DIY Kitchen Essentials

For the month of May, Recipe Reduxers were asked to show their favorite kitchen staples that are made from scratch. Well, I am not much of a DIY person but there are a few kitchen staples I made from scratch, which I have found to be healthier as you have control over ingredients and is cheaper in the long run. Compared to most packaged, ready-to-eat products, DIY staples does take some time but you can’t beat the gratifying feeling you get once you start making things from scratch. I don’t make everything from scratch, although I wish I could raise my own chickens, grow vegetables, and so forth. Today I am sharing my top five DIY Kitchen essentials that I make on a very regular basis.Granola : I started making granola at home about two years ago and I absolutely love it. It is much cheaper than buying from the store and I love the flexibility of adding nuts/seeds etc to my taste. It’s a great snack by itself or with a dollop of yogurt and fruits for a refreshing, light breakfast. Salad Dressing: Many years ago, I hoarded every kind of fat-free salad dressings possible because I didn’t know that bottled fat-free dressings were filled with chemicals/preservatives and fat-free was just a fad. I no longer buy bottled salad dressings because it is so much easier to make one at home. I am more of a vinaigrette dressing person, so it’s basically olive oil + lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Here’s an example. Hummus: Pre-made hummus is convenient and I am guilty of purchasing it every now and then, but it’s  super easy to make if you haven’t tried making it at home. The only ‘fancy’ ingredient you need is tahini, sesame paste which is found in most International/Mediterranean grocery stores. I follow this basic recipe and sometimes add in spinach, jalapeno, avocado etc for an additional layer of flavor.

Granola Bars: I don’t remember the last time I purchased granola bar because once you get the hang of making it home, you find everything so overpriced. I make “No Bake Oats and Peanut Butter Granola Bars” on a very regular basis.I am also a big fan of Carob and Walnut Energy Balls & Raw Energy Bites. Pizza Crust: Ever since I discovered easy thin crust pizza recipe, pizza nights are so much easier and fun because I can experiment with different toppings and sauce. You can also freeze the dough and let it thaw right before baking. If you are intimidated at making your crust, naan makes a great pizza crust! Proof right here.Besides these regular DIY kitchen essentials, there are few things things I have made in the past with great success.

Slowcooker Refried BeansHomemade Sriracha SauceApple Butter (ps. apple butter muffins)And lately, I am into brewing my own cold coffee at home. It’s super easy, damn delicious and saves you a lot of $$$. Get on it my friends!  Your turn, now tell me what are some of your favorite DIY kitchen essentials? I would like to make my own nut butter but somebody please buy me a really nice food processor or a powerful blender. Thank you 🙂

Don’t forget to check out what other reduxers are DIYing this month!