What’s in a Vegan Kitchen?

The kitchen is the hub of many homes and it’s no different for a plant based consumer. This lifestyle requires throwing out old ideologies, cleaning out the pantry, cupboards, & refrigerator, and restocking your kitchen with living foods and some helpful tools.

There are some staple foods that you should have on hand at all times to make meal planning easy. Below is a basic guide, but only buy what you like and feel free to add on anything that isn’t listed.

1. Rice.

-white, brown, black, wild. It doesn’t matter, just buy some. Rice is an easy food to pair with other vegetables so that you will be satiated.

2. Oats.

-not the instant kind, 5-minute kind, or the ones mixed with nuts, dried fruits, & sugars. You can add in your own toppings so that you are in control of the sugar and sodium content. Steel cut is best.

3. Nuts & seeds.

-since I mentioned them above, nuts are a great addition to many meals and they also fare well as a quick snack. You can add seeds to salads & smoothies. Buy the kind you like. If you’re allergic, STAY AWAY!!!!

4. Beans & chickpeas.

-if you have the time, dried beans are best because they don’t have a high sodium content. You can soak them overnight and pop them in the crockpot the next morning and season them to your liking for dinner that evening. If you prefer canned beans, try to buy the organic kind. They usually are only a few cents more than the non-organic.

5. Onions & garlic.

-these 2 flavor additions keep pretty well in a cool, dry place. Keep them on hand because you’ll need them.

6. Lentils, quinoa, & other ancient grains.

-like rice, these foods pair well with roasted vegetables or vegetable stir fry.

7. Frozen vegetables.

-I keep frozen broccoli florets, cauliflower rice, & spinach in my freezer so that I have them readily available for recipes. Fresh is best, but sometimes I can’t eat my food fast enough, and it goes bad, so the next best choice, is frozen.

8. Seasonings & oils.

-make sure you keep some pink Himalayan sea salt (table salt is BAD) and other seasonings that you like on hand. I personally love curry powder, smoked paprika, & liquid smoke. Farmers markets have fresh seasonings for excellent prices. Real seasonings don’t have anti-clumping agents in them. You’ll also need healthy oils, such as, avocado, grape seed, & coconut oil. Stop buying canola oil! Have you ever seen a field of canolas?

Let’s discuss some tools that will make this lifestyle of slicing and dicing vegetables so much easier. If you cannot afford them right away, but one appliance at a time, or see if someone you know has something that they don’t use.

1. Blender.

-this is a non-negotiable. Every kitchen needs one. What kind, is your preference. I prefer the Vitamix because it breaks down the food and leaves it with a smooth, creamy consistency. It can handle hot and cold food.

2. Food processor.

-sometimes you get tired of chopping vegetables or you need your ingredients to be cut and mixed together well. A food processor helps you cut down on time you would spend tediously chopping.

3. Mandolin.

-a good mandolin has different settings for you to slice your veggies as thin or thick as you need. Don’t be cheap with this tool.

4. Crockpot.

-if you don’t have a crockpot, run to the store and get one! They make cooking so much easier and you don’t even have to be home to get a tasty, healthy meal.

5. Spiralizer.

-this tool will turn a zucchini into a pile of carb-free spaghetti.

6. Rice cooker.

-for those of you who have trouble making rice, quinoa, & oats, this appliance allows you to set it and forget it.

7. Juicer.

-not everyone has access to a juice bar in their city, so a juicer will allow you to create your own cold-pressed juices at home.

8. Air fryer.

-new to the kitchen scene, air fryers are rumored to cook food for less time with less oil, leaving the food crispy and flavorful.

Remember, the basic food and appliance list are merely suggestions to make your plant based journey in the kitchen a little easier. Comment on which of these tips you have already incorporated in your kitchen.