Resources

Azure Standard offers high-quality, organic, natural, and non-GMO groceries. They offer an affordable option for a wide range of products, from 5 pounds of dried beans to 25 pounds of rolled oats to natural cleaning products. Order online, and it’s delivered free by truck once a month to local drop sites all over the U.S. The minimum order is $50. They also ship products.

Ingredients and Seasonings

Watermelon seed kernels make creamy nut-free vegan cheeses like mozzarella. Blend with water and strain through a nut milk bag. Or grind watermelon seed kernels into a powder and add nutritional yeast, salt, and lactic acid powder to make Parmesan cheese.

Lactic acid gives dairy-free cream cheese and nut cheeses the taste that’s missing in dairy-free cheeses. It’s a slightly tart taste of cultured dairy products that can’t be replicated with lemon or lime juice. This lactic acid is vegan and non-GMO.

This miracle worker thickens instantly without cooking. Instant modified cornstarch is made by physically, enzymatically, or chemically altering the structure of cornstarch made from non-GMO waxy corn (maize) Use it for thickening sauces, salad dressings, and for making no-cook low-sugar strawberry jam.

This high-quality quick-set agar agar powder works well to thicken dairy-free cheese. When cooked, it creates a firm, sliceable almond or cashew cheese substitute.

The high sulfur content in this salt makes it smell like eggs. Sprinkle it on tofu scramble just before serving for an egg-like flavor. The flavor tends to dissipate with heat.

Soy Curls are a naturally gluten-free dried product made from whole non-GMO soybeans. No other ingredients are added. When rehydrated, they have a texture similar to chicken. Their ability to absorb flavor makes them a versatile meat substitute.

Essential for adding structure to vegan gluten-free bread, especially without xanthan gum.

Powdered coconut milk is handy if you want a small amount without opening a can. It’s also great for creating mixes for curried red lentils. Just add water and cook.

Use 1 teaspoon one to three times a day with honey to improve immunity. This study showed that people recovered faster from COVID when they used 500 mg of Nigella sativa oil twice a day.

These seeds, also known as black cumin seeds or kalonji seeds, are often used in North African and Indian cuisine. They are known for their ability to support the immune system.

Sumac is a common seasoning in Middle Eastern cooking. It is tangy, smoky, earthy, and slightly sour. It adds red color and acidity. It is the main ingredient in zaatar, an aromatic Middle Eastern blend of herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac.

Aleppo pepper is a common Mediterranean seasoning made from deep red Halaby chile peppers. It is named for the Syrian city of Aleppo. It is roughly half as spicy as red chili flakes, with a heat that builds slowly.

These light-colored chia seeds are great for salad dressings, peach chia jam, and anywhere you want the benefits of chis seeds with a lighter color. Rich in omega-3 fats, protein, fiber, and calcium.

A reliable instant yeast for baking gluten-free and wheat bread. Also works well for refrigerator dough.

Kitchen Tools and Appliances

This small OXO Good Grips scoop holds one tablespoon, perfect for quickly forming small cookies and veggie meatballs.

This portion scoop holds about 3 tablespoons, making it a time-saver for making patties and burgers.

This simple-to-use tofu press works great for pressing excess water out of tofu to make it firmer. The adjustable spring-loaded top also features a pour spout to drain excess liquid. This tofu press makes making tofu or pumfu (soy-free pumpkin seed tofu) much easier by compressing the curds and pressing out the whey.

This handy nut chopper chops nuts and seeds for plant-based patties and burgers. It’s easy and mess-free. No cutting board or knife is needed. mess. Keep it in the refrigerator or freezer, and you won’t have to wash it between uses. It’s perfect for topping cereal, salads, and smoothie bowls.

Officially, this is a coffee grinder, but I find it’s the best seed and spice grinder for flax seeds, chia seeds, and more! It comes with two removable stainless steel bowls, so you can hand wash them or run them through the dishwasher. The second bowl is great for chopping vegetables.

Great for ricing potatoes for gnocchi or getting all the liquid out of thawed frozen spinach without getting your hands cold.

If you ever struggle to open jar lids, this tool is for you! Just place it under the lip of the lid, lift it, and the Jar Key breaks the seal. Now the lid is easy to screw off. A game changer! Comes in assorted colors. Makes a great gift or stocking stuffer.

If you want homemade almond milk, cashew cream, pumpkin seed milk, and more at the touch of a button, this stainless steel milk-making machine is for you. Easy to operate and clean. No squeezing through a nut milk bag. It blends and strains for you.

This three-pack of organic unbleached cotton nut milk bags makes straining nut milk or seed milk easier. They are washable, reusable, and have a handy drawstring.

An indispensable tool for quickly making applesauce. It will easily separate the peel and seeds from cooked apples. The stainless steel bowl can handle hot foods and won’t react with the food like cheaper models do.

A digital scale is essential for gluten-free baking and helpful for many other kitchen uses.

Save time with an automated electric pressure cooker. Great for batch cooking beans, soups, potatoes, and more. The cooking insert is stainless steel, not non-stick.

This clear tempered glass lid makes it easy to keep an eye on the food I am simmering, slow cooking, or keeping warm in the Instant Pot. I especially like it when I am keeping cereal warm for guests. It’s much easier for them to serve themselves than to deal with the regular, pressurizing Instant Pot lid. Other sizes are available to fit 8-quart and 3-quart Instant Pots.

An electric pressure cooker that’s handy for travel and for cooking for one or two. Also good for cooking brown rice, quinoa, and other grains.

Great for big batches of soup, beans, or applesauce

I use a rubber mallet to help cut tough winter squash. It makes it safer to cut through with a knife.

Great for stirring bread batters and mixing casseroles. The smart design makes it extra easy to mix dry ingredients and batters by hand. Great for refrigerator dough. Makes a great gift for someone who enjoys cooking and baking.

This classic round waffle maker bakes 6 1/2-inch waffles. It does a great job with healthy plant-based whole-grain, gluten-free, and grain-free waffles. Make extra and freeze them.

This simple acacia wood tamper is useful for mashing cooked chickpeas when you don’t want to get the food processor out. This pickle packer makes it easy to pound and pack salted veggies into mason jars for fermentation.

A quick way to chop onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and other vegetables. Great for prepping salads and soups.

If your Chop Wizard doesn’t have a cleaning tool, you’ll want this for cleaning the grids after use.

This sturdy tortilla press makes it quick and easy to make flour tortillas and gluten-free flatbreads.

This simple silicone tube makes it possible to peel garlic quickly.

Cookbooks and Helpful Reading

A great resource by America’s Test Kitchen with 500 well-tested recipes.

Katerina Cermelj, creator of the popular The Loopy Whisk recipe blog, wrote this definitive baking guide. With a PhD in inorganic chemistry, she explains the science so you can easily adapt your baking to meet specific dietary needs while still making it taste spectacular. It even includes gluten-free and vegan pie crust, bread, and more options!

Flavorful vegan recipes by America’s Test Kitchen, thoroughly tested.

One of my favorite resources that I turn to regularly in planning and cooking meals. This book lists what foods go well together. I often get inspired with new flavor combinations I hadn’t thought of. And it gives me seasoning ideas and inspiration.

This book will guide you through a 30-day journey with simple, natural strategies to improve your blood pressure. Written by David DeRose, MD, Greg Steinke, MD, and Trudie Li, FNP.

Ready to reset your taste buds? If you run to sugar for comfort or reward, eat mindlessly or out of boredom, feel physically and spiritually lethargic, or struggle with self-control, this fast will help you discover not only freedom from your cravings but an entirely new appetite for the good things God has for you.

Packaging for Food Gifts

These white paper food boxes feature a window to showcase cookies or other baked goods, elevating the look of a special food gift.

These little resealable bags work well for seasoning mixes to insert in soup and chili mixes.

Showcase soup, chili, or cookie mixes in clear bags for gift-giving.

Resealable paper bags with matte windows work well for giving granola, specialty popcorn, and other bulky foods. This size holds almost 6 cups. Smaller sizes are available.