Saturday, May 21, 2011

staples

Later this morning I will go to the farmers market. I will walk down the block to admire fresh ramps, rhubarb, nettles, asparagus, strawberries, rainbow chard, amongst other goodies, and decide on a few that would be a useful addition to my kitchen. Which got me thinking: there are already quite a few existing items that I always have residing there. And as a better-late-than-never to my friends question of  "how do I stock a healthy kitchen?," I'd like to share them avec vous :).
Organic Walnuts, TJ's Almond Butter, Local Raspberry Preserves (farmers market buy), Organic Peanut Butter, Annie's Goddess dressing (I usually make my own with oil and a vinegar but this is a nice treat),  Bob Mill's Golden Flaxseed Meal (Omega 3s), Nutiva Hemp Seed (It's great for protein, but because of the price, I don't usually buy it; this bag was a gift from a press event).
TJ's White Bean Hummus, Stop & Shop's Roasted Garlic Hummus, Whole Food's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (My mom bought too much last week and shared the wealth; Gotta love variety).
Organic Mixed Greens, Romaine Hearts, Local Asparagus (last week's farmers market buy), Organic Celery Hearts, Cucumber. (With the warm weather joining us, there's almost too much beautiful produce available. Each week I let myself choose three vegetables and one bunch of greens. That is it. I would hate for endive to go bad without being able to enjoy it... hypothetically speaking).
Bananas (The oranges belong to my roommate; I save my money on sweet produce and simply enjoy the morning fruit plate at the office).
TJ's Steel Cut Oats and essential spices like Garlic & Onion, Herbs de Provence, Pepper, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Salt, and Basil. 
Other must-haves include Organic Olive Oil, Jarred Sauces by Russo Rustica, and a variety of Lucini Vinegars (Balsamic, White Wine, etc).
 
Tea, tea, and more tea: Green, Peppermint and un-pictured Chamomile and Chai. Yogi is my favorite.
Canned Salmon and Tuna, Muir Glen Canned Tomatoes, Beans (Garbanzos and Lentils this round) and Canned Coconut Milk (for my favoritest recipes).
[Insert photo of frozen goods here
Sunshine Veggie Burgers (for quick protein), Van's Buckwheat Waffles (for weekend breakfasts), Whole Food's Organic Frozen Vegetables (just because), Amy's Vegan Spinach Pizza (I crave them every now and again).
Doctor Kracker Crackers, Lundenberg Brown Rice Cakes, Whole Grain Bread (this isn't it, but I prefer Rudi's Organic).
Sweet Potatoes (a carbalicious, year-round, just because treat).
Shiloh Farms Quinoa and Spelt, Polenta, Whole Wheat Spaghetti, Brown Rice.
And, of course, sustainable breakfast items like Bran Flakes, camera-shy Almond Milk, Earth Balance, Gluten-free Pancake Mix, and Vermont Maple Syrup (courtesy of this lady). That, my dears, is what makes up my complete "healthy kitchen." Although, I must admit that I forgot one very important item: Theo's Dark Chocolate. Buy it, try it, love it... it's all a part of the lifestyle.

5 comments:

  1. such a great staples! i have many of the same! i still have lots of cans of tomatoes and don't know what to do with them...

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  2. I've stopped buying berries and sweet fruits too! Gosh we're lucky to have that trusty fruit plate.

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  3. Trying To Heal: I know, right? They accumulate so easily. I like to add them to soups and stews and obviously sauces.

    Shayne: That we are, my dear.

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  4. i am a) jealous of your office fruit plate/ office food in general and b) in awe that you allow yourself to buy only three vegetables and one bunch of greens per week. i doubled that this week and it was a small haul since i'm going out of town!

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  5. leslie: A) One day I will invite you to my office. B) Ha, that's because you're cooler than me. Too many is too much pressure :).

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