12MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS

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12 Must-Have Ingredients These 12 essential kitchen staples are the basis of many recipes in the Cooking Light Diet. You won’t find butter or mayonnaise here—our ingredients emphasize flavor without adding extra fat and calories.

HEART-HEALTHY OILS: Olive oil and canola oil are Cooking Light Diet essentials for sautéed and roasted dishes, salad dressings, and more. These two staple oils are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats and low in artery-clogging saturated fats.

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VINEGARS: Use vinegar to add tanginess to salad dressings, marinades, sauces, pastas, and even soups. Vinegars are strong, so add to dishes in small amounts and taste to determine if you need more. Most Cooking Light Diet recipes will use red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, or cider vinegar.

CITRUS: Lemons and limes (juice and zest) add flavor and depth without added salt in sweet and savory dishes alike. Citrus is similar to vinegar in effect but less tangy in flavor. Store whole citrus in the refrigerator for longer life.

GARLIC: Adding fresh, jarred, or minced garlic at the start of cooking transforms vegetables, pasta sauces, marinades, soups, and more with no added calories. Aromatic garlic adds complexity to ingredients and enlivens otherwise plain dishes. Store unused minced garlic in the refrigerator.

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GREEK YOGURT: With twice the protein of regular yogurt, Greek yogurt’s creamy, rich texture makes it the perfect healthy replacement for sour cream or mayo in recipes. Stir in honey, nuts, or dried fruit for a quick snack; spoon over baked potatoes; or use as a dip or spread. Choose plain, fat-free Greek yogurt to save the most calories.

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Step one to success in the Cooking Light Diet is building a solid pantry.

NUT BUTTERS: Although they are higher in fat, nut butters such as peanut and almond are great sources of protein, niacin, and heart-healthy fats. Enjoyed in moderation (2 tablespoons per day), nut butters may reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

EGGS:You may have grown up believing that eggs are bad for cholesterol, but new guidelines recommend eating up to 7 eggs per week. This is great news, since eggs are a near-perfect food. They’re inexpensive, low in calories (80 each), high in protein (7 grams each), and an easy choice for any meal: scramble eggs for breakfast, boil a few for snacks, or whip up an omelet for dinner.

GREENS: Convenient, nutritious, and low in calories, greens of all varieties are a must. Romaine or mesclun lettuces are good choices, but we love the versatility of leafy greens such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, bok choy, and arugula. Keep one or two types on hand each week to use for salads and sandwich toppings or mix into stir-fries, frittatas, or cooked whole grains.

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GOOD-QUALITY CHEESE: It’s worth spending a little extra on cheeses such as fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano and crumbled Greek feta. Both enhance the quality of a dish and eliminate the need for extra salt. Keep a small block or wedge on hand to top off pastas, salads, soups, and more. You won’t have to add much—a little goes a long way.

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LEAN PROTEINS: Stock your refrigerator and freezer with lean proteins, especially when they are on sale. Good options to keep frozen are skinless chicken breast cutlets, lean ground beef and turkey, and peeled and deveined raw shrimp. All can be defrosted in minutes and used to make quick tacos, burritos, stir-fries, or pasta dishes.

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CANNED BASICS: Although canned vegetables are higher in sodium than fresh, having a few on hand can speed up meal prep significantly. Canned black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, and cannellini beans are high-quality, inexpensive sources of fiber and protein that can be tossed in salads, stirred into soups, made into dips, and more. Draining and rinsing beans cuts the sodium in half. Canned tomatoes are high in vitamin C and antioxidants and form the base of many recipes. Choose from diced, crushed, or whole, and use in soups, sauces, egg dishes, pastas, and more.

QUICK-COOKING WHOLE GRAINS: Ready in as little as 10 minutes, quinoa, regular rolled oats, instant brown rice, and whole-grain pastas can quickly become the center of or side dish to any meal. Filled with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, whole grains also can help you stay full after meals. Serve alone or toss with veggies, beans, rotisserie chicken, toasted nuts, fresh herbs, or dried fruit.

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Complete your pantry with our master staples list and watch your weekly shopping list grow shorter and shorter.

HEALTHY COOKING BASICSCanola OilExtra-Virgin Olive OilSesame OilNonstick Cooking Spray White VinegarCider VinegarBalsamic VinegarRed Wine VinegarWhite Wine VinegarRice VinegarStock/Broth: Chicken, Beef, Vegetable

SPICES AND SEASONINGSKosher SaltTable SaltGround Black PepperBlack PeppercornsCrushed Red PepperGround Red Pepper/Cayenne PepperGarlic PowderGround CuminCurry PowderGround CorianderChili PowderPaprikaGround CinnamonGround NutmegDried OreganoDried Thyme

BAKINGAll-Purpose FlourWhole-Wheat FlourBaking PowderBaking SodaCornstarchLight Brown SugarGranulated SugarVanilla ExtractChocolate: Bittersweet and Semisweet Squares/ChipsUnsweetened Cocoa Powder

DAIRYEggsFat-Free Greek YogurtFat-Free or 1% MilkUnsalted ButterParmigiano-Reggiano Cheese BlockFeta Cheese

CONDIMENTSCanola MayonnaisePestoRoasted Red PeppersHoneyKetchupMustard: Dijon, Whole- Grain, Yellow Worcestershire SauceLower-Sodium Soy SauceSrirachaSambal Oelek (Ground Chile Paste)Hoisin Sauce

FRESH PRODUCEGarlicShallotsOnions: Yellow, Sweet, RedCarrotsCeleryPotatoes: Idaho, Red, Yukon Gold, SweetLemonsLimesGreens: Romaine, Kale, Baby Spinach

FROZEN AND REFRIGERATEDChicken Breasts and ThighsGround Sirloin Ground TurkeyShrimpFresh Pizza DoughFrozen Vegetables: Whole-Kernel Corn, Green Peas, Shelled Edamame, Whole Green Beans, Broccoli Florets

CANNED GOODSTomatoes: Diced, Whole, Crushed, PasteBeans: Chickpeas, Black Beans, Pinto Beans, Cannellini BeansMarinara SauceOlivesTuna In Water

MIDDLE GROCERY AISLE MUST-HAVESDry Breadcrumbs/PankoWhole Grains: Brown Rice, Quinoa, Farro, BulgurQuick-Cooking Oats/Regular Rolled OatsNut Butters: Peanut, AlmondNuts: Unsalted Peanuts, Sliced/Slivered Almonds, Cashews, Pecans, WalnutsRegular And Whole-Wheat Pasta: Penne, Orzo, Farfalle, Linguine, FettuccineDried Fruit: Cranberries, Golden Raisins, Cherries

YOUR PANTRY ADDITIONS

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THE COOKING LIGHT DIET COMPLETE PANTRY

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