Eating Green: Healthy Pantries

Whole Foods Market is making it easy to stock up and meet your New Year health resolutions with a list of their Top 10 healthy pantry staples for quick, affordable, tasty meals that won’t break the bank. Shoppers can stock a healthier pantry that, with a few fresh ingredients, herbs and spices, will give them everything they need to cook a range of healthy snack and dinner recipes from Quinoa with Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms to Black Bean Hummus.

 

Here are the 10 versatile essentials:

     1.     Black beans –great for soups, salads, spreads and dips as Chef Chad Sarno demonstrates in this cooking video.

     2.     Lentils – hearty addition for a healthy chili dish, stew or soup like Indian Red Lentil Soup or Lentils, Brown Rice and Caramelized Onions (Mujadara)
     3.     Quinoa –can be served pilaf-style, stuffed inside peppers, served as an alternative to oatmeal for breakfast and even used for burgers! To incorporate some seasonal veggies, try Quinoa with Roasted Veggies
     4.     Low-sodium vegetable broth – culinary staple for sautéing vegetables in addition to a soup base

     5.     Rolled oats – January is National Oatmeal Month!  Try Apple-Scented Breakfast Oatmeal and Buckwheat for a hearty breakfast, or add oats to a range of desserts

     6.     Whole wheat pasta –making the switch to whole wheat is one of the easiest ways to make a small change for healthier meal options.
     7.     Balsamic vinegar –drizzle this over a range of dishes from salads to roasted vegetables with this high-flavor, healthful topping.
     8.     Almond milk –this is a must for breakfast, baked goods, desserts, smoothies … you name it!
     9.     Diced tomatoes (When fresh isn’t available, canned tomatoes are an easy & healthy alternative to add into soups, stews, chili or to a main entrée)
     10.   Frozen fruits and veggies—picked and frozen at the peak of freshness, it’s easy to throw in frozen veggies to a soup, pasta or stir-fry dish and frozen fruit is a great addition to smoothies or hot cereals in the morning.

 

 

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM) is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company's motto “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s nearly 60,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 14 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2010, the company had sales of more than $9 billion and currently has more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.