In the pantry:
- Baking Soda- check out my handy tips to see how to use this wee gem. Baking soda is extremely versatile, it is an all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. There are entire books out about the huge amount of uses for baking soda, and the best thing about it is that it's cheap!
- Apple Cider Vinegar- great for cooking, reflux, stopping the dog spotting the lawn and dandruff
- White Vinegar- Every home should have a bottle of this in it. Very cheap and versatile, great for whitening, also fantastic for cleaning hard surfaces, windows and shining up metal surfaces. Removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup. This is another natural cleaner that whole books have been written on!
- Garlic The perfect herb. Slice it, dice it, mince it, crush it, roast it, sauté it, grill it -- you name it and garlic does it. It's versatile enough for all types of cooking. And if the taste weren't enough, it's also great for you. It helps prevent heart disease, lowers your cholesterol and destroys free radicals better than anything man has created. You can buy fresh garlic in whole cloves or already chopped in a jar if you don't want to do the work. So grab a clove and go to town.
- Real stock- Soups and casseroles are a great option when you're trying to eat on a budget or feed a family. That's why stocks and broths are must-haves for your kitchen pantry. You can use broths in place of water to add some zip to your dishes and even cook your rice with it for maximum flavor. Grab a variety of chicken, beef and vegetable stock, try them in different dishes and you'll be a broth whiz in no time.
- Olive Oil- You need some kind of fat to cook, and olive oil packs a punch with antioxidants that can help lower your cholesterol as well as helping to ward off heart disease and cancer. Besides that, it's the perfect cooking oil with its excellent taste and quick heating ability - definitely a pantry staple. There are all kinds of extra virgin oils in a range of price points. If you're a "foodie" with a discerning pallet, you'll pay a little extra for gourmet brands, remember light is not Olive Oil's friend so the darker the bottle, the better the oil is likely to be
- Canned tomatoes- You'd be hard pressed to name a cuisine that doesn't utilize tomatoes in some way. It's the most versatile item from the garden and nothing beats the taste of a freshly picked tomato. But if you want year round tomatoes, lucky for you there are a variety you can get in a can. Your best bet is to keep on hand a mix of diced, crushed and whole tomatoes for a range of dishes. Of course, any of these will work if you have a cutting board and a knife, but it's handy to just dump it straight from the can into the pot. This is one pantry staple you can't live without.
- Black Pepper
- Red Wine
Tools for the Kitchen:
- Baking paper- You simply cannot run a kitchen without this stuff, it is great for roasting, baking, clean cooking, layering in storage containers and so much more! Baking paper is not expensive and you will never have to scrub the heck out of your roasting pan again, it also makes for healthier cooking because you do not need to use fat and oil (except maybe some good olive oil for taste!).
- Good Sharp Knives
- Kitchen Scales
- Measuring Cups
- Glass mixing bowls
- Cast Iron Frying pan- seasoned properly
- Mini Whisk
