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April 2020

13 Cooking Staples I always have in my pantry – AIP, Paleo, Keto Friendly

13 Cooking Staples I always have in my pantry – AIP, Paleo, Keto Friendly

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There are a few things that I swear by when I am making meals dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, corn-free…you get the picture, there’s a lot we omit from our diets.

I wanted to share with you a few of the pantry staples I always keep on hand for cooking meals that are both good for you and tasty! There are a lot of other things I could include, but I wanted to share what we have in our cupboard.

Nutritional Yeast: I swear by this as a cheesy flavor replacement. It took me a while to get hooked, but now I use it in about 75% of my meals. The brand, in this case, does matter. I usually use Red Star, Bobs Red Mill, or Anthony’s. Others can produce a weird taste that I don’t care to sample. That said, nutritional yeast is a standard go-to seasoning in our household and deserves a spotlight. It’s high in both vitamins B-6 and B-12, Folate, and a bunch of proteins. I love it, and Addie, my cheese lover, can be convinced that I made her mac ‘n’ cheese sauce for her veggies using this, some coconut milk, garlic, and sea salt. If you are regularly consuming boxed mac ‘n’ cheese and dairy, it will take you a while to get used to it. But once your taste buds reacclimate, you won’t miss it anymore.

Coconut Aminos: I PUT THIS ON EVERYTHING. It is by and far my favorite soy sauce replacement. I marinate chicken in it; I put it on pork shoulder when I’m making pulled pork for tacos and quick proteins for the week, I put it in burgers I make from bison and beef. It is amazingly sweet and salty, and it honestly was not a hard switch over from soy sauce. Nutritional yeast, yes, I will admit it’s not a quick adjustment. But Coconut Aminos is so good you won’t miss soy sauce at all.

Canned Salmon and Sardines: Now, I know what you’re thinking. Ew. Gross. Sardines? But Sardines are some of the cleanest fish (low in mercury) because they are so small. And they are rich in Omega-3’s, which can be hard to find. It’s also not impossible to buy boneless and skinless sardines. Our local Walmart now carries sustainably sourced boneless/skinless sardines! Salmon is also a fantastic source of protein and fat, and it’s not hard to find canned salmon, which has also been sustainability sourced. Both of these are always in my pantry, for quick lunches, on salads, or for casseroles which I load with veggies and a creamy sauce I make with coconut milk, nutritional yeast, dill, salt, garlic, and more. (I also usually keep a few cans of tuna as well, but we eat it far less frequently because of the high mercury)

Herbs and Spices: If you are eating paleo/keto/AIP, you must use herbs and spices. These diets can’t rely on things like cheese (though some ketogenic folks will say dairy is okay, the purists will debate you on it) to flavor everything. You can’t rely on a box mix or premade sauce to flavor your meal. You put the flavor in it! Not all spices (seed and nightshade based spices) are AIP friendly, but there are so many options, you really can’t go wrong.

Spaghetti Squash: Yes, this is technically a vegetable, but it will last for a few weeks in your pantry! So that said, I always keep a spaghetti squash in my pantry for a quick, easy low carb veggie(fast and easy using my instant pot recipe!).

Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt: I know, I mentioned herbs and spices before, but salt deserves attention all it’s own. If you are following a ketogenic diet, you will know that electrolytes are SUPER essential to keep balanced. Salt often demonized as bad for you, is super good for you and can help to regulate blood pressure and keep your heart healthy. Plus, salt enhances flavor profiles so much! It is the punch in most dishes I create. Salt is the thing that carries all the other flavors and brings them together. Don’t get me wrong. There is such a thing as too much salt. But if you aren’t using salt, you should start(and ditch the table salt).

Avocado Oil: If you intend to roast veggies in the oven, you need avocado oil. It is honestly one of the only plant-based oils that can tolerate high heats and retain its nutrients. Olive oil should only be used for salad dressings and cold foods. Avocado oil is versatile and great for roasting.

Tallow/Lard/Duck Fat: Animal fats get a bad rap. But in the paleo/AIP/ketogenic words, these guys are some of the best fats to use for cooking. I try to always keep on of them on hand. When I make bacon(using good quality bacon), I always keep the grease and use it for frying eggs in the morning, or for a ranch turkey skillet meal.

Canned Artichokes: Artichokes are a great low carb veggie and honestly so good to have on hand. Blend a can along with some coconut cream, spinach, salt, and garlic for a creamy dip! Throw some in a crockpot with some chicken and seasoning for a creamy artichoke chicken. Use them in casseroles or soups. They are great for you, and most of the canned varieties are pretty clean. Of all the canned veggies, artichokes are one that I keep on hand.

Apple Cider Vinegar: If you know, you know. You can use ACV for everything and anything. In your water as a drink, in baking as a rising agent along with baking soda, in sauces, and dressings, ACV is one of my most used condiments.

Nuts and Seeds: These are not AIP friendly, and not all nuts are created equal when it comes to the ketogenic diet. But we always have pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, black sesame seeds, flax, and chia seeds. We sometimes get walnuts or macadamia nuts, but I have an oral allergy to both, so they are a special treat for Nathan and Addie. Note: Technically, peanuts are not Paleo or AIP friendly as they are legumes, and we don’t consume them.

Nut Butters: I’ve said it in my baking pantry post, but we love almond butter. We eat through two jars a week, easy. Addie tops her morning banana’s and waffles with it, Nathan eats it by the spoonful. I put it on toast or stuff dates with almond butter and sea salt. Addie eats almond butter and jelly sandwiches(made with paleo bread). We just eat it a lot, and it’s a staple in our pantry that should not go without mentioning. We also keep sunflower seed butter, coconut butter, and tahini on hand.

Canned Coconut Milk:  Many recipes that commonly call for cream, I replace with full-fat canned coconut milk. It produces a very similar creaminess, without the inflammatory dairy. I buy a 24 pack off of Amazon, and it lasts me about two months!

So there you have it! 13 cooking staples you will always find in my pantry – and if you don’t, you can bet I’m planning a grocery run soon. What sorts of things do you keep in your Paleo pantry? Let me know in the comments!

 

Baking Staples you need to keep in your Paleo/Keto/AIP Pantry

Baking Staples you need to keep in your Paleo/Keto/AIP Pantry

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As many know, our family eats a strict Paleo diet, with leanings in the Ketogenic and autoimmune protocol directions. We have studied and shifted our diets over the years, seeking to discern what makes our bodies feel their best. My recommendations are in no way medical advice, and I think that everyone should work with someone trained in health and nutrition who can help them discover what will make them feel their best. A paleo/Keto/AIP diet is what merely what works for our family.

That said, folks ask me time and time again what my pantry staples are, and especially now that there is quarantine and families are home with more time to bake and cook. I will break this into a few separate posts to highlight different areas, but for this post, I’ll stick with baking.

Below I’ve listed things I keep in my pantry for baking at all times. These are only things that I use regularly.

FLOURSwhite strainer

Almond: While Almond flour fits on both Paleo and Ketogenic diet-friendly, it is not approved for an AIP diet, as AIP eliminates all nuts and seeds. Almond flour is my favorite flour to bake with, and I think most closely resembles baking with other traditional flours.

Coconut: Coconut flour is the trickest of all flours I have ever worked with, but it is friendly for Paleo, Ketogenic, and AIP diets. It is highly absorbent and requires a ton of liquid for a minimal amount of flour. For reference, my mom makes a coconut flour cake recipe for the girl’s birthdays, and it uses over a dozen eggs. Coconut is not a flour that can be subbed 1:1 at all, and depending on the brand, it can make a recipe very dry and gritty. Used in conjunction with other flours, it can be a great agent and adds a subtle sweetness.

Tapioca Starch/Arrowroot Starch:  The purist out there will shout at me, saying these two are not the same. And they are not, especially in cooking. But in baking, they can nearly always be used interchangeably. They can act as a replacement for corn starch or similar. These flours are AIP, Keto, Paleo-friendly but should be used in moderation on a ketogenic diet as they are high in carbohydrate and fiber and can raise your carb count if you’re not careful.

Cassava: I own cassava, but I rarely use it as it can cause me indigestion from time to time. Cassava is high in carbs, so I would not use it for a Keto diet(unless in tiny amounts), but it is AIP and Paleo-friendly. It is not as simple as almond flour to use, but it is not as tricky as coconut flour. It comes with nuances, and if planning to use it, I would stick with recipes that call for it.

Not mentioned: Tigernut Flour(AIP, Paleo-friendly, but makes me extremely ill, so I don’t consume it)

SWEETENERSbrown wooden honey dipper

Honey: We always try to keep local raw honey on hand as a sweetener. It and maple syrup can be interchanged in recipes and is AIP, Paleo-friendly, but not keto. However, keto diets look different for every person. I can consume small amounts of honey, and other natural sugars, and not get kicked out of ketosis as long as my fats are high enough. This is because I’m breastfeeding, and I burn through carbs faster than the average person. My husband cannot eat any natural sugars and expect to stay in a state of ketosis. You need to find what works for you. The reason I like using honey is that it has antioxidants in the form of organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. It also has antibacterial properties. While consumed in moderation, it is a “healthy” sweetener in my book.

Maple Syrup: This is another sweetener that technically is AIP and paleo, but not keto. Like honey, maple syrup has some health benefits. It contains manganese, zinc, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium. Also, get the highest grade possible and read the ingredients on even organic maple syrup, as some brand will include cane sugar in their ingredients. I look for pure maple syrup, without anything else.

Coconut Sugar: This is by far my favorite granulated sweetener to use in baking. It is AIP and Paleo-friendly. It is low glycemic and has the best “brown sugar/cinnamon” sort of taste. I love using it in crisps and with fruit.

Stevia: Stevia is paleo, keto, and AIP friendly(depending on the brand, again always read the labels), but can be a hormone disruptor when used in excess. I also don’t think it is a good sweetener for baking at all. It just doesn’t hold up against many others, and it is not readily convertible.

Monk Fruit: I have two wishes for monk fruit. 1. I wish I could find a monk fruit extract that doesn’t contain erythritol. 2. I wish I liked the taste. It has a very odd aftertaste when used in baking. Maybe if I used it more, I would grow to like it, but I just don’t. It’s worth a trying though if you’re looking for a low carb sweetener. Monk fruit is ketogenic and paleo, but it is a sugar alcohol, so it may not work for those on an AIP diet. Nathan likes it, so I use it for things he will eat.

Not Mentioned: erythritol (Keto-friendly, but has some questionable health impacts. I know many who use it, but I prefer to avoid it if I can)

FATS

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Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk: I love using this in recipes in place of regular milk/cream/etc. It is keto/paleo/AIP friendly! I always have Native Forest brand, Simple coconut milk, because it contains NO guar gum or other additives.

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is AIP/keto/paleo-friendly, and is a good substitute for butter. It has a good shelf life, so it is a staple in our household. It’s especially useful for baking, as it does not tolerate higher heats well required in cooking methods like roasting or frying. I use it for baking all the time, though.

Ghee: Ghee is a clarified butter that is keto/paleo-friendly, and is often tolerated by some AIP folks. It is clarified to remove the lactose, which is why many can tolerate it. We bake and cook with it regularly.

Almond Butter:  If there were one food item, our family goes through faster than anything else, it would be almond butter. We LOVE almond butter and can quickly go through 2 jars in a week. Almond butter is not AIP friendly but will work on a keto/paleo diet. Almond butter is an excellent binder in recipes and creates a very gooey sort of texture in cookies and muffins. I love it.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

Eggs: Eggs are technically not a pantry item as they need refrigerated, but we use eggs frequently in baking. They are Paleo/Keto-friendly, but not AIP. I also recommend buying good quality, cage-free, organic eggs. Pete and Gerry’s is our favorite brand.

Flax Seed/Chia Seed/Hemp Seeds: These seeds are all great at creating texture in baking. They can play with your hormones a bit, so some recommend staying away, but I like to use them to help regulate my hormones by seed cycling. They are keto/paleo-friendly.

Shredded Coconut: Because oats are off-limits, I often use shredded coconut in its place for texture for recipes. It is AIP/Keto/Paleo friendly!

Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides: I use collagen in nearly every recipe I bake. It is an easy way to add healthy gut nourishing protein to a recipe. I really like using Thrive Market’s vanilla collagen peptides because it adds sweetness and flavor to a recipe without needing to add much additional sweetener. It is AIP/Keto/Paleo friendly!

I hope these explanations are helpful as you stock your pantry with some healthy alternatives for spring-time quarantine baking. Another perk of eating these alternatives is that you can most likely find these items in your grocery stores. While white flour and sugar may be sold out, I’d be willing to bet if your store carries specialty items, that they will still have things like almond flour and coconut sugar in stock.

Let me know in the comments if you have a favorite staple not listed here! Or if you love using one of the pantry items I listed!