What You Should Have in Your Pantry & Fridge

I should have an inflated head, because my friends tell me over and over again, “You’re such an interesting cook!” If they only knew the truth: I typically prepare and eat the same things over and over again, week after week, and year after year...

So when I discover something amazing and new, it's a real event! But making these culinary leaps into the unknown without the right kitchen ingredients makes for a tiresome and frustrating experiment. So I think it's time to go back to basics...

A friend asked me what essentials are in my own kitchen….the ones that make the process of making creating new and amazing meals easier.

Note: It took a couple of years to figure this out for myself. Make your OWN DISCOVERIES in the stores, so that you find out which favorites are YOURS. The point is to make sure that you really like them. You won’t go shopping for the key items each time you’re at the store, but the second you run out…replace it!

I go shopping at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, farmer's markets, health food stores and even some supermarket chains (typically the ethnic food/specialty food aisle).

SPECIALTY ITEMS

• Braggs Liquid Aminos – this is a GREAT substitute for soy sauce. It’s a liquid protein concentrate derived from soybeans, has naturally occurring sodium and works on any recipe that calls for soy sauce, dressings, sauces and marinades among others. Find it at Whole Food's or health food stores.
  
• Margarine - Earth Balance from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. I have toast every morning with this item...
  
• Butter - salted and unsalted
• Rice Milk – I prefer this to soy milk. The flavor is better to my tastebuds...
  
• Fire Roasted Chile Salsa – I put this over eggs, use it with tortilla chips to snack on, the possibilities are endless.
  
• Tofu (firm and organic) – we slice it then grill ours on the Foreman Grill, then marinate it with Braggs, mustard, garlic, yummm....
  
• Ezekiel Bread – it’s the best bread you can buy. Made of sprouted wheat and with no wheat or gluten. We haven’t missed regular bread for a long time now. I would highly recommend making the switch for health reasons and taste!
  

OILS

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Canola Oil
• Hemp Oil – I LOVE this oil. The flavor is wonderful, and it’s got a ridiculous amount of nutritional value because of its 3:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids matches the balance required by the human body. Use it in salad dressings, marinades, or just sprinkle it on your food. I sprinkle it over anything that requires oil.
  

SPICES

• Cayenne Pepper
  
• Kosher/Rock Salt
  
• Dried Basil
• Dried Cilantro
• Oregano
• Bay Leaves
• Tabasco Sauce – yep, just plain old Tabasco. The real deal. I love the flavor.

PRODUCE

• Pineapple – my favorite fruit. You should have yours ready to eat anytime too...
• Spinach – goes well in pastas, pizzas or you can steam it and add a squirt of Braggs.
  
• Asparagus – I love it raw or cooked.
• Garlic – I always keep this handy.
• Onion - I prefer red. They're a little sweeter.
  
• Cucumbers – see my marinated cucumbers recipe.
• Carrots
  
• Celery
• Basil – pesto is one of the easiest things to make. And you can add it to anything. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need cheese to make it right!
• Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Red Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes

DRY GOODS

• Rice pasta (penne, spaghetti and linguini) – My husband and I don’t eat wheat, so we have some substitutions. Rice pasta is the best tasting for us.
• Whole Grain Mustard
• Raspberry or Blueberry fruit spread – be careful NOT to get preserves. They have added sugar.
• PURE Maple Syrup (Grade B) – you can add this to anything else that requires sugar. Including ontop of cereal, tea. Unfortunately, this isn’t the same for baking.
• Canned Tomatoes
• Canned Tomato Sauce
• Coconut Milk – using this in place of cream adds a different flavor that I’ve come to love.
• Artichoke Antipasto – Trader Joe’s has this. It’s a great spread on crackers, or even the base of pizza crusts.
• Basmati Rice – if you can find organic, buy it!
• Canned Red Salmon – I prefer this to tuna. Less mercury.
• Rice Noodles – this ingredient is perfect for any Asian themed dishes.
• Vegetable Broth
• Rice Crackers
• Organic Soyonaise – if you want mayo, whip up some from scratch using eggs and a blender. Type in “homemade mayo” into Google, and you’re golden.

NUTS

• Pine Nuts – needed for pesto or a handful in salads.
• Raw Walnuts – a good source of protein, and better than the roasted/salted variety. Take a handful in a plastic bag in your purse for when you get the munchies.

FROZEN SECTION

• Morning Star “fake” bacon & sausages – if you gave up meat and miss the flavor, try these. They’ve got good flavor!
• Frozen blueberries – good for smoothies
• Rice pizza crusts – can be found in Whole Foods, and they’re wheat free.
• Gardenburger “Riblets” – DAMNED tasty meat substitute.
• Soy Dream “Ice Cream” – perfect for those late night cravings, and you don’t have the stomach ache afterwards…

PREPARED FOODS

• Roasted Artichoke and Parmesan Dip – again, found in Trader Joe’s. One scoop of this in cooked pasta, and you’ve got a quick and creamy meal.
• Hummus – I can’t live without it, especially when I’ve got to eat something right away.

CHEESE

• Soy Cheddar Cheese Slices – these can be found in Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, but the price is better at the latter.
• Goat Milk Gouda – this is SUCH good, decadent cheese.
• Goat Milk Feta – Trader Joe’s again. And it’s better than regular feta.
• Rice Parmesan Cheese – Make a Whole Food’s run for this. It tastes similar to the Kraft cousin.
• Garlic & Herb Almond Cheese – Whole Foods.

Happy shopping!