Pantry Essentials

Written By Teigan Davies

My go-to staples for nutrient-rich and stress free cooking

An organised and well-stocked pantry is fundamental for nutrient-rich cooking and an enjoyable and stress-free kitchen experience. Over time I have created a plant-based pantry with a variety of pulses, gluten free grains and flours, unrefined sugars, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. The key is to have a pantry containing a collection of staple ingredients so that you can cook at any point without needing to buy ingredients every time. This way, you can go beyond following recipes and cook freely by improvising with what you already have, reducing waste and creating your own go-to wholefood recipes.

MY APPROACH

I choose to eat with a naturopathic approach as much as possible, which means I buy fresh, seasonal, organic wholefoods that are unrefined and unprocessed, free from additives, fertilisers, pesticides, GMO’s and other artificial substances in order to receive and utilise the optimum amount of nutrients from the ingredients I eat. Personally, I think the flavour of a seasonal tomato or cucumber grown in mineral-rich organic soil compared to one grown by industrial farming with possible harmful pesticides and chemicals is unmatched!


BUDGET & ACCESSIBILITY

The core principle of my cooking is wholefoods. Everyday foods that are fresh and accessible such as lentils, brown rice, dark leafy greens cooked with herbs and spices provide a great supply of essential vitamins and minerals and won’t break the bank. Even though the costly superfood powders, the palm oil free nut butters and the selection of seaweeds are delicious and add further flavour and micronutrients to dishes, they are not essential. I buy what I can afford and choose to invest in certain products and powders that are invaluable to me because of their high nutritional value and the benefits they provide for my body!

Most foods I can buy from the local supermarkets, farm shops and independent health food stores. When I began to change the way I eat I realised it was rare to find everything I needed to buy in my local supermarket. After visiting lots of different stores in my area I quickly became familiar with what stores sold products that align with my eating approach. Now, going food shopping isn't such a hassle as I know to buy my fresh fruit and vegetables from the local farm shop once a week and pop into the supermarket and local independent health food store every couple of weeks to stock up on other staples. 

As much as I love the experience of going out to buy ingredients, sometimes I don’t have the time or I can’t always find what I’m looking for so ordering online is sometimes useful - particularly if I want to buy some staple ingredients in bulk, which can cut costs down.

Here are some great online stores to buy from:

Take a look below at my ‘Go-To Staples’. At first, it may feel a little overwhelming and a big commitment but I would suggest to start small and only buy as you need for each recipe you make - it isn’t necessary to buy everything all at once. 

My Go-To Staples

Click on the categories below to see my list of staple ingredients

  • Aduki beans

    Black beans

    Borlotti beans

    Butter beans

    Cannelini beans

    Chana dhal (split chickpeas)

    Chickpea (garbanzo)

    Haricot beans

    Kidney beans

    Lentils (yellow, red, green)

    Mung beans

Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. The difference between pulses and legumes is that pulses are dried before eating e.g. dried peas are pulses and fresh peas are legumes. In many cultures, dried pulses are a staple in the diet as they serve a valuable source of protein, fibre and other important nutrients. Once combined with grains they also provide complete protein! For example, think of classic cultural recipes such as lentil dhal, falafel and hummus, rice and peas (beans), cassoulet with white haricot beans, and Mexican bean chilli typically served with rice or tortillas. 

For many of us, soaking and cooking dried pulses for a considerable amount of time isn’t always practical on an evening after a day at work! If you prefer to buy pulses already soaked in jars/cans/cartons, make sure to check the ingredients! They should only contain 2 or 3 ingredients: the pulse, water and maybe salt. Avoid preservatives, stabilisers and any other unnecessary ingredients! 

  • Rice - brown short grain, brown basmati, wild, red, black, arborio, white (refined but a must for some yummy Asian recipes)!

    Oats - they don’t contain gluten themselves but can be contaminated with gluten if grown alongside gluten-containing crops or prepared and packaged in the same facilities as gluten-containing products so if you have a gluten intolerance opt for oats labelled GF.

    Millet

    Sorghum

    Teff

    Polenta

    Amaranth

    Quinoa

    Buckwheat

    Pastas & spaghetti made from GF grains listed above - Doves Farm is my favourite brand of GF pasta/spaghetti.

    Noodles - there are many GF options from brown or white rice, to buckwheat and very fun black rice noodles!

    Vietnamese rice papers

Grains, also known as cereals or cereal grains are the harvested edible seeds of certain grasses. Unrefined grains (wholegrains) contain the entire grain - bran, germ and endosperm. It doesn’t matter if the grain is intact, cracked, ground or flaked - it is still considered a wholegrain because all parts remain. Refined grains have had the bran and germ removed and can be further refined by bleaching. As each part of the grain has a different nutritional profile, a refined grain will have less nutritional content than an unrefined grain as parts are removed. Just like pulses, grains are an important food staple all over the world as they easily add substance to any meal, are rich in carbohydrates, fibre, protein, mineral salts and are important for a balanced plant-based diet. Above is a list of a variety of GF grains that I enjoy eating that offer an array of different nutrients, textures and flavours!

  • Unrefined

    Brown rice

    Buckwheat

    Chickpea (also known as Gram)

    Coconut

    Oat

    Refined (used in very small amounts occasionally for baking purposes)

    Corn

    Potato

    Tapioca

Again my pantry contains gluten free flours - these are my ultimate staples I use weekly. Perfect for pancakes, muffins, cakes, tart bases, dosas and lots more!

  • Almonds

    Brazil nuts

    Cashew nuts

    Chia seed

    Coconut

    Flax/Linseed

    Hazelnuts

    Hemp seeds

    Macadamia

    Peanuts

    Pecans

    Pine nuts

    Pistachios

    Pumpkin seeds

    Sesame seeds

    Sunflower seeds

    Walnuts

Whether you are snacking on a homemade trail mix, blending to make your own nut butter or toasting to make a pesto, nuts and seeds are incredibly versatile and nutrient-dense. They are a good source of protein, provide essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), fibre, vitamins and minerals. They are also high in trace minerals (known also as micro minerals) that are essential to our body but in only small amounts. These include magnesium, selenium, zinc and copper.

  • Allspice

    Bay leaves

    Black Peppercorns

    Cardamom pods

    Cayenne pepper

    Chilli flakes

    Cinnamon (ground & sticks)

    Coriander (ground & seeds)

    Cloves (ground & whole)

    Cumin (ground & seeds)

    Curry leaves

    Fennel seeds

    Fenugreek

    Garam masala

    Ground ginger

    Herbes de Provence

    Kaffir lime leaves

    Mixed spice

    Mustard seeds (black & yellow)

    Nutmeg

    Oregano

    Rosemary

    Smoked ‘dulce’ paprika

    Star anise

    Sumac

    Turmeric (ground)

    Vanilla extract and pods

    Za’atar

Herbs and spices can transform, uplift and make a recipe come alive with little cost or effort! Many have powerful medicinal properties that can support colds and flus, aches and pains and much more. My favourites are cinnamon, ginger, turmeric and black pepper. This is an extensive list so buy only as you need.

  • Avocado

    Raw Virgin Coconut

    Flaxseed

    Hemp

    Extra Virgin Olive oil

    Sesame

    Truffle

There is a lot of controversy over what oils are best to cook with - some considered dangerous and some labeled healthy. When cooking, it is best to use an oil with a high smoke point. Coconut oil is the most stable but I also cook with avocado or olive oil as they can withstand relatively high heat. From a nutritional point of view it's always best to keep frying and cooking with oil at high heats to a minimum and I try to do this in lots of my recipes where possible. For salads or cooler dishes which require low or no heat I enjoy using a variety of nut and seed oils! Always opt for good quality organic and cold-pressed oils - they may be a little more pricey but they go a long way!

  • Raw apple cider with the “mother” (this is the murky cloud full of beneficial bacteria and yeast that you might see at the bottom of the bottle)

    Balsamic

    Brown rice

    Red wine vinegar

These are vital for dressings, marinades and in cooking to sharpen and cut through rich dishes, to quick-pickle vegetables and add to immune boosting and digestion aiding tonics.

  • Black strap molasses

    Brown rice syrup

    Coconut palm sugar

    Date syrup

    Maple syrup (make sure it’s pure - watch out for brands that dilute and bulk out with carob syrup)

    Rapadura sugar

I don’t believe that one type of sugar is far healthier than the other because all sugars are unhealthy if excessively consumed. However, I try to stay away from highly refined sugars and opt for the least refined sugars instead that are the most naturally occurring and maximise on flavour, using them in as little amounts as possible. Maple syrup and coconut sugar are my most used sugars.

  • Apricots

    Cranberries

    Coconut flakes

    Goji berries

    Medjool dates

    Raisins

Bites of natural sweetness to add to cakes, muffins, granola, trail mixes or to top a smoothie bowl with. Try to opt for unsulphured/preservative free!

  • Seaweeds - kombu, dulse, wakame, nori sheets

    Mushrooms - wild, shiitake

These can take dishes to a whole other level both nutritionally and in flavour - especially in soups, stocks and broths.

  • Bouillon powder (I use Marigold Organic Swiss Vegetable vegan, GF and less salt)

    Mustard (dijon and wholegrain)

    Mirin

    Nutritional yeast

    Tamari

    Tamarind

    White and brown miso paste

    Sea salt and pink himalayan - contain abundant minerals and a pinch or two in both savoury and sweet cooking can lift and enhance flavours. I also really advise to avoid everyday table salt as it contains added chemical anti-caking agents.

    Orange blossom water

    Rose water

  • Agar Agar - a plant-based gelatine derived from red algae (don’t worry it won’t make your dessert or vegan cheese taste like seaweed! It’s flavourless and odourless!)

    Arrowroot

    Baking powder

    Bicarbonate of soda

    Canned coconut milk

    Canned chopped tomatoes

    Cacao powder

    Capers

    Cornichons

    Olives

    Nut butters

    Sun dried tomatoes

    Tomato puree

  • Knives and a knife sharpener - a good set of sharp knives makes a huge difference when it comes to slicing and dicing. My 3 essentials are a paring knife, chef knife and a santoku knife.

    Grater and peeler

    Mandoline - perfect for quick, fine slicing when you want to have consistently thin slices.

    Measuring equipment - electric scales, set of spoons, cups and jars.

    Pestle and mortar

    High speed blender - if possible, I would recommend investing in a Vitamix as I believe they are a game changer. At a super high speed they will blend almost anything to make foods such as smooth nut butters, homemade vegan mayo, ground oats into flour, and thick, creamy smoothie bowls.

    Juicer - not essential but investing in a masticating or centrifugal juicer is great. I love having juices and much prefer them over smoothies. I enjoy making crackers and bars from the leftover pulp too.

    Nut milk bags - these are a must for when making homemade nut milks but muslin cloths will also work perfectly fine.

    Spiraliser - fun to make exciting salads, vegetable spaghetti or curly fries! You can also use a julienne peeler instead, which is smaller and cheaper.

    Parchment baking paper - non toxic, unbleached and chlorine free.

Regardless of the current content of your kitchen cupboards I hope that by sharing my pantry essentials with you, you are able to take away some tips and hopefully new ideas to improve your pantry and that you are inspired to get together your own army of staples to have a positive, fun and stress-free experience cooking in the kitchen! Do we have similar products in our pantries? Which foods do you not have and would you like to try cooking with more? 

Love Teigan x

Teigan Davies