7 Easy Recipes For Utilizing Your Pantry Staples
If you've found yourself at home with a stock pile of canned and dried goods that need to be used, making a high-quality, nutritious meal out of common pantry staples is totally possible! Maybe you bought a big bag of chickpeas or rice from our bulk section, or perhaps you got a good deal on some shelf-stable chicken stock or beans. Whatever the case may be, we've compiled a list of 10 of the best healthful, pantry-busting recipes for you to transform ordinary ingredients into something spectacular.
Pantry Staples Worth Keeping On Hand
If you've found this article and are wondering what you should be storing as pantry staples, look no further! Here are a few ingredients worth keeping on hand for all sorts of different uses:
Rice & Beans
Easy to store, super versatile, and shelf-stable, rice and beans can work as side dishes or as important carbohydrates in full meals. Our bulk section offers a variety of different rices and beans, and we have a wide selection of canned beans as well.
Seeds & Grains
Also shelf stable and sold in our bulk section, having a variety of seeds and grains on hand allows you to add extra nutrients to whatever meal you're making. Seeds can be added on top of granola, cereal, or oatmeal, while grains like quinoa, millet, and buckwheat serve as excellent side dishes.
Broth, Stock, & Soup
Broth and stock are commonly used as a base for all sorts of different stews, soups, and sauces, and are certainly worth the pantry space. And canned soup is just a good item to have on hand for a quick and easy lunch.
Root Vegetables
Though root vegetables aren't as shelf-stable as canned or dried foods, if they're stored properly, vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and beets can last for months. Root vegetables are also incredibly versatile and can be prepared in all sorts of ways, making them a staple in most kitchens.So, without further ado, here are some of our favorite recipes for clearing out that pantry.
Nut Butter and Flax Powerballs
Energy bites are quick and easy and make for a nutritious breakfast on the go. They're also super customizable.
Not a fan of almond butter? Sub in some classic PB&J. Allergic to almonds? Sub in peanuts, cashews, or crushed pecans!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almond butter
1 banana, peeled and mashed
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons whey protein powder
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup almonds, finely chopped
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the almonds. Blend until smooth.
Line a sheet pan or large plate with parchment paper. Roll a scoop of the mixture into 1-2 inch balls and place them on the parchment paper.
Roll each ball in the chopped almonds and return to the parchment paper.
Place your energy balls in the refrigerator until firm.
Store energy balls in a tightly-sealed container or freezer.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Smoked Gouda Risotto with Kale and Mushrooms
If you've got a large stockpile of rice and a healthy garden full of fresh kale, aside from a few pantry ingredients, the only other thing you'll need for this recipe is a healthy portion of fresh grated gouda and some local Washington button mushrooms.
Though you may think of risotto as a side dish, this recipe will be the star of the dinner show.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound button mushrooms, quartered
1 1/4 cup Arborio rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
4-5 cups roughly-chopped kale (1 large bunch)
1/4 pound smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Sauté the onions for 5 minutes, add the garlic and mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften.
Add rice and stir while sautéing for about 2 minutes.
Add tomato paste, tamari, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice and 3 cups of the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cover with a tight lid and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, uncover and return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat. Stir in the kale and another 1/4 cup of broth. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, adding more broth if needed, until the kale is tender, rice is creamy and liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Serve warm.
Recipe & image adapted from Co+op
Vegetarian Chickpea "Meatballs" with Pasta Sauce
If you got a jar (or 5) of Muir Glen pasta sauce on sale from the grocery department, here's an excellent vegetarian use for it!
Eating a vegan diet? Sub in the parmesan for a vegan cheese alternative and swap the egg for ground flax mixed with water.
Catalan Spinach Sauté
Whether you got a whole bunch of frozen spinach taking up space in the freezer, or you had a bountiful harvest from your garden, here's another way to use spinach that isn't a salad.
Onion and garlic are sauteed until softened before spinach is added and currants, pine nuts, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper are tossed in.
Serve this freezer-turned-fancy side dish with steak, chicken, or fish.
Fresh Corn Bread/Muffins
Whether you need a quick breakfast, a mid-day snack, or a cure for your sweet tooth, these corn muffins can use up those frozen corn kernels you have shoved in the back of your freezer.
Calling for just 9 ingredients, and one bowl this pantry-busting recipe pairs well with chili on a cold winter night.
One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon
If you have some dry pasta, frozen broccoli, a lemon, and some basic spices, you can make an incredibly easy weeknight meal.
Penne is cooked along side broccoli before the water is drained and tossed with garlic, oil, lemon zest, and cheese.
This pasta would also work well as a side dish for grilled chicken or tofu.
Basque Garlic Soup
Great for a cold day, or a warm day for that matter, this soup is made of simple, shelf-stable ingredients, but that doesn't mean it isn't extraordinary.