I can’t tell you how many times I have said, “there’s nothing to eat for dinner,” but then I’ll open my pantry and realize it never fails me. I keep my pantry well stocked with all kinds of things. The great advantage of doing so is that canned goods and dry goods are relatively inexpensive and last a long time. I know what I use frequently, and I almost never run out! I think when first transitioning, it’s important to have a well stocked pantry as the backbone for cooking meals. Below are some foods that I believe are necessary.
Beans, beans, and more beans!
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Kidney beans
Black beans
Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
Refried beans (be sure these are vegetarian and do not contain lard!)
Diced tomatoes
Tomato paste
Tomato sauce
Pizza sauce
Brown rice
Quinoa
Lentils
Green chilies
Canned coconut milk
Barbecue sauce
Dijon mustard
Hot sauce (I prefer sriracha, in most my recipes)
Ketchup
Mustard
Nutritional yeast
Salsa
Sweet chili sauce (Trader Joe’s brand is fantastic!)
Vegan Worcestershire sauce (regular contains anchovies π)
Vegan mayonnaise (my favorite is Just Mayo, but there are many vegan options)
Soy sauce
Smooth peanut butter
Rolled oats
Instant oats
Vegetable broth
Mori-Nu silken tofu
Vital wheat gluten (only if no gluten intolerance!)
Crushed pineapple
Canned pumpkin
Applesauce
Agave nectar
Vegan chocolate chips
Rice vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Liquid smoke
Maple syrup
Corn meal
Corn starch
Dry pasta in a variety of shapes
Hard shell and/or soft shell taco shells
TVP (textured vegetable protein)
Variety of spices
Having most of these items on hand from the beginning will be beneficial when making some of the delicious recipes that I plan to post! While several of these are commonplace, there are a few that maybe haven’t found their way into an omnivorous kitchen. (Nutritional yeast is so amazing, it deserves a separate post!) If you haven’t yet tried nutritional yeast, I suggest getting some immediately. I use it many times a week in different recipes. It can be found online, at Whole Foods and at health food stores such as Vitamin Shoppe. (It is much different from Brewer’s yeast; don’t get the two confused!) You are going to need it when I post the vegan nacho recipe, so save yourself the heartache and prepare now.π
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