The Bare Necessities for My First Week in My Apartment

All of the things in the kitchen that I use nearly everyday.

I am the person who travels with a chef’s knife and a stash of all of my favorite spices wherever in the world I go. My first stop when settling into an AirBnb or now, my apartment, is the grocery story, farmer’s market, speciality food store or mercado. I not only need to stock up on my goods but I love exploring food stores in other cultures and different neighborhoods.

I somehow got blessed by the roommate gods and wound up with a roommate loves cooking as much as me so when I first moved in I was pleasantly surprised with Chinese cooking wines, furikake, bamboo steamers, and so many more goodies I usually do without. Even still, my list of bare necessities is not for someone looking to learn how to cook with the basics – I like to have fun in the kitchen and like to use different flavor profiles to elavate my weeknight dishes.

Here are my go-to staples that go beyond your basic kitchen necessities list

(like, I’m assuming you already have salt, pepper, and a high quality extra virgin olive oil)

Spices

Smoked Paprika, Furikake, Za’atar, Aleppo Pepper, Sumac, Nutritional Yeast, Herbes de Provence, Tajin (and of course garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, oregano, red pepper flakes, but I shouldn’t have to tell you that)

Oils/Sauces

EVOO, Coconut Oil, Sesame Oil, Toasted Sesame Oil, Rice Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Gochujang, Chile Crunch, Kewpie Mayo, Sriracha, Honey, Maple Syrup, Tahini, Dijon Mustard, Fish Sauce, Liquid Smoke

Pantry Staples

Canned Beans (chickpeas, navy beans, black beans, etc.), Quinoa, Pasta, Pearled Cous Cous, Loose Leaf Tea, dried mango, nut butter, panko, cornstarch, baking soda/powder, popcorn kernels, nori, spring roll papers, sushi rice, jasmine rice, curry paste, full fat coconut milk

Produce

Staples that last: garlic, shallots, all the onions, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, carrots. And basically anything else that is in season. I almost always have english cucumbers, spinach, kale, some type of mushroom, red pepper, cilantro but the rest of my produce depends on season. Oh and don’t keep your tomatoes in the fridge.

Other Fun Stuff

Sparkling water, a good loaf of sourdough bread, kimchi, matcha, tortillas, tofu/tempeh, good dark chocolate, good olives, good parmesan cheese (or pecorino romano if that’s your jam), fig jam, and GOOD BUTTER.

Note: I am a big proponent for buying high quality ingredients to cook with. I’d rather spend a few more bucks on food I know is going to not only be better for me but also taste better. Try and buy organic produce when possible, invest in good cooking oil and other staples you use often. Your list of things to prioritize will be different than mine but it really makes a world of difference. To save some pennies, buy things like rice, dried beans, spices at bulk stores and play around with making your own dips, spreads, dressings, marinades, etc.

I could go on for days about all of the things I consider necessary in my kitchen but I’ll keep it there and leave you with a bit of inspiration of how I have been using these ingredients (+ some produce).

Meal Inspiration

Pasta

Bursted Tomato Pasta with Olives, Spinach and Feta

My favorite way to make a quick tomato sauce is simply sauté some garlic and olive oil, throw in a container of cherry tomatoes and let those babies wittle down and burst into the most beautiful sauce. In the summer, I’ll throw in fresh basil. But usually I just season with S&P, some pasta water and a knob of butter. Sometimes I add roasted veggies. This time I chopped some olives, sauteed spinach and mixed feta throughout. I used Banza chickpea pasta for a bit of added protein but it would have been just as good (probably better) with normal pasta.

Creamy Roasted Broccoli Pasta with a Tahini Alfredo

You want to know how I made the sauce for this? I had leftover salad dressing (EVOO, lemon juice, S&P, honey, dijon mustard) and I threw in some tahini, nutritional yeast and a touch of pasta water and had the most delicious sauce for pasta…or potatoes…or crackers…or salad…or literally anything. Added in roasted broccoli, some chile flakes, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few grates of parm and I was good to go.

Rice Bowls

There’s no recipe here and not even a concept but rather, I threw things together and it tasted (and looked) delicious. Inspired by my favorite bibimbap in Mexico City, I cooked up some sushi rice, sauted beautiful beech mushrooms with shoyu and ponzu, wilted spinach, chopped kimchi and cucumbers and then added Kewpie, soy sauce, a touch of sesame oil and furikake. In the summer, I’ll often do something similar with seasoned sushi rice, carrots and cucumber, nori and kewpie + sriracha but really you can do anything. I LOVE rice bowls. Short grain rice like sushi rice is my favorite but any rice will do…and it’s great leftover.

Roasted Vegetables

Za’atar Roasted Vegetables with Crispy Quinoa and Labneh

I had parsnips, carrots, broccoli and half a sweet potato going bad one day so I roasted it on high seasoned with a bunch of za’atar, smoked paprika, S&P, garlic and nutritional yeast. I cooked and crisped quinoa and laid all of that atop a luxurious bed of labneh with a drizzle of honey. It was *chefs kiss* – I’m loving the Mediterranean flavors lately and this really hit those cravings.

Welcome home to Satiated.

Sorry not sorry but don’t expect recipes, like ever. I don’t use them (unless baking or looking for flavor combo inspo) and I want to encourage you to use your intuition when it comes to cooking. I’ll talk about my cooking philosophy soon but for now, listen to the things (produce, flavors, dishes) your body is craving and work with what you already have. We don’t like food waste! And when you cook like that, it’s kinda like you’re on an episode of Chopped without all of the pressure and time constraint.

That’s it from me, for now. Time to take the veggies out of the oven! See you next week.

Hi, I’m Nikki. I like to write,
To be in communion with my own mind
And to savor all of the goodness of life.

I recently moved to Brooklyn after living nomadically for 2.5 years where I spent time living, exploring and eating my way through Hawaii, Guatemala, Mexico and many more places along the way. Food has always been a big part of my life and how I connect more deeply to myself, to others and to the place around me. In SATIATED, I hope to share more on how to live a life that feels satiating through the lens of food. I also write for my Substack, The Process and update my Instagram followers with first peeks into all things food, lifestyle and mindfulness. Follow along if your curious and don’t hesitate to reach out.