Pantry Staples For A Healthy Lifestyle: Fewer Items Than You Think!

Guys, elitist ingredients in home cooking recipes are my pet peeve. I recently heard someone ask my local grocer if they had olives on the branch. These are souvenirs you get when you visit Italy, not stuff that should be in recipes for the everyday cook.

There are, however, 11 essential items you need in your pantry for living a clean, “healthy” lifestyle. Healthy food usually means simple ingredients like veggies and protein. You need supplies in your flavor arsenal to keep things interesting, so you stay on track. 

1. Vinegar

White, apple cider, white/red wine, balsamic, rice wine, and champagne are my favorites.

Uses:

“Stretch” store-bought salad dressings.

I eat a salad most days for lunch - they’re usually quite large and the benefits from this low-cal meal can be mitigated in a heartbeat with lots of dressing. I splash on some vinegar, too. Since many salad dressings already contain vinegar, the addition is subtle and simply takes the tang up a notch with virtually no added calories!

To Brighten dishes.

Feel like something is missing in a recipe? It is probably acid. (Salt, fat, acid, and heat are what makes food taste good! More on that here). Start with a splash or two of vinegar, and add more. Start with mild flavors like white, rice wine, and white wine until you get more comfortable using more pungent vinegars.

Making sauces and dressings.

One of my favorite ways to show off summer herbs is by making a yummy salad dressing. Basic ratio is 1 part acid/vinegar to 3 parts oil. Add in fresh herbs, too! For most leafy herbs, about 1 cup of leaves to a cup of salad dressing is appropriate. Use rosemary sparingly. Add salt and pepper. Use aromatics like garlic, onion, and shallots for more added flavor (a little goes a long way in a raw application like a dressing).

Tamp down and ramp up onions.

Have a red onion that is burning your retina? Splash some white wine (or other vinegar of your choice) on sliced onion for 5 min-1 hour. This quick pickling method helps take the bite out of spicy onions and replaces it with a nice tang. Positives? I often do this for a flavor bump for salads and tacos when using raw onions of any kind.

2. Garbanzo Bean Flour

I’ve been avoiding gluten for a while to reduce inflammation. I have fed my farm boys many dishes with this flour and they have never asked, where’s the wheat? It is my favorite 1 for 1 exchange for wheat flour in savory dishes.

Uses:

Make a pan sauce.

When you’ve cooked something that has left caramelized bits in the pan or rendered/leftover fat, make a pan sauce! This process scared me for a while. I followed a recipe a few times but now I just wing it.

Here is what I usually do: Scrape up crust bits from the pan, deglaze with about a cup of liquid (usually veggie or chicken stock but you can do up to ⅓ of wine, beer, or a mild vinegar), add in 2 tablespoons of garbanzo bean flour, simmer on med/low and continue stirring with a silicone whisk. Results? A hardy sauce! You could also add aromatics, additional seasoning, or a few tablespoons of butter/ghee for added silkiness.

Breading.

A fried green tomato is not a fried green tomato without some breading! We also use it for meat like pounded pork chops. It isn’t *quite* as crispy as traditional flour, but still very satisfying.

Soup thickener.

Is your soup lacking a little body? Garbanzo bean flour is less “raw” tasting than traditional wheat flour to begin with. It does not take as long to cook out the raw flavor and has inherent thickening properties which do not require you to make a roux or a slurry - the traditional way to thicken sauces and soups.

3. Pickled/Brined Stuff

Often a few bites of something really salty can curb your appetite. Perfect for that 3pm hunger pang. They keep for a long time and store well once opened, making them easily available at your whim! I also keep them on hand for flavor pops in dishes or impromptu guests.

Fire roasted peppers + sun dried tomatoes

Excellent salad toppers! You can quick pickle sun dried tomatoes in red wine or balsamic vinegar to kick up their flavor. These ingredients can be added at the end of a stir fry for a sweet-ish bump or stirred into soups.

Olives

I use them when I’m low on fresh salad toppings, in pasta salad, on homemade pizza, and as a hunger buster. The salty, fatty content is a good snack to stave off hunger.

Pickles

Not just for hamburgers! I often include a few pickles on my plate when we’re eating a heavy or fatty meal. The brine helps break up any meal. Use them when making chicken/tuna or egg salad for an extra punch and added volume. Canned tuna and eggs are something I almost always have on hand, so they’re my go to “I forgot to take something out of the freezer” meal. Mix your protein, mayonnaise, chopped pickles, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper together for a yummy cold salad. We LOVE dill pickle egg salad at our home. 

4. Lemon/Lime Juice

If I had to pick one acid to use in the kitchen for the rest of my life, it would be lemon juice. It is the sauce fixer, dressing brightener, heavy sauce/soup cutter, and best drink maker!

Savory sauce fixer

If your sauce [composed dish] is too heavy, add a squeeze of fresh lemon. I like fresh lemons best for this but the bottled stuff works too. Try an organic brand like Santa Cruz brand for a more natural flavor (found in the health food location of most supermarkets).

Dressings

Even if I’m using vinegar as the main acid in a salad dressing, I often add a splash of lemon juice to add a fresher feel. It just works!

Heavy sauce/soup cutter

Ever made a sauce or soup that kinda lingered on your tongue because it was thick or fatty? Add a splash of lemon juice and keep tasting until you get the flavor/texture right. That’s an old chef trick!

Making mocktail + cocktails

My go to no-sugar mocktail is flavored water like Spindrift  which contains real, yummy fruit juice, (find at Aldi or Target), add about ½ tablespoon of fresh lemon/lime juice and pack your fancy cup full of ice. You can add in some bruised fresh herbs like basil and rosemary and you’ve got a fresh flavor bomb! You can do the same thing but add in vodka or gin if that is your thing.

5. Mustards like Dijon, spicy brown, and course ground

Marinades

Mustard has a place in almost any meat marinade I use. If adding with other seasonings, I use sparingly but you can use some of these “fancier” mustards as a marinade on their own.

Sauces

I might use coarse ground mustard or spicy brown to mimic pepper in a recipe for a more complex flavor. Dijon is wonderful for this. Is mayo a sauce? I always add some dijon to my homemade mayo. 

6. Seasoning blends

I suggest you visit your local spice shop or visit (oldtownspices.com - they deliver) and pick up some seasoning blends. I have about 8 I use on rotation.

They help keep me out of a blah place when I’m not feeling creative in the kitchen. Even the best cooks “cheat.”

Some of my favorites from Olde Town Spice Shop are:

everything bagel seasoning, season salt, applewood smoke rub, bacon salt, BBQ Spice – No Sugar, Cajun, fajita seasoning, Greek seasoning, hickory smoke salt, Italian herb seasoning, magpie’s awesome spice rub, liquid smoke, Mesquite Grill Seasoning, garlic pepper, lemon pepper, pork rub, taco seasoning.

7. Local, Raw Honey

A little honey goes a long way and is much better for you than refined sugar and contains more antioxidants than say, agave syrup. I use this to balance dressings and sauces (especially tomato sauce), sweeten easy to make seasonal sorbets with fresh fruit, and use as a finishing drizzle for sweet and savory dishes (goat cheese and honey are best friends).

Note: You must use local, raw honey if you want to get the health benefits. “Branded” honey on the shelf at the grocery store has been pasteurized, killing off any of the nutrition benefits it once had.

8. Olive Oil + Avocado Oil

Olive oil is one of the most stable oils for cooking, it is my go-to. Unlike other common cooking oils, olive oil contains compounds that prevent the oil from breaking down under moderate heat. It also has antioxidants and polyphenols that fight cell damage.

Experiment with different kinds! Flavors can range from fresh-cut grass, herbs, nuts, butter, or fruit. Some oils have a sharp, peppery bite or slight bitterness. My favorite place to find new ones is at TjMaxx and Marshalls. The ones labeled “extra virgin” will have the strongest flavor. Look for, “first cold press,” these are the least processed ones.

For high heat + neutral flavor cooking, I use avocado oil. It has a higher smoke point than olive oil and it is relatively affordable. To keep the health benefits of “good” oils, you must avoid heating past their smoking point. Luckily, avocado oil’s smoking point is high so it is incredibly versatile. I often us it in salad dressings when I want other ingredients to shine. 

9. Salt

Food doesn’t taste good without salt. Duh right? Hang in there, I have more info for you. I keep several kinds on hand for different cooking methods. Here are my favorites:

KOSHER SALT

I keep kosher salt in a jar. I use it for batch cooking, seasoning meat, and pasta/veg blanching water. It has a coarser grain - making the air space between the salt granules larger, therefore I am less likely to over season something that I'm not precisely measuring because it is less concentrated. The larger granule size also makes it easier to pick up and spread evenly when seasoning by hand (this is a fine skill to hone and it will make you a better cook). It is affordable and is less likely to contain anti-caking additives.

FINE GROUND SEA SALT

Use in place of traditional table salt. It is better for you due to trace minerals and lack of caking agents. Traditional table salt contains iodine which we all need, but most of us get enough from processed food we inevitably eat somewhere, somehow. 

PINK HIMALAYAN + CELTIC

It is pretty! This is the salt I keep in my grinder that sits out on my counter. Did you know it also has electrolytes that can help hydrate you? It may seem counterintuitive but if you can’t seem to get enough water, sprinkle some in your water to dissolve. I also use it as a finishing salt for some added crunch/texture, and visual appeal.

FLAVORED SALTS

Bacon salt is amazing!

I love a hard-boiled egg for a low-carb snack but sometimes, I need a little something extra! Bacon salt for the win! Often flavored salts can get “lost” if you’re using them for cooking. I typically use them as a finishing salt to preserve flavor.

Chili Salt

These are fun ways to top off a pasta dish or a burger if you like heat.

10. Chocolate Chips

I don’t keep many sweets in the house because I would eat them ALL, However, I like to keep some around to nibble on should hormonal me NEED something sweet and for easy dessert options. I go for cleaner, dairy free brands like Enjoy Life. 

EASY DESSERTS:

Make bark: Want a little something for dessert but don’t feel like baking? Make bark! Melt the chips, and spread over parchment paper or a silicone mat. While still melty, top with coarse sugar, seasonings you would use for baking like cinnamon, clove, dried lemon/orange peel, cardamom, poppy seed, and allspice. Add a little sea salt for sweet + savory balance. Break up when hardened for “bark.”

Or, melt and drizzle over any fruit, and you have an easy, pretty dessert!

SNACKS:

Have a sweet hankering but don’t want to splurge big? When I’m on the sugar train, I nibble on the little morsels one piece at a time. It is a mental game I play, but it works. Bonus if you keep some in the freezer, they melt more slowly in your mouth when they’re frozen!

11. Tomato Products

Give me a can of tomato anything and I can put a meal together! I especially like tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. I avoid seasoned tomatoes, they never seem to have the right seasonings for what I want to make!

Perfect soup starters:

Whether you’re making soup from a packet or from scratch, use tomatoes as your base. The acidity is your friend for flavor town.

Sloppy joe anything:

We recently got a ½ of a cow from our neighbor. There is sooo much ground beef! I’ve been cooking the beef with peppers and onions, then applying whatever Italian, Mexican, or Asian flavors I feel like with a can of tomato paste and some water. Serve on GF buns, or over rice [cauliflower], pasta, or [roasted] vegetable medley. VERY versatile. You could add in more stock or condiments for added flavor/change the texture.

How many of these do you have? What do you think I’m missing?