The Domestic Vegan

There are quite a few lists out there of items to have on hand for a well-stocked vegan pantry.  But since everyone’s different, here’s a round-up of what I keep in my kitchen.  Keep in mind that if you’re trying to move towards a plant-based diet, there is no need to rush out & purchase everything on this list all at once.  These are items that I have acquired over time & like to have available for cooking & baking. This list does not include fresh vegetables & fruits – which, of course, I always have plenty of!  I also didn’t include spices or extracts because I own pretty much every spice known to man…  Maybe I’ll add that in someday, but for now, here’s a good start!

Cabinets

• Beans – I like making my own beans from scratch, since that’s much more economical than buying canned, but I keep canned beans on hand for when I’m short on time.  My favorites are black (great for tacos & chili), kidney (add to salads), Great Northern beans (perfect for white bean dip), and garbanzo beans/chickpeas (make hummus, mock tuna salad, sprinkle on salad, etc.).  I also keep a can of refried beans on hand for a quick burrito or bean dip. Bearitos & Amy’s are my favorite brands for refried beans.
• Coconut milk – I buy both regular & lite.  Coconut milk is great to use in stirfries, curries, in bread or muffin recipes, and in ice cream.
• Pumpkin – For pumpkin muffins, bread, cake, or pie.  Also good to add to smoothies for extra fiber & vitamin A.
• Tomatoes – I like crushed & diced to use in chili, soups, marinara sauce, etc.  I also keep tomato paste in my pantry.  Bionaturae is a good organic brand that’s also low-sodium.
• Jarred marinara sauce – Use for spaghetti and lasagna.  Great to keep on hand when you want a quick & easy dinner.  Add some onion & garlic powders, Italian seasoning, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and a bay leaf.  Heat on medium until warm, and steam up some fresh vegetables to serve with the noodles & sauce.  Muir Glen brand is organic & delicious – though some flavors aren’t vegan, so be sure to read the label.
• Grains – I love quinoa.  It has a delightful nutty flavor, and is high in protein, fiber, and calcium.  Perfect to add to soups or served alongside marinated & grilled tofu.  I also keep brown rice & wild rice in my pantry.
• Bouillon cubes – I like Rapunzel brand.  Edward & Sons makes great Not-Chick’n & Not-Beef bouillon cubes if you want to add that sort of flavor to a soup or casserole.
• Boxed vegetable stock – I prefer to use bouillon cubes (or make my own stock) because it’s much more cost-effective, but I always keep a box of vegetable stock in my pantry for when I’m short on time & want to add extra flavor to a dish.   Imagine is a great organic brand.  I love their vegetable broth & their No-Chicken broth.
• Florida Crystals – A wonderful, organic evaporated cane juice sugar that works perfectly in place of white sugar.
• Brown Sugar – I like Wholesome Sweeteners brand.  Tip: If you are out of brown sugar, you can use regular white sugar (or Florida Crystals) & add a couple teaspoons of molasses to it.
• Agave nectar – Similar to honey in texture, agave is a delicious sweetener that is low on the glycemic index & works well in baked goods, added to tea & coffee, and used in salad dressings instead of white sugar.  Madhava & Wholesome Sweeteners are my brands of choice.
• Maple syrup – A great natural sweetener that’s good for so much more than drizzling on pancakes.   Can be used in baked goods like bread & cookies and added to smoothies for extra sweetness.
• Molasses – Full of iron & perfect for adding extra nutrition and depth of flavor to baked goods.
• Stevia – A completely natural, calorie-free sweetener!  Stevia is an herb in the Chrysanthemum family & has been grown and used in South America for hundreds of years.  I like Stevia in the Raw for the powdered kind & SweetLeaf brand for the liquid.  SweetLeaf has a lot of different flavors; my favorites are English Toffee (delicious in coffee) & Root Beer (I add a few drops to carbonated water for a zero-calorie, chemical-free “soda”).
• Cocoa Powder – I have both Dutch cocoa powder & raw cacao powder.  The raw is more expensive, so I save that for when I make raw desserts or smoothies.
• Nutritional Yeast – I buy the large flake kind (the brand is Red Star).  It’s available in the bulk section of a lot of co-ops & Whole Foods.  High in fiber, protein, and vitamin B12, it has a nutty & cheesy flavor that can be used to make nacho dip, sprinkled on popcorn, and added to tofu scrambles.
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.  Whole wheat pastry flour is similar in taste & texture to white flour, but it is healthier as it contains more fiber & is less processed.  I like to sub this for about half of the white flour called for in most cake, cookie, and muffin recipes.  If I want to make a more “classic” type dessert, I usually stick to all white flour since whole wheat pastry does taste a little “healthier.”
• White Whole Wheat Flour – Similar to whole wheat pastry flour, but more appropriate for yeast breads & pizza dough.  I like to use white whole wheat flour in bread recipes for a more “traditional” white bread taste with all the nutrition of whole wheat.
• Spelt Flour – This flour has a great hearty texture & mildly nutty flavor.  While not technically gluten-free, spelt flour is wheat-free & tends to be well-tolerated by people who have mild gluten intolerance.  Delicious in cookies & muffins.
• Ener-G Egg Replacer – While ground flaxseed is my favorite way to replace eggs when baking, Ener-G is great to have on hand, as well, since it does not impart any flavor to the dish.  It is made with potato starch & tapioca flour, and it mimics what eggs do in baked goods.
• Vital wheat gluten – The naturally occurring protein in wheat that’s been stripped away from the carbohydrate, so essentially only the protein remains.   Used to make seitan (a meat substitute; I love the recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance).   Can be purchased by the box at a lot of grocery stores, but I find that it is much cheaper to buy from the bulk section at co-ops or Whole Foods.
• Oatmeal – I like old fashioned & steel cut (as opposed to instant).
• Nut Butters – My favorites are peanut, cashew, and almond butters.   Pumpkin seed butter is also quite delicious, as is hemp seed butter (though that has to be refrigerated).
• Nuts & Seeds – Raw cashews, raw almonds, roasted mixed nuts, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.   Obviously there are a lot of options, and nuts make a delicious, healthy, filling snack & can be used to make creamy dips & salad dressings.
• Dried Fruit – Raisins, cherries, blueberries, cranberries & apricots are all great dried fruits to keep in the pantry.  They can be added to cereal, granola, baked goods, oatmeal, or eaten on their own or with nuts for a convenient, portable snack.
• Vinegars – Apple cider vinegar can be added to nondairy milk to make it curdle, which essentially creates vegan buttermilk for baked goods.  I also use apple cider vinegar in my tempeh bacon recipe.  Other vinegars I like are white wine (or champagne), red wine, and balsamic.  Rice vinegar adds a nice flavor to Asian-style dishes & dressings.
• Various oils – I like organic canola oil, extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, peanut oil, and coconut oil.  All have different cooking uses (and I even use coconut oil as a nighttime moisturizer – though I keep a different jar in my bathroom than the one I use for food! ).  Canola oil is perfect for frying & using in baked goods.  Olive oil is great for sautéing, drizzling on veggies for roasting, and making salad dressings.  Peanut oil is nice because it has a high smoke point; I use it for tempeh bacon.
• Unsweetened applesauce – Delicious on its own (or with some cinnamon added), and I also use it a lot in baked goods instead of some of the oil called for in recipes.  It seems to work well for up to about half of the oil listed (so, if a recipe stated that ½ c. oil was needed, I use ¼ c. oil & ¼ c. unsweetened applesauce).
• Liquid Smoke – I like both mesquite & hickory flavors.  This comes in handy for adding a smoky flavor to soups & casseroles.  It’s usually available by the BBQ sauce at grocery stores.
• Mori-Nu brand tofu – I don’t like the flavor or texture of this tofu on its own, but it works very well in baked goods in place of eggs (use ¼ c. per “egg”).  I keep a couple boxes of this in my cupboard for these occasions.
• Arrowroot powder – This plant-based powder is a thickening agent & can be used in place of cornstarch.  I use it for soups, sauces, puddings, and gravies.  Unlike cornstarch, I find that arrowroot is less cloudy so it doesn’t affect the color of the dish.  It is also gluten-free.  Tip: To get more for your money, buy a bag of arrowroot instead of a spice jar-sized container.  Specialty spice stores tend to sell arrowroot for much more money than what’s available at a grocery store.  I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
• Protein powder – I have no problem meeting my protein requirements, but sometimes I like an extra boost.  In my opinion, hemp protein & brown rice protein are the healthiest.   They are minimally processed & are easily used (and digested) by the body.  My favorite hemp protein brand is Manitoba Harvest (it is available with & without extra fiber).  I know a lot of people who like Nutiva brand, as well.  Garden of Life has a fantastic raw protein powder called RAW Protein, and the main ingredient is sprouted brown rice.   It’s very mild in flavor & contains only whole foods ingredients.
• Chia seeds – Amazingly nutritious!  They don’t taste like much of anything, but they are so good for you.  (Try Googling chia seeds + health benefits; you’ll find so much information!)  I love putting chia seeds in oatmeal, pudding, and smoothies.  Tip: In my experience, chia seeds are much cheaper online than they are in stores.  Amazon has a great price.
• Popcorn – I buy organic kernels from the bulk bin at Whole Foods or my co-op.  A little known “secret” is that you can pop popcorn in the microwave with just a plain brown lunch bag.  Add about ¼ c. kernels to the bag & roll it shut (it doesn’t have to be super tightly rolled; just enough so air can build up inside).  Pop for approximately 2 ½ minutes; the popcorn is done when about three seconds go by without hearing any popping.  Dump into a bowl, drizzle with melted nondairy butter or spray with canola oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and add whatever toppings you desire (if any). You can even reuse the brown bag!  You’ll never buy prepackaged microwave popcorn again.
• Sea Salt – Sea salt is very different from the iodized table salt most of us grew up with.  True sea salt is packed with trace vitamins & minerals, and it really adds a lovely flavor to food.  I really like HimalaSalt & Redmond Real Salt – but most grocery stores & co-ops have several good kinds available.
• Black Salt – Also known as Kala Namak, this is a special type of mineral salt originating in India.  “Black salt” is a funny name for this because it’s actually pink (with flecks of grey).  I love this salt because it imparts a very distinctive, almost sulpheric flavor that is reminiscent of eggs/egg yolks.  For this reason, it’s great to add to tofu “egg” scrambles & vegan omelets.  You can purchase it from online specialty stores, but a lot of Indian markets have it (and usually for less money).  Look around in your area!

Fridge & Freezer

• Earth Balance nondairy butter – I like the Organic Whipped & Soy Free versions.  These taste exactly like butter, but are completely vegan & cholesterol-free.  They also work perfectly in baked goods.
• Earth Balance vegetable shortening – Great for making pie crusts & frosting for cakes and cupcakes.
• Frozen fruit – I like to have a few bags of frozen organic fruit in my freezer for smoothies, muffins, and sauces.  I tend to stock up when my co-op has them on sale, as frozen fruit can be fairly expensive at the normal price.
• Frozen vegetables – I rarely eat frozen vegetables on their own, but they’re good to have on hand for soups, casseroles, pot pies, etc.
• Tahini – Nut butter made from sesame seeds.   High in iron, protein, and healthy plant fats.  I use tahini most often in hummus, and some vegan cheese recipes call for it as an ingredient.
• Hemp seeds – They contain all the essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, and are very high in protein.  I like to sprinkle these on salads. Manitoba Harvest is my preferred brand.
• Vegan Worcestshire sauce – Most Worcestshire contains anchovies.   Annie’s Naturals brand sells a good vegan one.
• Nondairy milks – I like all kinds, but the ones I use most are almond milk (Almond Breeze brand is great), and So Delicious’ Coconut Milk Beverage (unsweetened is my favorite flavor; tastes great in coffee & used in creamy soups instead of dairy cream).   Hemp milk is also fantastic, but can be a little more expensive than the other kinds.  I personally don’t drink soymilk very often because it tends to be highly processed & I find it hard to digest, but a lot of people really love it.  Other options: Oat, hazelnut, and rice.
• Flax oil – Great for drizzling on veggies & making salad dressings.  I like Barlean’s brand, as it has a mild, nutty flavor.
• Ground flaxseed – I like Bob’s Red Mill brand of brown or golden flaxseed.  I keep it in the freezer because otherwise it can spoil quickly.  I like to add a Tbsp. to my smoothies or oatmeal.  Also good to add to baked goods for an extra dose of fiber & Omega fatty acids.
• Tofu – I like the brands White Wave, Nasoya, and WildWood.  White Wave makes great soft tofu (perfect for tofu ricotta), Nasoya makes great silken & firm tofu (silken for desserts & firm for dips and stirfries), and WildWood has a fantastic SuperFirm tofu that is perfect for sautéing & using in place of eggs for tofu “egg” salad.  It’s also very high in protein.
• Tempeh – I love LightLife brand.
• Tortillas – Great for quick dinners.  Ezekiel makes a wonderfully healthy sprouted whole grain tortilla, but I also like to have regular white flour tortillas for a more “authentic” taste.
• Bread – Rudi’s, Ezekiel, and French Meadow Bakery all make great organic vegan breads that are high in fiber.  They are preservative-free, so I keep these in the fridge or freezer to prevent the loaf from going moldy before I eat all of it.
• Pita – Great for stuffing with tons of veggies & hummus for a quick lunch or snack.  Ezekiel makes wonderful pita bread, as does Holy Land Deli (which is a Minneapolis-based company; available at most co-ops & Whole Foods).  Ezekiel is whole grain & can tend to be a little dry right out of the package, so to prevent the pita from falling apart when stuffing, I like to wrap it in a damp paper towel & zap in the microwave for about 10 seconds.  This softens it so it can be easily filled.
• English muffins – I love Rudi’s Spelt English Muffins.
• Nondairy yogurt – I keep a tub of unsweetened soy yogurt on hand for baking (WildWood is my favorite brand), and also a couple little cartons of So Delicious’ coconut milk yogurt.  It’s delicious with cereal, granola, and dried fruit & nuts.
• Soy sauce/tamari – I buy organic, low-sodium, and wheat-free tamari if available.  San-J is a good brand, and I find that it’s a couple dollars cheaper at SuperTarget or other larger grocery stores than at Whole Foods or co-ops.
• Dijon & Yellow mustards – Besides the obvious use of drizzling on sandwiches & veg hotdogs, mustard can be added to vinaigrette recipes & nondairy cheese sauces.
• Miso paste – Good to add to soups, salad dressings, and gravies.  I buy Westbrae Natural brand. They have several varieties, and my favorite is the organic Mellow White.
• Vegenaise – Made by the brand Follow Your Heart, Vegenaise is the best vegan mayonnaise, hands down.  I buy the organic variety (gold label).
• Salsa – It may sound obvious, but salsa is a great way to add flavor to food.  There are many brands & types out there, so experiment to find one (or a few!) that you really like.  In addition to adding to Mexican food, salsa is great on vegan burgers & in southwestern-style soups.
• Nondairy ice cream – Coconut Bliss is my favorite brand, but I also like So Delicious’ coconut milk ice cream.  Both brands are soy-free & coconut milk-based (with a very slight, subtle taste of coconut; it’s barely noticeable). Very rich, creamy, and delicious – with only a few ingredients!