Stocking your kitchen correctly is crucial to cooking healthy at home. Being able to pull together an unexpected, last minute meal can save your whole day. Having a few things around to make an snack that will sustain you through your afternoon workout is gold. Here are 10 things to get your started. These 10 items can be combined for endless healthy snacks and meals. Throw a few more of your own staples in there and you’re well on your way to creating delicious, healthy, homemade meals.
1. Spices
Well if you plan on cooking a meal, like ever, in your own kitchen you should at least have a couple spices in the pantry. Of course salt and pepper are essential but I typically keep smoked paprika, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, oregano, thyme, cinnamon and ginger around. Granulated garlic is also inviting in case you’ve run out of fresh or can’t be bothered with chopping. If you’re an Indian food fan keep curry power on hand. Find your flavors and stock up on them a few at a time. Something else I use frequently is homemade everything bagel seasoning. Equal parts – dried onion flakes, dried garlic flakes, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, and sesame seeds (black or white or mixed, whatevs). Sprinkle that shit on EVERYTHING, avocado toast, boring hummus, ripe summer tomato slices, guacamole, rice, grilled cheese that needs a little umph. I mean the options are endless.
2. Rice and Beans
A match made in heaven (and always found in the bulk section). Beans are arguably my biggest food group and rice often gets mixed in there as well. Aside from providing plenty of clean, plant based protein and fiber, they also reduce cholesterol, decrease blood sugar levels and increase healthy gut bacteria. Beans are best soaked and cooked from dry, but having a couple varieties in cans is super convenient. Make burritos, tacos, quesadillas, throw some in salads, soups, and wraps, make your own hummus, dip, or salsa. Beans are so diverse and for the most part easily interchangeable. Talk about easy access protein just sitting inside your pantry. And then there’s rice. Beans are clearly the spot light if this category but rice is still an honorable mention. Like I said I’m a big fan of pairing the two together but rice really is a staple all on its own. Being such a traditional food in a lot cultures, the benefits of rice often get overlooked. Rice contains carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, fiber, essential vitamins and minerals. Just like beans, rice has a lot of serving options and a ton of varieties. Stick mainly with brown or whole rice, avoiding processed white rice. White rice does still provide energy but it somewhat stripped of nutrients in the refinement process. A quick list of cooking ideas includes stir frys, curries, make a power bowl, soups, burritos or simply served with beans and Mexican spices.
3. Nuts and Seeds
Think of them as little plant based power houses, small but mighty, little yet fierce. Let’s start with nuts. Besides be packed with protein, each one provides different benefits, for example cashews keep your heart healthy and contain a lot of antioxidants, almonds are rich in magnesium and are great for blood pressure, pistachios help with digestion and help protect against hypertension. Seeds also provide lots of protein and are equally as beneficial and unique. Chia seeds provide dietary fiber and lower bad cholesterol levels, hemp seeds are a great source of calcium and have anti-aging properties, flax seeds help maintain blood sugar, and pumpkin seeds are great for skin and nails. So many nuts, so many seeds, do a little research and see which ones benefit you most. Look for them in bulk!
4. Fruit (fresh, frozen or dried)
We all know we should probably eat more fruit. I’m guilty as well, which is dumb because when is fruit not delicious? If it isn’t in the house, I don’t even think about. Fresh is always best but frozen and dried are definitely a convenient plan B. Frozen mango, pineapple, and berries are great for smoothies, açaí bowls, yogurt and granola, oatmeal and healthier desserts. Don’t forget to throw bananas that are past there prime into the freezer to use later. Soooo many ways to use frozen bananas. Dried fruit is great for trail mix, or just snacking. I’m a sucker for dried mango. I buy the unsweetened kind from the bulk section at Natural Grocers and we probably eat a bag of it a week at our house! It’s great have in the car when hanger strikes. Dried currants are a good one to keep around for baking or sprinkling on top of yogurt or oatmeal. You can easily find dried bananas, apples, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, etc. (buy them in bulk) Try to look for unsweetened, unfortunately you won’t find it everywhere.
5. Veggies/leafy greens
You know you have to eat your vegetables. For some people this is easy (you can skip this part), but it’s harder for other people. Find a few veggies you do like and start by keeping those around. Try to add them into every meal. Onions are easy to add to almost everything and greens are easier than you think. Top a sandwich or burger with arugula, scramble spinach in with breakfast, blend greens into a smoothie, wilt kale into soup, or make an interesting salad. If you’re going to eat a frozen pizza throw whatever vegetables you have on there. Just eat more vegetables. Kind of simple.
6. Quinoa
Quinoa, the superfood, power food, complete protein, God’s gift to earth and so on. You’ve heard it, it’s trendy, and for good reason. Quinoa can be used sooo many ways. It’s great to replace rice in pretty much any dish (although my husband, a rice purist, would disagree). You can sub it for rice in stir fry, curries, and burritos. I love having my Mexican quinoa salad (quinoa, red onion, fresh tomato, black beans, lime and cilantro) in the fridge. Try a super healthy and filling make ahead breakfast by cooking quinoa with a little cinnamon, then cool, top it with yogurt, honey, fruit, nuts, and seeds to make bowls or parfaits. Toast quinoa in the oven and add into granola bars. Use it in soups, green salads, power bowls, mix it into oatmeal, I’ve even seen people blend quinoa into smoothies. Weird? I don’t know.
7. Nut butter/Seed butter
Almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, for those with allergies, sunflower seed butter. You have a lot of options here and even more options on how to use them. Really it goes without mentioning but let’s start with a peanut butter and jelly. Eat it on bread, a tortilla, or in a smoothie. Maybe just a piece of whole grain toast with nut butter, banana, honey and cinnamon? Add hemp seeds, toasted coconut or sliced almonds to be a little extra. Just make sure you’re buying a real fruit jelly, or honey with no added sugars. Same goes for the nut butters, check the label. Nut or seed butters are super great to mix into homemade granola bars, smoothies and oatmeal. I also like a smear on banana and apple slices. If your in a hurry just grab a spoonful for a quick protein punch. Fresh ground peanut and almond butters are now easy to find in most grocery stores.
8. Better processed carbs
Carbs are good… Carbs are bad… How do you wanna live your life? I think a life without carbs is sad. Unprocessed carbs ARE GOOD for you. So yes, we should be eating whole grains instead of bread but a life without bread just isn’t going to happen for me. Find a good, healthy-ish, seeded, whole grain bread. I like Dave’s Killer bread and bagels. Yes, it is a processed product but also contains tons of whole grains and seeds. Maybe they cancel each other out? Everything in moderation? I keep this bread in my freezer most of the time, since I don’t eat a ton of it. It’s perfect for avocado toast with everything bagel seasoning or a peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich as I run out the door to yoga. We also use it for veggie burgers instead of buns. The bagels are great too, I load them with avocado or hummus and then make a sandwich with lots of fresh veggies like red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and arugula.
9. Dips and/or spreads
Think about it like this – dips are spreads, spreads are dips. If you can dip something in it, you can spread it on something and vice versa. Take hummus for example, great to dip carrots in, also great to spread on your sandwich. Same with French onion dip, guacamole, bean dip you get the picture. They’re versatile, delicious and if you use the right ones, healthy! I suggest making them at home, as always. Blend up any flavor of hummus your heart desires! Eat guacamole on everything and don’t pay extra! Spice up plain yogurt for a creamy dip. A blender or food processor is the most you’ll need here. But if you’re more of the buy at store kind of person, make sure there’s not a bunch of junk it and try to buy local. Hope Hummus is a great brand they’ve also started making nuts dips! So good.
10. Coconut
However you take it. I love coconut in all forms, fresh, dried, toasted, oil, butter, flour, sugar, water, milk, cream, piña coladas, I’ll take it. Coconuts provide healthy fats, antioxidants, and quick energy. Coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, and toasted coconut are almost always found in my kitchen. Coconut water is common as well (especially on hang over days). Use milk or cream in smoothies, oatmeal, curries, baking and cocktails. I buy toasted coconut in the bulk section at Natural Grocers, it’s unsweetened and more like chips instead of shredded. Toasted coconut is perfect for making granola bars, topping açaí or smoothie bowls, yogurt and granola, and oatmeal. I make own chocolate clusters by mixing toasted coconut, hemp seeds, chopped dried fruit and nuts with melted dark chocolate. You get the idea.
Rot in Health Wellness 