The Living Wellness Pantry Makeover Series is back for 2018! Check out our first two posts here and here!
Well welcome back our Pantry Makeover Series. I (Caitlyn) am excited to welcome you into my pantry to see a few of my favorite pantry staples. At Living Wellness we strongly encourage focusing on as much whole, unprocessed foods as you can. For that reason, I've included a few pantry staples that I use in conjunction with whole-foods to make meals or snacks.
Coconut milk
We love to use coconut milk in smoothies, protein shakes, with hot chocolate, and even in creamy soups!
Most store-bought cartons of coconut milk have several extra ingredients in them including thickeners or stabilizers AND a lot of water. Water is not bad, but I'd rather not pay for water! The Native Forest Coconut Milk Classic (make sure it's the "classic" one if following my directions below) has a little guar gum for thickening and minimal water added (guar gum free option here). Also love this brand because the cans are BPA free.
For our family, we've determined that making our own coconut milk is the most cost effective option instead of store-bought cartons. You might be thinking, "Wait, make your own? I thought the picture above showed that it was already coconut milk." Good observation. Yes the product above is coconut milk, but it is much thicker than the consistency of coconut milk you'd buy in the store and use for recipes such as a protein shake. We typically take 1 can of Native Forest Coconut Milk Classic and empty it into the blender. Blend for 5 seconds, then fill the can with water, and add that to the blender. Refill the can again, add to blender, and then blend for a few seconds. Viola! You have delicious coconut milk that is the perfect consistency. Note for soups or recipes calling for full-fat coconut milk do not water it down.
Grain-free pasta options
Whether you need to avoid certain grains like me for medical reason or just looking to change up your favorite pasta dish, here's my tips for grain-free pastas.
I'm personally not a fan of rice-based pasta because the noodle consistency gets kind of glue-y when cooked especially if over cooked (ahem...I forget to set a timer). Instead, I've found that chickpea and lentil pastas not only hold up better than rice but also have some awesome nutrients in them! Here are a few of my fav's.
- Banza Chickpea pasta. Note: not organic unfortunately. Widely available.
- Tolerant Lentil pasta (only lentil, see next item for mix): Love that it's organic. Available on Amazon however pretty expensive. I prefer to get it from Thrive Market online. Whole Foods does care Tolerant brand too but it is pricey there.
- Tolerant Lentil and Pea protein blend: Pros include being organic and having lots of protein. Con: this pasta breaks down fairly easily especially when overcooked. Best price on Thrive Market online. Also available on Amazon.
Chickapea Organic Chickpea and Lentil: Just discovered this one on Amazon and BONUS it's organic AND on subscribe and save. Note: I have not yet tried this one. I'll update this post when it arrives!
Great bread-crumb alternative
Whether your making meatballs or a casserole (or if your Minnesotan it's a "hotdish"), this Chickpea Crumbs makes a delicious swab for traditional bread crumbs. This is by far the best (and cleanest) grain-free one I've found.
Available on Amazon however very pricey. I prefer to get mine online at Thrive Market or in-store at Whole Foods or Fresh Thyme.
Cream of Chicken Soup
We don't use this a ton, but we do love making Chicken Divan with this and the chickpea crumbs (above).
This option by Pacific Foods is a much cleaner version compared to the kind I grew up with. Note: It's not grain free but it is gluten free.
Best price again is Thrive Market online, but this brand is also available at Target, Whole Foods, and Fresh Thyme.
Avocado Oil Mayo
Looooove this stuff. Cleanest mayo I've found! We love using this in Chicken Divan or in Tuna Salad (recipe coming soon!).
Best price again is on Thrive Market online, next best I've found is Whole Foods. Also available on Amazon.
They also make a Chipotle Lime flavor!
Nutritional Yeast
Love this brand in particular because it does not contain any "fortified" or "synthetic" vitamins in it. Check out page 174 in Living Wellness for Growth Groups to learn more about why those vitamins may not be the best option.
We use nutritional yeast primarily in our "Cheesy" Lentil Macaroni, but also in any dish that needs a little extra "cheesy" flavor.
Available on Amazon
Coconut Aminos
Excellent alternative to soy sauce! Tastes great in stir-frys and marinates.
Best price on Thrive Market online, also available on Amazon or ate Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme.
Tortilla Chips
I wouldn't call these chips a "health food" however they are definitely a nice alternative if your body can't handle gluten or corn. We eat these as a special treat not as a regular snack.
Available on Amazon, Thrive Market, and at Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme.
Also available in Lime and Nacho!
Simple Mills Bread Mix
Like the disclaimer on the chips, this is not a regular side dish at our house as we prefer to eat more whole-foods, but this does make an awesome gluten free muffin, bread loaf, or flat bread (check out our GF pizza recipe here).
We typically get this one on Thrive Market, but also available on Amazon, at Whole Foods too.
GF (delicious) Crackers
I have searched far and wide and these are our families FAVORITE gluten free cracker. I should probably give the disclaimer that it's been 3 years since I've had gluten, BUT I do think these are the closest to a gluten cracker.
We typically get them at Costco (when they have them we stock up like crazy). Next best is Whole Foods when they are on sale or Thrive Market online. Amazon also carries them.
They have several flavor options available!
Our hope with this Pantry Makeover Series is to give you ideas for swapping out items in your pantry with some healthier alternatives. Have a favorite pantry staple that you can't part with? Let us know! We'll let you know if we have Living Wellness tested alternative :)
Happy eating!
Caitlyn J. Hanson
© 2018 Living Wellness, LLC Revolutionizing health, one community at a time.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose or treat any illnesses or disease. Please always check with your doctor before beginning any new nutritional or fitness program or before making any nutritional/fitness changes.