I recently did a post about my personal essentials for the fridge and freezer to showcase the simple items I keep in my kitchen at all times… and clearly the pantry is the obvious next step…. Gooooood thing I like to be obvious, because here it is. THE PANTRY and the average run-of-the-mill things I keep in it to allow me to be creative, even on the tightest schedule.

* I want to remind you that these are very simple year round ingredients that I ADD TO whatever is seasonal or I have picked up at the store during the week… THAT’S where the creative juices start a-flowin’!

 

1) Stock (chicken in this case)

To me, stock is EVERYTHING. It enhances any dish. I use it in sauces (especially after deglazing the pan with a little white wine as mentioned in my fridge freezer post), vegetable sautés, and even as the boiling agent for rice, pastas, quinoa, or grains. I toss any unused stock into ice cube trays to save for later. Fact: I use stock so often that I keep a jar of bouillon in my pantry just in case I run out of it.

2) Cooking Oils

Whether it’s, olive, coconut, grape seed etc. oil is a necessity. It enables you to sear, sauté, roast, or fry your desired ingredients. It also is the base to so many salad dressings. I can’t live without it.

3) Garlic

I don’t think I have to elaborate much on this one….. It’s GARLIC, the flavor powerhouse (that actually lasts quite long if kept in a cool dry place).  I use it whenever I need a little boost of flavor… sometimes I even add a smashed (but not chopped) clove to a sauce and remove it at the end to add the flavor of garlic without over powering it too much.

4) Vinegar

I keep a few different vinegars on hand at all times. Red wine, Seasoned rice, apple cider, and balsamic, are the staples for me. I use them in all kinds of salad dressings, sautés, and dips, not to mention to add a little acidity if I’ve run out of lemons or white wine (from my fridge essentials).

A little soy sauce and balsamic vinegar tossed into a sauté of onions and zucchini is a crazy quick and delicious side… make em fancy with a dash of toasted sesame seeds!

5) Nuts (sliced almond in this case)

Whether it’s almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, cashews, or pepitas (a seed really)…. you have just found the simplest million dollar ingredient for your dish. I add them to roasted or sautéed veggies, ground and added to crust a protein, as the last ingredient to my salad. Whatever you add it to, you’ve just created an element of crunch and flavor that you didn’t have before…

6) Spices (duh)

Cumin, coriander, ginger, curry, smoked paprika, cayenne, celery seed, onion powder…. I could go on for days, but this is where I get creative. I love that I have an entire flavor arsenal in my pantry for whatever dish I may want to make. Adding a sprinkle of curry powder to a veggie sauté with white wine, a little stock and grainy mustard gives your side dish a whole new twist… or a dash of cumin, olive oil, salt, and pepper to raw pizza dough and tossed in the oven creates a whole new kind of bread to go with your meal…. not to mention my baked tortilla chips. 

* I have also found that adding a little onion powder to a quick soup helps along that “slow-cooked” flavor that you can’t otherwise achieve unless you cooked it all day.

7) Jane’s 

I couldn’t leave this little lady out. BUT I’m not going to repeat myself about her and drive you all nuts….you can read here if you haven’t already heard my thoughts on it.

8) Seed, grain, rice, pasta (Quinoa and farro in this case)

Cooking these in a little chicken stock and tossing them with roasted veggies or a raw salad adds a ton of body to your dish. It also gives the feel that you really put effort into the dish. I have quite a few dishes already on the blog that feature these guys. For instance: My Farro Salad or Avgolemeno Soup.

9) Honey

Here is a fabulous pre-disolved and all natural sweetener for you. I add it to vinaigrettes, sauces…. really anywhere I need a touch of sweet. Not to mention my Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps.