Class #18: Grocery List, Winter Edition

I love vegetables. Not just some of them sometimes, but most of them most of the time.
— Mollie Katzen in 'The Vegetable dishes I can't live without'

Grocery List (Winter)

This is the basic structure of my winter grocery list, which allows me to compose a big variety of plant-forward meals throughout the week. I don’t buy all of these things at one time, and I usually only buy one or two things per category (as in ‘greens for cooking’). Plus, I further curate the list according to things I want to cook on a given week, but this framework helps me stay on track and remember my staples.

 

Produce

  • yellow onions, red onions, shallots, leeks - for building flavor, quick pickling

  • garlic - for building flavor, dressings, sauces

  • greens for cooking - kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, bok choy, broccoli rabe

  • greens for salads - arugula, spinach, lettuces

  • root vegetables - beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips - for salads, roasting, marinating, adding to soups/stews

  • potatoes/sweet potatoes - for roasting, mashing, adding to soups/stews

  • winter squashes - for roasting, mashing, adding to soups/stews

  • cabbage - for slaw, braising, adding to soups/stews

  • cauliflower/broccoli - for roasting, adding to bowls, soups, stews

  • fennel - for salads, soups, braising

  • mushrooms - for sauteing, roasting

  • herbs - parsley, dill, cilantro, sage, rosemary, for garnishing and making pesto or salsa verde

  • lemons/limes - for finishing dishes and dressings

  • oranges - for salads, snacks, topping oatmeal

  • apples - for apple sauce or to add to savory dishes

Pantry

  • olive oil - for cooking and dressings

  • vinegar - for dressings and general seasoning

  • Miyoko’s butter - to add richness to dishes

  • tamari/coconut aminos - for sauces, building flavor

  • canned tomatoes/tomato paste - for sauces, soups, stews

  • coconut milk - for soups and stews

  • beans - chickpeas, white beans, black beans, red beans, pinto beans, cranberry beans

  • lentils - French lentils, black lentils, red lentils

  • spices - chile flakes, smoked paprika, black pepper, coriander, curry, bay, etc.

  • tofu - for marinating and roasting or sauteing

  • nuts - cashews (mainly for creamy sauces), walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts

  • seeds - pumpkin seeds, chia seeds

  • pasta/noodles

  • rice/farro/other grains

  • nut butter - for snacks and sauces

  • hot sauce