Having the right items stocked in your kitchen is the first step to eating clean and maintaining healthy routines. It's so easy to get off track and off balance if you don't have the proper items to work with when it comes time to eat.
Cleanse your kitchen of the items that are holding you back, taking up space, and making the kitchen difficult to navigate. Then set yourself up for success by stocking the cupboards and fridge with these nutrient rich, whole foods items that are versatile and easy to incorporate into snacks, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
HEALTHY KITCHEN ESSENTIALS:
1. GRAINS + NOODLES: steel cut oats, rolled oats, quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, buckwheat groats, buckwheat soba noodles, brown rice pasta, Sprouted Whole Grain Ezekiel Bread, white popcorn kernels (helpful for late night snacking)
2. FRUITS + VEGETABLES: tomatoes/cherry tomatoes, avocado, pear, apple, orange, grapefruit, frozen blueberries, lemon, broccoli, celery, cucumber, zucchini, carrot, sweet potato, napa cabbage, kale, arugula, red or yellow pepper, beet, green onion, garlic, ginger root
3. SOY: tofu, tempeh
4. SWEETENERS: raw local honey, pure organic maple syrup
5. MILK, YOGURT + EGGS: almond milk, coconut milk, goat yogurt, free-range eggs
6. DRIED HERBS + SPICES: cinnamon, cayenne, chili flakes, turmeric, marjoram, bay leaves, sage, oregano, basil, rosemary, black peppercorn, sea salt, Japanese Seven Spice, nutritional yeast (not a herb or a spice but used for flavouring like one)
7. NUTS + SEEDS: raw almonds, raw walnuts, raw cashews, raw brazil nuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
8. DRIED FRUIT: goji berries, apricots, dates
9. BEANS + LEGUMES: black beans, white beans, lentils, chickpeas
10. OILS: olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil
11. VINEGARS: apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar
12. SPREADS + SAUCES: almond butter, hummus, tamari, tahini, dijon mustard, seeded mustard
13. TEA: green tea, matcha powder, mint tea, dandelion tea and powder
14. CHOCOLATE: raw and/or organic dark chocolate
All of my recipes are based on some combination of the above ingredients- click here for a few of those and check back in for weekly clean eating inspiration.
NOTE: This is a personal list of items that work for me. This list has not been developed for sensitivities to wheat, dairy and/or soy.