Plant-Based Pantry

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So what exactly DO you eat on a plant-based diet?  Are we surviving on plants, seeds and nuts?  Plant-Based doesn't mean the absolute absence of animal products but it does suggest to limit to 2 servings or less per week. Moreover, it is a diet comprised of whole-foods, plants, fruits, seeds, nuts, whole grains, and natural ingredients. Here is a comprehensive list of a well-stocked Plant-Based Pantry.  

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                                             PLANT-BASED PANTRY                                 


BEANS, CANNED
organic, low sodium when available, ½ to 1 cup per day.

• Black beans
• Black-eyed peas
• Chickpeas (garbanzos)
• Great northern beans (cannellini)
• Pinto beans
• Red or kidney beans

BEANS, DRIED
If you’re inclined to cook beans from scratch, so much the better. Black beans, adzuki beans, and navy beans are particularly good cooked from scratch; there’s also pink, kidney, red, and large white beans; brown, yellow, green and red lentils, and split peas.

WHOLE GRAINS
If you store whole grains at room temperature, don’t buy more than what you will use up in about 3 months. During hot summer months, refrigerate them—especially flours.

• Barley
• Rolled oats
• Steel cut oats
• Bulgur
• Couscous
• Millet
• Brown or black rice
• Quinoa
• wheat berries
• Wild rice

BAKING SUPPLIES
If you have a high powered blender like a VitaMix,(dry mix container) you can make your own specialty flours. Nonglutenous grains, such as rice, corn, oats, and millet are mainly what I use in my recipes.  These unprocessed and minimally processed grains are a more health-promoting choice than refined grains (which have been stripped of their outer bran and/or germ) Look for ingredients list stating whole, rolled, cracked or stone ground.

• Cornmeal
• Specialty flours (almond, quinoa, teff, brown rice, etc.)
• Spelt flour
• Deglet Noor or Medjool dates
• Dried fruit, un-sulfured and no added sugar
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Vanilla extract or vanilla beans
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Unsweetened, Non-dairy milk (soy, almond, hemp, coconut) (avoid those with caramel color, carrageenan, artificial sweeteners)
• Low sodium vegetable broth, or low sodium chicken bone broth
• Raw cacao powder
• Unsweetened coconut
• Canned light coconut milk
• Canned pumpkin

HERBS AND SPICES (dried)
Keep a good range of commonly used varieties on hand; seasoning blends, especially an all-purpose salt-free herb-and-spice blend, a good-quality curry powder, as well as an Italian herb seasoning blend, are especially useful.

• Cardamom
• Tumeric
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Cumin
• Mushroom powder
• Jalapeno powder
• Curry powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Kelp
• Parsley
• Nutritional yeast, no folate added

OILS
I no longer cook with oils, instead I water saute veggies.  I do keep the following on hand for light seasoning and for recipes such as hummus and pesto.

• Dark sesame oil
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Sunflower or avocado oil for high heat cooking

PASTAS AND NOODLES

• whole grain pasta
• Brown rice pasta
• Red lentil pasta
• Bean thread noodles

NUTS, SEEDS, AND NUT AND SEED BUTTERS
All nuts and seeds should be kept in the refrigerator during the summer for increased shelf life. Purchase butters that do not have added sugars, oils or salt.

• Raw (or steamed) unsalted cashews, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans
• Chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds,
• Tahini (sesame seed paste)
• Almond butter
• Sunflower butter
• Unsalted peanut butter

MISC.

• Protein Powder, raw, organic, plant based. I use Garden of Life Raw Fit
• Unsalted seaweed sheets
• Dried shiitake mushrooms
• Teas, herbal & green
• Matcha powder

TOMATO PRODUCTS, CANNED

• Diced, in 14- to 16-ounce cans
• Crushed or pureed, in 14, 16, and 28-ounce cans Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste

VINEGARS
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• Balsamic (dark and/or white)
• Red wine or white wine vinegar
• Rice vinegar (for Asian-style cooking)
• Organic apple cider vinegar

PREPARED CONDIMENTS & SAUCES
I like to make my condiments and salad dressings so I can control the sodium, oil and sugar content.  When purchasing pre-made sauces, look for low sodium and no added sugars. 

• Barbecue sauce
• Pasta (marinara) sauce
• Salsa, tomato-based, mild to hot as you prefer, pico de gallo typically has lower sodium
• Salsa, tomatillo (Salsa verde)
• Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (soy sauce or tamari substitute)
• Dijon mustard
• Wholly guacamole

VEGETABLES AND TOFU
The sky is the limit.  Be sure to have lots of veggies on hand for a daily salad, but only purchase one week’s worth for freshness.  Vary the colors! Eat the veggies in season. Things such as bagged kale, bananas, garlic, ginger, bagged spinach can be frozen for extended life.

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Sweet peppers
• Carrots
• Onions (yellow, red, or both)
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Tofu (silken, firm and/or extra-firm)
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Cauliflower and/or broccoli
• Avocado
• Edamame
• Spinach, kale, lettuces, for a daily salad
• Tomatoes

FRUIT

• Berries, berries, berries
• Apples
• Red grapes
• Oranges, lime, lemon, pineapple
• Bananas
• Pears

FREEZER

• Brown rice
• Whole grain, sprouted bread
• Riced cauliflower
• Berries
• Veggies

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