in bulk), black and kidney beans, raw (unsalted) nuts like almonds and walnuts, coconut water (for smoothies), dried green peas (a good source of protein and great for soups), veggie stock, olive oil, lots of loose leaf teas (my soda/coffee/bad drink substitute), ginger for upset tummies and green tea for antioxidants, stevia (the only sweetener I ever use besides agave), vegan, soy-free chocolate bars (I have a 1-2 square/day limit), Cocao powder (for the rare vegan brownie splurge or for a sweet addition to a smoothie), my favorite vegan protein powder of the moment, Sequel Naturals, and a greens powder for when I’m on the go and need a quick green boost to a raw juice or smoothie.
And, of course, 95% of the contents of my pantry are organic. I’m only in trouble when I send my husband to the store and he returns with non-organic foods – grr! 🙂
Excellent Kris! Loved seeing what’s in your pantry it’s very helpful for us to have visuals. Can’t wait to try your refried beans recipe.
Keep on rocking girl!
xoxo
This list looks just like mine, with a few additions for quick snacks for the kids (and me):
– dried organic fruits like apricots, dates and raisins
– sun dried tomatoes to really kick up a marinara sauce
– nut butters, my favorites are pumpkin seed and macadamia nut
– gluten free and sugar free cereal for quick snacks for the kids
– a BIG bag of rice, jasmine is my fave lately
– some dark organic chocolate for me with tasty things like maca or cherries in it 🙂
I have the worst chocolate cravings and love to bake. A couple weeks ago I started using raw cacao nibs. Now when a recipe calls for chocolate chips, I use half cacao nibs and half chocolate chips. I also use them in place of other chocolate in trail mix. I get all the great benefits of cacao without quite as much sugar 🙂
Unbelievable!….Your pantry is my pantry…to the tee!!