What’s I Stock In My Whole Foods Pantry and Refrigerator
I've been a whole food-eating, granola-making, vegetable-munching, lentil-loving person for as long as I can remember. After working in a vegetarian cafe and juice bar, a health food store, a vegetarian cook in a large natural foods co-op, a vegan raw food cafe, and currently the head chef of my household, it's safe to say that I'm pretty interested in healthy food. I also like to grow healthy food, but that's a different story for a different day. My passion for cooking was something that began at a young age and is continuing to strengthen as I experiment with new ingredients and techniques. Here are some of the ingredients you'll probably see in my kitchen at any given point in time.
Vegetables and Fruit
I always have a ton of fresh vegetables and fruits in my kitchen. I build my dishes on the produce that's available. I buy whatever is in season or looks good at the natural foods co-op and farmers markets. Fresh vegetables and fruits account for most of my grocery bill.
Pastured Poultry and Pork, Grass-Fed Beef and Lamb and Wild Fish
I source all of our meat locally on the island we live on and only eat the highest quality and humanely raised meat. I use the bones from the meat in weekly batches of bone broth. Wild Alaskan salmon, cod, and halibut, as well as sardines and anchovies are also staples in my kitchen.
Beans
I use them all. Lentils, chickpeas, white beans, kidney beans, and black beans are all within reach when I'm cooking. I prefer using dried beans and I always soak them overnight before cooking them to help in digestion and mineral absorption.
Whole Grains
I always have a variety of grains to choose from. My favorites are brown rice, quinoa, Arborio rice, farro, and oats, but I love to experiment with others. They're all so good for you and really can bulk up any dish. Einkorn pasta, buckwheat noodles, and brown rice noodles are also excellent.
Eggs, Yogurt, Cheese, Butter, Ghee
Local pastured organic eggs (from our own chickens), grass fed local yogurt, raw grass-fed cheese, and organic pastured butter are necessities in my kitchen. I steer clear from conventional dairy products that contain hormones and antibiotics. I also appreciate the health benefits of truly humane and high quality animal products. I believe it's worth the money to spend on the quality local products, plus it's important to support our farmers who work so hard to provide us quality food.
Fermented Vegetables
Homemade sauerkrauts, kimchi, pickles, and other random fermented vegetables take up a whole shelf in my refrigerator. I strive to eat at least a serving of something fermented everyday.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds...they can be added to so many things. They're full of good fats and protein. I always soak the nuts for at least eight hours before eating to help with digestibility and to aid in nutrient absorption.
Oils and Cooking Fats
I am very conscious of the fats I use, and only use organic unrefined oils and high quality saturated animal fats. I primarily use olive oil, ghee, coconut oil, butter, and duck fat, but I also use lard and tallow when I have a good source.
Herbs and Spices
Whether they're fresh or dried, herbs add flavor and nutrition that can't be achieved any other way. My kitchen is packed with herbs (dried and fresh), whole and ground spices and spice blends. Without them, my life would be incomplete.
Sea Vegetables
Sea vegetables are incredibly nutrient dense and full of important minerals that many people do not get in their every day diet. While sea vegetables are seen as foreign by many people, it's so important to follow the lead of the long-living Japanese and use these nutrient powerhouses in a regular basis. My favorites are nori, dulse, wakame, and arame. Use them in soups, salads, and for sushi of course. They're so delicious!
Flours and Sweeteners
Whole grain flours are the only flours I bake with. I use whole wheat, Einkorn, spelt, buckwheat, and rye. I also avoid refined sugar, so I stick with rapadura sugar, raw honey, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, and maple sugar.
Tea, Herbal Teas, and Medicinal Mushrooms
I could write pages and pages on my love and reverence for the tea plant (camellia sinensis) and how much tea has been such a huge part of my life over the years. And add on the multitudes of herbal teas I stock in my kitchen, it’s safe to say that tea is the most important part of my kitchen.
Miscellaneous Foods and Condiments
In no particular order or category, here are some foods that I can't do without in the kitchen:
Olives, sun dried tomatoes, mustards, vinegars of all sorts, miso, dried fruits, jarred whole tomatoes and crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, curry paste, dark chocolate, and organic wine (mostly to cook with, as I hardly ever drink).
There are many other essentials that I use, but this list is quite long. As you can see, I strive for whole, natural, minimally processed food. They are nourishing ingredients for the most healthy and delicious dishes and are a joy to work with. Adding some of them to your kitchen can put you on the path to wellness.