Stock Your Pantry: Healthy Oils

As you know, we cook A LOT. Between the blog, Nik loving to cook, and loving to cook myself — we have just about every kind of nut, spice, oil, or grain imaginable.

Since WE have just about every ingredient under the sun — I thought it would be fun to do a little “Stock your Pantry Series”! If you don’t cook as frequently as we do, you may not want to stock up on every item on these lists — but, you may find one or two new ingredients that you LOVE and want to add your pantry! Trying new things is fun, and each ingredients has different flavors and benefits!

Over the next few weeks, I’ll share some other favorites too! Like grains, flours, and nuts! šŸ™‚ Today, I wanted to start with the best oils for you kitchen. Let me know if you want to see anything else in particular for this series!

The BEST Oils for your Kitchen 

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Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – Do I even need to explain this?… Probably not… you already know of my love of coconut oil in everything from popcorn to skin care…but, just in case you didn’t know, coconut oil is a fantastic substitute in baked treats. It’s one of the healthiest fats in the world and should be a staple in every pantry.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Always make sure to get good quality olive oil — choose 100% Italian or Californian Olive Oil, and make sure it comes in a dark green bottle. (Did you know that olive oil is one of the most counterfeited products ever??) Nik and I love finding local olive oil shops, and going to test oils from different regions and ones infused with different herbs. When you find amazing olive oil, YOU WILL KNOW, and you’ll love it drizzled on salads, veggies, Caprese, or on just about everything. Just beware not to cook anything over 375 degrees, to prevent oxidation.

Sweet Almond Oil – This is another oil I’ve talked about for skincare and using with essential oils, but it’s also an amazing oil to cook with, too — just make sure you get a food-grade one when cooking with it! It’s a very delicate oil, so it’s best when you have it raw — and not actually cook with it. My favorite way to  enjoy it, is drizzled over sautĆ©ed veggies — especially green beans — with a little bit of pepper. I have the BEST nonstick pan, so I don’t even need oil when sautĆ©ing veggies! šŸ˜‰ So simple, but SO good!

Avocado Oil – If you love grilling, THIS is the oil for you! Avocado oil does really well under higher heats (over 500 degrees!), and has a buttery-taste that is amazing on meats and grilled veggies! (I also mentioned that I had a taste of Avocado Honey at my local farmers’s market — and it’s another awesome addition to grilling too, more savory and even a little smoky tasting! You have to try it!)

Walnut Oil – I’ve mentioned before that Nik makes his own pasta, and to be honest, there is NOTHING better than homemade pasta. Trust me if you’ve never tried it — find a restaurant that makes their own pasta and GO THERE — or make you’re own! It’s REALLY easy — maybe I’ll share the process with you soon! Anyway, sometimes we like to enjoy the pasta with just a little drizzle of walnut oil — it’s to die for — and some pan-seared chicken and fresh ground black pepper. Seriously, so easy. Walnut oil is amazing on fresh pasta and drizzled over steamed veggies!

Organic Grass-Fed Ghee – Ghee is clarified butter — it’s made by melting butter, skimming the fat off to save, then discarding the leftover liquid. It’s basically the BEST part of butter. It’s rich in healthy fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K — which are important for promoting bone and brain health, and boosting your immune system. Ghee is perfect for high heat cooking, because it won’t break into free-radicals like other oils when cooking at high temperatures — think stir-fry!

Hemp Oil – Hemp Oil is another delicate oil. It’s has an amazing earthy-flavor which makes it great as a dressing on salads or even in a pesto. Help oil is filled with healthy omega-3s, which is great if you aren’t the biggest fan of seafood. Use it for things you don’t actually have to cook, dips, dressings — things like that.

Do you have any other oils you love using in the kitchen?? Let me know in the comments — I love trying new ones!

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The Best Oils for your Kitchen

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