Real food, real flavour, and no last-minute dashes to the shops
The secret to making life easier (and tastier) is having the right things ready to go. And no, I don’t mean a pantry full of pre-made sauces and packet meals—I’m talking about your living pantry: a mix of garden-fresh produce and made-ahead basics that keep your week running smoothly.
These are the from-scratch staples I make regularly—gut-friendly, budget-conscious, and full of flavour. Most of them freeze beautifully or live happily in jars until you’re ready for them.
🌿 1. Nasturtium Pesto (with Cashews & Cashew Butter)
Bright, peppery, and perfect for tossing through pasta, spreading on toast, or dolloping on roast veg.
My method:
– A few good handfuls of nasturtium leaves
– ½ cup raw cashews
– A spoon of 100% cashew butter (helps create creaminess without dairy)
– Olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt
Blitz until smooth and freeze in ice cube trays for instant flavour bombs—especially before frost wipes out your nasturtiums for the season!
🧄 2. Garlic Paste or Minced Garlic in Oil
Save time and avoid the supermarket squeeze tubes.
How: Blitz peeled garlic cloves with a bit of olive oil. Store in a jar in the fridge (use within 1–2 weeks) or freeze in teaspoons.
🫘 3. Roasted Chickpeas
Crunchy, protein-packed, and perfect as a snack or salad topper.
How:
– Drain, rinse, and dry chickpeas well
– Toss with olive oil, salt, smoked paprika or cumin
– Roast at 200°C for 30–40 mins until crispy
Store: In an airtight jar in the pantry for up to a week.
🍅 4. Slow-Cooked Tomato Sauce
Perfect for pasta, pizza bases, or baked eggs.
Base recipe:
– Fresh or tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil
– Add basil, oregano, or chilli if desired
– Simmer low and slow until thick and rich
Freeze: In jars or ziplock bags laid flat
🧄 5. Herb-Infused Oils or Butters
Quick flavour hit for potatoes, toast, pasta or eggs.
Ideas:
– Chive butter, garlic-thyme oil, or lemon-parsley drizzle
Tip: Freeze herbed butter in baking paper logs to slice as needed.
🥣 6. Homemade Granola or Muesli
Ditch boxed cereal and control the sugar.
Base: Rolled oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, cinnamon, honey or maple, and olive oil
Bake low and slow until golden. Store in an airtight jar and serve with yoghurt and fresh fruit.
🥬 7. Vegetable Scrap Stock
Saves money, reduces waste, and tastes better than anything in a cube.
How:
Keep onion skins, carrot ends, celery leaves, and herb stalks in a freezer bag. When full, boil with water and a bay leaf for an hour. Strain and store.
Final Thought
Your pantry and garden can work together beautifully—especially when you take an hour or two each week to prep a few staples. With a living pantry, dinner becomes a matter of assembling rather than cooking from scratch every night.
Try This:
🧾 Download my Living Pantry Checklist
🌿 Want to grow your own? Explore my Kitchen Garden articles