Part 3: Healthy Pantry Staples I have on auto-ship

I rarely go to the market, which may seem surprising for someone who creates recipes for a living

Building a Foundation for Metabolic Health, Blood Sugar Balance, and Healthy Aging takes intention and planning. If you haven’t seen them yet, check out Parts 1 and 2 of my Real Food Made Simple series:

 

I do buy produce from local markets and the farmer’s market, source fish from a nearby seafood market (or from my fisherman son-in-law), and make a monthly trip to Costco, but that is it. I have the rest of what I use for recipe development and to feed my family on auto-ship.

Using auto-ship makes sticking to a whole-food diet so much easier. My son and I are not tempted by checkout aisle junk, which helps us stick to whole foods and our budget!

thrive market

Thrive Market, if you are not familiar with it, is an online “grocery store” with great brands at prices lower than traditional markets. My staples are on auto-ship, so my pantry is always stocked with items I can use to make easy meals. The following is what I have on auto-ship from Thrive Market:

• cashew milk from Elmhurst - just cashews and water, use in coffee or No Oats and for baking

• walnut milk from Elmhurst - just walnuts and water, use in coffee or No Oats and for baking

• wild caught mackerel from Wild Planet use in an easy, assembled lunch with mixed greens, veggies, sauerkraut, and some nuts, drizzled with olive oil and apple cider vinegar (see my IG highlights labeled “lunch” for hundreds of examples of easy, assembled lunches)

• sardines in olive oil from Wild Planet are a great source of calcium for those of us in perimenopause and menopause and trying to reach 1200mg of calcium a day. Smash sardines with a vinaigrette or some avocado and enjoy on flax bread or chia crackers.

• Flackers seed crackers are great with sardines, cheese, olive tapenade, or garlic hummus.

• salmon jerky by Epicbar makes a great snack and helps you to reach your protein and omega 3 goals

• ghee made by Organic Valley clarified butter is great for cooking and baking and may be better tolerated than butter for some people because ghee is butter that has been heated and the casein and lactose proteins have been removed.

• sea salt from Redmond mineral-rich salt, great for cooking and baking

• Maldon coarse sea salt terrific “finishing” salt to use before serving a dish or for topping caramel chocolate chip cookies

• avocado oil choose the Thrive Market brand, Chosen Foods, or La Tourangelle, use this healthy oil for cooking and baking

• extra virgin olive oil California Olive Ranch is a good everyday olive oil for cooking and dressings.

• smoked oysters Crown Prince are a great, nutrient-dense protein to add to an assembled lunch and are a great source of zinc, copper, and omega-3 fatty acids.

• gelatin by Great Lakes is great for making homemade gummies and for use as a thickener.

• tuna from Safe Catch mix with mayo or smashed avocado for an easy lunch protein- eat on flax crackers and top with sauerkraut to get those ferments into your diet too.

• wild-caught canned salmon from Wild Planet mixed with vinaigrette, mayo, or smashed avocado for an Omega-3-rich, easy protein.

• raw cashews Thrive Market for making homemade cashew milk, eating on their own, making curry nuts, or for using in baking recipes like this dairy-free strawberry cheesecake

• ketchup from Primal Kitchen unsweetened

• sprouted pumpkin seeds by Go Raw are great for sprinkling on salads, No Oats, and adding crunch to just about any meal.

• cacao powder and cacao nibs from Navitas for baking, adding to No Oats, or for my famous Triple Chocolate Banana Bread!

• mayo Chosen Foods - pure avocado oil mayonnaise

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for baking and cooking:

• coconut cream by Savoy makes the best coconut yogurt, keto caramel syrup, and the base for my chocolate torte, and more!

• yogurt starter by Cultures for Health

• lupin flour, oat fiber, arrowroot, allulose, active dry yeast, and tiger nut flour from Anthonys Goods

• organic almond flour from Bob’s Red Mill

• monkfruit + allulose blend from Lakanto

• psyllium husk flakes for low-carb baking and adding fiber to your diet

• organic pure stevia drops by Nu Naturals for warm drinks like this matcha latte, healthy hot cocoa, and golden milk.

• vanilla extract and ground vanilla powder from Beyond Good

• parchment paper 

for my morning No Oats:

• organic hemp hearts

• organic basil seeds from Zen Basil

• organic flax seeds from Terrasoul

for cooking:

• organic curry paste by Mike’s Organic Foods- add a protein, your favorite veggies, and some coconut milk, and dinner is ready!

• lupini beans by Cento -a great source of protein and fiber: chop them and add them to salads, make them into a tasty dip, add them to soups and stews.

• lasagna pea noodles - perfect for my paleo lasagna!

wild pastures

“100% of our meat is raised on pasture by family farmers in the USA using regenerative farming practices. The result is healthier meat that is better for the planet.” I have been ordering from Wild Pastures for several years and I love having healthy proteins in the freezer for easy meals. The things in my order:

• pork pot roast for this Spanish stew

• bratwurst, no sugar added bacon, breakfast sausage, pork chops, and ribeye steak

• grass-fed ground beef for burgers, meatloaf, lasagna, stir fry, or adding to Mike’s curry and veggies

• whole chicken for Sunday’s roast chicken

• chicken thighs for roasting, and chicken backs (for bone broth)

• our Thanksgiving turkey (Thanksgiving recipes for paid subscribers)

other farms I order from

• Stemple Creek Ranch, the lamb liver is excellent, and so are the holiday roasts and whole chickens

• Pasturebird wonderful, pastured chicken

other items I have on auto-ship

• Fullscript supplements, always 20% off I have vitamins, collagen, creatine, soap, toothpaste, and more on auto-ship

• Witzi’s raw granola and No Oats (NEST20 to save on granola)

• Miracle Noodle low carb, high fiber konjac noodles

• Eat Chef’s Kiss lupin pasta- low-carb and high-protein noodles (code NEST20)

• Vera Salt plastic-free salt (code BETH)

• Mt. Capra goat whey (code NEST10)

easy meals using pantry staples:

• No Oats with yogurt, granola, and berries

• Veggie loaded stir fry 3 ways

• Simple mac and cheese—one pot, 20 minutes, homemade, low carb, and high protein! (And, of course, blood sugar friendly, too!)

• Spring roll salad

• Assembled meals and find more inspiration here and here!

A note about kids: I have always kept a pantry drawer stocked with items I don’t mind my kids eating. This is a place where they (and their friends) can go for a snack without “asking permission.” I stock this drawer with things that will support their metabolic health:

• seaweed snacks

• flackers crackers

• Chomps meat sticks

• Rise Bar protein bars

• tinned sardines with preserved lemon, tinned smoked oysters

• pork rinds

• sweet potato chips cooked in coconut oil

• potato chips cooked in avocado oil

• popcorn popped in coconut oil

• nuts: walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts,

• seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds (be sure they are organic because this is a heavily sprayed crop- glyphosate is used to dry the sunflower seeds before harvest.)

• raw granola from Witzi’s (code NEST20)

• chocolate by Beyond Good

• dark chocolate hazelnut cups from Evolved

I hope this post helps to de-mystify the ins and outs of eating a whole-food diet for blood sugar balance and metabolic health. My aim is always to simplify and clarify. If you have questions, need resources, or have a topic you would like for me to cover, message me!

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additional resources:

1// My metabolically healthy, blood sugar-friendly Thanksgiving Menu is now live! It includes a printable ebook of all 22 recipes.

If you have considered becoming a paid subscriber, now would be a great time! The holidays are a tricky time for blood sugar balance, and I have done the experimenting for you to ensure that all of these holiday recipes (gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and low glycemic) produce a level glucose response.

2// Mark your calendars! I just got word of a surprise Fullscript SALE! 25% off everything from November 29th - December 3rd only.

You can set up an account here to access the savings. Fullscript offers practitioner-grade supplements, protein powder, collagen, personal care products, and more.

Thank you🧡

This newsletter wouldn’t be possible without YOU! A huge THANK YOU to all who support my work here on Substack.

🧡P.S.

If you know someone with pre-diabetes, diabetes, PCOS, metabolic syndrome, or anyone eating for blood sugar balance, low carb, keto, grain-free, gluten-free, or just eating whole food for better health, will you forward my Substack to them? I would love it if you would share my page with a friend or restack to your notes. Thank you!

🧡Beth

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