In addition to stocking the pantry, I am a huge believer in customizing the pantry ingredients to suit yours and your family's tastes. I remember being frustrated at cookbooks, which required a shopping trip for every meal, containing eight spices I've never heard of and some ingredients grocery store clerks were confounded by. After hours of cooking, I would come up with something so unfamiliar to my family's taste palates, I would throw up my hands and give up on cooking as an activity for those with thicker skin than mine. My goal now is to figure out what my family likes, learn how those items behave, and arm myself with extremely simple recipes that spruce up with a selection of herbs, spices, oils and sauces to make it just right.
And now, the Pantry Basics for Paleo cooking
- Oils & fats.
When selecting cooking grease for a Paleo pantry, we avoid grain-based oils with high concentration of lectins and Omega 6 fatty acids. Instead, we prefer the healthy doze of Omega 3 and the pure lasting energy natural animal fat yields in your body. (Sounds scary? Read my growing collection of info and research about fat and why it's your friend. )
The ingredients:
Avocado, Olive, coconut oil, ghee, lard. I chose these foils after some analysis of smoke points, composition and nutritional value. See cooking oils for details.
- Herbs and Spices.
This is where you can have the most flexibility and fun. Now that I have some experience with this, I tend to skim or ignore the that part of recipes and use your own sense. I am feeding two young children and spicy is a no-no. Yet, I want to have fun eating, so I have a list of things that should be acceptable to most young palates, yet give me an extra kick:
- Paprika (It's a pepper, but they won't know it. )
- Dry mustard (Rub it on grilled meat and add into sauces and dressings.)
- Garlic powder (Use sparingly and keep them guessing, or bring the smell of Italy to the table.)
- Rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley. These will make your meal smell of the garden. I tend to smell them at each occasion and go with what my mood calls for.
- Herbs de Provence. If you are just starting your pantry, this is a combination of herbs that will flavor almost any dish. Get a bottle and use it across the board.
If you want spicy, here is spicy for you:
- Chili powder. I am not a fan as it obscures the flavor of the dish.
- Curry powder.
- Cayenne pepper - my absolute favorite. Add it directly to your plate or into the pot. Spicy, but light.
- Mustard seed. Unlike dry mustard, this will add serious spice to your dish with a vague reminder of indian or middle-eastern cooking.
- Veggies
I have discovered that veggies are the key to variety in paleo. I like to have 3-4 side dishes available with every meal. There is less pressure to "like" the main dish and everyone walks away full and happy when they have a bit of everything.
Raw veggies are great because they don't require cooking, make healthy any-time snack and are fun for kids to eat with dip. Here are my favorites to keep in what we call "the refrigerator snacky drawer": - Cauliflower, baby carrots and celery are a must. Buy some ranch dipping sauce and you've got instant appetizers
- Cabbage has far more flavor than lettuce, and nutritional value, too.
- Bell peppers are a universal ingredient: include them in your veggie tray, add to any veggie medley in your pot (though best to add them in the last few minutes, so they don't get soggy), use them as a key ingredient in meals like stuffed peppers, or simply toss them in a salad
- Tomatoes - where would we be without them? Tomato juice yielded in the salad makes a great contribution to the dressing
- Zucchini freshens ground beef in surprising ways
- Spaghetti squash is handy when you absolutely need to serve over *something*
- Cauliflower & broccoli are your friends. If your family does not like broccoli, cut it very fine and it will dissolve into the sauce. Don't ask, don't tell!
- Carrots are great to throw into any crockpot
- Beets are not everyone's favorite. Try using them very sparingly, grating them to add color to the dish.
- Canned tomatoes - often preferred in recipes over fresh ones. There are many varieties in flavor, from mile italian to spicy Mexican. I always have a few cans to dump over something or another.
- Meats
There are several options. Costco is a great choice for stocking up. On the other hand, the animal fat contained in grocery store meat is unhealthy. You will have to go pretty lean and add fat to the meal in other ways.
The easiest and most economical way to get healthy meat is free-range chicken at your local Trader Joe's or other health food store. It doesn't cost much more than regular stuff, and you know you are getting your money's worth in Omega 3's.
Grass-fed is hard to acquire if you live in an urban area. Ordering online is scary, not to mention expensive. Farmers are far away. However, I found that USA Wellness Meat produces amazing tasty meat products and can be relatively inexpensive if you are willing to jam your freezer to the max. During a sale, I purchased 25 lbs of grass-fed ground beef at $5/lb. It is not crazy and the meat is far more filling, lasting you longer than the normal variety. I was surprised at how little space 25 lbs took up. I highly recommend giving it a shot.
My favorite meat freezer pantry options to keep on hand:
- Lamb - the most tender and filling meat you will ever encounter
- Ground beef - easy go-to option in a rush
- Some beef & pork roasts - easy to make, fancy on any table, and a great ingredient for lunch boxes
- Hot dogs - when buying grass-fed, you are getting real food, not cardboard. And admit it, you will have those days when it's hot dogs - or no dogs. :-)
- Deserts
I am running out of steam, so please browse my desert recipes here.
- Snacks
I suggest, don't bother with snacks. OK, keep some beef jerky Please! Not from 7-11! Here is one I get: Wild Ride Beef Jerky Cowboy Strips, Original, 3.65-Ounce Bags (Pack of 4).
Use veggies in a rush and here are some more options.
Still, you are better off munching on some left-overs and calling it lunch.
