healthy pantry + kitchen essentials

Basic Equipment Needed for a Healthy Kitchen

The must haves:

Wooden chopping boardSet of quality sharp knivesGarlic pressCitrus juicerShredderSieve Vegetable peelerSalad spinnerWater filtration system (reverse osmosis or carbon filter are great choices)Mason jars with lids to make extra dressingGlass or BPA free containers for leftovers

Very helpful:Food processor: It is the best time saver! It shreds, grates, chops, slices, mixes, and

purees. It can be used for dips, pates, sauces, desserts, salads, and more. Cuisine Art and Kitchen Aid make great food processors.

Small Blender: Small blenders are excellent for making great salad dressings, but any sized blender will do the job. They create a smooth and creamy texture and once you start blending your dressings, you won’t want to go back to stirring!!

Mandolin slicer: This baby will make you look like a pro! Mandolin slicers are great for adding fun texture and shape for harder vegetables like beets and radishes.

The slicer also helps to create beautiful salads.

Spiral slicers: This is another time saver and fun gadget. They are great for making vegetable noodles and putting a creative spin on salads!

Slow Cooker: Helps to take out some of the stress of dinners and can even be used to make an overnight breakfast!

Basic Equipment Needed for a Healthy Kitchen

If you really get into it:

JuicerJuicing is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. There are many juicers on the market,

but the masticating juicers are of superior quality.

Centrifugal juicers grate the fruits and vegetables and then rapidly separate the juice and pulp. Often less expensive, centrifugal juices are great if you’re interested in using your juicer for softer fruits and vegetables. They are not, however, suitable for tough fibrous vegetables.

Masticating juicers mimic the action of chewing our food (hence the name), and are esteemed for using less heat, and energy than other methods. They are more expensive than the average centrifugal juicer, and the extra investment comes with great returns: the machines are more efficient at extracting juices, and can handle a larger variety of fruits and vegetables. Sampson, Green Power and Omega are great brands.

Dehydrator + sheetsDehydrators are used to partially or completely dry or warm our food. It is the

connection between cooked and living foods. It is a great way to preserve food without chemicals and additives. Dehydrators are used to make dried fruits, dehydrate soaked nuts, cereals, cookies, breads, veggie burgers, vegetable chips, fruit leathers, crackers, and so much more!

Excalibur dehydrators are the best for consistent even drying. They are manufactured in America and spare parts are very easily accessible. They also come with long warranties .

The Healthy PantryHere is a list of some essentials to keep in your fridge, freezer and pantry. Because a healthy lifestyle includes many organic live foods, it’s important to stay organized and label things so food doesn’t spoil. Keep food in air tight glass containers and label accordingly. To save money and time, buy in bulk and plan ahead!

Nuts and seedsAlmonds - Great for milk and nut butter. Good source of vitamin E and calcium.Walnuts - Great source of omega 3 fatty acids and protein.Pumpkin Seeds - Great nutritional salad topper and seed pates. Good source of zinc and protein.Sunflower Seeds - Great salad topper and raw pate seed. Excellent source of vitamin E, good source of vitamin B1, and protein.Chia Seeds - Great for thickening recipes like puddings, vegan egg replacer, omega 3 and omega 6s, complete protein, source of fibre.Flax Seeds - Vegan egg replacer, soothing to digestion, fibre and omega 3s.Hemp Seeds - Great for smoothies, salad and soup topper . Full of omega 3 and omega 6s, complete protein, and fibre.

Grains and Legumes Beans, Legumes and Grains are high in complex carbohydrates, B-vitamins and fibre which all contribute to energy and balanced blood sugar levels.

Garbanzo (Chick Peas)Black beansBlack Eyed PeasPeasRice (brown and black)MilletQuinoaOatsAmaranthBuckwheatTeff

Baking SuppliesConventional baking ingredients can contain some harmful substances, such as aluminum, and should be avoided. Below are listed some healthier alternatives.

Gluten-free Flours – Buckwheat, Amaranth, Quinoa, Brown Rice, Millet, Teff, and Oat Grain-free Flours – Almond Meal, Tapioca and Arrowroot Starch, Coconut Flour, Corn MealAluminum free baking soda and baking powderSprouted Whole Grains – Spelt, Kamut, Whole Wheat (contain gluten)

OilsHealthy oils are essential to health and maintaining a balanced weight.Extra Virgin Coconut Oil- Medium chain fatty acid, many health benefits including faster metabolism , weight loss, and energy. Great for desserts.Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Source of omega 6. Use for sauces, dressings, dips.Cold Pressed Flaxseed Oil - Great source of omega 3. Use in sauces, dressings, smoothies, dips. Don’t cook with these oils. (Keep in the fridge)Grass Fed Organic Ghee - Great source of vitamins A and D

Other healthy oils include: Avocado, Macadamia and Camelina.

SweetenersThese sweeteners are whole foods and contain many essential vitamins and minerals. They are lower on the glycemic index than most refined, mineral stripped sweeteners, but should still be treated as an occasional treat and not over consumed.

Raw Honey- Anti-microbial properties, rich in antioxidants, and anti-cancer properties. (use very sparingly as honey can be higher on the glycemic index)Stevia, liquid or powder - 300x sweeter than sugar! Has blood glucose lowering and blood pressure lowering qualities.Lucuma - Considered a healthy alternative sweetener as it lends a sweet taste to recipes, but is very low in sugars. With naturally occurring beta-carotene, niacin, and iron, lucuma powder is a great alternative.Coconut Sugar - (Palm sugar) Naturally very low on the Glycemic Index. High amounts of potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron, as well as vitamin C and many of the B vitamins.Coconut Nectar- The coconut sap is very low on the Glycemic Index and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins ,and has a nearly neutral PH.Pure Maple Syrup – Rich source of vitamins and minerals. Look for Grade B, which is more concentrated in nutrients and flavour.

Dried FoodsUnsulfured Dehydrated Coconut Flakes - Great addition to baked goods and on breakfast porridge.Unsulfured Sun Dried Tomatoes- Great for making marinara sauce and adding a sweetness to nut pates.Goji Berries- Great source of vitamin C and complete protein. Use in smoothies, salads, desserts, and trail mixes.Dates- Very alkalizing, source of fibre, and anti-cancer properties.

Great for desserts, smoothies, and sauces.Dried Cranberries- High in antioxidants and great for using in baked goods and salads. Look for unsulfured and sweetened with apple juice instead of sugar.

SeaweedPut in salads, soups, dips. Great source or iodine, iron, and minerals. Important for radiation and heavy metal detoxification, and boosting thyroid function.

Dulse - A red leaf , sweet and mild tasting seaweed. You can tear it into pieces or buy it in the flakedversion as a salt substitute.Kombu or Kelp- Kombu strips are great for making a mineral broth and kelp granules can be used as salt substitute. Add to bean dishes to reduce gas!Wakame- Precut wakame is great in seaweed salads.Nori Sheets- Can be used as a wrapper for fun filled nori wraps!Irish Moss (Sea Moss)- Soak and blend with water. Use instead of gelatin in dishes.

SuperfoodsYou can add superfoods to smoothies, desserts, dressings, and energy bars.

Maca- Great for energy, libido, and hormone balance. Has a nutty flavour. Use in smoothies, desserts, and energy balls.Spirulina and Chlorella - Source of complete protein, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and iron. Use in smoothies and energy balls/bars.Bee Pollen- Excellent for energy and reducing stress. Full of B vitamins and complete protein. Use in smoothies and desserts.Hemp- Source of protein, fibre, and EFA’s. Use in smoothies, dressings, and as a salad/soup topper.Chia- Source of protein, fibre and, EFA’s. Can be used as a thickener in smoothies, dressing, desserts, and sauces.Raw Cacao- Super antioxidant, high in magnesium and great for heart health.

Nut ButtersRaw Almond Butter- Source of calcium and protein. Great for putting on veggie sticks or apples, sauces, desserts, smoothies.Raw Tahini Butter- Great source of calcium. Good for easy salad dressings, dips, desserts, and smoothies.

SpicesCinnamon- Helps balance blood sugar (reduces serum glucose) and may help reduce triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol. Cinnamon also has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects.Cayenne pepper- Causes diet-induced thermogenesis , which has been shown to help facilitate weight loss by helping increase metabolism. Have anti-inflammatory effects and offers antioxidant protection.

More Spices and Herbs:OreganoDillBasilParsleyCilantroTurmericVanillaCardamom

Annaliisa is a British Columbia based natural food chef, holistic nutritionist and the woman behind Annaliisa’s Organic Kitchen, a wellness company that inspires people to take control of their own health. Annaliisa advocates for nutritious and delicious whole foods and their amazing healing qualities. Her fact-filled nutrition articles and recipes can be found on her blog and various on-line publications. Her services include online interactive nutrition workshops, live culinary workshops, and one on one health coaching.

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