Desiree Nielsen’s PLANT-BASED PANTRY ESSENTIALS

LONG-HAUL VEGGIES

“I feel like I can’t cook if my veggie drawer is [empty], so I always stock it with long-haul ingredients— things that aren’t going to go bad in a heartbeat, like carrots, onions and celery. Then I can always whip up a soup. So I recommend having two to three long-storage vegetables that are easy to prep.”

NO-EFFORT GREENS

“I always want some sort of easy green, like pre-washed spinach. If I make a meal that doesn’t have a lot of vegetables in it or I don’t have time to chop, [I can just toss it in]. Coleslaw is also an unsung hero of the produce aisle. You can stir-fry it into noodles or make a little slaw [to have] on top of tacos.”

HANDY PROTEIN

“I always have canned and dried beans—dried beans are for the weekend [when there’s time] to soak up a big batch, while canned beans last forever, and all you have to do is rinse them and then throw them into anything. Tofu and smoked tofu are really big for me—it’s instant protein. You can slice it, eat it like cheese or have it in a sandwich. Smoked tofu is the perfect beginner’s tofu because there’s no marinating necessary.”

FLAVOUR BUILDERS

“There are also some big flavour staples I rely on. Umami-building ingredients are really important, which is why I live and die by Better Than Bouillon. It’s 10 times more delicious than boxed broth; it adds a far richer flavour. Nutritional yeast is a plant-based cliché, but it’s delicious. It’s not quite a cheesy flavour; it’s more of a fermented flavour, which is a note we get in aged cheeses. And in addition to herbs and spices, garlic and onion powder [are great] for when a recipe is lacking depth.” ●