Ever wonder what staple items I keep stocked in my pantry that fit with a clean eating lifestyle? Here are my top 10 clean eating pantry staples!

1. Stevia. If you have been following Dashing Dish for any length of time, you probably know that stevia is something that I use in place of sugar in my recipes. Stevia is wonderful because it is an all natural sweetener, and it is calorie free, and won’t affect your blood sugar levels. I personally like to use baking stevia in my baked goods, and packets and/or stevia drops in single serve recipes, as well as in my coffee, tea, and beverages. I have heard that some people think stevia is bitter tasting, but I always tell people that they need to try a different brand before they give up on it! There is no doubt that some brands taste better than others. If you are unsure what brand of stevia tastes best, here are some of my personal favorites. Of course, I always provide the option to use a “sweetener that measures like sugar” in all of my recipes if you prefer to use sugar, or any sweetener that measures like it.

2. Protein Powder. When it comes to weight loss and maintenance, protein is one of the most vital nutrients! Protein takes longer to digest, so it fills us up and keeps us satisfied for hours, which is key to curbing appetite and cravings. It also has benefits such as maintaining muscle, which helps rev up our metabolism! I like to use protein powder in my shakes and baked good recipes because it provides a quick and easy source of protein to any snack or meal!

3. Peanut Flour. If you are anything like me, and are a peanut butter fan, you need to try peanut flour if you haven’t already! It has all of the amazing flavors of peanut butter, but it is 1/4 of the fat and calories, and it is high in protein! It is made by extracting the oil out of peanuts, (which is where the fat and calories come from), and ground into a powder, which gives it a long shelf life, and makes it easy to add to any snack, meal, or recipe! One of my favorite ways to use peanut flour is in my peanut butter cup protein shake….Although you can virtually use it anywhere that you would peanut butter, by simply adding water until it reaches a peanut butter consistency!

4. Oat Flour. Oat flour is one of my favorite flours to use in baked goods, because unlike white or whole wheat flour, it is unprocessed, and is whole grain. We all know that whole grain oats (the kind you make oatmeal with) is incredibly healthy, but if you don’t enjoy a bowl of morning oatmeal, it can be enjoyed other ways, such as in flourless baked goods! It is high in fiber, protein, and is low glycemic, making it a healthy source of carbohydrates! The best part is, oat flour can be made right at home (and is very inexpensive) by grinding old fashioned oats in a blender or food processor until it reaches the consistency of a flour. You can also buy it, pre-ground, and it is gluten free as long as you use gluten free oats, (oats are gluten free, but you want to make sure they haven’t been contaminated in a factory much like every other product that could be in the same factory as wheat if you are very sensitive.) Oat flour can be swapped fairly closely for white and whole wheat flour in most recipes, but a small amount of moisture should be added to make sure the final product is not too dense or dry, as oat flour is high in fiber making it more nutritious, but also more dense.

5. Almond Flour. Almond flour is another favorite flour of mine. Because almonds are high in healthy fats, they make baked goods incredibly moist while still being nutritious and heart healthy. Almond flour is also naturally low in carbohydrates, and gluten and grain free, which makes it ideal for those who have food sensitivities. One of my favorite ways to use almond flour is in my grain free baked goods and grain free almond butter pancakes! The only down side of almond flour is that it is a bit pricey, because the cost of almonds is fairly high. That being said, when I do use it in a recipe, I try to be conscious of this, and I try provide both oat and almond flour versions of each recipe so that you can choose which flour you prefer to use.

6. Unsweetened Applesauce. Applesauce is seriously underrated if you ask me when it comes to baking! It can be used to replace oil and butter in almost any recipe, which reduces the overall calories and saturated fat in the recipe, all while still being moist and delicious! I like to use organic or all natural applesauce with no sugar added. I also like to get the snack packs, because one snack pack is almost 1/2 cup, which makes it the perfect portion for a recipe, and what you don’t use has a long shelf life. Applesauce is also great for those with food sensitivities, because it is low in sugar, and is also gluten, dairy, and grain free.

7. Quinoa & Quinoa Pasta. If you haven't tried quinoa, I highly recommend that you try it! It is actually a seed, which is nutrition packed! Quinoa is high in protein and fiber, so it leaves you feeling satisfied without an energy slump like traditional rice and pasta! I like to use quinoa in any recipe where you would traditionally use rice, such as my Greek quinoa salad. More recently, traditional pastas have been made with quinoa, such as penne and spaghetti, so there are more ways than one to enjoy this power house ingredient!

8. Honey & Low Sugar Maple Syrup. I like to use natural sources of sweetener in the form of honey or xylitol sweetened maple syrup in many of my recipes. Of course, you could also use natural maple syrup, but I prefer the lower sugar option, because it is lower on the glycemic index, so it doesn't affect your blood sugar as drastically. The best ways to use honey or syrup is in recipes that call for a sticky sweetener, such as marinades and sauces, and it can even be used as a swap out in baked goods that call for brown sugar!

9. Spices & Extracts. I like to use spices in many of my dishes to bring out the flavor of the dish, without adding empty calories to a dish. There are so many ways to use spices, but you also don't need a lot on hand to create a vast array of recipes! My favorite go-to's include salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, basil, oregano, and cinnamon. You will be able to make most of the recipes on Dashing Dish if you keep these simple spices on hand! Much like spices, I enjoy using extracts in many of my recipes to bump up the flavor, without adding sugar, fat, or calories. I like to use more traditional extracts such as vanilla and almond, but I also like caramel, butter, maple, and coconut extract to bring out flavors such as cake batter in my cake batter overnight oatmeal!

10. Cooking Spray. I know this seems like a no-brainer to have cooking spray on hand, but it really and truly is a necessity in my kitchen! I am not against healthy oils and fats, but when it comes to coating your pan to prevent sticking, there really is no need to add the extra calories to the dish by coating the pan in oil or butter, (unless of course you are trying to get extra calories). That being said, cooking spray is still oil, but it is just a light mist, providing you with just enough to evenly coat the surface of your baking dish/pan. I like to choose an organic all natural cooking spray that comes from a healthier fat source, such as coconut oil, or olive oil.