My Pantry – “Before”
Inspired by Heather, yesterday I went for a veggie-full lunch:
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 small zucchini
- A bunch of spinach
- ~4 ounces tofu
- 2T canned corn (I love canned corn. There, I said it!)
- Red onion and fresh garlic
- A little Veri Veri Teriyaki sauce
Note to self: Eat meals like this more often.
It was delicious, but a little light on the calories for me. A couple hours later, I broke into this baby:
Ever since getting a sample at The Fancy Food Show, I am totally hooked on these things. It really does taste like cookie dough!
After lunch I went to my little gym and walked a 5K. I wasn’t feeling up for running, because I am still recovering from a body sculpting class I took on Wednesday night. I decided to take this class because I haven’t used the “big gym,” since I got my trial guest pass, so I forced myself to go. I am glad I went, but it totally kicked my ass. Even today, two days later, I am not sure if I should go back to the class, or do more walking or yoga to loosen things up. I am not used to being sore for more than a day!
For dinner, we had Ellie Krieger’s Tuscan Vegetable Soup.
According to my meal plan, this was supposed to be Wednesday’s dinner, but Matthew worked late and ate at the office, so instead I had frozen sweet potato fries and fish sticks with a salad. What can I say, sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Luckily, according to Janetha, Thursday was actually National Homemade Soup Day, so it all worked out perfectly!
The soup was very tasty. This was the second time I have tried making homemade chicken stock, and it turned out much better than the first time. To round out the meal I had a sandwich thin spread with Laughing Cow and a big green salad.
Oh, and thanks to Elina, I discovered that all of Ellie’s recipes are online. So, for those of you who liked the look of the fried rice and do not own her cookbook, here is the recipe for her Fried Rice with Scallions, Edamame, and Tofu.
Pantry Storage Space – “Before”
One of the downsides of our new little apartment is a glaring lack of storage space. This is also true in the kitchen. In our UK flat, we had tons of cupboard space. This place, not so much.
There is not a formal “pantry,” so I have had to make one, using two different cupboards for room-temperature food.
This has been a huge exercise is minimalism! The content of our pantry now have to be very simple. I’m already running out of space and I haven’t even stocked up on baking supplies yet!
Shelf 1: Cereal, oats, nut butters (I keep nuts in the freezer), dried fruit
I spy some of Deb’s homemade nut butters on that shelf!
Shelf 2: This one is tiny! I can only fit my teas and our many “bars”: granola, protein, etc.
Shelf 3: AKA Matthew’s shelf. He likes chips and snacky things for work. Note the British biscuits that he is rationing, which were also a gift from Deb!
The second cabinet needs some organizational help! I am waiting for my kitchen storage containers being shipped from the UK, so until then it’s random and slightly barren.
The top shelf will be baking supplies, and the rest is grains (hidden in the back I have rice, quinoa, couscous, and pasta), dried beans, canned and jarred goods, and bottles (oils, sauces, etc).
Stay tuned for the “After” of my pantry space! It takes a while to stock a kitchen when you are starting from Square One after moving. I can’t wait for our stuff from our old place to arrive at the end of the month! It’s on a slow-boat right now, somewhere across the Atlantic.
One last thing that I am unsure about where to store…
Thanks to Mara’s giveaway, I won a pound of organic flax seeds from Tropical Traditions! Thank you, Mara!
Question: Where should I store the flax? In the past I have had ground flax, which I stored in the fridge. These are the whole seeds, and it doesn’t say anything about storage on the container.
What are your pantry essentials? Mine have to be whole grains and pastas, canned beans, canned tomatoes, nut butters, and tea!
For a chance to stock your pantry, enter Michelle’s giveaway for a $50 Safeway gift card!
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I keep my flax, both whole seeds and ground (I only grind about a week’s worth at a time since it can lose nutrition) in the fridge.
Like nuts and keeping them in the fridge/ freezer, seeds also have oils that can go rancid. 
I store whole flax seed in the freezer in the door. Been keeping it that way for several months and have noticed no adverse effect on quality.
Nut butters and cereals of all kinds!
Oooh you sure have a very very neat pantry Lara! Mine is SO cluttered with loads of items that it’s actually hard to organize.:P
I store all my flax seeds in the freezer to keep ‘em from going bad!
We always have canned tomatoes, soup, pasta, and cereal in the cabinets for a situation when we can’t get any other food!! Like right now with the snowstorm that is hitting the midwest!!
My pantry is disgusting but i’m moving soon & i’ll have a newer set-up when I move.
I loved the look of your bowl of veggies, soooooo yummy
I have no pantry!! I use 2 cabinets designed for pots and pans as my pantry, and its a nightmare!
BUT i keep my flax in the fridge, and that bag seals really well, so they should stay fresh for quite some time
I love your veggie-full lunch!
I don’t have a pantry either. I use a small kitchen cabinet and also store some stuff in the garage (cans, etc.). It’s not ideal… I keep my flax seeds in the fridge.
Happy Weekend!
Isn’t it amazing how satisfying a big bowl of veggies can be?
Confession time: I STILL eat Cookie Dough Balance Bars even though they aren’t vegan. I eat probably at least 3 a week, I swear. They are my one non-vegan food vice. I’m trying to wean myself with the homemade protein cookie dough…I’m getting there.
RUN to my blog, I just posted a link for flaxseed no bake 3 ingredient cookies! PERFECT for all those seeds.
Balance Bar. Those do taste just like cookies and when i saw that, i thought mama pea loves those. and here she is the comment above me
the raw vegan cookie dough balls i make are better than those things, if i do say so myself and really easy. just sayin’. but yeah, those things are easy and good no doubt
clean pantry = happy me. i am a neat freak, for sure.
I love that Ellie soup recipe. I think I have made it a handful of times. It never fails!
Love your pantry organization. I keep my flax in the pantry, but after reading these comments, it appears I should not being doing this. Guess the fridge is the better option.
i would store them in the freezer! they will last a lot longer, and it doesn’t make them any harder to grind up!
love the pantry! i’m going to be doing a post like that soon too! i always have lots of oats, bars, cereal, rice/couscous/bulgar, dried beans, canned beans, salsa and dried fruit!
I adore your veggie lunch!
When I first got my trial membership to a big gym, I was also really excited to try all of the classes! Then I took the classes. Then I couldn’t move my arms for days. Or walk down the stairs. Yep. Classes kicked my booty too haha. Thankfully the soreness went away and the subsequent classes were easier on my body. So I encourage you to go back again once your soreness goes away!
Good job on the sculpting class!
I keep my flax in the fridge or freezer depending on fast I use it.
My friend has a Muscle Milk Light Bar the other day and I thought of you. The nutrients looked similar to thre Balance and it smelled like s Snicker’s!
Have a great weekend!
Hi Lara! I know it has been a while since I commented – so sorry about that – but I just wanted to say hi
I’ve been following along as a lurker lately and have missed you!
Love the shots of your pantry. It’s always interesting to see how other people organized. I try to be on top of things but somehow it always ends up a cluttered mess!
Your veggie-full lunch looks delicious, too! Hope you have some fun planned for the weekend.
My pantry essentials: nut butter, oatmeal and cereal! Can you tell my favorite meal is breakfast?!
I’m dying. I typed out one letter at a time a long comment on my iphone to you last night and it’s gone (I suspect the same of all other blogs- kill me now please, put me out of my misery). OK here goes on a real laptop with actual wifi:
Pantry- sigh on the small pantry/storage space. I keep my nut butters in the fridge b/c I go thru them slower. So if you have room in the fridge, that might open up some room for you.
My pantry: protein powders, powdered egg whites, energy bars, small format candy packages, grains.
Good for you getting back to the gym for 24 sculpt! You won’t regret it- well maybe when you come to sit down or walk. Or anything in between
Hi Lara,
I found your blog through peasandthankyou and I’ve been reading some of your older posts. you are a great writer! Okay, my question has nothing to do with food or exercise but I HAVE to know- what do you do to your hair?? You have the most gorgeous hair I’ve ever seen. How do you get it so smooth and shiny yet still bouncy and full of volume? Gah…I’m so jealous. You need to be in a Pantene commercial, for real.
Wow, thank you so much for such a nice comment! You are very kind. Really, I do not do anything special with my hair. I think it might be Mother Nature’s compensation for my bad skin, muffin top, and flat feet
Hehe. I wash it every other day, and I don’t use any styling products. I have heard that those cause build-up that take away from shine. I also never color it (I think I last colored it 5 years ago?), and just blow-dry it with my head upside down, then curl it with a large curling iron. Hot Tools is the best!
That’s the thing about veggies, I could eat them for basically every meal, but it would take HUGE quantities to give me the energy and calories needed…oh well, I enjoy what I can!
Your pantry looks nice and organized to me…not sure about where to store whole flax seeds though.
Just ate a big bowl of veggies myself. So yummy.
We have no pantry either Lara and have to store all our dry goods in cabinets. It used to be one thing I did not like about our kitchen, but now I’m grateful. Definitely keeps me from overbuying, but we have room for nothing else. Every cabinet is stuffed.
I keep whole flax seeds in the fridge as well.
I store mine in the freezer and that seems to keep them fresh longer. Your pantry is so amazingly neat. Mine is neat or messy depending on who has been in there last!
You’re so neat! My pantry is…scary! I always need nuts, seeds, dried fruit, whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat crackers (Dr. Krackers, Triscuits), and granola!
Canned corn is good! My favorite though is canned green beans – love it! That soup looks fantastic. Perfect for the chilly weather! Can’t wait to see your After photos – my pantry is a hot mess.
I would think they would be okay in the freezer? Not sure since I’ve only had the ground flax seeds.
Must have in my pantry? Chicken stock, beef broth, good canned tomatoes!
My pantry staples? Definitely oats, canned beans, nuts, pasta etc. My pantry definitely needs a makeover though!
Love the look into your pantry!!! The seeds are considered “shelf stable” which is (probably) why they don’t have storage recommendations on the package ( probably because the company can decide to put on whatever they want). The oil inside is released when ground, so that is why freezing keeps ground longer. Freezing will help keep them longer as well, but is not “necessary” for them to be shelf stable.
Love how your pantry seems to have a little bit of everything. Good luck on getting it organized!