pantry raid

There is something old-fashioned sounding about a pantry. Although I like the idea: A closet around the corner from the kitchen, perhaps down a few cool stone steps. You slide open a heavy wood door, and click on a single, bare bulb with a pull chain. Surrounded by the bounteous options (grains! beans! root veggies!), you select the ingredients you need, and return to the kitchen to make dinner.

This is all part of my farmhouse food fantasy.

The reality is that in the city we are lucky to have a single cabinet to devote to food storage. So, what to buy? Cup o' Noodles are certainly fast and stack nicely, but offer limited dining options: noodles in a cup. Whereas, if you bought soba noodles, vegetable stock, teriyaki sauce, etc, you could not only make a fast meal far more wholesome and flavorful than your Cup o' Noodles, you would also have meal possibilities beyond what you just made.

Keeping a small stash of staple ingredients on hand allows more flexibility and creativity. Then a fast meal doesn't have to be a pop tart or a frozen dinner, it can be a smoothie and a piece of cinnamon toast, or sesame noodles with sautéed spinach (both of which can be made in less than 10 minutes).

Here’s a list of foods that I like to keep on hand, that help me eat well even when I have very little time.

Grains
Quinoa-- A little, round grain with a light nutty flavor, it is a complete protein! I‘ll sometimes make a big pot at the beginning of the week, and use it like I would rice.
Amaranth
Oats
Soba noodles (buckwheat noodles)
Brown rice pasta--More wholesome than regular pasta, but a better texture than the whole wheat kind, I think. Try Tinkyada brand, it doesn’t get mushy.
A delicious dark rye bread.

Oils
Safflower--High heat safe, I use this for most of my cooking.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil--I use mostly for dressings or to dress pasta.
Coconut Oil--very good for you.

Sweeteners
Cane Sugar--for baking.
Maple Syrup
Honey
Agave Nectar--low glycemic index sweetener.

Vinegars
Apple cider--Great in dressings, cooking.
Balsamic

Sauces
Pesto--I have some stored in the freezer made from a bumper crop of basil this past summer.
Teriyaki
Hot Sauce--I like Melinda’s Organic.
Soy Sauce
Hummus (not really a sauce I guess, but great to have on hand.)

A good selection of spices

Sea salt and fresh pepper

Canned Goods
Beans and diced tomatoes.

Frozen
Berries (for smoothies), spinach, and corn.

Dairy
Milk--I usually keep almond or rice milk around.
Good eggs--Try some from your local farmers market. You won‘t believe the difference in the flavor between a farm fresh egg and even the organic eggs available in your supermarket. Really.
Some kind of delicious cheese--right now it’s a lovely aged gouda.
Yogurt--great as a condiment, too. I like both a thick, Greek yogurt, and this lighter coconut milk kind.

Produce
Not really a pantry item, I suppose, but I usually keep on hand garlic and onions, sweet potatoes, and a dark, leafy green, like kale.
Fruit wise: lemons, apples, and bananas.


Keeping wholesome pantry staples on hand provides you with an unlimited number of variations, before you even venture into buying fish, meat, and fresh produce.

Think of just the breakfast options available: Rye toast topped with aged gouda and a fried egg. A homemade muesli. Yogurt with almonds and maple syrup. Scrambled eggs with pesto and tomatoes. Yes!

Give yourself a generous gift for the holidays and stock your pantry with whole foods. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in how well you eat.