Have to Haves for your kitchen

There are certain items that I HAVE to HAVE in my kitchen & in my pantry at all times in order to always be able to create healthy substitutions to daily indulgences & low-carb recipes! Here they are along with a little insight for some of them!

• Almond Flour
• Almonds
• Coconut Flour
• Psyllium Husk
• Chia Seeds
• Flax Seed
• Coconut Oil
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• Stevia
• Xanthan Gum
• Gelatine
• Grated Cheese
• Cream Cheese or Soft Goat's Cheese
• Heavy Cream
• Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• Low Carb Wraps
• Noodle Substitutes - (Shirataki Noodles, Black bean pasta, Kelp noodles)
• A Veggie that can be made into a mock starch - (Cauliflower, Zucchini, Spaghetti Squash)

I've said it before, but the key to success for me is definitely in the preparation! If my kitchen is stocked with healthy choices & there are not options for me to snack mindlessly, or cook in an unhealthy manner, what am I left to do?!... Cook healthy & make healthy snacks!

Almonds & Almond Flour

I use almonds in every way I can! I grind them down into a coarse breading, or a finer flour, I blend them until they release their own natural oils & make almond butter, & I roast & season them for an easy snack!
According to Medical News Today, "Almonds are a source of vitamin E, copper, magnesium, and high quality protein. Almonds also contain high levels of healthy unsaturated fatty acids in addition to a lot of bioactive molecules (such as fiber, phytosterols, vitamins, other minerals, and antioxidants) which can help prevent cardiovascular heart diseases"
Almond Flour can be easily found in the majority of any of my low carb baking & any delicious breaded meats or vegetables so if you ever see me at Costco, chances are I am purchasing a huge bag & possibly even a separate bag of almond flour!

Coconut Flour & Coconut Oil
I've already gone into great depth on the benefits of Coconut Oil in a previous Bri's Keys post, but I do much more with it than simply cook, or grease a pan with it. Something else I love about this oil is it's ability to stay solid when cooled! Coconut oil is frequently used in my kitchen to make quick & easy candies that also give you a boost of energy & subside your hunger.
Coconut flour is commonly used in my kitchen in the same ways I use almond flour. I find that coconut flour has a lovely but subtle flavor on its own when used as a breading, it can be combined with shredded coconut for taste & texture,  & when combined with almond flour in baking it easily resembles traditional high carb breadings.
LiveStrong suggests cooking with coconut flour can be beneficial in more ways than simply watching carbs... "With 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon, coconut flour has far more of this indigestible carbohydrate than whole-grain flour, which has just 0.8 gram per tablespoons, or white flour, which has about 2 grams per tablespoon. Much of this fiber is the insoluble type, which adds bulk to your stool, helps you feel full, deters constipation and enhances colon health. Add coconut flour to baked goods, sauces or smoothies to help you reach the recommended 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily."

Psyllium Husk   
Psyllium Husks are often used in my baking & in any gluten free or low carb baking to add volume to baked goods but it also of course has its own health benefits to consider. 
In February (American Heart Awareness Month) 2011 Mike Roizen, MD posted an article on DoctorOz.com, "my #1 for lowering your cholesterol is a special type of soluble fiber – psyllium husks (which I learned is what Metamucil is). Psyllium and whole oats (those found in steel cut oatmeal, not in processed finely ground oatmeal) bind cholesterol in your intestine as a gel, and wisk it out in your poop (you can tell you’ve had it if the toilet paper is clean, or is that too much info?)..."

Chia Seeds
They numbers of ways you can use chia seeds to add a healthy boost to your day are vast! Smoothies, puddings, breaded meats, baked items, salad toppings, and gravies can all be enhanced with Chia seeds! Chia seeds are said to fill your tummy & suppress your appetite & who doesn't need that!? Chia seeds also have more omega-3 fatty acids than salmon, and are packed with calcium & fiber.

Flax Seed
DoctorOz.com's 3 Benefits of Flax is reason enough to want flax seed in your diet, but if that's not enough convincing, try MensFitness.com's 6 Reasons to Never Neglect Flax Seed and the fact that you can so easily make yummy flax seed muffins & a ton more recipes soon to come on my blog! The hypertension, skin cancer & cholesterol benefits were plenty reasons for me to incorporate these seeds into my weekly cooking!

Low Carb Wraps

These are a must have for my kitchen always because when I'm hungry & limited on time it's so easy to throw together a tuna wrap, a turkey club wrap, a tortilla pizza, chips for my guacamole, or a quesadilla!



EZ Bri's Breading

Try using my low carb breading substitution on meats & vegetables when throwing together a last minute meal. You can add your preferred seasonings, use an eggwash prior to breading, or adjust the measurements to make your breading cheesier or just the way you like! I use variations of this mix for many of my recipes.

• 1 Part Coconut Flour
• 1 Part Almond Flour, Almond Meal or Grated Almonds
• 1 Part Grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese 

This post is a part of Bri's Keys: Daily Improvements with Ease
look for other posts like it!