Baby steps lead to giant leaps With this simple kitchen set-up and the right ingredients, you can eat healthy, save money and stay on schedule. Being prepared with these essentials also allows you to put together a power snack whenever you need one. How to Stock Your kitchen Dairy Items: Organic milk, almond milk or coconut milk is a must-have item. You can use the milk for cold cereal, hot cereal, protein, smoothies and soups. Greek yogurt is another important food to stay stocked on. Greek yogurt has twice the protein (about 14g) of normal yogurt. cottage cheese is another good choice as is mozzarella string cheese. Proteins: Three of the best proteins you can buy cooked chicken breasts, fresh prawn’s eggs, fruits and vegetables. Some of the best vegetables to have on hand are sweet potatoes (high in protein, beta-carotene and fibre), dark leafy lettuce, fresh spinach leaves, onions and tomatoes. Some good fruits to stock are strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears and bananas. There are a few condiments and flavourings that will help open up your meal and snack options. Dijon or brown mustard is great on a sandwich, but also good in dressings and sauces. Grains: Try to keep a loaf of whole-grain, preferably sprouted-grain, bread on hand for sandwiches and toast. Quinoa should always be at hand. It’s a complete protein and a great substitute for almost any grain. Use it as you would oats, rice or pasta. Brown rice is another good item to have. It’s always good to have a healthy cold cereal such as Ezekiel for really busy mornings and steel-cut oats are great for a hot breakfast option. Whole-grain tortillas are great for making your own wraps and individual pizzas. Nuts, Seeds and Nut Butters: Nuts and seeds are loaded with healthy fats, fibre and a wide range of antioxidants. The best nuts are raw almonds and walnuts. Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds are also good to have. They make a great snack and add a dose of healthy fats to salads, hot cereal and yogurt. Nut butters such as almond butter are better for you than peanut butter and taste amazing. They’re good for sandwiches, spreading on fruits and vegetables or whipped into your protein shake. Condiments and Flavourings: You’ll be amazed at how creative you can get with just a few ingredients if you have the right flavourings on hand. Coconut oil and/or olive oil should always be in your cupboard. You should also stock Balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar for making your own healthy dressings. Raw honey is always good to have and much better for you than sugar. Make sure to stock a few simple spices and seasonings as well, such as salt, pepper, paprika, curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder and red pepper sauce. There are a few canned goods you can also have at hand. Keep some vegetable, chicken or beef broth on hand for making soups and sauces and a few cans of kidney or black beans to add protein and fibre to your meals. A few cans of tuna and sardines are also good to have. Obviously, you will have several things that you want to keep on hand that aren’t on this list, but this is an excellent base with which to build so many meals. You will use these ingredients over and over again.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 09:18:36 +0000
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