Karen’s 8 Pantry Staples, Pasta with Smashed Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula (Pasta con Pomodorini Schiacciati)

A healthy lifestyle starts at home, and stocking up your pantry with clean ingredients is a GREAT way to establish a wellness-based lifestyle from the inside out.

I put together a list of eight pantry staples that I keep stocked in my pantries year-round, all of which are versatile and can be used in a variety of healthy and delicious ways.

Read on for eight healthy pantry staples and my top fave!

1. Nut Butters:

Whether you’re more of an almond butter lover or you opt for cashew butter or keep things classic with my husbands fave, peanut butter, I encourage you to stock up on nut butters for all occasions! Slather some on a banana, add a dollop to your smoothie bowl, or incorporate nut butters into your favorite baking recipes – there are a TON of ways to enjoy nut butters!

2. Oils:

Coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil are a few of my favorite cooking and baking oils. These healthy sources of fats add delicious flavor to salads, baking and cooking, and are always nifty to have on hand.

3. Seeds and Nuts

Chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds – plant your way to a healthy lifestyle by stocking up on these small yet powerful ingredients. I also love my my crispy nuts and they are a perfectly delicious way to finish off any salad 😋

4. Spices and Fresh Herbs:

Transform simple dishes and drinks from simple to savory (or sweet!) with a little spice. I love to include everything from cinnamon to savory spices like turmeric and cayenne pepper. Keep your pantries prepared for all occasions. Of course whenever possible, use fresh herbs from your garden, or in my case, from my pots on my outdoor patio. In this pasta dish I am featuring, I used a good quality olive oil when cooking and also finished it off with a drizzle of truffle oil.

5. Homemade or Good Quality Store Bought Granola

Granolas are a delicious and practical snack to keep on hand for breakfast, as a snack or use in your favorite recipes. I have several granola recipes on my blog, including this raw version and this savory one. Since it’s pumpkin season, you may want to start with this recipe. I’ve also used them in these healthy but delicious cookies.

My favorite store bought one is this one or this one or this one or this one😂. They’re all delicious and a perfect way to top off a smoothie or an oat bowl!

6. Non-Dairy Milks

Macadamia milk, almond milk, pea milk, hemp milk, coconut milk – there are a ton of non-dairy milks that you can keep stored in your pantry for future usage. Purchase your favorites in advance so that you’re never short on non-dairy milk when you need to make a favorite baking recipe! I also love making my oats with coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk. They get SOOO CREAMY!

7. Dark Chocolate

If you’re anything like me, chocolate is an absolute essential ingredient to your lifestyle 😉 Luckily for us all, dark chocolate is known for its antioxidant health properties when consumed in moderation, which is why I keep a bag or two of these babies in our pantries at all times!

My all time favorite, no questions asked, is HU Chocolate. I have a square almost every night after dinner with this tea. I also add like to add to my oatmeal occasionally. OK…..almost every Friday after my long run I will sit down and enjoy a bowl of creamy oats with a small amount of Hu Chocolate melting into it.

Oats made any which way are definitely my favorite post run meal!

8. Dates, Raw Honey, Coconut Sugar, or Maple Syrup

Honey (or maple syrup, or coconut sugar, or date nectar if you are vegan) is a natural sweetener with health benefits that I love to keep on hand for everything from my evening tea, to a topping off my sourdough toast.

So there you go….8 pantry staple plus this delicious new pasta dish recipe I recently made before my long run Friday…it’s EPIC!

It is one of those dishes that is effortless and relies on extraordinary ingredients. I used my best EVO, garden fresh cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil from my patio. If you don’t have fresh basil, use dried but make sure it is fresh. Also remember to add dried herbs while you are cooking and if you’re using fresh, add more as a garnish.

This is delicious and so easy to whip up 😋

Pasta con Pomodorini Schiacciate e Ruchetta or

PASTA WITH SMASHED CHEERY TOMATOES AND ARUGULA

INGREDIENTS:

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 lb pound of pasta (I used this one)
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 bunch arugula or other spicy green
• ½ cup freshly grated pecorino

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium-low in a large sauté pan. When water boils, stir in pasta.
3. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, and basil to oil in sauté pan, increase heat to medium-high and, when tomatoes start to shrivel and collapse, reduce heat to low and cook until softened but not shapeless, about 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.
4. Drain pasta and add to tomatoes, folding both together. Add some pasta water if needed for moistening. Fold in arugula and remaining oil. When arugula has just wilted, season dish with salt and pepper. Serve with a dusting of cheese and more fresh basil.

---

Which pantry items do you stock?

OR of the ones I listed, which are your favorites and are you low on any?

Do you have a herb garden?