My Top 4 Kitchen Staples
4 Basic Kitchen Staples
Cooking is kind of important in my family. (Cough, Cough). Let’s be real. We take it extra serious, and the bar has been set very high. I started really taking an interest to the kitchen while I was in college, mainly because my parents were not cooking for me every night anymore. Growing up, my parents didn’t cook to survive but they did it because they loved creating new and delicious creations. My sister and I were always the taste testers (well my sister was way more adventurous than I). I have finally started to come into my own with flavors, and branching out. I get an extra pat on the back from my fam bam in this area.
A well-stocked kitchen allows you to create simple, flavorful, and nutritious meals even after the longest day. The worst thing in the world while cooking is NOT having my kitchen staples on hand and fully stocked. These healthy kitchen staples are not only essential for eating healthy, but they are essential for creating quick and nutritious meals.
Staples
1. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
This healthy fat is LOADED with goodness, and it makes food taste pretty darn good too. One tablespoon of olive oil has around 120 calories; so do not go overboard here.
*Extra Virgin Olive Oil vs. Regular Olive Oil
Extra Virgin olive oil is not pressed by any heat or industrial machinery, and it is simply pressed olives and is completely unrefined. Regular olive oil is manipulated by machinery, and chemicals with its general make up of extra virgin only being
10% per bottle. Any olive oil is graded by acidity content and free oleic acid content. The amount of free oleic acid present in olive oil means that there is a certain level of fat in each serving that has been broken down into fatty acids. Extra virgin has a very low level of oleic acid.
2. Eggs
These small protein packed staples are great for breakfasts, and lunches. They can even pass as snacks too, if you are feeling creative. Don’t be thrown off by all of the fancy slogans such as “cage free” “free-roaming” “all-natural” “hormone-free” and just find a brand that has Merritt from high standard organizations and you should be fine.
3. Garlic
I am currently growing garlic in my garden, and so excited about it. Who knew this antioxidant packed morsel would blossom in the dead of winter? More on gardening to come later! A kitchen without garlic is dying for some flavor, go get some today (and buy fresh not canned).
4. Broth
Last but definitely not least is chicken broth. Chicken broth is one of my all time favorite kitchen staples and if it is missing from my kitchen I will notice immediately. I buy canned, as well as home make broth time depending. Add to soups, cook pasta with it, or just sip for some hearty goodness!
Lauren’s Chicken Stock Recipe
Ingredients
1 Large Stock Pot
3-4 Carrots (Medium to Large)
1 Stalk of Celery chopped
2-3 Bay Leaves
A large handful of whole peppercorns
1-2 whole gutted chickens
Salt to taste
1 large yellow onion cut in half (skin added for natural coloring)
1 head of garlic
A Dash of Extra-Virgin Olive oil
How to:
In a large stock pot, add in 1-2 gutted chickens (raw), and fill up the stock pot with 3/4 full water. Once the water and the chicken are in the stock pot, add in your carrots, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, onion, olive oil, and garlic. Put the stock pot on the back burner and simmer on low for 5-6 hours until fragrant. Sift out the broth and store in a container. This will make a couple of gallons of broth, so freezing it is always a good idea!
Get Cookin'!
xoxo Lauren Nicole
