20 Pantry Items and How to Use Them to Your Advantage

Okay so I may have gone a bit overboard with my last post! A dear friend of mine asked for help with stocking her pantry. She is a mom of two and sometimes has little time to make dinner. I have revised my earlier post with this one. I hope this is more user friendly! And I will continue to add on to this topic as I know that so many people want to find ways to stock their pantry with healthy budget friendly options. In my next post...or so, I will share some of the places that I look to find some of my food for less.

20 Pantry Items and How to Use Them to Your Advantage

 

Protein
Beans in Can
Eggs
Chicken Sausage
Meatballs, (store bought or make your own and freeze extra's)

Starch
Naan Bread
Pasta
Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes
Rice (instant is fine too)
Couscous or Polenta

Veggies/Fruit

(At Trader Joe's, you can buy almost any frozen veggie or fruit you like)
Tomatoes' in Can
Frozen Veggies of Choice
Frozen Fruit of Choice

Dairy
Frozen Cheese
Butter

Condiments
Tomato Sauce
BBQ Sauce
Soy Sauce
Honey/Maple Syrup/Agave
Oils
Bouillon Cubes, (vegetable, chicken, beef)...great for adding a bit of flavor to any dish when you are in a rush!

When I go to the grocery store, I buy what we like fresh and what the kids will eat:

Broccoli, Fresh Spinach, Carrots, etc...

Meats...

Yogurt...

Bread...

Okay what can I do with the above:

When cooking, I always prefer to cook on the stove or in my large oven. But if I am in a rush, I will not hesitate to use the microwave to defrost veggies, or the small toaster oven to make some pizza's.

And with any of the recipes below, the veggies, meats and starches can be interchanged. Again use what you and your family enjoy and do not be afraid to experiment!  Add  a bit of ketchup on the side and the kids will eat it!!

Our family favorite:

Jet's Naan Bread Pizza

Drizzle Olive Oil and some Sea Salt over Bread

Spread Whatever Sauce you Prefer, (red sauce, Basil sauce, Pea Sauce)

Decorate with whatever toppings you have in the freezer and/or fridge, (meatballs, sausage, veggies...)

Add Cheese if you like

Bake on 350 until cheese melts and Bread starts to brown a bit on the edges, (aprox 15-20 min)

Pasta

Boil any Kind of Pasta

Instead of using a red sauce, puree some sweet potato (or any squash) with some milk and cinnamon, s&p until smooth. Mix with finished pasta. Add veggie of choice, and a meat if you like! Sprinkle with Parmesan or Mozzarella if you have any. Enjoy

Boil any kind of pasta and instead of a red sauce try oil and a form of cheese that you guys like. Add some veggies and enjoy.

Polenta with Chicken Sausage and Warmed Spinach 

Pour 1-2 Cups of Polenta in a Pot and cover with water, (2 inches over). Boil. If you have a bouillon cube on hand, put a bit of one cube in the water too! Add more water if needed.  When the water disappears it is done. (10-15 min) Add a bit of oil or butter to smooth out. Then sauté meat on stove until browned.  Right before the sausage is down pour some spinach over it. When it starts to wilt, it is done. Enjoy!

Couscous with Squash and Beans with a Side of Veggies

Pour 1-2 Cups of Couscous in a Pot and cover with water, (2 inches over). Boil. If you have a bouillon cube on hand, put a bit of one cube in the water too! Add more water if needed.  When the water disappears it is done. (10-15 min) Put Beans in the pot on top of Couscous and keep the cover on to slightly cook the beans. Add a bit of oil or butter to smooth out. Microwave squash until tender. Depending on time, either microwave veggies or sauté in pan with squash. If you have any dried cranberries or nuts you can sprinkle on top of couscous. Enjoy.

Fried Egg over Rice with Broccoli  
(Eggs are not only a breakfast option!)

Cook rice in either a rice cooker or on stove. Sauté Broccoli on stove with some soy sauce or microwave.
Once rice is down put in a plate and top with veggies and then egg. Enjoy.

Crockpot...Anything

Before you leave for the day, throw in a protein, (beef, chicken, pork, beans). Add a form of potato and/or starch.  Then for a sauce, do either a bbq sauce, or maybe just some form of oil with S&P. Maybe you have a left over taco seasoning, or some of your favorite spices in the cabinet. Add some water and let the crock pot take over. I sometimes will add a bit of juice too, (whatever I have on hand). It can add a great flavor! About 15 min before you are ready to eat, throw in some veggies. You can pour this all over rice, or noodles, or couscous...Enjoy

One of our family Favorites is:

Jets Miso Orange Pork 

Throw a Few Pieces of Pork in the Slow Cooker. Then Mix Together, 1 Tbsp of Miso, 2 Tbsp of Orange Juice, (or an orange if you have that on hand), a squirt of Sriracha, 1 tbsp of sweetener like maple syrup and then pour over Pork. Cook for 4-6 hours. Yum!!

There are a ton of crock pot recipes out there...Remember, if you are in a rush, just do a "easier" less "fancy" version.
I happen to be a big fan of Pinterest and they offer a ton of options.

COOK ON!!