Making use of pantry staples
As people spend more at home these days, you may find yourself in the kitchen more often. Whether preparing meals and snacks for the family, or just looking for projects to keep busy, now is a real opportunity to get creative with shelf-stable foods for cooking and food preparation.
Even if you are following less of a daily structure or routine right now, creating and following a plan for your meals is still important. You want to make sure you are effectively using the groceries you have on hand, so take time to choose a few recipes for the week. Make sure to get input from family members on the meal plan! Assembly recipes like tacos, grain “Buddha Bowls” or individual pizzas can be fun and nutritious options, and are dishes the whole family can enjoy by each creating their own masterpiece.
Whether you are a seasoned home cook or a novice in the kitchen, here are tips for cooking with staple ingredients that are always good to keep stocked in your pantry, especially at a time when a trip to the grocery store for fresh ingredients may not be as simple as usual.
Beans: Canned or dry beans are an inexpensive protein source and are the building block for a number of dishes. For example, cooked beans can be added to salads, stir fries, or as part of a hearty chili. They can be pureed and used to thicken a soup or to create a dip like hummus. They can even boost the nutrition in baked goods!
Pasta and rice: Consider batch cooking your grains like pasta, quinoa and rice. This not only reduces your prep time, it provides you with an unseasoned base that can be transformed in to a variety of dishes. For example, one night you may have pasta and meat sauce, and the next day you could make a pasta salad using the leftover noodles.
Vegetables: Boost the veggies in a casserole, shepherd’s pie or soup by using canned vegetables. Think canned tomatoes, green beans, peas and corn for these dishes. Frozen vegetables are a great choice for stir fries, while root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips and carrots are delicious when roasted with your favourite spices.
Try Something New: Have a recipe in an old cookbook you’ve been wanting to try, or one you’ve bookmarked on your computer? This is the time to make it! Perhaps there is a new cuisine that you have never sampled before, or a new cooking technique you would like to test out. Who knows, you may discover a new favourite meal.
While you get your children involved in helping to decide what’s for dinner, it’s also a great idea to get them doing some of the food prep. Encouraging kids to take part in cooking meals and baking is fun for them and, over time, will encourage them to become more adventurous eaters as well as more confident cooks themselves. Younger children can start out washing fruits and veggies, pouring measured ingredients, stirring, or adding toppings, while older children can help with the chopping, measuring, and reading recipes. A perfect learning opportunity! Your teenagers may surprise you by whipping up dinners for the whole family before you know it.
If you need inspiration, try out this hearty, fragrantly spiced curry. Most of the heat in this dish comes from jalapeño rather than dried chili powder, giving it a fresher flavour and extra texture. Feel free to cut back the amount of jalapeño if you prefer a milder curry. Top with sliced green onions, chopped fresh tomatoes and plain yogurt.
RED KIDNEY BEAN TOFU CURRY WITH BROWN BASMATI RICE
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) PC Brown Basmati Rice, rinsed 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) each ground coriander and ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground turmeric
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
1 can (796 mL) PC Blue Menu Whole Tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 pkg (500 g) PC Blue Menu Red Kidney Beans Frozen
1 pkg (350 g) PC Blue Menu Extra Firm Tofu, cut into 1/4 inch (5 mm) cubes
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
DIRECTIONS:
1.Combine rice and 2-½ cups water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until all water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
2.Meanwhile, heat oil in separate large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
3.Add crushed tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Stir in frozen beans and tofu; return to a simmer.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and liquid is slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
4.Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Serve over rice.
Chef’s Tip: Crushing canned whole tomatoes with your hands gives this curry a hearty, chunky texture. To avoid a mess, it’s best to pour the can into a large bowl to crush them. If you prefer a smoother texture, purée the tomatoes and juices in a blender or food processor instead. Most of the heat in this dish comes from jalapeño so feel free to cut back the amount of jalapeño if you prefer a milder curry. Finally, top with sliced green onions, chopped fresh tomatoes and plain yogurt.
Serves 6
Per Serving: 430 calories, fat 10 g (2 g of it saturated), sodium 420 mg, carbohydrate 65 g, fibre 10 g, protein 16 g Recipe source: pc.ca
Do you have a nutrition health goal in mind?
The Atlantic Superstore dietitian team can coach you to success! At this time, individuals can set up a personalized phone consultation at bookadietitian.ca or email us for more information at dietitian@loblaw.ca.
All group events and presentations, in store and in the community, have been cancelled until further notice.