What's in my Pantry - Part II · The Healthy Hippie

top view of what's in my pantry of nuts, dates and other items

I hope you enjoyed the first pantry staples blog I released a few weeks ago and found it helpful. Personally love reading blogs and watching YouTube videos about other people’s pantry staples. I always seem to discover new staples that I have never thought about eating before or I re-discover something that I used to eat but for some crazy reason stopped.

Eating healthy is not always the easiest choice but it is the BEST choice. I’m pretty sure I’ve said this a million times already but I’m going to say it again because it is really important. If you don’t buy unhealthy foods then you are way less likely to eat them. It’s just that simple. Keep foods in your pantry that are healthy so you aren’t tempted to eat that big bowl of cereal at 10pm right before bed.

My first pantry staple blog focused on foods that I consumed every day. So for this blog, I’m going to list the pantry staples that I always have in my kitchen but don’t use every day. I probably use them once a week or less. However, just because I use them less does not mean they are less important. These staples are key in helping me maintain a healthy lifestyle and I hope they will help you do the same. All items will be linked at the end of the post.

What’s in my Pantry – Part II

Almond Flour

If you will notice, most of my baking recipes contain almond flour. I LOVE almond flour. When baked, it is so fluffy and its gluten free so I can splurge on a healthy sweet treat without messing up my gut! I also love using it as breading for chicken, shrimp, and sometimes zucchini to give it a nice crunch!

Unsweetened Coconut

Seriously, anyway a coconut is sold in a grocery store, I’m going to buy it. I also use this in a lot of my baking and non-baking sweet treats. I keep it to make coconut milk too when I don’t have a fresh coconut.

Dates

These little guys are great natural sweeteners for protein shakes, baking, no bake protein balls, and vegan sweet treats. I could open up a date, slap some almond butter on it and bam; I’ve got a delicious sweet treat. It’s much better to use nature’s candy then refined sugar and dates have a great shelf life!

Maple Syrup

Another one of my favorite natural sweeteners. Maples syrup can do a great job at sweetening baked goods and it keeps them moist. It also works great in sauces and dressings and my personal favorite, drizzled on top of my lemon pancakes. Just make sure to look at the bottle before you buy it to ensure it comes from Vermont or Canada so you get the real thing!

Tapioca Flour

This has become a lot more popular in the health food world over the past year and no wonder, it is awesome. For people who have to eat gluten free, it is a life saver. When baking or cooking with gluten free flour like almond flour, buckwheat, and coconut flour, if used by itself it can be very dense. Tapioca flour helps lighten up any food when paired with another gluten free flour. It also works great as a gluten free thickener in sauces and soups.

Coconut Flour

This was the very first gluten free flour I started using and after about 5 years, I still use it. It absorbs any flavor you add to it and gives a great texture. I personally love it for pancakes, muffins, protein balls, and added to my grain free maple porridge.

Chia Seeds

I love chia seeds, maybe a little too much. I could eat chia seeds every day. It doesn’t matter what I’m eating, I can find a way to add these wonderfully nutrient dense seeds. Also, they are super high in fiber, which is great for digestion.

Grain Free Tortilla Wraps

These are great to keep on hand for our weekly taco night and if I need something fast for lunch. I just add some deli turkey, lettuce, and mustard and I have a quick and yummy snack or lunch, without too many carbohydrates. Also, I love using them when my husband wants to order Mexican food. I will get grilled chicken tacos and then switch out the tortillas since I don’t eat corn. The brand I use is Siete foods and it is linked below. They have several different ones but my favorite is the cassava and coconut flour tortillas.

Cashew Butter

I LOVE cashew butter. It is my weakness! I used to eat almond butter all the time until I discovered cashew butter and now I am hooked. It is so creamy and is delicious on toast topped with banana or to dip apples in, or to put into a smoothie. Really anything, just slather it on everything, you won’t be disappointed. So yummy!

Plantain Chips

These are a great swap for potato chips. They are so crunchy and you can get them sweet or savory. I love snacking on these and dipping them in my guacamole.

Paleo Bread

It is important to always have a loaf of good paleo bread in the house. I don’t eat bread every day but it works great for a quick breakfast or lunch. I love toasting my paleo bread, spreading coconut oil on it, and topping it with an egg for breakfast. So good!

Almonds

These are a great source of healthy fat for a snack or to top on coconut yogurt. I also love using them in my vegan desserts or protein balls. And my favorite way to use them, homemade almond milk! I will be posting a recipe for this soon.

Coconut Sugar

Gosh I love this stuff. It is my favorite form of refined sugar-free sweetener. It goes well in anything and doesn’t mask the taste of the recipe. If I am using a recipe that calls for sugar, I just use coconut sugar instead.

Chick Peas

This is another food I can add to just about anything. I love topping my salads with them and using them as a protein if I don’t feel like eating meat. They are also great in my Sundried Tomato Falafels!

Gluten Free Pasta

This is great to have in the pantry for a quick meal. I love adding zucchini pasta and gluten free pasta together for a delicious and easy lunch or dinner. One of my favorites is Trader Joe’s red lentil spaghetti but my other go to is Banza chickpea pasta – click here to buy.