Things to have on hand

[Guest guest]

Instead of the normal Christmas gifts this year I have asked my

parents to take me shopping. I don't have a Trader Joes or stores

like that where I live but will be visiting them for Christmas and

they have better stores.

 

What kind of things that keep do you have on hand? I want some dried

soy or rice milk. Any favorite brands? I might by a sample there

and then get it online if I like it. I do eat dairy but can't stand

milk so use the rice or soy milk.

 

I know I want beans and dried fruit but hopefully you can give me

some other ideas. I don't like canned vegetables except for corn.

I don't eat sugar but will eat honey, maple syrup, or molasses. I

can bake but can't really cook althogh I have made a couple of

recipes from here.

 

Anyway, please give me some of the things you have on hand.

 

Thanks,

Uhura

[Guest guest]

Uhura,

    If you get to shop in some neat stores that have a lot of interesting foods,

my suggestion of " things to have on hand " would include different kinds of

rice(s).  Some places sell it from

bulk bins where you can measure it out in bags to pay for by weight, and many

places carry pre-packaged fancy rice blends (Lundberg brand is really good).  I

have several kinds

of rice in my pantry that I keep in empty " salsa " jars, all stacked up.

 

    Other grains that are good and taste really nice in mixed dishes, stews,

soups, or as breakfast hot cooked grains or in a pilaf are:  whole oat groats,

buckwheat (if you can find

" TOASTED " whole buckwheat groats, that is a real treat!  There are also " bulgur "

(quick-cooking cracked wheat grains), spelt grain " berries " , kamut grain, rye

grain " berries " , different varieties of whole wheat grain " berries " and wild

rice.  Oh yeah, and not to forget

barley grains (such as " pearled " or whole barley.

 

     You can sometimes find other grain items, such as coarse cracked dried

hominy and

there are two or three kinds of quinoa grains.

 

      You can also look for baking ingredients in a bulk-bin aisle: different

flours, nutritional

yeast, raw or roasted nuts and edible seeds, various kinds of pastas are also

available.

 

      Really, if you have the opportunity to get things in one of those really

cool stores like

Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, etc, you can come out with some really interesting

and useful foods.  The pantry foods that don't need refrigeration are really

easy to bring home

if you have to travel long distances. 

 

     A year ago last October, I helped my daughter move across the country.  She

and her

husband settled in Arizona (which is pretty far from our home state of

Illinois). There were

two very lovely natural food stores in the area where she lives now, and, before

I flew back home, I stopped there and just DROOLED over all the really exotic

(to me, at least!) foods

they had there.  I purchased several things and, since all of them were

non-perishables,

l tucked them into my suitcase and flew back with them--later to stash them into

my trusty " pantry jars " to make future meals out of during the blustery midwest

winter we had last year--as we had one ice storm after another and snowfall

after snowfall! 

 

     That trip (to those wonderful food stores) was the start, actually, of my

" vegetarian " food pantry.  My " bean collection " really took off from that time! 

I still love to see what to try and what to combine when I cook something...my

" pantry stuff " is a mainstay of most of my cooking!

 

     I wish you well in your shopping adventure!  Have a Merry Christmas and

safe travels, too!

 

--Laura B., in Illinois

 (BTW, I love your name!)

 

     PS: Any specialty food item that is shelf-stable is good to have on hand,

too.  Flavorings, herbs, spices, seasoning blends, and so on.  I like to look

for seasoning ingredients, although it is generally true that getting LARGE

amounts of herbs is not good--they lose flavor over time if not used fairly

often and replaced often.

-L.B.

 

    Posted by: " pierce407720032003 " sacornelius pierce407720032003

    Mon Dec 15, 2008 4:49 pm ((PST))

 

Instead of the normal Christmas gifts this year I have asked my

parents to take me shopping.  I don't have a Trader Joes or stores

like that where I live but will be visiting them for Christmas and

they have better stores.

 

What kind of things that keep do you have on hand?  I want some dried

soy or rice milk.  Any favorite brands?  I might by a sample there

and then get it online if I like it.  I do eat dairy but can't stand

milk so use the rice or soy milk. 

 

I know I want beans and dried fruit but hopefully you can give me

some other ideas.  I don't like canned vegetables except for corn. 

I don't eat sugar but will eat honey, maple syrup, or molasses.  I 

can bake but can't really cook althogh I have made a couple of

recipes from here. 

 

Anyway, please give me some of the things you have on hand. 

 

Thanks,

Uhura