Here’s a rather personal question: What kind of foods do you keep in your cupboards and refrigerator? Do  you have those “go to” items that you keep on hand so you can whip up a meal in no time flat?

My favorites have changed over the years. I’ve found lots of extra space by tossing those items I tried and vowed never to use again. Sugar-free acai salad dressing with wine vinegar? Kalmata bruschetta topping (tasted like sour paste). We all have them. Admit it. Toss them out and move on. BUT, it never hurts to try new foods. Just make sure you read the labels. Google those ingredients. The more processed the food, the longer the list. Some of those ingredients are naturally occurring, but some are pure chemical. Educate yourself. I discovered that bottled lemon juice has sodium bisulfite in the ingredients list. Fine for most people, but it makes me miserable. Real lemons, those pretty yellow gems, are great AND every one of them comes with free lemon zest! Buy them on sale, zest them and freeze the zest, then freeze some juice in little containers. Just make sure to label them so you don’t wonder a few weeks later what on earth this could possibly be.

So what would you find in my cupboards and refrigerator? First, I love to make salads and dressings, so I keep good olive oil, several types of vinegar, including red wine, apple cider, a good quality balsamic, some citrus fruit, honey, and a wire whisk. Then there are nuts, like pistachios, walnuts, pecans (in containers, out of my line of sight to keep my little hands from unplanned snack-grabbing), fresh berries, kale and lettuces, plus other salad veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onions.

What to make for dinner tonight? How about a great salad. Leftover chicken, some water-packed tuna (or a piece of seared ahi tuna), shrimp, salmon, plus great salad fixings make a dinner feast. If you have the right “stuff” on hand, dinner will be ready in minutes!

Want to know what else I keep on hand? Stay tuned for more.