Beverages

• Water* (plain or with lemon)
• Plant milks (almond*, organic oat and soy*)
• Tea
  • • Coffee
    • Green tea* including Matcha
    • Herbal tea*
    • Hibiscus tea*
    • Rooibos teas
    • Plant milks (almond, oat and soy*)
    • Tulsi tea*
    • Turmeric & ginger tea*
    • Water* (plain, sparkling or with lemon)

Tips:

• Choose decaf and herbal teas if you are avoiding caffeine.
• Hibiscus and rooibos teas are naturally caffeine free and rich in antioxidants. Hibiscus tea is known for its ability to aid with digestion and both Hibiscus and rooibos support healthy blood pressure.
• When purchasing plant milks, make sure to read the ingredients carefully. Some varieties include sugar and other additives.
• Adding lemon to your water increases its alkalinity as well as creates a great detoxifying and energizing drink.
• Drink filtered water if your tap water is not safe. Check with your local water supply company or www.ewg.org/tapwater/

Grains

• Barley (if not gluten-free)
• Buckwheat*
• Corn meal / polenta
• Millet*
• Oats* – organic (old-fashioned and steel cut)
• Quinoa*
• Rice (arborio, basmati, black, brown, jasmine)
• Rye (not gluten-free)
• 100% Whole Stone Ground Organic Wheat (not gluten-free)
• Wild rice*

Tips:

• Store grains in airtight containers in your pantry. It’s fun to mix different kinds of rice when cooking to add variety and texture.
• Soaking grains overnight prior to cooking not only speeds the cooking time, but also eliminates the phytic acid that prevents the absorption of minerals (zinc, calcium, magnesium) and improves digestibility.
• Make sure to buy organic oats and most grown in the U.S. are contaminated with glyphosate.

¹ If you have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity, it is recommended to avoid all forms of gluten. The impact of gluten consumption on the health of individuals who do not have gluten issues is still under investigation. If you choose to include gluten in your diet, we recommend consuming 100% whole organic grains and avoiding wheat fillers found in processed foods.   

Flour

• Almond*
• Buckwheat*
• Cassava
• Chickpea
• Fava bean*
• Kumat
• Oat*
• Sorghum*
• Teff*

Tips:

• If you don’t use flour often, it is best to store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
• Experiment by mixing flours in order to get the right consistency and flavor when baking.
• Buckwheat, chickpea, fava bean, and teff flours have strong flavors. We’ve found that teff’s strong earthy flavor is a great compliment to chocolate and chickpea’s strong bitter flavor is best used in savor dishes.

Pasta

• Chickpea
• Mung bean
• Quinoa-brown rice pasta
• Red lentil*
• Wheat (if not gluten sensitive)

Tips:

• Be careful when shopping as some pastas are made with egg.
• Chickpea pasta is a firm pasta that works great in soups and stews as it won’t turn gummy or mushy.
• Quinoa-brown rice and mung bean pastas have a mild taste and mimics standard gluten-based pasta.
• Red lentil pasta is best eaten the same day it’s cooked as it tends to dry out quickly when stored in the fridge.

Legumes

• Beans (black, pinto, kidney, red)
• Black-eyed peas
• Chickpeas/garbanzo beans*
• Lentils* (black, green, French (mini), red)
• Mung dal
• Split peas*

Hints:

• Beans are very acidic. Soaking beans overnight in a strong concentration of lemon or lime water helps to lower their acidity and make them easier to digest.
• Also, to de-­‐gas the beans, begin cooking by bringing to a fast boil for 10 minutes then turn off heat and let sit for 5-­‐10 minutes. Rinse beans well before refilling the pot with water and continue cooking as usual. You can also add a bit of dried seaweed to the beans while cooking to improve digestibility.

Nuts (opt for organic, raw)

• Almonds*  
• Brazil
• Cashews
• Pecans
• Pistachios
• Walnuts

Tips:

• Nuts are cheaper to purchase in bulk.
• Storing nuts in the freezer will extend their life.

Herbs

• Basil*
• Cilantro*
• Dill*
• Mint*
• Oregano*
• Parsley*
• Rosemary*
• Sage*
• Stevia*
• Thyme*

Tips:

• If possible, grow your own fresh, organic herbs.

Seasonings

• Garlic* (fresh and granular)
• Nutritional yeast
• Raw cocoa powder
• Salt (sea salt and some with iodine)
• Tamari, soy sauce, and/or Braggs amino acids
• Various spices such as cumin* and chili powder, curry, etc.

Tips:

• Fill your spice cabinet with the flavors you enjoy tasting.
• The spices we use more often are: basil, oregano, cumin, chili powder, garlic, curry, turmeric, saffron, cayenne pepper.

Oils/Vinegars

• Apple cider vinegar*
• Avocado oil*
• Balsamic vinegar
• Coconut oil* (cold pressed)
• Flaxseed oil*
• Grapeseed oil
• Hemp oil*
• Olive oil*
• Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
• Walnut oil

Tips:

• When purchasing vinegars, watch out for vinegars that have caramel coloring added.
• Store flaxseed and hemp oil in the refrigerator.
• For high heat frying, use coconut oil since it has a high flash point.

Sweeteners

• Date paste* (see recipe below)
• Raw honey* (local if possible)
• Pure maple syrup
• Raw agave syrup
• Raw coconut sugar*
• Stevia leaf * (ground)

Tips:

• Avoid using white processed sugar (i.e. cane sugar and brown sugar).
• To make date paste, in a small bowl add 1 cup of dates and 1/4 cup of water. Let sit for 15 min then put in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Store in airtight container in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• When purchasing honey, opt for local, raw and make sure to read the ingredients carefully as some brands include caramel coloring or other additives.

Prepackaged foods

• Almond butter*
• Baking Powder (aluminum-free and non-GMO if made with cornstarch)
• Baking Soda (aluminum-free)
• Canned beans (preferably cook your own)
• Dark chocolate
• Dates*
• Miso paste
• Raisins
• Shredded coconut*
• Seaweed* (dulse, nori, kelp, etc.)
• Stewed tomatoes
• Tahini*
• Tomatoes (stewed, diced and paste)
• Vegetable broth

Hints:

• Avoid prepackaged foods with added sugar and preservatives.
• When purchasing dark chocolate, read the ingredients carefully as many brands include milk and refined sugars. We enjoy eating Theo’s 85% dark chocolate and Alter Eco’s 95% dark chocolate mint.