If making better food choices or losing weight is at the top of your New Year's Resolution list, then revamping your pantry is a good place to start. Keeping your kitchen stocked with healthy, organic, natural foods is good for your health and your waistline and contribute to living a long, healthy and active life. If you keep these items on hand, a quick snack or dinner is always within reach.These are my pantry staples…
Cocoa & Dark Chocolate We’ve all heard the reports by now—dark chocolate is good for you, and the higher the percentage of cocoa the better. Dark chocolate—not milk chocolate or white chocolate—contains antioxidants and other properties that protect against heart disease and lower high blood pressure. Chocolate doesn’t have to be sweet, either—take note from Mexican mole. Sneak a few tablespoons of cocoa in your favorite chili or lentil soup recipe, or add to your barbeque sauce. You’ll be amazed at the flavor.
Greek Yogurt Once you try Greek Yogurt, you will never want to eat any other kind. Greek yogurt is thicker, richer and creamier than “regular” yogurt. Fage-brand yogurt can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and other gourmet food stores. I use it in place of sour cream as a topper for soup or an omelet or baked potato. Delicious!
Sea Salt Sea salt just tastes better, and it will make your food taste better. Regular table salt is processed to remove impurities, but seas salt is minimally processed and has more depth of flavor. Invest in a good sea salt and then taste it next to regular table salt. You won’t go back.
Cocoa & Dark Chocolate We’ve all heard the reports by now—dark chocolate is good for you, and the higher the percentage of cocoa the better. Dark chocolate—not milk chocolate or white chocolate—contains antioxidants and other properties that protect against heart disease and lower high blood pressure. Chocolate doesn’t have to be sweet, either—take note from Mexican mole. Sneak a few tablespoons of cocoa in your favorite chili or lentil soup recipe, or add to your barbeque sauce. You’ll be amazed at the flavor.
Greek Yogurt Once you try Greek Yogurt, you will never want to eat any other kind. Greek yogurt is thicker, richer and creamier than “regular” yogurt. Fage-brand yogurt can be found at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and other gourmet food stores. I use it in place of sour cream as a topper for soup or an omelet or baked potato. Delicious!
Sea Salt Sea salt just tastes better, and it will make your food taste better. Regular table salt is processed to remove impurities, but seas salt is minimally processed and has more depth of flavor. Invest in a good sea salt and then taste it next to regular table salt. You won’t go back.
Ground Flaxseed Flaxseed is really good for you, with micronutrients that can lower blood cholesterol, prevent heart attacks and reduce the risk of cancer. Choose ground flaxseed instead of whole—its more easily absorbed by the body. Sprinkle on fruit and yogurt, blend into smoothies, or sneak it into baked goods.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil I use extra-virgin olive oil for almost all of my cooking. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that has been shown to reduce LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol. Extra-virgin olive oil has a great depth of flavor. Use a relatively inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and a more expensive, complex one for salad dressings or drizzling over dishes. Despite conventional wisdom, you can even fry in olive oil—especially shallow frying fish or vegetables. If you don’t like or want the flavor of the olive oil (such as in baked goods) then use canola oil, which is another healthy oil.
Frozen Berries or Other Frozen Fruit Keep fruit in the freezer and you’ll always have a healthy snack available. Fruit is high in fiber and full of vitamins and phytochemicals that provide numerous health benefits. Blend frozen fruit with yogurt or soy milk into a fruit smoothie for an instant breakfast.
Preserved Ginger I love candied ginger. It’s a great snack and only a few pieces will satisfy that craving for something a little sweet and spicy. Ginger has many wonderful properties—it is suggested that ginger helps with morning sickness, motion sickness, indigestion and that is speeds metabolism. I don’t know if all of those are true, but it’s a good excuse to indulge in a few pieces of ginger a day. My favorite brand is “The Ginger People.”
Soy Milk The verdict on soy is still out in terms of its properties in preventing cancer and other diseases. However, evidence suggests, in small amounts, soy is good for you. Occasionally replace regular milk with soy milk in recipes. Vanilla soy milk is delicious in drink recipes, like lattes or fruit smoothies.
Whole Grains Not only are whole grains better for you, but they truly just taste better. Compare a bland, soft white bread with a nutty, chewy molasses-kissed dark bread. No comparison. Choose whole grains and your heart will thank you—they have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. And be adventurous—try Amaranth, Barley, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Millet, Oatmeal and Whole Oats, Popcorn, Quinoa, Sorghum, Spelt, Triticale, Whole Rye, Whole or Cracked Wheat, Wheat Berries, and Wild Rice. All of these are whole grains.
Whole Wheat Bread This deserves it’s own category, because it is such a source of confusion. Many breads are desceptively marked “wheat” or “seven-grain.” Please don’t be fooled. Look at the ingredient list, and if the first ingredient listed is not whole wheat flour—the word “whole” must be there—then the bread is actually made from white flour and won’t contain the same amount of fiber and micronutrients. Also, while you are looking at the label, make sure the bread you’re chosing does not contain high fructose corn syrup. You will be surprised at how hard it is to find a whole wheat bread without high fructose corn syrup.
Dark Greens Dave and I actually served kale at our wedding reception—that’s how much we love it. It was one of the first dishes he cooked for me. Rich in flavor and full of nutrients, dark greens like kale, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens and swiss chard are versatile and delicious. And they protect against cancer—do you need more convincing?
Peanut butter Peanut butter is not just for kids. It is high in protein and energy, and contains elements that can help to reduced “bad” cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. I think it’s an essential pantry ingredient. Spread it on whole grain bread and you’ve got a complete protein and a filling snack. Mix it with some soy sauce and vinegar and other ingredients and you have an outstanding peanut dipping sauce. Just buy the natural peanut butter without added sugar or fillers.
Assorted Nuts Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, make a healthy, satisfying snack or a crunchy, flavorful addition to salads and side dishes. While nuts are high in fat, it is the “good” kind of fat that can help to reduce blood cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Eat a small handful of nuts each day to add to your heart health.
Honey Honey is better than sugar. Not only is the flavor more satisfying, but honey actually contains antioxidants and other micronutrients that are good for your health. Research suggests the darker honeys, like Buckwheat, are the healthiest. Honey may help the body to absorb calcium, improving bone health; and raw honey may help relieve allergies.
Lemons Cooking with lemons—using both the juice and the zest—adds a lot of flavor to food and drinks with very little added calories. Lemons are also high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Substitute lemon juice for vinegar in your salad dressings, or just squeeze some lemon into your ice water for an early-morning pick-me-up.
Canned Tomatoes Summer smells like a ripe tomato just pulled from the vine, still warm from the sun—an astringent, green and slightly sticky scent. Tomatoes are jam-packed with nutrients, filled with Vitamins C, A and K. And, tomatoes are a precious source of lycopene, which research suggests prevents cancer and heart disease. Since ripe, fresh tomatoes are perishable and not always available, canned tomatoes are a good substitute. They have all of the nutrients of fresh tomatoes as they are picked at their peak of ripeness. Look especially for San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, which are delicious turned into a quick pasta sauce. Use canned tomatoes in soups, stir fries and salsas.
Red Wine Like dark chocolate, red wine is one of those sublime indulgences that doesn’t really need validation. But when the doctor says it’s good for you—it’s even better. Red wine contains antioxidants that reduce the risk for cancer, heart attack and stroke.
Cheese I love cheese. All kinds of cheese. Stinky cheese, aged cheese, young cheese, goat cheese, sheep’s milk cheese—I like them all. And luckily, in small quantities, cheese is good for you, since cheese is a good source of calcium. Just don’t overdo it. Keep an assortment of cheeses on hand for last-minute guests or for when you just don’t feel like cooking dinner. Hot, browned cheese toast on chewy whole wheat bread and a glass of red wine can be mighty satisfying.
Eggs Eggs are the perfect food, and the quintessential go-to fast food. Poached, boiled, fried, over-easy, over hard—they’re all good. Poached eggs over spring greens makes a perfect summer supper. And sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than an egg sandwich, layered with a crispy fried egg, bacon, greens and avocado. Yum. Not to mention, eggs are one of God’s perfect foods…. filled with protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc—all for only about 80 calories. It’s an easy and inexpensive source of protein. One note, choose organic eggs if at all possible. You really can taste the difference. And, if you break an egg into the frying pan and the white spreads out thinly on all sides, it’s an old egg—the rest of the dozen are better used for boiled eggs.
Beans Garbanzo, white, black, red, kidney—beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and copper. Eating beans three or more times a week may help to prevent cancer and heart disease. Beans are a great addition to salads, side dishes, soups and dips. Canned beans are fine, but making your own pot of beans is even better, so you can control the sodium. Make a big pot on a Sunday afternoon, divide it into one cup servings and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave.
Boxed Broth Prepared stocks have come a long way—just make sure you choose the organic, boxed varieties. Some of the canned brands still contain MSG and other preservatives, which have been linked to ailments like ADHD. Keep chicken, beef and vegetable stock on hand for making soups, poaching vegetables & meats and making sauces.
Balsamic Vinegar Keep good-quality aged balsamic vinegar on hand to drizzle on tomatoes, add acidity to soups or sauces or make the perfect vinaigrette.
Fresh Herbs The addition of fresh herbs makes a dish pop with life. There is no substitution to fresh dill, rosemary or basil. Dried is a distant, distant third. And, herbs have essential oils that contain all kinds of magical, medicinal properties which are different for each herb. For example, culinary lavender promotes relaxation and has been known to alleviate migraine headaches when brewed in tea. Since fresh herbs can be expensive, the best source is to grow them yourself. All you need is a deck or a sunny window and you can have an herb garden. And, the more you harvest your herbs, the more they will grow. If you don’t have the time or inclination to grow them yourself, buy fresh herbs from the grocery and store them, wrapped in damp paper towels and then plastic wrap. They should keep for a week or more.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil I use extra-virgin olive oil for almost all of my cooking. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that has been shown to reduce LDL, or the “bad” cholesterol. Extra-virgin olive oil has a great depth of flavor. Use a relatively inexpensive extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and a more expensive, complex one for salad dressings or drizzling over dishes. Despite conventional wisdom, you can even fry in olive oil—especially shallow frying fish or vegetables. If you don’t like or want the flavor of the olive oil (such as in baked goods) then use canola oil, which is another healthy oil.
Frozen Berries or Other Frozen Fruit Keep fruit in the freezer and you’ll always have a healthy snack available. Fruit is high in fiber and full of vitamins and phytochemicals that provide numerous health benefits. Blend frozen fruit with yogurt or soy milk into a fruit smoothie for an instant breakfast.
Preserved Ginger I love candied ginger. It’s a great snack and only a few pieces will satisfy that craving for something a little sweet and spicy. Ginger has many wonderful properties—it is suggested that ginger helps with morning sickness, motion sickness, indigestion and that is speeds metabolism. I don’t know if all of those are true, but it’s a good excuse to indulge in a few pieces of ginger a day. My favorite brand is “The Ginger People.”
Soy Milk The verdict on soy is still out in terms of its properties in preventing cancer and other diseases. However, evidence suggests, in small amounts, soy is good for you. Occasionally replace regular milk with soy milk in recipes. Vanilla soy milk is delicious in drink recipes, like lattes or fruit smoothies.
Whole Grains Not only are whole grains better for you, but they truly just taste better. Compare a bland, soft white bread with a nutty, chewy molasses-kissed dark bread. No comparison. Choose whole grains and your heart will thank you—they have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity. And be adventurous—try Amaranth, Barley, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Bulgur, Millet, Oatmeal and Whole Oats, Popcorn, Quinoa, Sorghum, Spelt, Triticale, Whole Rye, Whole or Cracked Wheat, Wheat Berries, and Wild Rice. All of these are whole grains.
Whole Wheat Bread This deserves it’s own category, because it is such a source of confusion. Many breads are desceptively marked “wheat” or “seven-grain.” Please don’t be fooled. Look at the ingredient list, and if the first ingredient listed is not whole wheat flour—the word “whole” must be there—then the bread is actually made from white flour and won’t contain the same amount of fiber and micronutrients. Also, while you are looking at the label, make sure the bread you’re chosing does not contain high fructose corn syrup. You will be surprised at how hard it is to find a whole wheat bread without high fructose corn syrup.
Dark Greens Dave and I actually served kale at our wedding reception—that’s how much we love it. It was one of the first dishes he cooked for me. Rich in flavor and full of nutrients, dark greens like kale, beet greens, collard greens, dandelion greens and swiss chard are versatile and delicious. And they protect against cancer—do you need more convincing?
Peanut butter Peanut butter is not just for kids. It is high in protein and energy, and contains elements that can help to reduced “bad” cholesterol, heart disease and cancer. I think it’s an essential pantry ingredient. Spread it on whole grain bread and you’ve got a complete protein and a filling snack. Mix it with some soy sauce and vinegar and other ingredients and you have an outstanding peanut dipping sauce. Just buy the natural peanut butter without added sugar or fillers.
Assorted Nuts Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, make a healthy, satisfying snack or a crunchy, flavorful addition to salads and side dishes. While nuts are high in fat, it is the “good” kind of fat that can help to reduce blood cholesterol and protect against heart disease. Eat a small handful of nuts each day to add to your heart health.
Honey Honey is better than sugar. Not only is the flavor more satisfying, but honey actually contains antioxidants and other micronutrients that are good for your health. Research suggests the darker honeys, like Buckwheat, are the healthiest. Honey may help the body to absorb calcium, improving bone health; and raw honey may help relieve allergies.
Lemons Cooking with lemons—using both the juice and the zest—adds a lot of flavor to food and drinks with very little added calories. Lemons are also high in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Substitute lemon juice for vinegar in your salad dressings, or just squeeze some lemon into your ice water for an early-morning pick-me-up.
Canned Tomatoes Summer smells like a ripe tomato just pulled from the vine, still warm from the sun—an astringent, green and slightly sticky scent. Tomatoes are jam-packed with nutrients, filled with Vitamins C, A and K. And, tomatoes are a precious source of lycopene, which research suggests prevents cancer and heart disease. Since ripe, fresh tomatoes are perishable and not always available, canned tomatoes are a good substitute. They have all of the nutrients of fresh tomatoes as they are picked at their peak of ripeness. Look especially for San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, which are delicious turned into a quick pasta sauce. Use canned tomatoes in soups, stir fries and salsas.
Red Wine Like dark chocolate, red wine is one of those sublime indulgences that doesn’t really need validation. But when the doctor says it’s good for you—it’s even better. Red wine contains antioxidants that reduce the risk for cancer, heart attack and stroke.
Cheese I love cheese. All kinds of cheese. Stinky cheese, aged cheese, young cheese, goat cheese, sheep’s milk cheese—I like them all. And luckily, in small quantities, cheese is good for you, since cheese is a good source of calcium. Just don’t overdo it. Keep an assortment of cheeses on hand for last-minute guests or for when you just don’t feel like cooking dinner. Hot, browned cheese toast on chewy whole wheat bread and a glass of red wine can be mighty satisfying.
Eggs Eggs are the perfect food, and the quintessential go-to fast food. Poached, boiled, fried, over-easy, over hard—they’re all good. Poached eggs over spring greens makes a perfect summer supper. And sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than an egg sandwich, layered with a crispy fried egg, bacon, greens and avocado. Yum. Not to mention, eggs are one of God’s perfect foods…. filled with protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc—all for only about 80 calories. It’s an easy and inexpensive source of protein. One note, choose organic eggs if at all possible. You really can taste the difference. And, if you break an egg into the frying pan and the white spreads out thinly on all sides, it’s an old egg—the rest of the dozen are better used for boiled eggs.
Beans Garbanzo, white, black, red, kidney—beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, and copper. Eating beans three or more times a week may help to prevent cancer and heart disease. Beans are a great addition to salads, side dishes, soups and dips. Canned beans are fine, but making your own pot of beans is even better, so you can control the sodium. Make a big pot on a Sunday afternoon, divide it into one cup servings and freeze up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave.
Boxed Broth Prepared stocks have come a long way—just make sure you choose the organic, boxed varieties. Some of the canned brands still contain MSG and other preservatives, which have been linked to ailments like ADHD. Keep chicken, beef and vegetable stock on hand for making soups, poaching vegetables & meats and making sauces.
Balsamic Vinegar Keep good-quality aged balsamic vinegar on hand to drizzle on tomatoes, add acidity to soups or sauces or make the perfect vinaigrette.
Fresh Herbs The addition of fresh herbs makes a dish pop with life. There is no substitution to fresh dill, rosemary or basil. Dried is a distant, distant third. And, herbs have essential oils that contain all kinds of magical, medicinal properties which are different for each herb. For example, culinary lavender promotes relaxation and has been known to alleviate migraine headaches when brewed in tea. Since fresh herbs can be expensive, the best source is to grow them yourself. All you need is a deck or a sunny window and you can have an herb garden. And, the more you harvest your herbs, the more they will grow. If you don’t have the time or inclination to grow them yourself, buy fresh herbs from the grocery and store them, wrapped in damp paper towels and then plastic wrap. They should keep for a week or more.
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