My family’s journey toward more real food has been a long, slow one. And I’m always figuring out new ways to improve things. But I started with the basics first, the basic ingredients that you’ll find right here, on this page.
Trust me, small, determined steps make a world of difference. So when I longed to eat a little healthier, I decided to start with the ingredients I use the most. One at a time–I’ve tried to source the best ingredients I can find.
In this podcast episode I break down 6 swaps you might want to consider in your kitchen. Click below or listen on apple podcast..
Check out some of my favorite ingredients below or–even better–grab my complete Pantry Check List that I use to make sure I have all the ingredients on hand that our family uses the most. My FREE Pantry Checklist is also loaded with discount codes, just for you: Grab Yours Here
This maple syrup is the most delicious all-natural syrup. And it’s not just for pancakes! Use code SOULYRESTED for 10% off.
This tupelo honey is so sweet, you can use less and it NEVER crystalizes. Use code MAPLE for 15% off (excludes gallons)
Monk fruit is an amazing zero-calorie, all-natural sugar. I make homemade hot chocolate powder (& much more) with this.
This is an amazing organic, all-natural, unrefined alternative to brown sugar. I love it in cookies.
Date syrup is an organic, all-natural alternative to the highly refined option of molasses, it’s lower on the glycemic index & it tastes like caramel! I love it in drinks (think Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate)
Maple sugar is delicious, all-natural sugar that you can substitute for refined sugar in every way, 1:1 ratio
When I learned about the chemicals used on the sugar cane fields during harvest I decided if all our sugar couldn’t be all-natural and unrefined, it had to at least be organic. This is the best price for a good sugar.
Nutrient wise, coconut sugar is similar to raw honey, but coconut sugar falls the lowest on the glycemic index of any unprocessed sugar. Boiled down from the nectar of the bloom, it tastes nothing like coconut.
Seasonings on my pantry checklist
From eggs, to fries, to meat, everything tastes better with this garlic pepper. (Use code SOULYRESTED.)
Redmond’s Real Salt–the only salt mined in the US–is never heat processed and stripped of their natural trace minerals. Use code SOULYRESTED to save with every order.
I love this garlic salt. Bonus that it (like all Redmond’s salt) comes from an underground sea salt, naturally protected from pollutants. Use code SOULYRESTED.
I love this Everything Bagel Seasoning that I make myself and use on so many things. (Click here for recipe.)
I love these pocket salt shakers… no need to ever be without the best salt. Use code SOULYRESTED to save 15%
I use nutritional yeast liberally and often in my kitchen. It completely replaced processed parmesan cheese a while ago and I have never looked back.
Flour on my pantry checklist
Hard white wheat berries are great for bread flour. (See below for my grain mill.)
Soft white wheat berries make the best baked goods. (See my grain mill below.)
This is the best all-purpose flour I’ve found anywhere. Buying in bulk is by far the best price. See storage options below.
While you can make your own starter (see below), this is a great option if you want to purchase one.
If you want to mill your own flour, you’ll need high-quality wheat berries and a mill like mine. My #1 go to for all my wheat berries (I buy a large assortment, from spelt, to rye, to kamut, and so much more) is Azure Standard. Go here to see if Azure delivers near you. (And these bucket lids are the best way to store your berries.)
These crushed cacao beans are rich, chocolatey, and loaded with nutrients and powerful plant compounds. I love them in smoothies and shakes, or in cookies along with chocolate chips.
I love using carob in place of chocolate. It has more calcium and fiber and less calories than chocolate. And it’s naturally sweet, with no added sweeteners!
I use avocado oil for almost everything in my kitchen, it’s extremely versatile, has the highest smoke point of all oils, and is my favorite fat to cook with, after lard. Period.
If you can’t render your own (see directions below), this lard is the next best thing.
Sourced from world-renowned orchards, the organic vanilla beans make this a flavorful vanilla that will become your favorite.
We eat a LOT of this organic popcorn…best snack ever. Especially this gorgeous multi-colored popcorn that’s loaded with 2.5 times the antioxidants of plain yellow corn. Ummm, yes, please!
Basmati rice is the only rice I buy. It’s rich in all 8 essential amino acids and folic acid and has a nutty aroma and fluffy texture.
I buy these chocolate chips in bulk. They’re organic AND made with a sweetener that won’t spike your blood sugar levels.
Dive into the healthy fat with my Complete Guide to Rendering Lard or buy the good stuff linked above for some of the most amazing healthy fat you can use in your kitchen.
How I Store my Bulk Food Items
These lids are a game changer, organizing bulk rice, flour, popcorn, dried fruit, and more in my root cellar.
I have more than a dozen of these lids, for storing herbs, seasonings, sugars, and loose leaf teas.
This stainless steel lid, with an amazing seal, is great for second ferment in mason jars, since they’ll never rust from the acidic nature of kombucha and fermented foods.
This set of stainless steel containers is dishwasher safe and the lids have a nice seal.
I keep the dogs’ food in this storage container on wheels. I love that I can easily access it and it’s air-tight..
This vacuum sealer does a nice job helping me store my food.
The Good-for-you Snack We Love:
Fill your air-popper to the fill line, for us that’s about 3/4 cup of these kernels.
Place a large bowl under the popper and get your toppings ready to add in layers, as the popcorn starts filling the bowl.
Drizzle avocado oil 2 or 3 times across the top of the popcorn kernels as they start to fill your bowl.
You’ll need about 1/8 cup of avocado oil, 1/4 tsp of popcorn salt, and 1 TB of nutritional yeast for a large bowl of popcorn.
Why popcorn salt? It’s super fine, made to adhere perfectly to your popcorn instead of lining the side of your bowl. Use code SOULYRESTED to save when you stock up on some!
Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of all the supplies I use and recommend for everything from gardening, to homeschooling, to chicken care, to nature journaling, to maple syrup making.
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