10 Kitchen Pantry Essentials

1. Flour
Not just for the baker who requires this essential ingredient for almost any recipe, flour is useful to have on-hand for dredging meat as well as thickening gravies, sauces and soups.

2. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This “healthy fat” is wonderful for everyday cooking. Extra virgin olive oil is a great substitute for butter or margarine. Use it also for sautéing onions and garlic, drizzling over salads, add it to a bruschetta mixture, and more.

3. Balsamic Vinegar
This delectable condiment is excellent as a drizzle over fresh strawberries or use it as a finishing glaze on meats and fish. And of course, combine it with extra virgin olive oil for a simple salad dressing.

4. Chicken Broth
Stock up on stock! The base of any quick and easy soup, sauce or gravy is ready-made broth. Non-meat eaters can opt for the vegetarian version for an equivalent alternative.

5. Canned Tomatoes
Whole, crushed or diced—stock up on all different types of tomatoes to use in everything from stews and soups to a homemade salsa. With a can of tomatoes, you can also make a quick and easy homemade pasta sauce by heating it on the stove and adding salt, fresh garlic, spices, onions and your favourite vegetables.

6. Dried Pasta
Most packaged varieties take 10 minutes or less to cook, so a pasta dish topped with homemade tomato sauce can be ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes! Stock up on a variety of pasta types including tubular shapes like rigatoni, short-cut varieties such as fusilli and elbow macaroni, and long noodles such as linguine and angel hair pasta.

7. Red Kidney Beans
Whether you prefer the dried or the canned variety, these beans are an excellent source of fibre and protein. Use them to make your favourite chillis and stews.

8. Canned Tuna
From sandwiches to casseroles, canned tuna is the ingredient to reach for to make a variety of healthy and dazzling meals. Best of all, tuna is high in protein and low in fat.

9. Mustard
This versatile condiment is available in endless varieties. Opt for whole grain, which is excellent in sandwiches, or as a dressing or marinade. For those whose taste buds enjoy a kick, reach for the Dijon on the grocery shelf.

10. Chickpeas
Low in sodium and high in fibre, these delicious legumes can be used in a variety of ways. Also known as garbanzo beans, buy the canned version, drain and rinse them, and then toss into salads or an Indian curry—or mash them up to make a hummus.

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