(calm music) - Hey everybody, I'm Rachel
and today, I'm gonna show you all the ingredients
that I like to keep stocked in my vegan pantry.
So let's go take a look.
So first up, we have dried goods
like dried beans, lentils, brown rice,
pasta, oats, lentil, or chickpea pasta,
quinoa and millet.
My favorite types of legumes to stock up on
are chickpeas and lentils,
because they're so versatile.
With dried chickpeas,
you just have to let them soak overnight,
and then you can use them to make falafel or hummus
and all kinds of dishes.
Lentils are also a must to have in your vegan pantry
because they're such a fantastic source of protein and iron.
My favorite way to use lentils
is to make a vegan bolognese sauce
that is super hearty and a fantastic meat replacement.
If you're not a big fan of lentils, like I wasn't,
I definitely recommend giving this recipe a try.
And the great thing about buying dried legumes
is I can get them waste-free in bulk,
which is also a much cheaper option.
Pasta is another must have for your vegan pantry.
Whether you're using a wheat,
gluten-free or a legume variety,
pasta is a great option to have on hand
when you wanna throw together a quick delicious meal.
Oats are another major staple to stock up on.
One of my favorite ways to use oats
is to make homemade oat milk.
It's super quick and easy to make
and much more inexpensive
than buying it from the grocery store.
And then last but not least are whole grains.
So my favorite grains are brown rice and quinoa,
but there are so many out there.
One of the easiest ways to enjoy grains
is to make a grain bowl,
paired with your favorite protein, veggies and dressing.
But they can also be used
to help bind together veggie burgers,
or even in breakfast bars.
Whole grains are full of vitamins and minerals,
fiber and complex carbohydrates
to keep you full and energized.
Next up is canned goods like jackfruit,
coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and all kinds of beans.
Jackfruit is an ingredient
that you can find canned at your grocery store,
and it makes for an awesome meat substitute
because the texture really resembles pulled pork.
I love making barbecued jackfruit
to have in a sandwich with some coleslaw
or tacos with my favorite toppings.
Canned coconut milk is also a great item
to keep in your vegan pantry.
You can use coconut milk
to replace heavy cream in soups and curries,
or you can refrigerate it overnight
and use the solidified cream
to make a delicious dairy-free whipped cream
to add to your desserts.
Canned diced tomatoes are always good to keep on hand
to add to sauces, soups and a variety of recipes.
I also love to keep canned beans on the shelf
for when I don't have time to soak dried beans.
Beans are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber,
and are such a versatile source of protein.
You can also use the liquid
that comes in the can of chickpeas,
which is called aquafaba,
to make some decadent vegan desserts.
Next is nuts and seeds.
Some of my favorites are almonds,
walnuts, cashews, nut butters,
hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and tahini.
Nuts are a big part of my pantry
because they're an awesome source
of healthy fats and protein
and can be used in so many recipes.
I love grinding up walnuts in the food processor
with mushrooms, to make mushroom meat,
which can be used on pizza or tacos or in any recipe
where you'd normally use ground beef.
And walnuts are also rich in ALA omega-3 fatty acids,
which are good for your brain.
Cashews are also a huge staple for me
because they can be used to replicate cheese.
You can soak your cashews overnight,
or boil them to save time,
and blend them up to create a rich and creamy cheese sauce
that can be used in so many dishes.
You can also use cashews
to replace ingredients like cream cheese
to make all sorts of vegan desserts.
I also like keeping nut butters on hand
to add to oatmeal or smoothies for some extra protein.
Sometimes I like to make my own nut butter
in the food processor,
which is really easy to do and a great way to save money,
since nut butters can be a bit pricey.
Seeds are another great item to keep in your pantry
because they're so nutrient-dense
and can be added to so many dishes.
I love adding hemp seeds and chia seeds to my smoothies
for some healthy omega-3s and extra protein.
Or you can make some chia pudding
with your favorite toppings
for a breakfast that's high in protein,
calcium and ALA omega-3s.
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc
and are full of healthy fats and protein.
I love adding pumpkin seeds to salads
or keeping them around just to snack on.
Tahini, which is just ground up sesame seeds,
is another awesome ingredient to have.
My favorite way to use tahini
is to make a creamy and healthy salad dressing
because it has a delicious nutty flavor.
Next, we have oils and condiments
like coconut oil, sunflower oil,
red wine, or balsamic vinegar,
apple cider vinegar, salad dressings,
vegan mayo, and sauces.
I also like to use coconut oil for vegan baking
because it solidifies at room temperature,
making it a great substitute for butter.
Just make sure that you're using refined coconut oil,
otherwise your baked goods will have a coconut flavor.
Unless, of course, that's something you like,
but I personally don't.
I also like to keep a high heat cooking oil on hand,
like sunflower oil,
for when I'm frying foods at a higher temperature.
I keep red wine or a balsamic vinegar in my pantry
so I can make my own homemade salad dressings.
And apple cider vinegar,
which can be mixed with non-dairy milk
to make vegan buttermilk, which is delicious in pancakes.
I think one of the best ways to add variety to your food
is by switching up your sauces and salad dressings.
I love adding sauces like vegan honey mustard,
barbecue sauce, pesto, and sriracha
to add lots of flavor to my dishes.
I also always keep vegan mayo on hand,
which is great to add to sandwiches
or even use as a binder in certain recipes.
Next step is spices and seasonings.
We have soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce,
liquid smoke, veggie bullion,
nutritional yeast, kala namak aka black salt, and turmeric.
In my opinion, soy sauce is one
of the most important ingredients to have in your pantry
when you're vegan.
I love using soy sauce
because it has an awesome umami flavor.
So I like to add it to any dish
where I'm trying to replicate meat.
The same goes for vegan Worcestershire sauce
and liquid smoke, which are going to add
a meaty and smoky complexity to any of your dishes.
I also find it super helpful
to keep some vegetable bullion on hand.
I like this so much more than buying liquid vegetable broth
because once you open the carton,
you have to use the whole thing up
or freeze it before it goes bad.
And with the bullion,
you can just dilute it in hot water and use it as needed.
I think nutritional yeast
might be the most important ingredient
for anyone who's building out their vegan pantry.
Nutritional yeast has delicious, savory,
almost cheesy flavor that can be used to make
any kind of cheese sauce, on popcorn,
you can blend it with cashews to make a vegan parmesan.
It has so many different uses.
It's full of vitamins,
and most of the time it's fortified with vitamin B12,
but always check the label.
I also recommend getting some black salt,
which is also known as kala namak.
Black salt has a sulfur-like flavor,
which is great for mimicking the taste of eggs.
I love using some black salt in my tofu scramble,
along with some turmeric.
The turmeric will give the tofu a yellow color
to resemble scrambled eggs,
but it's also anti-inflammatory.
Just make sure to pair it with black pepper
to reap the most benefits.
Next we have baking and different types of flours,
like vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, tapioca flour,
applesauce, flax meal, and organic sugar.
Vital wheat gluten is another great ingredient
to have in your pantry.
When added to recipes, it adds a chewy and meaty texture.
I like using it to help bind to vegan burgers
or to make some homemade seitan,
which is an awesome meat substitute.
Chickpea flour is a great gluten-free flour option
that you can actually make
by grinding up some of your dried chickpeas.
My favorite way to use chickpea flour
is to make a vegan omelet,
which is high in protein and a delicious breakfast option.
Another flour I like to keep on the shelf is tapioca flour,
also known as tapioca starch.
Tapioca flour provides a stretchiness,
which is perfect for replicating the texture of cheese.
You can use it to make a grilled cheese,
or I've used it to make vegan mozzarella to put on pizza,
which is incredible.
For baking, I recommend stocking your pantry
with applesauce and flax meal, which are two great ways
to replace eggs in your baked goods.
To make a flax egg,
you just have to combine one tablespoon of flax meal
with three tablespoons of water
and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Then it will act as a binder in a variety of recipes.
If you're going to use granulated sugar when baking,
I would recommend buying it organic
because conventional sugar is actually processed
with bone char, so it's not technically vegan.
Next, we have our soy protein and vegan substitutes
like tofu, tempeh, vegan eggs, vegan burgers,
vegan butter, and vegan cheeses.
One of my favorite foods and sources of protein is tofu.
I love tofu and there are so many ways
you can cook and season it,
from tacos to stir fries and more.
If you've had tofu in the past and you aren't a fan,
give it another try.
It took me a little while
to get the hang of how to season and prepare it
but once I did, it became one of my favorite things to make.
Another great protein option is tempeh.
Tempeh is made of fermented soybeans
and has a bit of a denser and nuttier texture than tofu.
You can season and cook tempeh in a variety of ways.
And if you really just don't like the texture of tofu,
then I would definitely recommend giving tempeh try.
I love to support companies
that are developing new vegan products,
like vegan eggs that you can scramble
or use to make an omelet,
plant-based burgers, vegan butter,
which I love adding to pancakes and potatoes,
and vegan cheese slices,
which are great to add to sandwiches and burgers,
or just eaten by the slice at 2:00 AM, like I do.
And last but not least, we have our fruits and vegetables.
I always like to have different types
of fresh and frozen fruits and veggies on hand.
There are all kinds of ways
to get more produce into your diet.
You can puree your vegetables and add them into soups
or experiment with adding different types of greens
into your pesto.
I also like to keep some frozen fruits and vegetables
on hand for smoothies or quick dinners.
And don't forget that a lot of your fresh produce
can be frozen if you can't eat it all before it goes bad.
Freezing fresh produce is also an awesome way
to cut back on plastic packaging and to reduce food waste.
So, thanks for coming along on my pantry tour
and let me know in the comments below
if there's anything I didn't mention
that you like to keep in your vegan pantry.