Everyday Pantry Staples

I thought I?d show you what I like to keep on hand to keep my pantry. Even in Paris, I find myself gravitating towards the same basic staples that I?ve been eating for years.

I?m a simple girl, really. Nothin? too fancy in  my pantry, just lots of healthy food that I really enjoy eating. That?s the key I like to think of the following as the healthy building blocks of how I eat and what I cook. Yes, I play around with my food and sometimes I?ll cook with an ingredient that inspires me, but this is what you?ll find in my kitchen without fail.

Let?s start with the basics. Fruits and veggies.

Apples. Seriously, these are my favorite food in the whole world. I eat them year round, despite my love of fresh, seasonal produce. I think I?ve eaten one (or two sometimes!) every day since I was a youngin?.

I love fruit, especially raspberries when they?re in season and citrus like oranges and grapefruit, but try not too eat more than 1 or 2 servings a day because of the sugar. Yes, they?re natural, but still?too much sugar is too much sugar. And because sometimes I?d rather have my daily sugars come from something like ohh, say, chocolate ? which is, by the way, another pantry staple.

I always stock up on fresh veggies. I?m fortunate enough to have tons of local markets at my disposal in Paris and am getting terribly spoiled. These markets are hard to come by back in Tampa, but I certainly do love buying my produce like this. My favorite veggies are broccoli, spinach and lately red bell peppers. They are delicious stir-fried with onion until caramelized. Nom nom.

My main protein staples are chicken, eggs, and seafood like shrimp and salmon. Lately I can?t resist the rotisserie chickens you can buy at the markets.

I usually pull most of the meat off after I buy it and store it in the fridge to use in things like soup, a quick week-night stir-fry, or on salads. 

I also can?t get enough eggs ? hard boiled, fried, scrambled, in an omelette. Mmm. Eggs. Love.

I?m not too into red meat, but that?s just me. I?ll have it occasionally, but I don?t usually crave it. I also keep simple things like canned beans in stock  back home for quick protein on salads or in soups.

Cooking oils and fats. Lately, butter. Ooooh, French butter, how I love you. I also like to cook with extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, ghee (clarified butter), and coconut oil.

And my pantry would be naked without almond butter. Purée amandes? Yes, please!

I don?t respond well to wheat, so I try to keep lots of gluten free grains around. You can usually find quinoa, oats (these don?t happen to be gluten free, but at home we buy Bob?s Red Mill GF oats often), and Mary?s GF Cracker?s in my cupboard.

We usually have ground flax seed in the fridge too, as well as chia seeds. Love those little guys.

Dairy. I love me some yogurt ? no fat free please, thanks! Life?s too short to eat fat free yogurt and milk. Living in Paris has taught me to embrace full fat dairy. But if that scares you, at least go with the 2%. Your body and taste buds will thank you.

I love the natural yogurts here, but back home I?m all over Fage Greek yogurt. Mmm.

Speaking of dairy, I love cheese. There?s always cheese in the fridge ? lots of really sharp cheddar cheese (the sharper the better!), feta, blue, manchego, brie?oh geez. This list could go on forever. Lately I?ve been all over Boursin. Don?t know why, as I?m in the land of cheese and dairy and could have tons of fancy gourmet cheeses at my disposal, but Boursin has been callin? my name.

I like to flavor my food with fresh herbs and spices, especially fresh basil in the summer, parsley and cilantro. Back home I have a little herb garden which makes it quick, easy and inexpensive to have fresh herbs, but luckily they are really inexpensive at the farmer?s markets here. 

And we always have cinnamon, crushed red bell pepper, sea salt, and black pepper on hand to name a few. Those are my very favorite spices, and the ones I reach for the most. I also keep things like honey, turbinado sugar and agave nectar on hand for coffee and such.

And there you have it. These are the basics of my healthy pantry and what I like to use as the base of what I eat. Mostly fruits and veggies, basic healthy grains, meats and dairy products ? these are the things that make me feel the most satisfied and healthy. Yep, I?m a simple gal.

I?ll leave you with one of my favorite food related quotes. I like to think of this when I?m deciding what to eat (Although, we all know I have a soft spot for a certain non-dairy creamer, which by the way I haven?t had in my time abroad. Just whole milk and cream for this coffee lovin? lady).

?Eat food. Though in our current state of confusion, this is much easier said than done. So try this: Don?t eat anything your great-great grandmother wouldn?t recognize as food. ?There are a great many foodlike items in the supermarket your ancestors wouldn?t recognize as food (Go-Gurt? Breakfast-cereal bars? Nondairy creamer?); stay away from these.?

                                                                                                                                      -Michael Pollan

What do you keep in your pantry? What are your kitchen staples?

Feel free to ask if you have any questions about what my kitchen basics. Have a good night!