Give Your Pantry a Second Chance: Redefining the Way You Cook While in Quarantine (Part I)
Reclaiming the hobby as the highest form of self-care in the new normal of 2020.
Is it just me, or did an overflowing pantry always seem like a suburban myth? That over-the-top level of preparedness has always felt counter to the pace of city life, or like a relic of the past, when things trudged along at a predictable pace. “I’m too spontaneous for pantries!” my subconscious proclaimed, purchasing my modest selection of daily groceries. The thought of keeping an abundance of canned and dry goods seemed romantic at best – and totally unnecessary. Yet, here we are, living a part of this story that most of us (all of us?) neither saw coming, and certainly didn’t plan for. Our daily routine of spontaneous meals – and lives – has changed almost overnight.
So – that mythological pantry? Well, it’s becoming apparent that it actually might be key in this whole staying-put-for-a-while scenario.
I sat down with the plant-based chefs from Brainfood to get some insight into how to make the most of pantry essentials. Cofounders Taylor Wild and Maxine Shifrin started the business as a way to foster the connection between the way we feel and what we eat, hosting dinners and events in Toronto, New York, and Costa Rica. They shared how, now more than ever, these times present us with an essential and precious opportunity to redefine our relationship with food – and to reclaim the practice of cooking for ourselves as the highest form of self-care. We can use the pantry-building process as a way to both prepare for the future, and as a tool to reflect on how to build a better relationship with ourselves.
Maxine and Taylor.
If you’re not a cook, you’re not alone. Consider this an invitation to slowly and quite simply fuel your body with the energy it needs to coast through this wild ride. We don’t need to have it all figured out right now, both in the kitchen and in life. But we can stock our pantry smartly, while shifting our perspective on cooking, and caring for ourselves. Paired with a few of Brainfood’s go-to recipes, here are three of five simple steps (we’ll share the last two in Part II) to get there.
Note: All ingredients below can be stored in your pantry except those noted with an asterisk.
1. Listen to What Makes Your Body Feel Good
Think about it: our bodies are essentially this crazy advanced piece of machinery that are part of who we are. And while even now we’re still learning so much about them, the best information we can gain is by listening to them. It sounds simple. But when we really start to tune into how food makes us feel on a daily basis, we can begin to learn how best to care for ourselves.
First things first. We need to shift our relationship with food and cooking in general. This shift requires us to go beyond seeing food as just an input. It requires us to approach eating from a mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity. We can start to shift our awareness slowly by incorporating a mindfulness exercise into a daily routine with a meal or beverage. Give yourself permission and the opportunity to slow down. The point of this isn’t to dine with this level of consciousness every time you eat, but rather to develop moments of awareness that allow us to begin a dialogue with our bodies.
Find a quiet place to enjoy your beverage and remove all distractions. Ask yourself questions along the way:
Can I sip slower?
Can I tune into my breath and be in the present moment?
Can I use my senses to fully experience the tastes and smells?
Try it out with your morning coffee, your hot water and lemon, or this Vegan Golden Milk recipe that is completely pantry-friendly.
What you’ll need:
Canned Light Coconut Milk
Almond Milk
Turmeric, Ginger, Cinnamon Sticks
Coconut Oil
Black Pepper
Sweetener of Choice.
2. Don’t Underestimate Breakfast, and Establish a Morning Routine
On a regular day, many of us have crazy timelines and work schedules. We’re often running out the door and grabbing a muffin or coffee on the go. When we do that, not only are we packing our bodies with caffeine, sugar and starches first thing, but eating on the run gives our bodies an irregular digestion schedule. Right now, most of us are not living our normal lives’ regularly scheduled programming. The silver lining? Being at home gives us an opportunity to reset. And it all begins with breakfast. Think of your breakfast time as a way to set the right standard for your day. Make a ritual out of it. Set the scene, put on some music, even put on a cute outfit (changing out of your pyjamas signals your brain that it’s time to start your day, which doubly makes this a good idea).
When you take the time to eat something vibrant and energy-filled first thing, you’re telling your body, Hey, I’m going to replenish you with valuable nutrients. When you don’t eat breakfast, your body smartly begins conserving calories. This can lead to energy slumps, weight gain, and mood fluctuations (which you may already be prone to while staying within the confines of your own home most hours of the day).
The solution? Make a high-protein breakfast with oomph so you have enough energy to make it to lunch. Bringing items like eggs, beans, and veggies to the (literal) table can be an amazing way to switch it up.
Looking for a sweeter breakfast? Incorporate some frozen fruit into it — berries are key. Be careful if you’re eating high-sugar fruits like bananas or pineapples, as you may notice an initial energy spike, and then crash later in the day. This is when Step 1 comes back in: listen. Listen to how you feel; during and after you eat. And in the end, it all comes back to balance. If you eat fruit one day, try switching to a savory breakfast the next.
Savory or Sweet Oatmeal is a simple and accessible top-of-the-day meal that is incredibly versatile. See pantry essentials and suggested recipe links below.
What you’ll need:
Steel Cut Oats / Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
Nut Milk
Frozen Blueberries
Chia Seeds
Hemp Hearts
Nut Butter
Cinamon
Coconut Oil
What you’ll need:
Steel Cut Oats / Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats
Canned Beans
Vegan Sausage
Spices (Zataar or Harissa is a great option)
Coconut Oil (See above)
Eggs*
Veggies of your choice*
3. Eat for How You Want To Feel
In the simplest terms — food and water is helping our organs function, our blood stay clean and our brains function optimally. So, in the most basic way, yes: our bodies are actually composed of these vitamins, minerals and nutrients that make up our physical structure.
But, we are also what we eat in terms of how food directly affects our emotional states and perception of the world around us. During these times, having a resilient immune system is crucial. Our immune system is not only made stronger by the food we eat, but the way we feel. We have 500 million neurons in our gut. These neurons are constantly sending signals to our brain about what mood we’re going to be in based on what we’re eating. They send these signals via the vagus nerve — the longest nerve in our body that connects our stomach, heart and head. Scientific studies have proven time and again that what we feed ourselves is directly related to our mental health: everything from ADHD, depression, anxiety, insomnia and more. So, if we’re filling our body with white rice, sugar and processed foods from the corner store, your body doesn’t have a lot to work with and will be much more prone to physical and emotional stressors. So, next time you cook something up: eat for how you want to feel in the hours and days to come! This Miso Chickpea Bowl is a great place to start.
What you’ll need:
Miso
Canned Chickpeas
Tempeh
Brown Rice
Sauerkraut
Veggies of your choice*
Photography by Ashley Klassen.
Stay tuned for Redefining The Way You Cook for Yourself During the Quarantine Part II.
This post is tagged as:
You may also like...
The Latest
People & Places
Creating Value Through Community in the Face of COVID-19
Fearing for the safety of the Diné community in the face of COVID-19, a collective of women took the wellbeing of their people into their hands.

Better Yourself
How to Feel Empowered Through an Abundant Mindset
Adopting this way of thinking is an act of generosity to ourselves and others.

Better Your Werk
Unlocking Your Next Career Move Post-lockdown
6 ways to turn job uncertainty into opportunity.

Do Good Werk
6 Ways to Make Gen Zs Feel Welcome in the Workplace
Generation Z, or ‘iGen,’ the generation born between 1996 and 2010, are entering the workplace in full force.

Better Your Werk
Goal Setting You Can Actually Feel Good About
A how-to guide on how to find the satisfaction you're searching for.

Better Your Werk
Is LinkedIn Losing Ground?
It’s not pretty to look at or friendly to use, so why do we keep logging in?

People & Places
When Something Golde Stays: An Interview with Golde’s Co-CEOs
“For us it was never a question,” says Issey Kobori, speaking of the decision to build a business with his partner Trinity Mouzon Wofford. At just shy of 27, Kobori and Wofford have secured a host ...

Better Your Werk
How to Make Working from Home Work for You
The staying sane strategy you may need, whether you like it or not.

Better Yourself
Keep Calm and Activate the Vagus Nerve
Easy and actionable practices for slowing down your system with psychologist Hiroko Demichelis Positive psychologist, Hiroko Demichelis believes that as a society, we have mastered the art of the h...

Better Your Werk
In The Era Of The Side Hustle, Is The Hobby Dead?
Why we should resist the pressure to constantly optimize for profit.

People & Places
Dr. Sarah Hill: Could Your Birth Control Pill Be Affecting Your Ability to Do Good Work?
When the first oral contraceptive pill was approved by the FDA in 1960, it changed the world. The pill enabled women to have control over how and when they got pregnant, and thus to discover what ...
