Juggling a full time job, three hour daily commute, a household and trying to work towards all the other random goals and aspirations I’ve derived for myself, sometimes leaves little time for the necessary task of eating. Cooking for me is a pleasure not a chore however there are days where I’m either too tired or something unexpected comes up or I just want to go for a run instead of spending an hour in the kitchen.
That’s where the kitchen staples come in.
There are certain items that I always make sure are in my pantry and fridge for quick meals that are both delicious and nutritious.
Canned tomato – these are great for pasta dishes or to add to soups
Canned coconut milk – curries are a household favourite
Chickpeas – protein packed, high in fibre and work well in various meals
Frozen green beans – add to stir fries and pasta dishes quickly
Brown rice – lower in GI than white rice
Pasta – it’s so versatile you can mix it with anything for a sweet or savoury dish
Curry paste – keeps well in the fridge
Onion – add to any meal for a bit of spice
Herbs & spices – keeping a variety on hand gives flavour to any meal
With these ingredients there’s always a healthy option for dinner. This week I was tired after work but wanted to cook a meal and fit in a workout.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry
I used up some of the items listed above and came up with a yummy dinner packed with protein (chick peas) and vegetables (green beans, sweet potato, corn). Plus we had enough leftovers to have for lunch the next day!
Having staples in your fridge that you can whip quick meals up with will help you eat healthy and you’ll have no excuse for ordering that pizza or stopping off at a fast food joint on the way home from work.
What staples do you keep in your pantry or fridge?
