Staples

Some staples you should have around for healthy cooking (or at least for these recipes) are as follows:

Baking items:
Flour (whole wheat, all-purpose, pastry (whole wheat, and regular), or GF flour if you require it)
Baking soda
Baking powder
Cornstarch
Sugar*
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Margerine/butter

Pantry Items:
Dried fruit (unsweetened): apricots, dates, etc.
Raw nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, walnuts, sunflower seeds
Flax seed
Honey or Agave Nectar, or both.
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Apple cider vinegar
Herbs and spices -- buy them as you need them in a recipe, and you'll have them for future use. Or, if you're not sure if you like the seasoning called for, you can get a small amount in the bulk section of some grocery stores.

Fresh foods to always have on hand:
Leafy greens: spinach, lettuce, kale, arugula (rocket), etc
Your favorite in season fruits and veggies (esp. those that take little or no prep work)
Veggie staples: carrots, celery, onion, garlic
Frozen fruits are good to have also, especially if you make smoothies



* Sugar is not actually a necessary staple. There are lots of sugar substitutes to use in baking, but you'll notice that I will use sugar sparingly in my recipes. I'm trying to cut out refined sugar, so I'll try to use other sweeteners.