Today is Friday the 13th, a day that some consider to be unlucky. One of my favorite quotes regarding luck is the title of this post - “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” A similar take on the same idea is, “chance favors the prepared mind.” For me, these quotes represent the idea that a person can bias the likelihood that good stuff will happen if they are “prepared” or if they have a solid foundation in place. With regard to food and cooking, that solid foundation is your pantry.
The pantry is so important because a well-stocked pantry is your toolbox for manipulating, complementing, and transforming your fresh meat and fresh produce into complete dishes and meals. Below are just a few pantry staples that we like for their nutritional value, relatively long shelf lives, and versatility:
- olive oil (extra virgin for salads and dressings, light for most cooking)
- coconut oil (great for high temp cooking and baking)
- coconut milk and Thai red curry paste (for curries and other sauces)
- dried herbs and spices of all kinds
- a head or two of garlic
- tomato paste (thicken soups and sauces, base for pizza sauce)
- canned tomatoes (used in a number of sauces, marinara, chili, etc.)
- tuna fish (great for a quick snack, all kinds of salad options)
- anchovies (used in sauces and olive tapenades
- jerky (great snack, used like bacon bits in omelets and other dishes)
- good quality vinegars (red wine, white wine, balsamic - great for dressings, sauces, etc.)
- nuts (good for snacking, desserts, crust for meats)
- unsweetened dried fruits and berries (great for snacking or as an addition to almost any dish)
- coffee and tea (beverages of choice, finely ground coffee is a great addition to a dry rub for red meat)
- club soda (good for stains, but stocked for NorCal margaritas)
- protein powder (great for a meal on the go or for beefing up the protein content of a dish or baked good)
With these pantry staples in-house, you can take just about any type of meat or vegetables that are in season or on sale and whip up a delicious salad and/or entree.
What other pantry staples do you love?