2021 Staples for Building a Plant-Based Pantry

by Michelle Byrt February 17, 2021

Adding more plant-based nutrients to your diet for 2021 can be as simple as having those wholesome ingredients right at your fingertips, inside your own pantry!

Pantry staples, if stored properly, can last a really long time. And having a well-stocked plant-based pantry means you’ll reach for nutrient dense foods that keep you full longer rather than those processed foods that find you hungry again the very next hour.

Even our own Good Stock Food’s, Chef Michelle, admits that after a day of cooking in the Good Stock kitchens, she lacks the energy to do a grocery shop and then make a full meal, but having pantry items on hand makes whipping up a hearty meal so much easier!

Here are some of the plant based pantry staples our own Chef Michelle can’t live without in her pantry!

Cashews: You can soak them and blend into smoothies or mix with water for a cashew milk.
Nutritional Yeast: Add to sauces to make a hearty cheesy meal or sprinkle on popcorn or salads for an immunity and energy boost – plus did you know nutritional yeast is an excellent source of protein!
Seeds: Pumpkin, sunflower, chia, sesame, flax and hemp seeds are fantastic to throw onto salads, oatmeal or in energy balls! They are packed with fibre and help reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure!
Canned Tomatoes: You can whip up a pasta sauce, a homemade soup or a casserole with a good old can of tomatoes! They are an excellent source of the antioxidant lycopene which lowers the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer and poor eyesight!
Frozen Berries: For a vitamin C boost, add frozen berries to smoothies, cereals, or as a salad or coconut yogurt topper.
Pasta: We especially love the Kaslo Sourdough pasta that we have at Good Stock. It has zero salt, is quick cooking and vegan friendly. We also love a good rice noodle! We carry Rice Ramen at Good Stock and have been experimenting with them ourselves!

Tempeh: is a plant-based protein source that originated in Indonesia. It's made from fermented soybeans that have been formed into a block. Chef Michelle loves to pan fry it and sprinkle a healthy dose of taco seasoning on it for a quick weeknight taco!
Maple Syrup: if you’re looking for a touch of sweetness to add to your recipes, maple syrup is our go to!
Plant Milk: Chef Michelle loves to have oat milk on hand in her pantry, but any nut or plant based milk can do. Experiment and find your favourite.
Walnuts: if you’re looking for something a little heartier, Chef Michelle loves to make walnut meat. Grind them up and mix in a taco seasoning for tacos or roll into a meatball for a fast plant-based and protein filled meal.
Fresh Fruit: Chef Michelle always has a bowl of fresh fruit on the pantry shelf. A piece of fruit like apples, bananas, oranges, berries or grapes can be a quick boost of energy for that 3pm slump.
Taco Wraps: tortillas are so versatile. Bake them into chips for crunch, fill them with salad or protein for a quick lunch, or wrap them around your favourite taco filling for an easy dinner.

Oats: Chef Michelle loves to have oats on hand for fast easy breakfast or a hearty energy ball recipe.
Teas: get in those extra nutrients and water with a variety of tea leaves in your pantry. They are perfect for salad dressings or just beverages of all kinds, cold or hot.
Dates: dates can replace an entire cup of sugar in most baking recipes. 9 pitted medjool dates and a bit of water in a blender is the perfect substitution for 1 cup of sugar, in any bread or loaf recipe you love.
Red Lentils: lentils are so unassuming yet packed with protein. Throw them into soups or stews, blend for sauces and freeze the leftovers for a quick protein punch in any recipe. They freeze beautifully once cooked.

Superfood powders: superfood powders do wonderful things to smoothies and baking! We love the superfood powders from New Earth Organics!
Beans and Chickpeas: black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas are amazing for filling your dishes with protein. We love beans for Mexican inspired dishes and chickpeas can make a fast curry or hummus for dips! Fresh or canned, beans and chickpeas are a fast easy go to if you have them in your pantry!
Fresh Greens: having either fresh or frozen greens on hand can help fill those soups, stews and curries with plant-based goodness! Spinach, kale, sprouts, green beans, peas and broccoli add so much colour and nutrients to any meal.
Almond or Peanut Butter: Again nuts! We’re all about the power of nuts. They offer a concentrated source of nutrition and protein. Peanut butter is also a good source of copper, a mineral that maintains bone health, immune function and blood vessel health. We like all-natural peanut butter, as some brands can add sugar and trans fats. So read your labels!
Cacao Powder: we all get a craving for chocolate from time to time! Unsweetened cacao powder or nibs are rich sources of minerals and give you a rich chocolate taste without the added sugar and processed products of cocoa powder. Mix with a blended avocado for a rich dessert mousse!
Prairie Melt: Our vegan melt-able cheese is definitely a staple! We may not store it in the pantry but it’s definitely worth having on hand, because we believe everyone – even those allergic to nuts or dairy, should be able to eat cheese! Our potato based vegan cheese is light and gooey and 100% tasty. It is perfect for anyone with food sensitivities.

Did you know we sell many pantry items at Good Stock? Pop online and search our Pantry Ingredient section for all kinds of amazing plant based pantry products from numerous local vendors right here in Alberta!

We took Chef Michelle’s list and decided to see just how many of these ingredients we could squeeze into one Plant Powered Pantry fueled recipe! Here’s what we came up with!

Get creative in your kitchen and share your plant pantry powered recipes with us! We’d love to see what you do! Send your kitchen foodie photos to us on any of our social platforms!

Valentine’s Day Pink Plant Powered Energy Balls

3 TBSP of coconut oil
1/3 cup of organic cacao powder
1 TBSP of Maple Syrup
1 cap of vanilla
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Melt all ingredients above together in a pot on low

In a blender mix your nuts and seeds together!
9 medjool dates
1 cup of cashews
1/3 cup of hemp seeds
1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup of sunflower seeds
1/3 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut

Add dry ingredients to warmed chocolate mixture.

Stir together well

Roll into balls with your hands

Mix together unsweetened shredded coconut and sprinkle in New Earth Organics Beet Root Powder

Roll chocolate balls into coconut/beet root powder for the perfect Valentine’s Day energy balls!