Store cupboard essentials - part 2

Store Cupboard Essentials

Here are some vegan cupboard essentials.

Long-Life Tofu

A great one to use for tofu scramble, as it is long life it will last ages.

Flaxseeds and Chia Seeds

These can both be used to replace eggs in baking. Mixing a tablespoon of either of these with a tablespoon of water, left to sit for a couple of minutes can replace eggs in baking. It won't have quite the same rise, but, add a little extra bit of baking powder and it will work well.

Nutritional Yeast

A brilliant way to add a cheesy flavour to vegan cooking.

Sparkling Water

Fizzy or sparkling water works great in vegan cooking. You basically use a little bit of fizzy water to replace each egg with a bit of extra bicarbonate of soda, giving a brilliant lift to vegan baking.

Chickpea Water

Chickpea water or aquafaba is a brilliant way to replace eggs in vegan baking and cooking.

Fresh Store Cupboard

These are fresh, more perishable ingredients that I use a lot of and always have on hand. I normally have a couple of different varieties of fresh herbs and will use them through my cooking. I keep a couple of soft herbs on hand; basil, mint and coriander and then one hardy herb like thyme or rosemary.

Lemon

I always have lemons in my kitchen. They are a brilliant way of bringing brightness and acidity into a meal.

Yoghurt

I usually have two types of yoghurt at home; a thick Greek yoghurt and coconut yoghurt. I use both for desserts, granola and breakfast but also for adding acidity to lots of different dishes.

Parmesan

Parmesan or a parmesan alternative adds a brilliant umami note meaning it's really great on top of pasta and pizza as well as soup.

Frozen Essentials

I keep a few different types of frozen vegetables, for us that's peas, sweetcorn and spinach. Frozen vegetables are great because they retain more nutrients. I also keep a few different kinds of frozen fruit on hand. Frozen cherries and strawberries are two of my personal favourites. I also freeze chillies, which you can grate into recipes. I put aromatics like chopped ginger and garlic in the freezer since they store incredibly well. Lime leaves, curry leaves, and lemongrass, for example, store extremely well in the freezer.

Store Cupboard Regulars

There are a few things that I make frequently from my store cupboard. I make a really simple puttanesca using; pasta, tinned tomato, olives, capers, a little bit of dried chilli, lemon and herbs. It is a very complete meal and easy to put together.

Chickpea Coconut Milk Stew

I'll use a jar of chickpeas, add a jar of coconut milk, some turmeric and even a garam masala blend and cook that down with a squeeze of lemon. I'll add green vegetables from the freezer or fridge. That's an almost instant creamy and protein-packed dinner.

Quinoa with greens

I'll cook quinoa for about 12 minutes in salted boiling water. I later mix that in with cooked veg, normally from the freezer so that's peas and frozen spinach. I then dress that in olive oil, some lemon and possibly some yoghurt and chopped herbs.

Black bean tacos

A couple of tins of black beans into a pan with a bit of chipotle paste, cinnamon and a bit of garlic. That can be used as a base to put on tacos or on top of yoghurt flatbreads. They are really versatile and easy.

Tofu broth

I get some veg stock, add some turmeric and then I'll add a handful of cooked noodles, egg noodles, udon noodles or whatever I have on hand. Then I add the cubed tofu from my cupboard.

Confit garlic

Peel garlic cloves, set them in a pan and cover them generously in cooking olive oil, heating them on very low heat for an hour to two hours until they become buttery and delicious. The cloves can be used to soups, braises, and stews, or mashed into dressings to dress roasted vegetables or salads.

Having some really good flavour-packed ingredients on hand for me is a great route to quick, easy and delicious meals.