THINK B.A.R.E.

My "Must Have" Pantry Items

There are items that I absolutely must have in my pantry. They include staples that have multiple purposes and enable me to make my healthy recipes, beauty treatments and cleaning products. Here are some of my favorites but look for more in future posts.

Herbs: Buy dry or fresh herbs depending on what is available given the time of year and climate where you live. Herbs add flavor to your food. They also provide many health benefits. My favorites are parsley, basil, rosemary and cilantro. But there are many, many more.

Spices: Spices add a punch to your recipes and offer health benefits too. They can take your tastebuds on journeys to countries far and wide. The flavors they provide can mentally transport us to different times and perhaps be nostalgic. If you ever feel bored with a recipe or dish, change the spices you use and create a new and invigorating flavor!

Check out the following link to learn more about the benefits of herbs and spices. https://wellnessmama.com/1092/health-benefits-of-herbs-spices/

Baking Soda. What a work horse! Baking soda cleans everything from sinks to teeth. Mix it with other common kitchen staples (lemon, aloe, water, etc) to produce facial cleansers, toothpastes, dry hair shampoo and household cleaners. Combined with white vinegar, it’s even used to keep drains clean and clear. Not to mention, it’s also used in baking recipes.

Lemons. Where do I begin? Lemon can be used in teas, water, and squeezed over food for a fresh clean taste, to name just a few uses. In addition to many food recipes, it too is an effective ingredient in DIY facial cleansers, natural detergents and healthy household cleaners. Lemons also make a lovely decoration in your kitchen. Suggestion: Place a dish of lemons on your countertop for an elegant aesthetic.

Limes. Oh how I love lime! It is my new go to dressing for so many foods. To cut down on oil and salt, I use lime to add a zing to my food. It’s especially good on lentils, rice, and salads. I’ve mixed it with a tiny bit of oil, garlic and hot pepper to drizzle on baked eggplant ... WOW! It also makes a nice flavoring for water. Add a pinch of mint, a wedge of lime, squeeze a few drops, and maybe add a few cucumber slices or water melon to a glass of cool water. Delicious! Hint: Make sure to wipe away any nasties by always washing limes before cutting and using. This is true for all fruit and veggies that you will use in beverages, in food recipes or eat directly!

Cayenne Pepper. In the winter and cooler months, this is a must have for me! I prepare warm tea-like drinks with a pinch or two of cayenne. It warms me up like no other drink!

Recipe idea:

a cup of boiled water
a few fresh pieces of peeled ginger
a few dashes of cinnamon
a touch of raw honey (to your liking)
a dash or two of cayenne (be careful, it’s quite spicy)

Steep the ginger in the boiled water for a few minutes. Add the other ingredients and stir. Voilà!

Vinegar

White Vinegar: With this innocent liquid, you can avoid most other household cleaners. White vinegar can be used to clean your floors. My mother even uses a highly diluted solution on her wood floors. Note: for wood, vinegar should be highly diluted. My Mom mixes 1/4 cup white vinegar to a standard household bucket of water and she adds approximately 5 drops of lavender oil. No rinsing required.

White vinegar can be used in your washing machine to help clothes smell cleaner, your dishwasher for less streaking, and in place of glass cleaner on your windows. White vinegar can be mixed with distilled water and essential oil to clean counter tops. It also makes a nice hair rinse (if you can stand the smell). Oh and it can be used to marinate foods! It’s multi-functional and not at all expensive. Suggestion: Buy it in glass to avoid the negatives associated with plastic and you will also have a bottle you can reuse for other items. Add a spray nozzle for an elegant glass spray bottle.

There are other vinegars such as red wine, rice wine, apple cider and balsamic that make your salads much more interesting. Vinegar also adds a kick to meats, sauces and stews. Use a dash or two of vinegar in place of red wine for your cooking.

Pure Maple Syrup. If you want to avoid sugar without using artificial substitutes, maple syrup is a good option. I use it to sweeten my home-made cookies and cakes. The trick is to use the right amount. Most likely you will need more maple syrup than you would sugar. It really depends on how sweet you like your treats. For me, most recipes call for too much sugar, so I tend to substitute with just a little bit more maple syrup than what the recipe calls for in terms of sugar. Trial and error is required. I also like to use a tiny bit of maple syrup with oil, vinegar and garlic as a dressing when I want a little sweetness in my salads. It's VEGAN FRIENDLY too!

Avocado. It is a super food, with many health benefits and provides a source of healthy fat. It is also quite versatile. It can be sliced and placed in a sandwich or salad. It can be mixed with a few additional ingredients for a delicious spread or dip. Commonly avocado is combined with garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper and lime to make guacamole. But there are many other options to add to avocado that create a delicious topping or base.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: EVOO adds flavor to almost anything. Among those who follow a very strict whole foods diet, there are many who prefer less processed fats such as nuts and seeds. However if you come from a tradition of using EVOO, believe me, it’s nearly impossible to give up! There are certainly benefits to a cold pressed OO versus other fats. Note: There are some foodies who caution against using EVOO for frying and cooking. However there are some experts who view these warnings as fallacy or myth. One such expert, Dr. Joanna McMillan (an Australian health and wellbeing expert with a PhD in nutrition science and an accredited practicing dietitian) argues that it is indeed safe to use EVOO for frying and cooking. When oil is heated above its smoke point the likelihood of potentially harmful compounds increases. But according to Dr. Joanna regardless of whether you sauté, deep fry or roast -- it's rare that you will reach the smoke point with home cooking methods. See Dr. Joanna's explanation at https://drjoanna.com.au/blog/can-you-cook-with-extra-virgin-olive-oil-blog-793/ . According to the article, the higher end oils such as Cobram Estates have even higher smoke points which further reduce the chance of reaching the smoke point during standard home cooking.

Other "must haves" foods include garlic, organic potatoes, low salt vegetable broth and whole grain/unbleached flour and of course tons of fruits and veggies. With these and the above mentions, your food creations will always be something wonderful, delicious, and healthy!

THINK B.A.R.E., LIVE B.A.R.E.