My Current Pantry Staples

The last two years have brought a lot of changes for me, one of them is my diet. I did a 21 days healthy challenge back in summer 2018 that really put me on the right path. Since then, every time I go for groceries, I'm very conscious about what I want to put in my body. But don't get me wrong, I still do love delicious food and desserts (I'm such a sucker for dark chocolate and matcha) and living with my boyfriend Tom who loves junk food doesn't really allow me to stuck up the fridge with only veggies and salads. So, every time I go grocery shopping, I'm determined to find the healthiest version of the food that we love. Plus, considering the current times and that we are constantly eating snacks, why not eating slightly healthier? See my favorites below!

Breakfast items (favorite meal, tbh...)

Just like Leslie Knope, I love waffles!! (And pancakes hehe). I actually found out about this option thanks to my "21 days challenge". My nutritionist put on my menu "coconut flour" pancakes, and when I was looking for that in the flour aisle, I ran into this Birch Benders Paleo Pancake and Waffle Mix. And let me tell you, it is really good! It's made with almonds, coconut, cassava, eggs, and monk fruit. It's lower in cabs and it's only 140 calories per serving (2 pancakes). Tom loved them and he couldn't believe they were not normal pancakes!

Ezekiel Sprouted Bread is the only bread that my nutritionist let me eat while I was doing my challenge. And I loved it that much that I kept purchasing it! My nutritionist gave a recipe of french toast with this bread and it was so good that I couldn't switch to another "healthy" bread.

Ok, it is definitely not a complete breakfast without coffee! Lately, we have been enjoying this one from my second home, Trader Joe's and it so good! Even our guest from a few weeks ago loved it and asked us where did we get it from. Well, now I'm telling you.

Unfortunately, Trader Joe's doesn't have a page where they sell this. So make sure to look for it on your next grocery trip!

If you're not in the mood for coffee like I am sometimes, I have you covered! This Four Sigmatic Mushroom Golden Latte Mix with shitake and turmeric is the perfect beauty drink. It not only tastes amazing but it helps to achieve more radiant and healthier-looking skin. It is caffeine and dairy-free so it's perfect for those who are trying more plant-based options. You only mix it with hot water and done! Plus, only 30 calories. Sold.

I tried this Bonne Maman Four Fruits Preserves for the first time in our hotel in Paris and I loved it so much that the next day, I went to Monoprix (basically like the French Target) and bought 3 jars to bring back with me. Once back in America, I found out I can literally buy this everywhere from Whole Foods to Walmart... oh well, at least I have a tasty souvenir from Paris. They have tons of flavors but my favorites are Four Fruits and Apricot.

THIS IS MY ULTIMATE FAVORITE ALMOND BUTTER! I, repeat, FAVORITE ALMOND BUTTER! And, I've tried a LOT. I mean, it's not surprising since I've been loving their protein bars. This RX Vanilla Almond Butter is so creamy, it contains protein and has that hint of vanilla I'm obsessed with. They have other flavors like maple and regular almond butter but this is one is my fave. I probably go through a bottle every two weeks, hehe.

Snacks

When I was living in New York City, I used to go to Hu Kitchen in Union Square all the time. I really love that their food is made with clean ingredients, paleo, so so tasty and dairy-free! I tasted this Hu dark chocolate bar there and I haven't switched ever since! Luckily, you can get it almost everywhere and on Amazon. I eat it just like a snack, I chop it and add it to my pancakes, banana bread or I even melt it and add it to my vegan ice cream.

It's no secret I love to host and with hosting comes CHEESE PLATTERS! Tom and I are big BIG fans of Brie and White Stilton. These Trader Joe's Fig & Olive Crisps and those cheeses are just a match made in heaven. Another item to get in your next Trader Joe's trip! ;-)

I love smoothies and I love peanut butter. But as you might now, peanut butter can be quite fattening. I fount this PB2 Peanut Butter Powder taste just like peanut butter but with 90% less fat!! It has 6g of protein and makes smoothies creamier.

Favorite smoothies recipes post coming soon!

I'm obsessed with avocado toast. I eat them all the time for breakfast but sometimes I think I need to take a break from bread. I used to buy the normal lightly salted rice cakes but when I found these Tamari with Seaweed Organic Rice Cakes my mind was blown!! I really love sushi so once I mixed the seaweed, rice, and avocado, I felt I was having sushi for breakfast!!!! So so good.

Tom loves chips so much, probably right after beer! Especially when he is hangover or after coming back from a night out. I always try to have a healthy option so he doesn't feel that guilty afterward. I found these Harvest Snaps Green Pea Snack Crips are a great option. They're not 100% vegetable, but still healthier than normal chips.

Just like the previous chips, I found in an article that these Kettle Brand Potato Chips were a bit healthier than normal potato chips. They're natural and baked. A way better option for when we are craving chips.

Meals

We all love spaghetti and pasta, but if we eat it quite often then we might not love it that much... that's why I'm so happy for Banza Spaghetti Made From Chickpeas exists because, without this, I'd probably have stopped eating pasta!! It's so good and it just tastes like normal pasta. Yum!

Last but not least, and I know my fellow Mexicans might start laughing about this... this is my ultimate favorite MEXICAN SALSA EVER! It's not the healthiest since we all know nothing beats a homemade salsa, but when you don't feel like making one, this Del Primo Salsa is the best option out there! It so good and it's from my hometown: Monterrey, MX. They have different flavors but this one with guacamole has my heart.

With all that said, I really hope you're staying safe during the current times. We are trying to do our groceries every two weeks so we don't get too exposed and I recommend doing the same. I feel so grateful for all those supermarkets, Amazon and e-commerce workers who are working hard every day so we can have the food we need.

Stay safe and healthy,

Xx,

Sandra