Absolute Essentials in my Pantry

Some items I simply cannot live without in my pantry. Many are canned or dried and therefore keep long, some are fresh and must be used accodingly. Always having these things on hand allows me those lazy times when I simply neglect to plan, or get off my organized trolley. No matter how busy things get, we can still have a delicious frugal meal because my pantry allows me to skip grocery shopping for a week.

Soon I plan to start a weekly series of recipes that are straight from my pantry. You'd be surprised the myriad ways to recombine these pantry staples into absolutely fabulous meals on the fly and without planning. I keep a  list of quick easy meals taped to the insde of my pantry door in case I'm also short on creativity and ideas.

• Dried beans (various kinds)
• Dried lentils (a bean I suppose)
• Canned beans
• Marinated artichokes
• Crushed tomato canned
• Anchovies packed in oil
• Italian tuna packed in olive oil
• Canned wild salmon
• Whole wheat capellini
• Sobe noodles
• Olives
• Pickled onions
• Dried musrooms
• Flaked coconut
• Coconut milk
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Sea salt
• Spices
• Garlic
• Onions
• Soy sauce

Freezer

• Shrimp
• Spinach
• Peas
• Limes
• Whole wheat nan
• Ginger root
• Canned Italian tuna packed in olive oil
• chopped cilantro
• chopped parsley

Stay tuned for my pantry recipes series.

Frugal, Healthy & Handy Snacks

Frugality means avoiding convenience store snacks. With the busy lives we seem to lead these days, planning for satisfaction on the run is important because stopping by the corner store regularly to grab a snack can be both a money drain, as well as a bad health habit.

 I am more concerned in this instance with the health implications, thought the few bucks here and there most certainly threaten to add up.

Nightly I add a handfull of almonds, a handfull of pecans (or any other nut,)  and a handfull of plump raisins or 60% cacao chips into a baggie. This healthy snack goes to work with me as my GoTo snack for the day. Satisfies every time.

In our home there are no sodas, with the exception of gingerale which is sometimes used for a tummy ache. We drink filtered tap water into which we sometimes squeeze lemon/ lime ro berry juice. With week end dinners, we serve typically seve wine.

Tap water flavored with a squeeze of citrus is so refreshing. According to my cousin the R.D. it also detoxifies. I just love the taste.