Metabolism-Boosting Pantry Staples
You already know olive oil and vinegar, but stock up these unexpected items to feed your metabolism, boost your heart health, and create delicious meals and snacks
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We all know the basics we should always have on hand: olive oil, balsamic and red wine vinegar, basil and oregano, salt and pepper (can you tell I am Italian?). However, there are a handful of items that are nutritional powerhouses that do not usually come to the top of your mind.
In this post I want to share with you…
My list of overlooked staples to boost your health, weight loss, and recipe magic
Their nutritional benefits
How to use them for amazing easy meals
Now let’s get into the good stuff!
1. Chia seeds.
These little guys are good for your heart, bones, and weight loss goals. They absorb a ton of liquid, and that volume takes up a lot of real estate in your tummy to fill you up. In addition to that benefit, they also are rich in nutrients like omega 3 fats, protein, calcium, magnesium (in which most of us are deficient), phosphorus, and fiber.
You can add them to salads or smoothies, but my favorite way to eat them is chia seed pudding.
Basic Chia Seed Pudding:
The starting combination is 4 tablespoons of chia seeds to one cup milk and a squirt of honey or sweetener of choice. You can add a bit more milk if you want the pudding to be thinner, and you can try different types of dairy and plant-based milks, which makes this something you can experiment with to find multiple options you love (FYI, my favorite is unsweetened almond milk, which provides a total blank canvas for add-ins). Then let set for several hours – or ideally overnight – to allow the seeds to absorb the milk.
From this very basic recipe, you can add extras like chocolate protein powder and coconut, cinnamon and raisins…the options are extensive. Stay posted for a series on variations for that work for chia seed pudding, protein energy bits, and/or overnight oats!
2. Flax seeds.
Excellent source of omega 3’s that is also vegetarian-friendly. Omega 3’s prevent inflammation and support heart health. Add to that fiber and other nutrients, they can help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and stabilize blood sugar levels. Also the combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats mean they are satiating!
You can add to smoothies, energy balls, or muffins.
Easy Energy Bites:
Combine 1 cup rolled oats with ½ cup each nut butter and ground flax seed, and a squirt of honey or other sweetener. Depending upon how drippy the nut butter is, you might want to add a dash more oats or flax seed. I like to also throw in a handful of chocolate chips, but you can also do nuts, or, if you’re on of those people, raisins. Roll into balls and freeze until set.
These are great fuel for a workout or when you are running into a meeting but starving. I also like to take them with me with a travel to enjoy on the flight, in the hotel, or when you are sightseeing.
3. PB powder.
PB powder is just peanut butter with the oil removed. This means it still contains the protein benefit but drastically decreases the caloric impact.
I personally cannot live without this because it is ideal in Asian peanut sauces. It provides the concentrated peanut flavor but removes the added oil which is more flavorably (I made that word up) provided by sesame oil.
Asian Peanut Sauce:
Start with a few teaspoons of PB powder. Add a glug or two of sesame oil, then two or three glugs of coconut aminos (or Bragg’s liquid aminos) in place of sodium-laced soy sauce, and about twice the amount of rice vinegar. I like spice, so I also prefer to add in a teaspoon (or 3 if we are being honest) of chili garlic paste and a clove or two of garlic.
The beauty of this recipe is that it is really tailored to your particular taste. Some people like extra peanutty flavor, others go nuts for the sesame, and some people like the spice of the chili garlic paste. Regardless, add a bit of each ingredient and taste as you go to figure out your perfect mix. Then top with scallions or chives if you’d like.
Enjoy on noodles with sauteed peppers, onions, and broccoli, use as a dip for dumplings or spring rolls, or to get really crazy, substitute for ketchup with sweet potato tots or homemade wedges. This is a universal sauce that I could probably drink and am shocked that I haven’t already.
As an alternative, PB2 serves as the perfect dipper for sliced apples, bananas, or celery. Just add a bit of water and mix, continuing to add more water until you reach the desired consistency. You can toss in a few chocolate chips to up the decadent factor.
This is my most used spice, and I go through roughly a pound every three months for good reason. It is a great way to add flavor and pep to food without added salt, and the spice satiates your taste buds more quickly. The capsaicin that gives it heat has a beneficial effect on liver damage and boosts metabolism. It also contains beta-carotene, which boosts eyesight and strengthens the immune system, plus it has vitamin C (though not surprising since this is a common attribute among peppers).
There are also a myriad of heart benefits from crushed red pepper because it helps lower cholesterol and triglycerides in addition to blood sugar levels.
Add this to anything you are cooking, frozen meals, soups, salads, avocado toast, pizza, pasta…
5. Cinnamon.
Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants and is an anti-inflammatory agent. It helps regulate blood sugar levels by increasing your sensitivity to insulin (good thing) and decreasing glucose that enters the bloodstream after eating. It can also help fight cancerous cells and is antibacterial and antifungal.
A word of caution is to not overdo the cinnamon because it can ding your liver in large amounts. A daily sprinkling in your coffee (or put it in the machine with the coffee grounds) or on your chia pudding is the ideal amount. Try not to go over a teaspoon (that’s a lot of cinnamon, by the way). It’s potent for health benefits, but it’s a good example of moderation.
6. Banza pasta.
This is pasta made from chickpeas, and I specifically recommend it because of the texture.
So many pasta substitutes are unsatisfying (zucchini noodles do not satisfy a legitimate pasta craving) or have a weird texture (do they still make those tofu noodles? Because I’m looking at you.). This has the heft and texture of pasta made from regular grains so is a solid choice to hit the spot.
The nutritional benefits of chickpeas are many, and from a weight loss perspective, they are a hero because the combination of fiber and protein keeps you feeling full. In addition, chickpeas contain a solid amount of iron, copper, manganese, folate, and magnesium. These nutrients help fight against heart disease and cancer, plus diabetes since the combination of macronutrients helps with healthy blood sugar maintenance.
For the ultimate lazy meal, while you boil the noodles, saute some frozen peppers, onions, mushrooms, and peas (or any combination of veggies in your freezer) in olive oil and garlic, and top drained pasta along with jarred marinara. That’s probably the easiest meal you can make an serves an impressive amount of protein, fiber, and vegetables. Shake on some parmesan and olives to really get wild.
This is the ultimate in convenience, particularly when you are eating a lot of produce. If you ever need to boost your protein intake, using it to make a protein shake, proffee (half protein shake, half coffee), or adding a scoop to oatmeal, muffins, chia seed putting, or energy bites, gives you the macronutrient you need maintain and build muscle.
My go-to here is Quest. Clean protein with no added sugar and a nice hit of fiber. It comes in a bunch of different flavors – Salted Caramel is my favorite for shakes and proffee, and Vanilla Milkshake is just really versatile.
The ultimate convenient foods are meals that are shelf-stable that you can throw in the microwave, no? Unfortunately most canned soups and other premade foods come at the expense of a lot of sodium and preservatives. Enter Proper Good.
These pouches contain delicious soups, chilis, oatmeals, and side dishes with relatively low sodium and nutritious, whole ingredients! In fact, you can even find meals specific to your eating style (vegetarian, keto, gluten-free). Try the red pepper and meatball soup - you will thank me! Keep some in your kitchen and a couple in your desk (perfect for days you work out at lunch)!
Each meal is cheaper than takeout at around $5 - $7, plus is more filling and has less junky stuff in it! CLICK HERE TO GET 10% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER!
9. A Few Shelf-Stable Produce Items.
Finally, as a general rule, I also always have a bag of lemons, mandarins, and sweet potatoes on hand in my pantry. You’d be shocked at how often you can turn to these very cheap, nutrition, delicious staples.
See how easy and interesting it is to upgrade your pantry for amazing recipes to align with your health and weight loss goals?
If you want more easy recipes you can quickly throw together and feed yourself for the entire week, sign up below to get my FREE Guide to Lazy Sunday Meal Prep.
This is perfect for the weeks where you land home late Sunday afternoon from a wedding out of town, were watching football with your friends, or had a girls’ day out. You CAN have both a fun weekend AND effortlessly prep for a week of healthy meals by taking advantage of semi-prepped foods to create produce-heavy, delicious meals. It’s way better than relying on $15 salads or sodium-heavy sandwiches that, to be honest, aren’t even that good.
