My Kitchen Essentials

My Kitchen Essentials- My Daily Must Haves

Happy Friday everyone! So I thought on Fridays I would post something relating to food. Either some of my tips or a weekly recipe. For this week I decided to start with the basics and let you know what I consider to be my essentials in the kitchen. Whether you are new to the vegan lifestyle or just want to learn about healthy food options then this post is for you. Enjoy!

So I decided to break up my list into various categories to make it easier. Side note- you'll notice that I don't include any fake "meats" or tofu products. I personally don't consumer those except for once in a while but I do recommend them if you are transitioning. They really helped me at the beginning. I'll definitely be doing a future post about those products.

Till next time!

Joanna xoxo

Fridge:     

        

Condiments
- organic ketchup
- Vegenaise (I buy the soy free options)
- Dijon mustard
- Earth Balance "butter"
- olives & pickles
- sauerkraut
(all fermented foods are high in  probiotics which is essential in maintaining good digestive health)
- I always have homemade salsa, guacamole & hummus on hand at all times!
- I also make my own salad dressings and I store those in the fridge at all times

Milk Substitutes

- this really all comes down to personal preference, I personally buy almond and coconut milks
(my fave barnds are Coconut Dream, Silk Coconut unsweetened, Almond Breeze)

Produce

(this should make up the bulk of what is in your fridge and what you eat)
-fruit
(my faves are bananas, apples, pears, berries, grapes, mango-when in season, etc...)
I also always buy a bag of lemons that I keep on my counter for my morning lemon water and for use in salad dressings
- vegetables
(my faves are sprouts, mushrooms, green beans, fennel, broccoli, lettuce, carrots, celery, zucchini, peppers, tomatos, brussel sprouts etc...)
- greens
(these are super important as they have many essential vitamins as well as protein, they include spinach, kale, any sort of dark leafy green you can find!)

Other
- fresh herbs
(such as basil, mint, cilantro, rosemary, thyme)
- I love to cook with wine so I try to always have a  bottle of red and white wine (well, to drink as well ;) hehe)


Pantry:

Snacks
- organic tortilla chips
- gluten free crackers
- kale chips
- non GMO popcorn

Grains

(another essential as many contain protein as well as fiber which aids in digestion)
- brown rice
- quinoa
- ancient grains
(such as millet, farro, amaranth)
- polenta
- barley
- brown rice gluten free pasta
- gluten free sprouted bread

Nuts & Seeds

- sunflower seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- walnuts
- pecans
- almonds
- cashews
- flaxseeds
- sesame seeds

Beans & Legumes

(I buy my beans in a can to save time but I do make sure to buy ones with less sodium and I rinse them thoroughly before consuming)
- chickpeas
- black beans
- kidney beans
- navy beans
- lentils
- pinto beans

Other
- nori sheets (all sea vegetables are super good for you and contain lots of iron and essential B viatmins)
(I use these as wraps and I also tear them up and add them to dishes such as salads and grain dishes)
- canned tomatos
- vegetable stock
- nutritional yeast
(this product is one of those essentials for  vegans, it adds a slightly cheesy flavor to dishes and it contains vitamin B12)
- spices
- olive oil/flaxseed oil/coconut oil
- balsamic vinegar
- red & white wine vinegars
- hot sauce
- Shoyu/Tamari
- apple cider vinegar
- Umeboshi vinegar
- tea
(my faves are white, black, chai)



Baking Essentials:

- gluten free flour, spelt flour
- maple syrop
- dates
- dried cranberries
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- brown sugar
(I prefer using maple syrop as my go to sweetener but I do have some recipes where I add a little brown sugar)
- applesauce
(great for adding moisture to baking where normally you would get that from eggs)