The Essentials

Before getting into a Whole Food Plant Based diet, I had no idea what some of the things were that were ingredients on the lists of foods I had found. Little did I know, some of those things would become my best friends in my cooking journey. I want to give you the information about some of the essentials of doing a WFPB diet and what you'll definitely need in your home on a regular basis to be the most efficient! 

1. A good blender/food processor. This is to make sauces, soups, sour cream, cheese, smoothies, etc. It is a worthy investment for your kitchen. I PROMISE you that. The one I have at home is a great deal! It's a Ninja, and it sure kicks some butt! It is the Ninja Master Prep Professional. You can make all of the above things with it, and more. I LOVE this thing. LOVE LOVE LOVE. And for around $50, it's definitely worth it!

2. Nutritional Yeast. I use this in so many recipes! It helps add a little cheesy flavor and is excellent on some homemade popcorn! I have found it in at Whole Foods, but I have also found it within my local grocery store. The container looks straight out of the 60's, but it tastes the same! Nutritional yeast can also be called Brewers Yeast (which you can get at GNC). They are very similar in taste and nutritional value!

3. Cashews. Raw Cashews. Cashews can be used for a number of things including sauces, dressings, sour cream, cheeses, etc. Keep some around at all times because you never know when you'll want to make some sour cream or a delicious homemade salad dressing!

4. Beans & Rice. These are easy essentials to stock a pantry with. Doesn't matter the bean. Doesn't matter the rice, as long as it is whole grain. I also use wild rice a lot. These are things that can easily be added to veggies for more protein and substance in a meal. Always have them around! 

5. A good array of spices. It's always nice to add new flavors into meals. Having different types of herbs and spices helps add to the meals in great ways! 

6. Almond milk, or other dairy free milk. Especially if you have kids. 

7. Vegetable stock. I use veggie stock to saute with a lot (instead of oil) as well as roast veggies with. It adds another layer of delicious flavor. We also have well water which doesn't always taste the best, so having stock on hand to add to meals instead of our water is a GREAT help!