Inside my pantry 

In this section, you'll find my favorite ingredients I like to keep in stock.  Ok, let's be honest here.  I have to say it is messy.  I mean really MESSY ! I always tell myself I should (re)organise it sometimes... but I kind of like it that way ! At least it means that there is life in there ! I stock a LOT: my husband is discouraged about how many kind of flours I have accumulated in there. I'm the kind of girl who dreams about having a walk-in pantry instead of a real walk-in. Maybe one day...   

Having a maximum of these ingredients on hand is the best way to start adopting a healthier and greener lifestyle.  In order to do so,  I suggest buying bulk whenever it's possible.  We are lucky to live in a place where everything is accessible online or at a Whole Food Market (I'm in love...!).  It's pricy to buy organic, but it's a choice my husband and I made a couple of years ago: we decided to cut back on other expenses to prioritize a healthy lifestyle.  Of course, you don't have to start right away by buying all of those things at once ! Adding 1-2 new products each time will make the transition easier for your budget, yourself or your family.  

Today, natural and organic foods is becoming mainstream.  Few years ago, I remember having to run to several stores to get all the products I liked.  Nowadays, most ingredients are starting to be more accessible, especially here in California, and even in more "conventional supermarkets".  The industry has responded (and is still responding) to a growing demand from customers to have access to a wider range of natural and organic products.   I probably eat almost entirely organic (or 99%), so I'm not always going to write the word "organic" in my recipes.  When I do write it, it's because I feel they're the most important products to choose organic (due to the possible large amount of chemicals, animal's conditions or possibles traces of GMOs).   

That being said, I've sorted foods I like by categories and included a short explanation on how I use every product and why I choose to eat it.  It's far from being exhaustive, but it's probably a good idea of what I use to cook my vegetarians family meals.  With these foods in your kitchen, a vegetarian and mainly plant-based diet can really make you feel satisfied and provide enough energy (and even more!) to your precious body !