I have a theory that the more often one cooks, the easier it is for one to cook more often. I know from experience that this is true for me. Back when I worked at night in the restaurant business, I loved to cook at home on my nights off. Being a busy student and worker, my refrigerator was always bare so I’d pore over cookbooks, decide what to make, then head to the store (or stores) for the ingredients. Every time I cooked, I’d have to start from scratch with just the right spices, herbs, grains, cheeses, etc. Then I’d spend the entire afternoon cooking…and about 20 minutes eating. I enjoyed it, but this was no way to actually feed myself on a regular basis.

Now I have a different approach to cooking. I cook more seasonally, inspired by the market, rather than a cookbook, and I cook regularly. This means I always have food to eat or the remnants of a meal on which I can build a new meal. It’s so much more pleasurable to be able to feed myself (and sometimes unexpected guests) with healthy whole foods without any fuss.

Many of us end up in front of the prepared foods counter at the grocery store more often than we’d like, but we also know that if we only cooked more we’d save money, we’d know exactly what’s in our food, and we’d probably consume fewer unhealthy calories and more healthier ones. The challenge is fitting cooking into our busy modern lives, but it’s a worthy challenge. When I can feed myself, even on the busiest of days, I feel a sense of triumph in the midst of the chaos that sometimes overtakes my life.

Since we can’t live on fresh vegetables alone, today we’re going to talk Pantry, Paraphernalia, and Planning. You’ll see how a wide variety of foods on hand, the proper kitchen tools, and a little advance thought can turn your kitchen into the most important room in your home.

Pantry Basics

Your personal pantry will depend on taste, dietary needs and cooking habits, but here’s a good start for developing a pantry full of real food.

Basic Oils:

1 refined oil for high heat cooking like stir-frying: peanut, avocado, or safflower are good choices

1 good quality extra virgin olive oil

1 unrefined oil for general use in dressings and low heat cooking: safflower or sunflower are good choices

Optional: 1 nut oil for special salads: walnut or hazelnut oils are good options (must be refrigerated after opening as they go rancid quickly)

Toasted sesame oil for cooking with Asian flavors

Basic Vinegars:

Good red wine vinegar

Cider vinegar

Rice wine vinegar

Condiments:

Dijon mustard

Soy sauce

Fish sauce

Ketchup

Chili paste

Spices:

1 gourmet salt

Everyday salt for cooking, like kosher or iodized sea salt

Whole and ground cumin

Whole black pepper

Oregano

Thyme

Rosemary

Cayenne
 Pepper flakes

Cinnamon

Bay leaves

Canned Goods:

Canned wild salmon, sardines, herring, and anchovies

Canned beans and chickpeas

Canned whole and diced tomatoes

Coconut milk

Chicken or vegetable broth


Dry Goods:

3 types of pasta: one regular, one buckwheat or whole wheat, one rice noodle

Cornmeal

All-purpose unbleached flour

Whole-wheat flour

Lentils

2 types of dried beans – one white and one black or brown

Oats

1 white long-grain rice

1 brown rice

1 interesting rice, like red or black

1 to 2 types of quick cooking grains like quinoa

1 to 2 types of longer cooking grains like wheat berries, faro, kamut

Dried mushrooms

Dried chilies

Sea vegetables

Nut butters

Honey

Maple syrup

Agave and/or sugar

Refrigerator Pantry:

Capers

Anchovies

Eggs

Tortillas

Butter

Basic cheeses: one feta, one hard grating, and one everyday like cheddar or Jack

Plain yogurt

Pickles

Sauerkraut

Freezer Pantry:

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds

Frozen berries and stone fruit for smoothies and healthy desserts

Sliced bread

Other:

Lemons

Garlic

Onions

Shallots

Potatoes

Paraphernalia

The right tools can mean the difference between fun and frustration. Here are a few basic things that every cook needs. Feel free to embellish.

Utensils:

Good quality chef knife that is kept sharpened

Paring knife

Sharp serrated knife for use on bread and tomatoes

Tongs: restaurant quality, locking tongs; 1 long; 1 medium

Sturdy whisk: 1 small; 1 medium

Metal spatula
Rubber spatulas: 2 or 3 different sizes

Vegetable peeler

Wooden spoons: several in different sizes

Large metal spoon

Slotted spoon
Ladles: 1 large; 1 small

Potato Masher

Microplane for grating hard cheeses and lemon zest


Tools:

Strainer

Colander

Small hand juicer

Mortar and pestle for spices and garlic paste

Measuring spoons and cups

Box grater

Salad spinner

Nesting mixing bowls: metal or glass

Cutting boards: 1 for meat and seafood, 1 for vegetables and aromatics like garlic, and 1 for fruit

Blender or food processor

Hand-held mixer

Cookware:

1 small saucepan;
 1 medium saucepan

Large pot for boiling pasta and making soup

1 10-inch cast-iron skillet – great for non-stick uses as well!

Steamer or vegetable steamer basket

Baking sheets (at least 2)

A selection of glass or ceramic baking dishes: casseroles of different sizes and pie plates

A Crockpot or slow cooker will make cooking ahead easier.

Planning

Spend a few hours cooking on the weekend, add simply cooked fresh vegetables you’ve purchased at the farmers’ market, or received in your CSA, and feed yourself all week.

Depending on the size of your household, make:

One big pot of stew, soup, or pot of beans – use a crockpot if you want. One batch of grains – rice cookers are great for this task. A batch of roasted vegetables. A quick, basic vinaigrette
Meat eaters can roast or simmer a whole chicken or pop a meat roast in the oven.

Time allowing: another project like jam, pickles, salsa, or a pesto, red pepper puree, or other condiment.

All of the foods above lend themselves well to repurposing and quick meals. This is a good way to cook ahead for families who don’t enjoy eating leftovers. One pot of beans can become tacos, enchiladas, salads, soups, pasta dishes, dips, sandwich spreads, and more. A batch of cooked grains like brown rice or wheat berries can be used throughout the week in one-dish grain bowl meals with seasonal cooked greens, roasted squash or sweet potatoes. Cooked grains can also be added to salads or soups or used in stir-fries.

If you’ve cooked meat, use the meat in tacos, salads, sandwiches, pasta and grain dishes throughout the week. It really is all about cooking main meal components ahead of time.

Casserole type foods like lasagna take a bit longer to prepare but can also be frozen in portions or eaten all week with an array of quickly prepared, seasonal, vegetable accompaniments.

So there you have it: Want to cook more and eat out less? Just cook. These are just some ways to get started. You will surely develop your own repertoire over time.

Photos by: Valentin.Ottone, ernestch (flikr)

Originally published on EcoSalon