Image by woodleywonderworks
Creating a more natural home can seem a bit overwhelming if you’re just starting out. However, it doesn’t have to be that way if you start small and keep it simple.
A great place to start is with your kitchen staples.
We replaced a lot of items in our kitchen – foods with MSG, refined sugar and highly-processed anything. Here’s what we keep in our kitchen now that we can’t do without.
1. Garlic
Immune-boosting and delicious, this herb goes in almost every savory dish we make. We keep a few bulbs on hand at all times because the majority of the dishes we make, especially Thai food, call for a few cloves of garlic.
2. Coconut Oil
Useful in cooking, natural remedies and, well, all over the house, coconut oil is one of my favorite staple items. We cook just about everything in it and substitute it for butter often in baking.
Did you know it’s an excellent source of healthy fats and good for your thyroid, too? Buying it in bulk saves us a lot of money – we get it through our local buying club and our Costco just started carrying large tubs of coconut oil.
3. Lemon or Lime
My dad’s from Mexico and is a great cook. But I never understood why he put lime on everything. Until I grew up, that is. Adding that lovely little squirt of lemon or lime juice makes so many dishes taste even better!
They also promote healthy digestion and alkalize the body. No wonder they’re one of the world’s most popular seasonings. These handy little citrus gems are a must in our home.
4. Cilantro
This also made a frequent appearance growing up. Not only does it give dishes a lovely burst of color, but the smell is wonderful. And the taste? Mmmm. Cilantro is so good. Add it to stir fries, Asian noodle dishes, soups and, of course, Mexican food.
5. Onion
Onions add great flavor to food and are super healthy – lots of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory properties. We use them a lot in savory dishes.
6. Chicken Stock
After roasting a chicken, we put all the bones in our crock pot with some water and let them simmer for a day or so. We use the rich stock to flavor meals, cook rice and of course, make soup.
7. Sea Salt
I love salt, especially sea salt. It has a stronger flavor than table salt, isn’t processed and contains minerals and natural iodine, which is essential for normal thyroid function.
We just picked up some pink Himalayan sea salt last week and not only is it pretty, but it enhances food well and I don’t need to use as much. (Which is good, because Ian often raises his eyebrows at me while I’m shaking away with the salt shaker).
8. Raw Honey
We buy raw honey buy the gallon because we use it so much in our home. Sweeter than sugar, I use it as a substitute a lot in the kitchen. Raw honey is antibacterial and a good source of antioxidants, too, so don’t feel too guilty if you feel your day just needs a spoonful of honey.
We use honey in: sauces and dressings, to sweeten coffee, to make simple syrup, in baking, to make cough syrup and I even add it to my sugar scrub. It’s a great multi-purpose food item that can be used outside of cooking as well.
9. Chilis
I’ve just learned to appreciate a touch of spicy. Just a touch, though. Thanks to my husband, I’ve realized that many meals can be made even better with a dash of sriracha or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. If it’s too hot, I have to remember that it’s increasing my blood circulation. 🙂
10. Eggs
This one was going to be coconut milk, but we ran out a day or so ago and there have been a lot of dishes we couldn’t make because of it. And while coconut milk is delicious, we use eggs way more.
They’re a great source of protein and contain lots of vitamins and minerals. We get free-range eggs from my mama and add them to breakfast, lunch and dinner meals. Absolutely essential.
I have all of those in my kitchen too – except for the cilantro. Had to google that one since over here we call it coriander :-). I love that spice but it always dies the minute I turn my back to it. One minute green and alive, the other – dead. I’d add the coconut milk to the list, just like you mentioned, and natural yoghurt. And last but not least – what will always be on stock in our house – really dark chocolate! I’d say dark chocolate should really be part of the food pyramid 🙂
Wow, you named just about all our staples!
We’re also never without organic kale & salad greens. I have about 1/2 a cup of finely chopped, raw kale every morn with an egg & olive oil…sounds weird, but yum! Great with a few sprigs of cilantro, or basil leaves in there too.
I like your list. Instead of cilantro (which I will still use on occasion but have never liked it) I have been eating more parsley. I think any/a variety of leafy greens should be a staple in our kitchens:) We cook daily with onions, garlic (and ginger – not on the list) and LOVE dried chilis:)
I also want to let you know that I think you’ve done a great job with your webiste – the colors, layout, etc. Very visually appealing.
Where do you buy your honey by the gallon?
Through a farm a couple hours away. My parents used to have a company that sold herbs, spices and raw honey, but they don’t anymore. They still buy it in bulk from that farmer. Whenever they place an order, they ask if I need some. She either found them on Craigslist or Local Harvest.
i used to LOVE i mean Looooove cilantro!!!!! until we got stink bugs (they are imports from Asia, if you are not familiar with them be happy and count your blessings!!!! the big ones are about thumb nail size and brownish greyish mini tanks, ugly things) any way if you squish those bugs they STINK no kidding, the smell is hard to get rid off and for what ever reason it smells like cilantro only more putrid
do i need to tell you i have a hard time with cilantro now ? 🙂 are the ripe seeds, the coriander just as beneficial? i guess i can go search that 🙂
LOL! Oh no! I’m so sorry. I’m pretty sure I would devastated if I couldn’t eat cilantro anymore. I actually have a problem with the smell of coriander seeds. I grew up on an herb farm and always hated the smell of coriander processing time.