Your task of cooking healthy foods will become a whole lot easier if you have a well stocked kitchen,… (Before you get stocked up, make sure you have a good understanding of how to get the most out of Spring.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • All ingredients should be organic where possible
  • Oils – Ghee, Coconut & Olive (cold pressed is best)
  • Spice rack – turmeric, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, ajwain seeds, asofoetida, chili flakes, coriander seeds, fenugreek, black pepper, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg
  • Himalayan rock salt or unrefined sea salt (do not use table salt)
  • Fresh herbs – try to grow some kitchen herbs so that what you’re using is as fresh (nutritious) as possible. Everyday herbs include – basil, coriander, parsley & mint. (also nettles & dandelion greens)
  • Dried Legumes – Chickpeas, Red lentils, Blue/poi lentils, Kidney beans (if you’re short on time you can use canned)
  • Grains: White & brown Basmati Rice, pearled barley, quinoa, rolled oats, rolled barley , rolled buckwheat & rolled millet
  • Flours – Besan/Gram, Barley, Spelt & Rye
  • Fresh organic vegetables & fruit – (needed for recipes) onions, tomatoes, spinach, kale, aubergine, red peppers, cauliflower, cabbage, radishes, potatoes, carrots, leeks, garlic, ginger, apples, pears, lemons, limes, blueberries & grapefruits
  • Dried fruits: dates, raisins, figs & prunes
  • Milk – Organic whole milk, Goats milk, Coconut milk, Almond Milk, Hemp seed milk (note: nut & seed milks make sure no emulsifiers/ preservatives)
  • Nuts & Seeds – Almonds, Brazils, pepitas, sunflower seeds,  Hemp seeds & sesame seeds
  • Sweeteners: Honey & Maple Syrup

Where to get ingredients

  • Organic grains/milk/dried legumes, etc – Health food shops and some supermarkets
  • Organic produce – check locally for suppliers/farmers – if you’re in Killaloe – Jim Cronin, Fran Wilkinson & Good & Green, the Sunday Farmers market; health food shops, Supervalu & Mckeoghs
  • Organic herbs & spices – Satmya & check your local health food shop. You can wildcraft certain herbs like nettles/cleavers/dandelion leaves, etc
  • Organic oils – Satmya, local health food shops, supervalu & some deli’s

Cookware

  • It’s best to use stainless steel, cast iron & ceramic cookware.
  • Do not use aluminum, teflon non-stick or plastic cook ware.
  • Do not use a microwave (under any circumstances)
  • Do not store food in plastic containers – use ceramic or glass
  • Kitchen system (blender/food processor) – in our recipes we use the Ninja Ultima  (http://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/3/ninja-ultima-blenders/16/ninja-ultima-kitchen-system/) Handy for sauces, nut milks, pestos, etc) but something similar is fine
  • Mortar & Pestle – generally the heavier the better. For grinding spices.
  • Always use natural cleaning products in your kitchen

If there’s anything you can’t find let us know & we’ll try to point you in the right direction

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