Compiled for you here are the ingredients and tools I couldn’t live without. It took a little while, but I now have a completely paleo kitchen. Having what you need on hand is essential to putting together good quality, healthy meals.
If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you give Thrive Market a try. They are continually adding new products to their inventory and their prices can’t be beat. Most of the links below are Amazon links, but if you’d like to purchase one of the food items below, check with Thrive first to see if they carry the same item for less. If you’d like to sign up with Thrive, please use my referral link here. Remember, they will give you a free month’s trial.
Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links. If you click on one of the Amazon links and purchase that product, Amazon will pay me a small commission, which helps to keep the lights on over here.
Ingredient |
What is it? |
What to do with it |
This is the whole cassava (yuca) root dried and ground into a flour. | This autoimmune protocol-friendly flour can be used as a thickener for sauces or as a substitute for traditional flours in baked goods. My opinion is that it works best in combination with other paleo flours. | |
Same as Otto’s, just a different brand. About half the price of Otto’s and as far as I can tell, works and tastes the same.
You can find this at Whole Foods as well as ordering online.
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Same as above for Otto’s Cassava flour | |
The starch that has been extracted from the arrowroot plant. It has its origins in the native South American culture in helping to draw poisons out from wounds inflicted by arrows. | Autoimmune Protocol-friendly starch used to thicken sauces and gravies and used in combination with other flours for baked goods. Very similar to tapioca starch, but is better tolerated by many people. | |
Dehydrated coconut meat that has been ground into a flour. Relatively high in fiber and therefore carbohydrate content. | Coconut flour is usually used in combination with other paleo flours in baked goods. It is far more absorptive and drying than other flours so you cannot substitute 1:1. Often gives baked goods a grainy texture and definite coconut taste. I recommend it in small quantities and always in combination with another flour or two. | |
Also from the cassava root (yuca), but differs from cassava flour in that it is just a starch which has been extracted from the root, dried and ground to a fine powder. | Tapioca starch/flour does not have the same properties of cassava flour and the two cannot be used interchangeably. Use tapioca as a thickener for sauces or an addition to other paleo flours in baked goods. Some people have an allergic reaction to tapioca. | |
Dried almonds ground to a fine flour. Different brands offer different textures. Some are more coarse than others, some include the skin. In general, for baking purposes, you want the finest ground almond flour you can find. If your product is called Almond Meal, it is usually a coarser grind. Wellbee’s seems to have the finest grind available mail order (in my experience). If you live near a Kroger Grocery store, their Simple Truth house brand is every bit as good and much less expensive. Lots of brands are available. Try a few and see which you like the best. | Use almond flour for baking, coating meat and veggies for frying or baking, blend it into smoothies. Infinite possibilities. Not autoimmune protocol approved. | |
Just coconut milk, not the sweetened beverage. Usually contains guar gum to prevent clumping. Guar gum is a real food derived from the guar bean. Not shown to have adverse effects other than possible gas and other associated digestive upset in some people.
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Use as a full fat dairy substitute in baking, cream sauces, coffee, frittatas. Basically, anywhere you would use heavy cream, you can substitute coconut milk. The solidified coconut cream can be whipped for whipped topping and frostings. | |
Real, dried coconut processed into small flakes. | Blend this to create your own coconut milk or add to smoothies, puddings, baked goods. | |
Sugar made from the sap extracted from the coconut palm. Some varieties taste similar to brown sugar, but is an entirely natural product. | Use as a substitute for refined sugars in cooking and baking. In combination with dates, can simulate brown sugar flavor. | |
High in medium chain fatty acids which are quickly metabolized and turned into energy. No trans fats, not hydrogenated. This brand is mechanically, not chemically extracted. | Use for baking, frying, moisturizing your skin, washing your face. | |
Palm shortening is palm oil that has some of its unsaturated fats removed, giving it a very firm texture, and high melting point. It is very shelf stable. It is not hydrogenated, and contains no trans fats. | Great for deep-fat frying and baking, and is not prone to rancidity. Since it has been separated from some of the unsaturated portion of the oil, it is colorless and odorless, and will not affect the taste of foods like Virgin Palm Oil does. | |
Bacon |
Pederson’s is my favorite brand. Sourced from healthy pigs and not prepared with nitrates or nitrites. Sugar free options available.
Find this at Whole Foods. |
It’s bacon! Eat it! |
I think we all know what bacon is. This one is prepared without nitrates or nitrites and is from totally healthy pigs. Pete’s Paleo is an online business and ships to your home. | Eat it! On anything. With anything. Anytime of day. | |
Sustainably sourced tuna with no additives. Most canned fish contains soy. This brand does not. | Tuna salad, tuna casserole, tuna patties. A quick and healthy protein source. If you have histamine intolerance, limit your intake. | |
Almond Milk | A good dairy substitute, almond milk is simply soaked and blended almonds. If you buy your almond milk, look for one with only almonds in the ingredient list. I don’t know of any. Best to make your own. | Milk substitute for baking, adding to tea or coffee. |
A healthier alternative to Pam. Does contain soy lecithin so don’t rely on this regularly, but it’s nice to have for occasional use. | Spray pans for baking. | |
Nature’s fabulous sweetener
The brand linked here contains pits. I couldn’t find a good online brand without pits. Look for these in bulk bins at Whole Foods or in the produce section of most grocery store. |
A fantastic addition to baked goods for natural sweetness. You can soak them and blend them with coconut milk to make your own coffee creamer. Or eat as a snack! | |
Maple syrup flavor in a granulated sugar form. | This stuff is expensive and delicious so use whenever you really want to enjoy maple flavor. It’s great sprinkled on top of muffins for a little extra special flavor and crunch. | |
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The real stuff, not “pancake” syrup, which is mostly corn syrup. | Use as a sugar substitute for baking, for adding a little hit of sweetness for savory dishes and of course, topping your favorite paleo pancakes. |
You want raw honey because it is unpasteurized and unprocessed. Basically, it’s the purest form of honey. | The one I show here is from Thrive Market, but ideally, you want to buy fresh, local honey. Check your farmer’s market. If you can’t find it there and don’t want to order online, you will find honey at the grocery store and sometimes you can find one raw brand. Just read the labels. | |
Stevia extract usually mixed with alcohol, just like vanilla extract. | Great for adding a little sweetness to baked goods, coffee, tea or anything really. Very potent stuff so you just need a little. | |
Just natural, organic, fair trade cocoa powder. | Perfect for baking. If you want hot cocoa, mix in some maple syrup or honey, coconut or almond milk and you have a delicious hot, chocolatey treat. | |
Grass fed butter so you get all those extra nutrients and none of the hormones and antibiotics of traditional dairy. | You know, use this anywhere you want that delicious creaminess of butter! | |
Made from the nutrient rich sap of coconut blossoms, high in amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Has a neutral pH. | This is your soy sauce substitute and best friend for savory cooking. Use in sauces, stir fry, salad dressings, meatloaf, so many applications. | |
A product of black anchovies harvested in Vietnam. Contains no MSG or additives. | Adds that “something extra” you need to jazz up any savory dish or sauce. Add a few drops at a time. And keep away from your kids because if they smell it, they will think you’re trying to kill them. | |
Pure, unflavored, edible gelatin from trusted sources. | This red can gelatin will gel and is therefore a good substitute for eggs in baked goods for those following the autoimmune protocol. | |
Pure protein, excellent source of amino acids. | This green can will not gel and is therefore great for adding to beverages and smoothies. It is flavorless and entirely undetectable if dissolved in hot tea or coffee, yet provides gelatin that helps with skin firmness, joint paint and healing of leaky gut. | |
Pure, dried coconut flesh in a creamy form. Also called coconut butter. | Mix this with flavorings and a little sweetener for a glaze for cookies and cakes. Or eat with a spoon for some healthy fats. | |
In case of emergencies, open an Epic Bar. These guys are not cheap, but are a handy source of protein and a little carbs when you have to eat, but a suitable restaurant is not close by. | Snacking or meal replacement. | |
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Activated charcoal made from the shell of coconuts. 100% food grade. | Keep on hand for emergencies. Activated charcoal is an absorptive material that can be taken to prevent adverse effects of consuming foods that may have been contaminated. For example, a couple times I’ve taken a bite of an egg that tasted funny. I immediately took a couple capsules of charcoal. If I feel I’ve been exposed to gluten, I’ll take charcoal. Use when detoxing to minimize unpleasant side effects (bad breath!).
Do not take within a few hours of other medicines or vitamins. Can cause constipation. |
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A natural source of magnesium, an essential element in which many of us are deficient.
You can buy this in liquid form or powder form. Helps to combat constipation and insomnia. |
Dissolves in hot or cold liquids. Can make you very sleepy, so keep that in mind.
I mix this in with my evening cup of herbal tea. Adjust dosage based on needs. If you are detoxing or feel you may have eaten gluten by mistake, you can take activated charcoal to help remove those toxins from your body. The charcoal works very well, but will cause constipation. Combat that with a dose of Natural Calm. |
Just good, old popcorn, but non-GMO. Most corn grown in this country is genetically modified. Feel good about feeding this high fiber snack to your family. | Popcorn! | |
Let me just say that you HAVE to have some of these on hand. They are the perfect blend of sweet, but not too sweet, chocolate with just a touch of salt and caramel yumminess. Made with coconut oil and no soy or artificial anything. | What you should do with these: Hide them so no one else in your house gets any. I’m kidding. A little. | |
Delicious, dark chocolate chips without soy, wheat or dairy. | Great for baking or snacking. Should always be kept around in case of chocolate emergencies. |
Kitchen Tool
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What is it?
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What to do with it
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Powerful like your big food processor, but easier to get out and easier to clean up. | Perfect for small to medium sized jobs: chopping nuts, making pesto, making smoothies, chopping dates, pureeing baby food. | |
Slicing, shredding or mixing. This powerhouse does it all super duper fast. I first used it to shred carrots for carrot cake. Once I saw how easy that was compared to manual grating, I never looked back. Use it all the time. | Can slice, shred, mix, puree. Makes quick work of any of those jobs. My tip: keep it someplace where it will be easy to get in and out or you won’t use it. | |
This blender comes with a large container and a small one perfect for making a smoothie for one. I don’t have a Vitamix and I’m sure this is not as powerful, but I find it does a great job of blending. Works for ice cubes, tough veggies like celery and apples. Really stellar job for the price. | I mostly use this for making smoothies, but sometimes blend pancake batter as well. | |
Plastic body with metal blades used to make noodles out of veggies. This version comes with three blades: flat, large noodle and narrow noodle. | Honestly, takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, it makes great veggie noodles. The noodles are fun and everyone feels like they’re eating “real” spaghetti. | |
A very, very fine blade grater. | Zesting citrus, grating ginger, horseradish, garlic, parmesan cheese. Works wonderfully for anything hard that you want shredded very finely. I’ve used mine for over five years and it’s still perfectly sharp. Cleans easily. | |
Small kitchen scale that fits easily in your cupboard. | Ever wonder what a 4 oz. serving of meat looks like? Find out! Baking is more precise when you weigh ingredients. I’m sure you’ve seen fancy recipes written this way. | |
Spring loaded scoops in a variety of sizes. | Less mess when adding batter to muffin tins, perfectly equal sized cookies, melon baller. Tons of uses. | |
A sturdy piece of stainless steel to help lift delicate doughs off your counter or use to scrape up a big mess. | Lift and transfer dough from counter to pan and scrape up all the mess you left when rolling out pie dough! | |
Quickly and accurately lets you know the temperature of your meat, oil for frying, water for yeast. | Your days of overcooking meat on the grill are over! | |
Quick and easy way to pop corn over an open flame or electric burner. You control what goes in your popcorn. | Try popping corn in your reserved bacon fat. So good. I don’t have this specific model because I have my great, great aunt’s, which is at least 100 years old, but it’s the same idea. Faster than microwave popcorn. I promise! | |
Heavy duty, oven safe, pre-seasoned cast iron pans. | Seared meats, roasts, pancakes, sky’s the limit with good, seasoned cast iron. Lodge is the best (unless you have Grandma’s) and is affordable. | |
This Le Creuset dutch oven is heavy duty cast iron with an enamel finish. Non-stick on the inside. Oven safe. | Soups, stews, roasts, braises. Use for anything you want to go from stove to oven. Great alternative to a crock pot. |
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