Hi everyone! My name is Christina Sturgeon, and I am a co-founder of Verdantt Fresh. I’m an avid baker, home cook, and long term vegetarian. As we share some of our favorite kitchen tips and recipes in this blog, I wanted to start with some of my favorite items that are always in my pantry or refrigerator.
Canned Beans
As a vegetarian, I cannot stress how much I love beans. If you have not cooked with beans or insist you don’t like them, I promise you will change your mind after some of my recipes. They are such a quick, cheap, and easy way to introduce more protein into your diet.
Red Lentils
I always have a pack of dry red lentils in my pantry. I used to avoid cooking with lentils because of the time and prep work that’s required to cook with them, but red lentils are so much easier than you would expect. They cook in only 15 minutes and require no soaking. Not to mention, they are another great source of protein!
Rice and Pasta
You will always find these two essentials in my pantry. They make a great base for many vegetarian dishes and are so easy to keep on hand. Are they basic? Yes, of course. But I couldn’t discuss my pantry staples without giving a shout out to these classics.
Vegetable Broth
I love making curries and soups for a low effort dinner. Vegetable broths are great to have on hand for these two.
Coconut Milk
The same goes for coconut milk! It is the base of a lot of curries and adds a great level of creaminess to any dish you make. Bonus tip: it also goes great in desserts.
Chia Seeds
At least twice a week, you will find me having chia seed pudding for breakfast. It is such an easy, make ahead meal, plus you can add new toppings every day so you don’t get bored of it. I prefer chia seed pudding to overnight oats because of the thicker and creamier texture that chia seeds offer, but either are great breakfast options for vegetarians and vegans.
Jar of Pasta Sauce
Everyone has those days where they have no desire to cook. On these days, my go-to is a quick pasta with a jar of sauce. It’s a great way to have a home cooked meal on days when you just cannot be bothered.
Spices
I cannot stress this enough: spices will make or break your dishes. Do not be afraid to add more seasonings besides salt and pepper and garlic powder.
Fresh Garlic
Speaking of garlic powder, we need to be adding real garlic to our dishes! If you are someone who doesn’t want to chop anything, I recommend minced garlic, but it does not compare to fresh garlic. If you are already chopping, you may as well throw some cloves of garlic on your cutting board as well! A little hack is to microplane your garlic - it is way faster than chopping and gives your garlic a great texture and strong flavor.
Rice Wine Vinegar, Soy Sauce, and Gochujang
These ingredients are used in many sauce bases for meals that I cook so I always have them on hand. They can elevate any stir-fry, tofu based dish, or marinade.
Onion
Similar to garlic, I always have an onion on hand for cooking. It adds great depth of flavor, a little bite, and it is a staple in many of my favorite recipes!
Tofu
Let’s pivot to my fridge. Tofu is a staple I will always have on hand and one of my favorite ways to get protein. Not only can you fry it up to use as a meat substitution, but it can also be blended to give you a creamy base for recipes without dairy. I love how versatile tofu is and will definitely be sharing my favorite tofu recipes with you all. Stay tuned!
Vegan Butter and Oat Milk
In addition to being vegetarian, I am also allergic to dairy, so I often reach for vegan butter and oat milk as substitutes. As a baker, I have found that almost any recipe can be made by using these vegan alternatives instead of their dairy equivalent.
Peanut Butter and Jelly
If you know me, then you know I love a PB & J. It is such a quick and delicious sandwich to throw together when you’re on the go. Jelly makes a great addition to the chia seed pudding I mentioned before for some added sweetness and fruity flavor. Peanut butter also goes great with chia seed pudding, adding a nutty flavor and some additional protein. One of my favorite chia seed pudding combinations is peanut butter, banana, and cinnamon!
Preserved and Pickled Vegetables
Lastly, a little something to spice up your meals and your life: preserved vegetables. My favorites are sun dried tomatoes to add to my pasta dishes, as well as jalapeños and pickled red onions for bowls and sandwiches. These are such an easy way to up your vegetable intake and add some tang to any dish. Not to mention, they are a quick and easy snack, too!
I hope you enjoyed this quick tour of my pantry and fridge! I am so excited to be sharing some of my flavorful, but practical vegetarian dishes soon. Don’t forget to follow @verdanttfresh on instagram for more updates!
Until next time,
Christina 🌱
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