Get Your Kitchen Ready to Cook Healthy

With the New Year rapidly approaching, you’re thinking to yourself “I need to start eating healthy again.”  But where do you begin?  Your fridge is full of leftovers and not all of them are good for your waist line.

Your Nanny has put together a list of things to stock in your kitchen so you can be ready to cook healthy. If you have these things handy, 
it will be a lot easier to prepare healthy meals. (Just make sure not to buy too much and use them regularly so they don't go to waste).

Here are the basics to keep on hand for healthy cooking:

1.  Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables to use in recipes.

2.  Whole grain breads (don't forget tortillas and pita bread) for yummy sandwiches or wraps.

3.  Keep healthy fats like olive oil and canola oil handy for cooking. 

4.  Keep some dark leafy greens handy for salads.

5.  Garlic, onions, carrots, and celery are great in many dishes and make good soup starters.

6.  Dried fruit, unsalted nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc), beans, and seeds make great   snacks as well as salad ingredients.

7.  Instead of the typical "refined" staples, stock up on staples like brown rice, white Basmati rice, whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and wild rice. They're usually only a few pennies more, but much healthier.

8.  Frozen fruit and berries for smoothies and desserts.

9.  Beans such as lentils, black beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), black-eyed peas, kidney beans, fava beans, and lima beans.

10. Frozen corn, peas, and other vegetables for a side dish or to add to recipes.

11.  Herbs and spices (fresh or dried) for your favorite recipes.

12.  Flavorful vinegars (balsamic, red wine, fruit vinegars) can add a healthy tang to salads and veggies.

13.  Aged or dry cheeses, (Parmesan, Romano, blue cheese, etc) are always handy for added flavor in salads, pasta, and soups.

Once your kitchen is stocked with these basic items you’re set!

Now start cooking healthier!