Here is what’s in my pantry and where I buy it…
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Organic Coconut Oil One of the good fats, coconut oil is great for cooking, spreading, dressings, making raw desserts and even as a moisturizer for your skin. The best price per ounce that I found is the Nutiva 54 ounce container on Amazon. I would love to see this product available in a glass container for leeching and recycling reasons. The only brand in glass I found that tastes good is the Spectrum Brand. That too is available on Amazon, and the price per ounce is only slightly more. |
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Organinc Raw Cacao This stuff is simply amazing. The switch from processed chocolate to raw cacao has been one of, if not my absolute favorite changes since my switch to a high-raw diet. It is the key ingredient in the Maca F.A.C.A (my coffee replacement recipe! Check it out it ROCKS.) which I make most every day. Also try Cacao Crispies and Mint Cacao Brownies. I never run out of this stuff. Amazon has bar far the best price I have found, about $26 for a 2 pack of 16 ounce bags. The quality of the Nativas Naturals brand products is fabulous. |
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Maca Another key ingredient in the Maca F.A.C.A, this delicious, malt-tasting root powder. I pay about $18 for a 16 ounce bag which lasts me three to five months. I may tire of it someday, but so far its a keeper. I feel a pronounced elevation in energy and focus without feeling cracked out like I use to feel on caffeine. This ingredient, an adaptogen, is the reason the Maca F.A.C.A. helps people get off coffee without migraines. |
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Oils OLIVE OIL: It’s the new butter. Seriously, I have replaced butter with a whipped mixture of coconut oil, olive oil and Bragg Liquid Aminos. Stock a mild olive oil for dressings that won’t overpower and a bold one that boasts a rich olive flavor. Amazon has quality versions of both. I like the Bragg Organic Olive Oil in bulk for the best price. Check with your local natural food store, some sell organic olive oil in bulk for a great price and you can bring your own glass jar to store it in. You’ll also want to stock SESAME OIL, FLAX OIL and HEMP OIL. |
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Vinegars Keep a few vinegars on hand. In general you will find at least these three in my pantry: APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Here is a quality organic staple to pick up from Trader Joe’s. BALSAMIC VINEGAR: You can break the bank for top notch balsamic, but a standard organic variety will do for everyday use. RICE VINEGAR: This vinegar has a light, sweet taste that teams perfectly with the heavier sesame oil to form a delicious range of Asian dressings and sauces. |
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Quality Salts CELTIC SEA SALT: Much higher in minerals than other salts and a fabulous, rich flavor. HIMALAYAN SALT: slighlty pink/peach colored salt, I like to alternate this and Celtic to expose myself to different minerals. KOSHER SALT: at the very least switch from iodized table salt to kosher salt. Try Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. SMOKED SEA SALTS: I highly recommend you buy a couple of Flumee De Sel salts to experience the varied and beautiful impact quality salts can have on your culinary results. My absolute favorite is their Chardonnay Oak Smoked Sea Salt. |
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Pepper Nothing beats fresh cracked black pepper. Get quality peppercorns. Tellicherry Peppercorns are a solid choice for black pepper. Or try the Rainbow Peppercorns which contains black, green white and pink corns for a colorful mixture. |
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Honey The best price I’ve found on raw, organic honey is on Amazon for the Y.S. Organic Bee Farms Raw Honey . It has bee pollen mixed in so it is creamy and delicious. Whenever the local bee keeper is at market I purchase raw honey directly. This is a tasty way to expose your immune system to the pollens in your area. which can lower allergy symptoms. |
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Maple Syrup Not just for pancakes anymore! Organic Grade B Maple Syrup adds sweetness and flavor to your dishes. If you are a coffee drinker, try sweetening your brew with maple for a morning treat. |
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Agave Nectar Organic RAW Agave Nectar sweetens without the maple flavor, for more general use in your cooking. It is also metabolized much slower by the body for more steady blood sugar levels, making it a wise choice for diabetics. Sunfood is my oreferred brand for this product because mainstream brands can be very highly processed. |
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Stevia Counting calories? Why ingest mystery chemical compounds when the stevia plant offers a natural sweetener with no calories. Whole leaf stevia concentrate has a regulating effect on the pancreas, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and eases digestion. Simply Stivia is a no filler product available at Trader Joe’s or try my favorite, Navitas Naturals brand. |
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Nuts ALMONDS: Although we refer to almonds as nuts, they are the seeds of the almond fruit. Amazon carries Raw Organic Almonds but the price varies, so shop around for good buys. CASHEWS: Cashews are the seeds of the cashew apple. With their higher fat content they make creamy nut cheeses and spreads. Buy Raw Cashews and dehydrate or toast them yourself. WALNUTS & PECANS:Walnuts contain the most omega-3-fatty acids at just under 95% RDA. Pecans have the most antioxidants so alternate between the two. |
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Seeds FLAX SEEDS: Grind Organic Flax Seeds in a spice grinder or high speed blender to break down the outer shell. This ensures your body can absorb the omega-3-fatty acids. GOLDEN FLAX: Just like their brown counterparts Organic Golden Flax Seeds are a rich source of protein, fiber and omega-3s, but these have a peanut buttery taste often preferred by kids and finicky adults. SESAME SEEDS: High in copper, manganese, and calcium, they also contain phytosterols Organic Sesame Seeds SUNFLOWER SEEDS: Great protein-rich additions to breads, crackers and salads. |
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Nut Butters Almond, cashew and macadamia butters are good choices for tasty snacks, sweets and sandwiches. The best prices I’ve found are at Trader Joe’s or make your own in the Vita-Mix. Nut butters can be high in fats so watch the serving size. Almond butter wins out nutritionally in a straight nutritional comparison because it has more vitamin E, calcium, and iron with less saturated fat. There is also some concern over the genetic overhaul peanuts have been given over the years. Almond crops have not seen this massive genetic engineering, making them the preferred choice. I prefer almond butter for most things, however I use peanut butter when I make Thai foods and certain sweets |
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Tahini (sesame seed butter) Keep Organic Tahini on hand to make fresh hummus. This is the easiest way to get plenty of beneficial sesame into your diet. It is also a protein-rich quick snack to use on flax crackers or veggies. |
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Beans, beans the magical fruit… The rhyme may be childish but the truth is the nutritional content of beans is nothing short of magical. Canned beans are exposed to the plastic lining in the can. Soak and cook your own dried beans. This is not only healthier, but more cost effective. Here are the beans I generally keep on hand;black, kidney, garbanzo, white, pinto, green beans, lentils, and black eyed peas. |
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Frozen Foods Ideally we eat with the seasons and enjoy fresh produce, but real world cooks are wise to keep some fruits and vegetables available in the freezer. Buy flats of produce at peak season for the best flavor and price. Keep what you can use right away in the fridge and freeze the rest in freezer bags or use a Food Saver for airtight storage. Remember to cut vegetables and fruits into useable sizes, freeze flat on cookie trays, then store them in airtight containers. This way you have frozen individual pieces, not a solid mass that needs to thaw before using. |
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Jarred Veggies These additions to the pantry will beckon you from within their glass jars to whip up a recipe that includes their unique, bold flavors. You may prefer cocktail olives to spicy green beans or pickled carrots to pepperoncinis. Stock to suit your taste. These items are also well priced at Trader Joe’s. Here’s what I keep on hand; sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, Spanish olives, artichoke hearts, grape leaves, roasted red peppers, spicy green beans, and peperoncinis. |
