This is my pantry, and yes, I am quite proud of it. No, you do not need all of these products to make delicious foods, but I would like to introduce you to some of my favourite staples that I always have on hand. I do also have more than what is pictured here, but they are not in pretty glass containers so I have not photographed them. But do know that I use all of these products at a weekly basis, and they all serve different purposes. If you do not want a baking career I highly doubt you need 10+ types of flours, but one or two is of course recommended! Ok, enough ranting, let’s get down to business
Flours & Starches
All Purpose Flour – Everyone should have all purpose flour in their home, except if you have celiac disease. I use all purpose flour in my baked goods, breads and as a thickening agent for sauces
Whole Wheat Flour – As I bake all of the bread I eat myself, whole wheat flour is a staple component in those breads. It has a nice nutty taste and works amazingly in no knead bread recipes
Oat Flour – Probably my all time favourite flour. It is more absorbant than all purpose flour and works great in sweet baking or for adding some bounce and moistness to bread recipes. Don’t bother buying oat flour, it is expensive and not necessary. If you have a blender just make your own by blending quick or rolled oats for a few seconds until fine
Chickpea Flour – The king of gluten free flours in my opinion. Chickpea flour has a nice nutty flavour and you can use it for both sweet and savoury recipes, also a bonus that it is higher in protein than other flours. I like to use it for chickpea pancakes/omelettes, as a binding agent in bakes, this banana bread recipe, vegetable fritters, pakoras and so much more. The sky is the limit with chickpea flour, let your creativity loose when experimenting with this baby. Most stores carry chickpea flour now, but look in your local asian grocer if you can’t find it. It is also called gram flour or garbanzo bean flour
Peanut Flour – Not a necessity, but great for adding extra peanut flavour to baked goods, sauces and quick cookie dough desserts in the evening 😉 Can be bought from most health food shops. I like this one
Almond Flour – Also such a great staple in gluten free baking. Almond flour adds a nice moistness to baked goods because of the high fat content, and it works amazingly in brownies and cookies. This brownie recipe and this Twix recipe are two of my favourites using almond flour
Coconut Flour – Also not a staple, but a good one to have if you like baking. Coconut flour is incredibly absorbant so you do not need a lot when baking. It is also quite cheap, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. I like this one
Buckwheat Flour – Another great gluten free flour. Buckwheat flour also works wonderfully as a binder or for adding a subtle nutty flavour to both sweet and savoury bakes. My favourite way of using it is by making buckwheat flour crepés and filling them with all things nice. Such a good lunch or light dinner option! I like this one
Corn Starch – The perfect starch for thickening sauces and making baked goods softer. Corn starch is needed in all kitchens in my opinion
Potato Starch – I don’t use potato starch that much, but if you can understand Norwegian you must try this recipe. It is basically the reason I bought potato starch in the first place and I do not regret it
Honorable mentions – Brown rice flour, spelt flour, semolina flour {try this porridge recipe and thank me later}, rye flour, corn flour
Grains & Legumes
Oats – My all time favourite grain. You can just do anything with them. Make porridge, use them in breads, bake with them, blend them into smoothies, make flour, use for no bake desserts and snacks and so on. I typically use quick cooking oats, but I also have rolled oats on hand for making granola or if I want to change up my porridge a little
Barley – A great grain to have on hand. It cooks relatively quickly so use can use it for a substitute for rice during dinner time for a change of flavours, or make delicious barley porridge
Buckwheat – Buckwheat is actually a seed, so it is gluten free even though it has the word wheat in its name. You can use it the same way as described with barley, or soak it overnight with some plant based milk, maple syrup and some warm spices and blend it in the morning for a delicious buckwheat pudding
Oat Rice – This is definitely not a necessity, but something fun to have on hand. Oat rice is not a common ingredient, but I don’t really enjoy rice that much {I know, I’m one of “those people”}, but this oat rice I can get on board with. It is basically just steal cut oats formed into a rice shape, but to me it’s a more fun and delicious way to have rice. I use this one
Quinoa – I use quinoa surprisingly little, but it is a super healthy grain that when paired with a legume like chickpeas becomes a complete protein with all the essential amino acids. It is such a great component to bowls and salads. I would recommend cooking it in vegetable broth for even more flavour!
Brown Rice – As I stated previously, I don’t really enjoy rice. But if I’m going to have it, brown rice it is. I have probably had my jar half full for around a year now, but I will get through it eventually. I don’t think this one needs that much explanation, it’s rice
Cous Cous – Cous cous is actually considered to be a pasta, but I love it since it is so easy to cook! You can just add your desired amount to a bowl, add some spices and cover it with boiling water and a plate to trap the steam. A few minutes later you fluff it with a fork and voilá, the perfect side to any lunch or dinner
Lentils – A vegan/vegetarian staple. I love red split lentils, but brown or green lentils are also a favourite. You can use them for so much, but some examples are dhal, lentil bolognese, lentil lasagna, all Indian food to be fair, lentil wraps and so much more. These generally do not need soaking, and the cooking time varies from 10-30 minutes, depending on the type of lentil you are using. But these babies are nutrient powerhouses and they absorb so much flavour when cooked, so these are definitely a staple and must have!
Chickpeas – Of course you can use canned chickpeas, they are a great time saver. But if you want to take your hummus and falafels to the next level, you have to use dry. Dried chickpeas do need to be soaked overnight and then cooked for quite some time, but that is a small task because they basically prepare themselves once you have some your light labour. Promise me the next time you make falafels you use dried chickpeas, canned ones do NOT compare
Pea Pasta – Again, I’m not really a pasta person, but if I do have it I will generally have pasta based on pulses like peas, chickpeas or lentils. This is because you can sneak in so much amazing plant based protein, and you still get the satisfaction from eating pasta. I usually buy mine from Rema 1000
Noodles – My favourite thing to make for dinner. Noodle stir fries, noodle soups, cold noodle salads, the list goes on and on. I like all types of noodles, but my favourites are whole wheat noodles, rice noodles and sweet potato/glass noodles
Baking Ingredients
Coconut Sugar – Definitely my favourite non refined sugar to use in baking. It has a lovely caramelised flavour and can substitute brown sugar wherever you want it too. I like to use this one
Brown Sugar – A great sugar for adding deep flavour to cookies and cakes. I use this when I want to go real indulgent with my bakes
White Sugar – The standard sugar. You know what it is and what to do with it
Raw Sugar – A little bit of a different sugar. I prefer the flavour, but it is more expensive. I use this in bakes where I want some good flavour and sweetness. I like this one
Yeast – For bread and bun making this is a necessity! I always have yeast on hand in case I want to whip up something delicious. I also find needing incredibly therapeutic so sometimes I just make a yeasted dough to be able to knead for a bit. I know, I’m weird
Baking Powder + Baking Soda – Leavening agents for cakes, pancakes, quick breads, loaves, cookies and so on. Don’t interchange baking powder and baking soda, they are not the same! If the recipe states on or the other, please don’t mix them up
Shredded/flaked Coconut – Makes everything look pretty and of course tastes amazing. I like to use them in raw desserts, energy bites, sprinkle over smoothies and porridges or to have in granola
Chocolate – Do I even need to explain myself? I don’t know if chocolate is technically a dried good, but I will consider it one just to put it on this list
Cocoa Powder – A staple to make all things taste nice and chocolaty. I use it in everything from porridge, smoothies, cakes, cookies to stews and quick chocolate sauces
Cacao Powder – Cocoa Powders raw friend. This baby is the non roasted version of cocoa. It has more nutrients as they haven’t been burned off during the roasting process, and it has a delicious deep flavour. This works great in raw desserts and no bake snacks. Please do not use raw cacao powder in something that is going in the oven, you might as well just use cocoa powder then. I like this one
Cacao Nibs – Basically raw cacao powder before it was powdered. They are quite bitter, but add a nice cacao flour when sprinkled on porridges and smoothies. Not to mention that they are incredibly nutrient dense
Nuts & Seeds
Peanuts – My favourite nut, or actually, I think it is a legume. Perfect just to snack on or to add to desserts like this one
Almonds – A great source of calcium and also great in no bake/raw desserts. Works wonders in raw cake bases and so on
Cashews – The ultimate nut for vegan cooking. You can blend these into creamy sauces and make everything taste better. Cashews are a staple!
Flax Seeds – I eat these every day as they are a great source of Omega 3. They also work amazingly as a binding agent in baking. I pretty much only use {ground} flax seeds when baking, and the result is most of the time amazing. These are best stored in the fridge as they will keep their nutrients intact for longer
Chia Seeds – Also a great source of Omega 3 and a great substitute for eggs in vegan baking. They also make for a great chia pudding as a delicious and filling breakfast or snack
Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds & Sunflower Seeds – All great for sprinkling over anything. They are packed with nutrients and add a great crunch to for instance salads, bowls or noodle dishes
Other Staples
Nutritional Yeast – The name does not make this product sound very appealing, but this a staple and I think everyone should have “nooch” on hand. It is an umami bomb with a slight cheesy flavour, so I use it in my cheesy sauces or too add a boost to any meal really. It is loaded with vitamin B12 which is an essential vitamin for everyone, and it is also quite high in protein so you can just go wild with this. I like to use this one
Rice Paper – I love making rice paper rolls so I always have these on hand. Not a necessity of course, but they do make for delicious dinners. Check out one of my recipes here
Protein Powder – This is also not a necessity, but I love having protein powder on hand as I workout a lot and it is a little easier to get in more protein. I never drink protein shakes, but I usually add protein powder to my porridge, smoothies, some bakes and desserts. It usually adds a lovely sweetness and of course the extra boost is a great bonus. I have tried many proteins during the years, but some of my favourites are MyVegan, BioTech, Vivo Life, Macro Mike, Nuzest and BodyLab
Note – This is not an ad for any of the products, I have just linked my favourites for my Norwegian followers to find. I love all of the products mentioned and just wanted to spread the awareness about them!
