Healthy, At-Home Meals Made With Foods In Your Pantry
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I get it. This is a strange and unprecedented time that we, along with the rest of the world, are navigating at the moment.
Times are stressful and uncertain. You may be trying to figure out how to occupy the kids, manage your time, get some long-overdue cleaning done, and figure out what to make for dinner.
It’s also likely that there are half-empty shelves and picked-through produce at your local grocery store. The food that you were hoping to pick up may no longer be available. Now what? What do you make for dinner tonight?
This is where I come in.
To help you get through this difficult time, I’d like to offer you some free recipes for easy home-cooked meals that can be made using foods you likely have in your pantry. I’ll also include some suggestions as to how you can amend the recipes based on what foods are actually on your shelves.
Hopefully, this will provide you with some inspiration and a renewed sense of excitement in the kitchen!
Recipes made from foods in your pantry
Attached are some delicious, home-cooked meals you can make using the foods you have on hand. Following the description of each recipe are suggested alterations in case you don’t have the ingredients listed in the recipe.
But please note that these are only suggestions that can accommodate all tastes. So use the recipes as a template and have some fun making them your own!
Cinnamon Maple Brown Rice Porridge
This recipe calls for almond milk, maple syrup, brown rice, and strawberries. It’s a great option to make if you happen to be out of oats and are looking for a good egg-free breakfast alternative. It is also hearty and comforting - a great way to start your day!
The almond milk can be replaced with coconut milk, oat milk, or any other type of milk you have access to.
No maple syrup left? No problem! Replace it with honey instead.
You can easily swap out the brown rice in this recipe with any type of rice you have on hand.
If you don’t have access to fresh strawberries, you can swap them out with nuts, seeds, or any type of frozen fruit instead.
Cinnamon Oat Musli
This recipe relies exclusively on pantry staples, making it the best kind of recipe in times like these. This muesli is super quick and simple to make and can be served either warm or cold. As cold muesli, you can serve it atop any type of milk or yogurt, or simply grab a handful and enjoy it as is! Served warm, it becomes a comforting and satisfying meal.
If you don’t have walnuts or pumpkin seeds, you can substitute them for any type of nuts or seeds that you have on hand.
No raisins? Use any dried fruit you have.
If you don’t happen to have dried fruit, use frozen fruit or omit it altogether.
Sun Butter Oatmeal Cookie Granola
Who can resist good granola? If you are staying safe at home and craving some granola, why not make it at home yourself? This granola is completely customizable, so it’s a great way to use those pantry items that have drifted to the back of the cupboard.
The main suggested ingredients are rolled oats, oat flour, sunflower seeds, and sunflower seed butter.
You can use any type of oat here - quick, large-flake, or even steel-cut.
No oat flour? Use whatever you have on hand - coconut flour, quinoa flour, cassava flour, or regular white or brown flour if that’s all you have.
Sunflower seeds can be left out or replaced with any kind of nut or seed. Chia seeds, hemp hearts, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, or cashews would be great alternatives.
Sunflower seed butter may not be something you always have on hand, so any type of nut butter will work here, including almond butter, natural peanut butter, etc.
You can also add in some of your favourite granola add-ins like coconut flakes or additional nuts.
Brown Rice Noodles & Veggies
Another simple, delicious, and hearty recipe that can be on the table in 20 minutes flat is this comforting noodle dish. It’s also very versatile and will work well with either fresh or frozen vegetables and just about any noodle that you happen to have in your pantry.
No Tamari? Replace it with coconut aminos (coconut sauce) or regular soy sauce if that’s all you have access to.
Lime juice can be replaced with lemon or even orange juice.
If you don’t have bell peppers, replace them with any kind of vegetable that you do have on hand. Broccoli (fresh or frozen) would be great in this application.
If you don’t have edamame, simply omit or replace it with frozen peas, canned chickpeas, or even cooked ground chicken, turkey, or beef. Any protein source will work.
You can also omit the chopped peanuts and/or cilantro should you not like them or have them on hand.
To make this dish even more nutritious, add additional veggies!
Tuna Noodle Casserole
Another noodle dish, this is a true classic and comfort food at its best - made healthier with whole food ingredients. And like all my recipes, it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and contains no refined white sugar.
Everyone has that one can of tuna sitting in the back of their cupboard and we can’t think of a better use for it than this recipe. Again, any type of thick pasta will work, as will most frozen veggies.
If you are out of mushrooms or frozen peas, replace them with what you do have - fresh or frozen will work here.
If you don’t have sweet potato chips, you can crush up some crackers to top this with, or simply go without the “crunch” - either way, this dish will still be amazing!
Garlicky Broccoli & Chickpea Pasta
This is another recipe for pasta lovers! Choose your favourite pasta (or whatever is in your pantry) to create this comforting dish that everyone in your family is going to love!
If you don’t have broccoli, adding any frozen veggie to this dish will work out perfectly.
Customize the flavour of this dish by adding Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or lemon zest to make the flavours pop.
Meal Prep Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos
These burritos are great to eat at any meal! The best news is that they can be made ahead of time and reheated as needed. They also rely on canned food, frozen foods and a few fresh ingredients that can easily be swapped out for other frozen vegetables if needed.
No sweet potatoes? You can swap in any other starchy vegetable, including canned pumpkin.
No black beans? Use any kind of canned bean that’s available.
No corn or bell peppers? Substitute with any frozen veggies you have.
Slow Cooker Black Beans & Rice
Rice and beans are two pantry staples that will take you far! Even better? All ingredients for this recipe are popped into the slow cooker for an easy, peasy meal while you can tend to more important things around the house.
More good news? This recipe does well frozen for consumption at a later date.
If you don’t have Jasmine rice, use any type of rice that you have.
Black beans can also be swapped for any other type of dried bean you can find.
Personalize it by topping the final product with diced tomatoes, red onion, bell peppers, hard-boiled eggs, sour cream or Greek Yogurt and mint. Yum!
Coconut Rice with Beans
Requiring only 4 ingredients, this is sure to be a winner in your household! It is also the most low-key way for you to work your way through your pantry staples. The best part? This dish is also a complete protein and freezes well!
If you are out of Jasmine rice, use any kind of rice you have.
No black beans? Use any canned beans you have handy.
Red Lentil Dahl
Made almost exclusively of pantry items, this cozy and protein-packed recipe will be on the table in under an hour. You can substitute any of the fresh ingredients for dried herbs and spices to make it nice and easy.
Even though this is called “Red Lentil” Dahl, feel free to use any type of lentils you have on hand.
No fresh ginger or garlic in the house? Use dried instead.
Serve this one with rice, quinoa, or naan to make a complete, hearty Indian-inspired meal that’s sure to please.
Lentil Masala Soup
There’s something comforting about soup that makes us feel better in times of stress. And this soup is no different! It uses warming spices and features ingredients that can easily be switched out for canned or frozen substitutes.
Substitute coconut oil for avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Red onions can be replaced by any kind of onion, including dried onion flakes.
Out of fresh tomatoes? Use canned instead.
No kale? Opt for spinach instead - fresh or frozen will work!
Cozy Curried Lentils with Kale & Cauliflower
This cozy dish relies on warming spices and pantry staples to make it come alive. If you can’t find fresh produce, frozen produce of just about any type will work here.
Replace fresh cauliflower with any type of frozen veg.
Green lentils can be replaced by any kind of dried lentils or beans you have. You could also replace the lentils altogether with rice.
Skip the kale or simply add more frozen veggies.
Turmeric Chili Rice
Rice + spices = the easiest side dish ever! This recipe uses all pantry staples to make things super simple. This makes a great side dish for just about anything!
Replace Jasmine rice with any kind of rice you have.
Don’t like Chili powder? Substitute it for any other spice that you do like.
Spicy Coconut Lentil Soup
Lentils, rice, spices, pantry staples, and water are all combined to make this delicious soup. Double or triple this recipe as it freezes well for the weeks to come.
Use any kind of rice or lentils here.
If you don’t have lentils, simply double the amount of rice you use.
Make it more or less spicy depending on your tastes. Either way, it will be delicious!
Savoury Turkey & Vegetable Bake
This casserole-type dish is sure to please! It simply screams to be personalized by using your favourite herbs and spices. You can also add more veggies to make this dish last longer or to have extras for the freezer.
Any type of protein you have in the freezer will work - ground turkey, chicken, pork, or beef.
If you have no fresh onions or garlic, use dried.
If you are out of squash, use sweet potatoes or carrots instead.
If you have no kale, use spinach or a different green like broccoli - fresh or frozen will work.
With all of these recipes, the possibilities are endless!
Let me know, in the comments section below, which recipes you tried and how they turned out… I’m looking forward to hearing from you and seeing how the recipes worked out for you!
If you liked these recipes and would like to see more, you’re in luck! This month, I am launching my new recipe e-booklets!
Each e-booklet contains more than 30 whole-food recipes designed to suit your dietary needs. Choose from nine unique recipe e-booklets such as Paleo, Keto, Kid-Friendly, Prenatal, Blood Sugar Balancing, Brain Healthy, and more.
Recipe e-booklets will be available soon - watch for my introductory pricing offer!
I welcome your thoughts and value your feedback. Let me know what you think by dropping me a line or commenting below. As always, if I can help you or a loved one with your nutritional needs, make an appointment to see me today.
There’s no better time than now to take action!
