My Kitchen Staples

I find that eating well and cooking good meals is so much easier when my kitchen is stocked with staples. So, today I am sharing with you a comprehensive list of the things that we always have in our house—and use in the majority of the recipes on The Local Sprout.

If you’re looking to clean up your diet a little bit, give gluten free cooking a try, or just wanting to re-stock the pantry, this list is for you! You’ll use these ingredients over and over—I’ve linked to some of my favorite brands + included simple recipe ideas to get your started. Happy cooking friends!

Dry Grains + Legumes

• Rolled Oats — great for easy breakfasts + baking
• Lentils — an easy-to-cook addition for soups, stews, + salads
• Quinoa — a fluffy, protein-packed grain to serve with a variety of dishes
• Rice — perfect for bowl-meals or served with an entrée
• Buckwheat Groats — nutty in flavor + versatile for gluten free breakfasts

Let’s make: Curried Lentil Soup

Flours

• Oat Flour — simple + versatile for baking 
• Chickpea Flour — a great thickener for sauces + base for breads
• Almond Flour — earthy flavored + perfect for breading crispy ingredients
• Coconut Flour — fluffy + soft for specific gluten free/paleo baking

Let’s make: Blackberry Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients in Cans

• Chickpeas — versatile for soups, buddha bowls, or blended into creamy hummus
• Black Beans — hearty + rich addition for soups or unique base for gluten free treats
• Tomatoes — a simple base for sauces, stews + soups
• Mixed Beans — great to have variety for chili, stews, + salads

Let’s make: Southwest 3-Bean Chili

Nuts

• Walnuts — versatile for use in baking, sprinkling on salads, or adding to pasta dishes
• Cashews — the best for soaking and blending to create creamy dishes + sauces (raw and roasted are good to have on hand)
• Almonds — earthy addition to snacks or easy topping for salads
• Peanuts —  delicious in stir-fry, sprinkled over oatmeal, or ground into nut butter

Let’s make: Butternut Squash Sage Pasta

Seeds

• Chia Seeds — perfect for sprinkling + a great thickener when mixed with liquid 
• Ground Flax Seed (or meal) — great for mixing to create a creamy oatmeal used as another thickener
• Sunflower Seeds — an earthy addition to baked loaves, muffins, or sprinkled over muffins
• Pepitas (or Pumpkin Seeds) — an easy topping for salads and soups

Let’s make: Kale + Oat Superfood Bars

Ingredients in Jars

• Peanut Butter — perfect for stir fries or drizzled over a breakfast bowl
• Cashew Butter — creamy base for sauces + earthy addition to baked goods
• Almond Butter — earthy + sweet in oatmeal, cookies, or sauces
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes — great addition to pastas or salads
• Miso — a flavorful fermented ingredient for asian-inspired dishes
• Tahini — the go-to base for hummus and creamy salad dressings

Let’s make: Easy Garlic & Onion Hummus

Vinegars

• Apple Cider Vinegar — simple, acidic ingredient for dressings + sauces
• Rice Vinegar — a sweet, soft, + slightly acidic, addition to asian dishes
• Balsamic Vinegar — a rich base for dressings, or sweet coating for roasted veggies

Let’s make: Roasted Acorn Squash Salad with Balsamic Reduction

Oils

• Avocado Oil — neutral in flavor and perfect for roasting veggies on at high temperatures
• Coconut Oil — delicious for baking or easy pan-frying
• Sesame Oil — nutty in flavor, perfect in stir fries or asian-flavored dishes
• Olive Oil — the best base for a sauce or salad dressing

Let’s make: Sweet Potato Wedges with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Dried Herbs + Spices

• Cinnamon — sweet, rich scent + flavor for cooking + baking
• Cumin — a warm flavor addition for roasted veggies or stews
• Smoked Paprika — a smokey, deep, spice to add extra flavor to dishes
• Thyme — a versatile herb for sauces, roasted veggies + Italian dishes
• Turmeric — vibrant in color and earthy addition to dishes
• Cayenne Pepper — simple ingredient to add flavor + spice up dishes
• Ginger — a sweet, spicy ingredient for sweet treats
• Curry Powder — great for roasted veggies, or asian-flavored dishes

Let’s make: Smoky Moroccan Eggplant Stew

Sweeteners

• Maple Syrup — a smooth sweetener, great in sauces and dressings
• Honey — thick and creamy, adds vibrant sweetness to baked treats or sauces
• Coconut Sugar — caramel flavored and perfect for baking in place of white sugar
• Dates — adds earthy flavor to sweet and savory dishes, can be blended or chopped

Let’s make: Mint Chocolate Cake Balls

Baking

• Baking Powder — a leavening agent, which causes baked goods to rise
• Baking Soda — a rising agent, which creates carbon dioxide to make baked goods rise
• Cacao Powder —  adds a deep, chocolatey flavor to recipes
• Shredded Coconut — versatile for adding to treats, blending, or sprinkling

Let’s make: Gluten Free Zucchini Bread Muffins

Milks

• Cashew Milk — a neutral-flavored for baking + sauces
• Coconut Milk — perfect used in rich, creamy, curry bases
• Oat Milk — the best for stirring into rich coffee or frothing in lattes

Let’s make: Coconut Curry Ramen

Extra Bits

• Nutritional Yeast — a simple way to add a cheesy + nutty flavor to recipes
• Coconut Yogurt — a creamy add-in for soups, mixed with granola, or stirred in sweet treats
• Soy Sauce, Coconut Aminos, or Tamari — perfect for asian dishes, dressings, + sauces
• Chili-Garlic Sauce — easy way to spice-up dishes
• Dijon Mustard — earthy + spicy addition for dressings + sauces

Let’s make: Easy Cashew Queso