We all have those foods that are reguarly stocked in our kitchens.  They are satisfying, quick to grab, add flavor or give a nutritional boost to our meals.  Below are mine!

I’ll bet I’m not alone in this.  I eat a couple of scrambled eggs most every day.  One of my favorite breakfasts is toast (see below), mashed avocado or HOPE spicy avocado hummus (keep scrolling to see!), tomato slices or sundried tomatoes and 2 scrambled eggs.  Yum!

I’ve never met a soul that doesn’t love this bread.  It’s hearty, slightly sweet, has an amazing soft and moist texture and is nutritious to boot.  I make PB toast, french toast, eggs and toast (see above) and sandwiches with it.  

I finally found a flavor of hummus my husband loves!  Keeping this stocked, with a bunch of carrots, makes finding a snack really easy.  As I mentioned, it’s also fantastic spread on toast, sandwiches or thinned a bit for a dressing or sauce.  

I could drink this stuff.  If I made marinara at home, I would use the same simple ingredients in this product.  It’s in a glass jar which preserves the flavor (it doesn’t taste like a metal can).  I obviously use this on pasta but also with vegetables, lentils (see below) and potatoes…I can only think of a handful of things I wouldn’t put it on.  

Cooking lentils from dried is actually really fast and easy.  But when I can take ANY short cuts in the kitchen I will. I enjoy a wide variety of canned beans and legumes, lentils being my favorite.  These are easy to scoop into salads or onto potatoes, eat with rice, avocado and vegetables or with eggs.  

Who can forget peanut butter?  This is the same brand we use at the Resort, for those wondering.  It’s the best natural PB I’ve tried, and I’ve definitely tried A LOT.  I like this on toast, with a banana and dark chocolate chips for an afternoon or evening snack or with frozen, defrosted berries.  Oh, and spread on french toast or whole grain pancakes!

Last but not least, potatoes.  Free the potato!  Lots of people hate on them (carbs in general) but they are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  I rarely cook them ahead of time so I just pop them in the microwave when it’s time to eat.  Eating high fiber carbohydrates is the way to avoid cravings – they keep you full and satisfied and level headed about food choices and provide long lasting energy between meals.  

There you have it!  A peek inside my kitchen.  What are your favorite kitchen staples?

Emily Fonnesbeck RD, CD