As some of you may know, there are some foods that we just always have to have on hand, because we can’t do without them! Since I try to eat as healthy as possible, I need to have these healthy staple foods in my kitchen, all the time!
In no particular order…
1. Oats! I love oats so much, I even wrote a post about them. I like having a nice warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, and they are so good for you! I also put them in my smoothies, pancakes, cookies, yogurt, and other baked goods. They are amazing!
2. Beans. Okay, I don’t eat them that much, but when I do, I love them. I throw kidney beans into my salads, and I throw black beans into my hummus wrap to bulk up on the fiber and protein to fill me up. I’ve also mixed black beans with rice and that actually makes a pretty decent meal. I love having them on hand because they are versatile. Also–you can bake with them to healthify baked goods, but I haven’t gone down that road yet. Maybe soon!
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3. Hummus. I love hummus!! I eat it on sandwiches, in place of mayo, or as a dip with veggies or pretzels for a snack. I can make an entire meal out of it, with spinach and goat cheese on a pita wrap. And the flavors are endless–roasted red pepper, garlic, olive, sun dried tomato, roasted pine nut, spinach and artichoke–they are all delicious!
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4. Spinach. Spinach is SO healthy for you. I steam it and throw it into smoothies and its barely detectable (besides the green color!), and the benefits are great. I also eat spinach salads all the time, throw it into scrambled eggs, onto sandwiches, and onto pizza. Yum.
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5. Greek Yogurt. I eat one container of Greek yogurt a day, because since I tried Chobani, I haven’t eaten any other kind! Its a great source of protein (14g usually), and its so thick and creamy, even for non-fat yogurt. Again, I bake with it sometimes, and it makes a great topping to oats, and even pancakes. And plain non-fat Greek yogurt makes a great sour cream substitute.
6. Canned pumpkin. Pure canned pumpkin is all the rage, especially in baking! I make a super easy cupcake recipe that included a can of pumpkin and a box of spice cake mix, and that’s it. So easy and it tastes SO GOOD! Also–you can make all types of baked goods with it, including chocolate cake or cupcakes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin butter, and even throw it in your oats. Its low in fat and high in fiber–always a good thing.
Obviously, I could write about tons more (goat cheese, eggs, bananas, quinoa, etc!) but these are my favorite!!
What are some of the healthy food items you can’t live without?
I probably couldn’t live without fruits in my life! Oranges are my faves but also grapes, mangoes, apples – and lots more. For veggies – bell peppers rock my world (and it’s probably the only vegetable that does
I LOVE BLACK BEANS, they are like my favorite thing ever… sooooo yummy! I love salsa too, it’s such a great way to make things a little more exciting with very few calories and lots of veggies
Salsa + Black Beans + Tortilla Chips with a little cheddar cheese = favorite thing.
Of course I love fresh fruit and veggies themselves, nothing beats ‘em!
I agree with this whole list! I would add Teddie’s Unsalted Peanut Butter to my list. I eat it most days of the week
Ha! I ate every single one of those foods today. Oh, and after being a TJ’d roasted red pepper fanatic forever, I just discovered Tomato & Basil while visiting my sister. I made pizza with it!
Oatmeal, yogurt, cheese, flax seeds or nuts, more yogurt.
I have a new batch in the yogurt maker right now.
Hummus frequently, but not continuously.
And chocolate – that’s healthy, right?!
yes! Dark chocolate!!!
I eat tuna for lunch just about daily. So many different healthy ways to prepare it and it’s so filling. I love your idea of using hummus as a mayo replacement. I eat hummus all the time but never thought of using it that way… I’ll definitely be trying it soon. Thanks for the suggestion!
I can’t live without my peanut butter, but like you, i also love the Chobani yogurts — plus, they’re produced locally, which makes them even better!
Your favorite healthy foods are mine too! They’re great because they’re all so versatile. Thanks for sharing!
Emily
Chobani Greek Yogurt
Kefir! I love it and the probiotics are SO good for you!
What exactly IS Kefir?
Kefir is made from milk and it’s sort of like a yogurt smoothie. It’s delicious! Yogurt usually has 5 active cultures in it (if we’re lucky) and kefir usually has about 12. Hannaford sells a local version of it in it’s organic dairy section. The pomegranate one is my favorite!