All the yummy things, start with some basic food stuffs, that I always have on hand.

I often wonder what others keep in the kitchens, what can’t they live without having on hand. In this post, I fully intend to detail all of my must haves. All those items, that I can not live without, because they are always (or nearly always), in every meal I make. Most of these items on the list, last quite a while, except for the produce. Whenever I start running low on any of the items below, I plan to buy more on my weekly grocery day.

If you’ve been here since the beginning, you have only seen the very tippy top of the recipe-burg. Thank you for your patience, as I work full-time and only have a short time to dedicate to writing in this blog.

Dried Herbs and Seasonings:

• Salt; I have three different types that I use for different things, Kosher Salt, Sea Salt and Flaky Sea Salt
• Peppercorns; I prefer a blend of white, pink, red and black peppercorns, for our pepper grinder
• a Salt-Free All Purpose Seasoning Blend; my go-to’s are Mrs. Dash or Kirkland.
• Italian Seasoning, also Salt-Free
• Cumin
• Sumac
• Aleppo Pepper Flakes
• Crushed Red Peppers
• Granulated Garlic or Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cinnamon
• Dried Dill
• Dried Parsely
• Dried Cilantro
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Thyme
• Dried Basil
• Dried Rosemary

Additional Dry and Canned Goods:

• All Purpose Flour
• Bread Flour
• Course Ground Corn Meal
• Corn Starch
• Olive Oil, for cooking and baking
• Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, first press and organic; for dipping and drizzling
• Aged Balsamic Vinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Cannellini Beans
• Black Beans
• Diced Tomatoes, unseasoned
• Kalamata Olives
• Sundried Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Protein Pasta
• Brown Rice
• Mayo
• Banana Peppers
• Tahini
• Peanut Butter

Produce (unless otherwise noted, I get these items on a 2-3 week basis, whenever I’m running low)

• Bell Peppers, all the colors, typically 6-8 a week
• Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, Parsley, Mint, Dill, Oregano, Thyme, Basil, Rosemary; During the warmer months, I grow my own herbs and dry them in my kitchen
• Mushrooms: Portabella, Shitake, Oyster, Lions Mane, White; I only get 1 of these mushrooms, every other week
• Red Onions
• Sweet Onions
• Tomatoes: Medley (cherry, cocktail, pear and grape), Tomatoes on the Vine; I get one or the other every week
• Carrots, typically the rainbow variety, 2 lbs
• Baby Carrots, one 3 lbs bag
• Garlic; I normally keep whole garlic heads, but if it’s time for garlic confit, I buy pre-peeled garlic
• Cooking Greens; like Kale, Chard, Dandelion Greens, Nappa or Green Cabbage, I like to mix and match them, but usually get 2 a week, depending on what I am feeling like making for the week ahead.
• Baby and Salad Greens; like Baby Spinach, Baby Kale, Baby Chard, Pea Shoots, Arugula, I like to mix and match them, but I usually only get 2 small packages
• Romaine Lettuce, I typically get a 6 pack
• Celery
• Green Onions, one bunch a week
• Lemons
• Limes
• Bananas, one large bunch a week
• Apples, Pears, Oranges or Berries; these depend on what’s in season
• Cauliflower, Broccoli, Green Beans, Eggplant, or Brussels Sprouts; these depend on what I want to make, but I usually only get 1 of these a week
• Escarole

Refrigerator

• Plain 0% Greek Yogurt
• Almond Milk, unsweetened
• Pesto
• Cheese: cheddar, feta in brine, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, ricotta; I typically use these for added protein in breakfasts, salads and sandwiches or as a quick snack. These regularly last 2 weeks, so I get them as I run low.