A Peek Into My Pantry- 6 Must Have Ingredients

5 Kitchen Essential IngredientsThere are 6 kitchen ingredient essentials that I always have in my pantry. They have all sorts of uses and I use them at least once – if not twice – per day.

Whether you are staying in and want to make an easy lunch or dinner or a quick meal, these are the essential staple items you will definitely want to have close at hand.  ‘

I will share more ingredients with you in upcoming posts.For now, these are most commonly found in my kitchen.

6 Must-Have Ingredients

1. Coconut and Almond Flours

Believe it or not, this delicious combo can create waffles, scones, and pancakes. Or, you can used them to make chicken cutlets.

2. Hemp or Almond Milk

I use hemp or almond milk to make a warm cereal in the mornings with a banana. You can even use the unsweetened kind to make a rue.  A rue is made to make comfort foods like gluten free mac and cheese. You can also use it in a protein shake when there is no time to make a home-made breakfast or lunch.

3. Lemons

Everyday I drink hot water with ½ lemon and ¼ tsp of cayenne pepper.  Drinking this first thing in the morning continues the detox effect that your liver performs while you sleep. This little concoction will also continue the liver’s detox process when you drink it before coffee and food. I will sometimes drink this twice daily. Also great to make homemade salad dressings.

4. Cayenne Pepper

This goes in some of my meals and right before breakfast in my tea.

5. Avocados

Avocados are a wonderfully good source of a healthy fat that can be put into your shakes, on toast, or to make a chocolate mousse. It’s even delicious to eat it plain with a spoon!

6. Bacon

Bacon

photo credit: gnmills

Yes, you read that right. Bacon. No, not the turkey kind. I will always have bacon in the fridge. I eat it for breakfast, but I’ve been know to make it during dinner as well.

It can go into maple-bacon scones, as a side for pancakes, wrapped around scallops or shrimp. Or, how about pairing it with a grass-fed burger?

Rotate Your Pantry

The key ingredients in my pantry may change depending on the seasons.  And I don’t eat the same food every single day. Rotation is crucial to help with food allergies.

If you have mild food allergies, rotating your foods will lessen your body’s reaction. For example, oats were on my mild food allergy list but I could consume it every 4 days without any reactions.

Your Turn

What foods can you not live without? What are your go to’s when you need something savory on a cold, winter night or for breakfast? Please share your kitchen ingredient essentials in the comments below!