In My Kitchen

My Top 10 Kitchen Staples

1. Coconut Oil - I now cook all my food in coconut oil. There are countless studies listing all the health benefits associated with coconut oil. I use it to sauté all my foods and even in my baking to replace butter or shortening.
2. Raw Steel Cut Oats - Obviously for breakfast oatmeal, but also work perfectly in muffins, cookies, and ground up into a fine powder and used in baking.
3. Milled or Ground Flaxseed - Flaxseed is packed full of omegas, fiber, and lignans. I add a tablespoon to my oatmeal, granola, smoothies, muffins, and cookies.
4. Hemp Seeds - Another superfood that is a staple in my kitchen. You can sprinkle these flavor-less seeds onto anything - a salad, in a smoothie, in your oatmeal, etc. Like flaxseed, hemp contains omega fatty acids and fiber, along with protein and vitamin E.
5. Raisins/Currants/Goji berries - A bit of sweetness that tops off a variety of dishes. I throw them in my salads, oatmeal, homemade trail mix and granola. When I bake, they work perfectly in my muffins, breakfast bars, and my protein-oatmeal cookies.
6. Raw Honey & Coconut Sugar - These two items have completely replaced the traditional white, bleached, fine sugar in my house. The raw coconut sugar is brown and taste like slightly toasted regular sugar. Both can be used in any recipe that calls for sugar.
7. Almond Milk - I go through two cartons a week. It goes in my cereal, smoothies, and replaces any recipe that calls for dairy-milk.
8. Coconut or Almond Yogurt - Dairy and soy free. I eat it for breakfast with granola and fresh fruit. I use it to replace sour cream, make ice cream and icing, vegetable dips, and have created some delicious salad dressings using it.
9. Bananas - One of my favorite fruits! Every week I buy a bunch, eat them with my breakfast, then wait for half of them to get brown spots. Once they are soft and ripe they are perfect for a vegan baker like me. They replace eggs in my cakes, bread, muffins, and cookies. When they get extra ripe I freeze them and save them for smoothies and homemade ice cream. 
10. Avocados - Loaded with healthy fats, 35% more potassium than bananas, and full of vitamin K, C, E, and B6. I’m always looking for any excuse to use avocado in my recipes. They are perfect in salads, salsas, wraps, and sandwiches. Their ability to emulsify means they can replace eggs too. Wait till you see my avocado ice cream!