Nutritious Pantry Staples for Quick Meals & Snacks

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

March is National Nutrition Month. It’s a great time to become better informed about your food choices and make any tweaks necessary to support healthful eating that fuels your body and goals.

March is National Nutrition Month, a great time make informed food choices and add better-for-you staples to the pantry. Find out my must-have condiments, prepped whole grains, and nuts I keep on hand for easy meal and snack making.

For example, my goal is to eat a balanced diet rich in lean proteins, fruits and veggies, and whole-grain carbs to give me enough energy to perform my runs and workouts along with the proper nutrients to recover quickly. I like making homemade meals, but often convenience is king. However, I’m not willing to scrap my nourishing meals for takeout, so I keep my pantry stocked with quality convenience foods, condiments and better-for-me snacks to help ensure success.

Nutritious Pantry Staples for Quick Meals & Snacks  

is Organic Coconut Aminos from Coconut Secret -- organic, non GMO, lower sodium, soy free. A great substitute for soy sauce.
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos are a lower sodium, soy-free way to add flavor!

Coconut Aminos: One of my must-have pantry staples is Organic Coconut Aminos from Coconut Secret. For those of you who don’t do soy products or are being mindful of salt consumption, this soy sauce alternative really delivers that slightly sweet yet savory punch of umami you crave from a condiment. Made from hand-harvested, naturally fermented organic coconut blossoms, the only other ingredient in Coconut Aminos, is just a hint of sea salt. Coconut Aminos has 72% less sodium than the leading soy sauce brand. It’s also gluten-free, msg-free, has no added sugar, and is Whole30 approved. A 1:1 ratio soy sauce replacement, I use Organic Coconut Aminos in so many ways including in my ramen bowls, in marinades and glazes for grilling and oven roasting, and in veggie skillets.

Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini is a delicious seed based product ready to drizzle on salads, sandwiches and more thanks to the awesome squirt bottle.
I love how Might Sesame Co. Tahini comes in a squirt bottle – so convenient!

Tahini:  It’s amazing what kind of amazingly flavorful dishes you can create in a flash with a bottle of Mighty Sesame Organic Tahini. If you’re not familiar with tahini, it’s a creamy product made from sesame seeds. The squeeze-bottle on the Mighty Sesame Harissa Tahini is SO CONVENIENT and VERSATILE — it’s shelf-stable, always creamy, always drizzle-ready and is kicked up with a little bit of roasted chili pepper! There is no gunky stirring and spooning from a jar like I’ve persevered with other tahini brands. Perfect to drizzle on salads, grain bowls, tacos and raw veggie snacking for a boost of flavor, healthy fats and extra protein (7g per serving). Suitable for vegan, glute-free, dairy-free, kosher, and halal diets.

Minute rice cups and brown rice & quinoa cups can be made in 60 seconds. Simple ingredients, nothing artificial, no weird processing. The cups are BPA free and can be recycled.
Oh, hello! Wholesome whole grains in 60 seconds with Minute rice cups!

Pre-Cooked Grains: Keeping shelf-stable, pre-cooked grains (like rice and quinoa) in the pantry allows for quick, creative meal-making on even the busiest nights. I’ve stocked up with Minute rice cups, they are easily made in the microwave in about 60 seconds, perfectly portioned so I don’t overeat, and feature just quality rice – no weird chemicals, harmful ingredients, or weird processing methods. Even the plastic cups are BPA-free and can be recycled.  The Minute Basmati microwavable rice cups offer that nutty, aromatic rice experience that’s hard to resist and Minute Brown Rice & Quinoa microwavable rice cups have a delightful texture with chewy brown rice and crunchy quinoa. Both are non-GMO, preservative-free, MSG-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free and suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets. These easy rice cups are a smart and simple way to add the beneficial nutrients, like fiber from whole grains, into your busy lifestyle.

Looking for a vegan nutella? Classic Hazelnut Spread from Nutiva is a win-win with delicious creamy hazelnut taste and 40% less sugar than the leading brand.
Yes, please! Nutiva Hazelnut Spread with 40% less sugar than the leading brand.

Nut-based Spreads: Naturally, almond butter, cashew butter and peanut butter are always stocked in my pantry – -but sometimes something chocolatey can really sooth that sweet tooth!  When cravings hit, I grab a jar of Nutiva Organic Classic Hazelnut Spread from the pantry. It’s creamy, it’s decadent-tasting, it’s delicious all while being a product I can feel good about eating. Not only does it have 40-percent less sugar that the leading brand (that’s huge!), it’s non-GMO, suitable for vegan diets and the hazelnuts are harvested in a way that is rainforest and orangutan safe.  My favorite ways to enjoy this vegan nutella -like spread is to smear it on whole-grain toast, drizzle on my oatmeal, or use as a dip for fruit!

Flavored nuts that are mess free? RECIPE 33 infused almonds are nutritious, delicious and don't leave unwanted residue on your fingers.
The first rule of game night is to always have nuts nearby! RECIPE 33 infused almonds keep my hands neat and are yummy to eat!

Nuts: I LOVE nuts, especially almonds! They store so well in the pantry and are a good source of grab-and-go nutrients including fiber, protein, vitamin e and more. A favorite brand is RECIPE 33 infused almonds, not only for the inherent benefits of nuts, but also because the are flavored yet mess free! A proprietary, small-batch process takes real ingredients to infuse flavor into each almond without artificial flavors or additives. The result is an amazingly flavorful snack that leaves no messy, oily, sticky or other unwanted residue on your hands. These mess free almonds are so perfect for squashing hunger when out and about (I keep a bag in my purse), on salads and other recipes, or for charcuterie boards!  Save $2 on any 4-ounce infused almond bag with code Try RECIPE33. SHOP HERE

Blood Orange Beet Salad w/ Spicy Citrus Dressing | Vegan, Paleo, Whole30

Spring is still a few weeks away, but this beautiful Blood Orange and Beet Salad with Spicy Citrus Dressing can brighten your menu in 10 minutes. Making the most of late winter produce, including beets and citrus, this healthy plate of colorful fruits and vegetables makes a lovely light lunch or side dish with dinner.

Blood Orange Beet Salad | vega, paleo, whole30

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DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice & 12 Yummy Ways to Use it

What do you think of when you smell and taste gingerbread spices? For me, it conjures up memories of Christmas, winter holidays, giddy anticipation, spicy-sweet comfort and heading through the woods and over the hills to grandmother’s house.

DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice

Gingerbread spices, typically cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and a pinch of pepper, aren’t reserved just for gingerbread men, gingerbread houses and the soft gingerbread cakes my relatives loved to make during the holidays.  My DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice recipe is simple to make, keeps all year to spice up all sorts of your favorite and even unexpected foods. Read on to get the Homemade Gingerbread Spice recipe and all the yummy ideas:  Continue reading

Jalapeño Honey Butter

Get ready to spread, smear and maybe shed a sweet tear . . . my Jalapeño Honey Butter is THE official condiment of summer, ready to kick up the yum and wow factor for all your summer entertaining. Jalapeno Honey Butter

This rich, creamy butter elevated with a touch of honey and bits of jalapeño peppers is ridiculously easy to make and adds a crazy-delicious wallop of spicy-sweet flavor to all your warm-weather fare – such as corn on the cob, seafood, potatoes, cornbread and more. Read on to get the recipe and serving ideas: Continue reading

Low-Carb Watermelon Chia Syrup and Valentine’s Day Brunch Inspo!

This post is sponsored by the National Watermelon Board. However, all opinions, comments, content and enthusiasm remain my own!

This girl loves her syrup, especially fruit syrups, but not the sickening amount of sugar that comes along with most – and it’s usually high-fructose corn syrup in those purchased syrup bottles to boot. Ugh. But, my Low-Carb Watermelon Chia Syrup makes a MUCH healthier option, taking advantage of the fruit’s natural sweetness along with a little stevia. It could even be considered a keto syrup, depending on your carb intake for the day.Low Carb Watermelon Chia Syrup

By making my easy recipe for low-carb watermelon syrup, you can enjoy the yumminess of watermelon in so many ways, for so few carbs, and all through the year! Read on to get the low carb syrup recipe along with my favorite ways to use it. Continue reading