Eating like food matters is easy. You don’t need to count calories, weigh portions, or find unusual ingredients. In fact, for the most part the ingredients are absolutely regular.

But this is not to say that the recipes are the same ones you find everywhere else. Many of them have what might be considered unusual constructions; and as a group, they reflect the general principles outlined in the preceding chapters of the book: less meat, more plants. This makes them more traditional than the vast majority of recipes printed in most twentieth-century cookbooks, which tend to represent a kind of excess that is no longer considered either desirable or practical.

Not all the Food Matters recipes are vegetarian. Some are, but others are what you might call flexitarian: meat or fish is optional. Those that may seem most unusual feature animal products in smaller proportions than is traditional in the United States. So when you grill meat and vegetables to make kebabs, you’ll be grilling more vegetables than meat; similarly, when you combine meat and beans to make cassoulet, you won’t be using three pounds of meat to serve six people; and even chicken breasts are stuffed with vegetables.

The general idea is that whether you use these recipes individually, occasionally, or religiously, you’ll shift the balance of your calorie intake from predominantly animal products to predominantly plant products. You can use the knowledge you gained from reading the preceding chapters, or refer to the meal plans on Chapter 8-Chapter 9, to put together dishes, meals, or daily schedules that appeal to you.

None of this assumes that you’re going to stop eating “normal” food; in fact, the recipes here are “normal” food. I do assume, however, that if you want a grilled steak or a bowl of ice cream you won’t be looking here to find it. Again, both steak and ice cream fit perfectly well into a Food Matters pattern of eating, but with far less frequency than most of us have become used to. And to the extent that the recipes here represent the bulk of your diet, you’ll probably be eating far better than you ever have.

Since the recipes here, or recipes like them, will form the backbone of your diet when you start eating well, it makes sense to have your pantry well stocked with the basics, and to begin intentionally overcooking. Many staples of the Food Matters diet can be cooked ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated, to be used in the coming days or weeks, so it’s often worth your time to double or triple a given recipe and tuck it away. (You’ll find the recipes I’m talking about in the section called “The Basics,” beginning on Chapter 9.)

For example, there is almost no reason to cook less than a pound of dried beans or whole grains: A large amount takes the same time as a small amount, and both foods keep well, refrigerated, for up to a week, and frozen indefinitely. You’ll probably wind up eating beans several times a week anyway, and grains are easily heated up (or eaten cold) for breakfast cereal.

Again, if the recipes here (and the general style of these recipes) make up the bulk of your diet, you’ll probably be eating far better than you have ever eaten before. To cook in the Food Matters style you’ll probably want to adjust—to a greater or lesser degree—the foods you stock regularly in your cupboards, fridge, and freezer—in short, your pantry.

Some are obvious, and you already have them (olive oil, for example); some are not so obvious. There are some that are complete musts, whereas others are more or less optional, though they can help you in the long run.

So, I’ve created two lists: The Essential Food Matters Pantry and The Advanced Food Matters Pantry. If you maintain a well-stocked pantry, you’ll be able to produce most of the recipes here without doing much (if any) other shopping. And since most of these ingredients keep nearly indefinitely, it’s worth a little initial investment in time and money to get them into the house. Buy what tastes good to you; price isn’t always the best indicator, but you want these ingredients to be high-quality.

The Essential Food Matters Pantry

Just about everything on this list belongs in every kitchen pretty much all the time.

Grains. These are mostly whole, and include rice, cornmeal, and whole grain flours. Buy an assortment, preferably in bulk from a store with a fair amount of turnover. But don’t buy grains by the ton, at least at first; you will have preferences as you get to know them. Store a pound or so in the cupboard, with excess in the freezer or fridge.

Beans. Like grains, buy an assortment of dried beans. But unlike grains, legumes come in thousands of varieties, ranging from white to black, from yellow to red to celadon, from tiny to huge, from round to kidney-shaped. Again, buy a pound or so at a time, and don’t buy more than you’re going to use in the next few months. Canned beans are fine, too, but they’re more expensive, the selection isn’t as great, and they don’t taste as good. Frozen beans are an excellent convenience food, though sometimes anything other than lima beans are hard to find.

Olive oil. Your go-to fat. Extra-virgin, in almost every case. Country of origin doesn’t matter much. Price does, but the $10-a-liter stuff is perfectly fine for most uses. Store a pint or so on the counter, the rest in a dark cupboard or the fridge; it keeps for only a few months. (You can extend its life by refrigerating the portion that you’re not going to use in the next couple of weeks.)

Other oils. You’ll need something more neutral for cooking Asian-style dishes or for pan-frying at high heat. In the recipes, I usually suggest either peanut oil or other vegetable oils. I use grape seed (though it can be hard to find), since I’m not a fan of canola (it’s sticky and, to me, has an off flavor). Other vegetable oils, like sunflower or peanut, might work well for you. The key is always to buy minimally processed, high-quality oil, cold-pressed whenever possible.

Staple vegetables and fruits. These range from much-used seasonings, like onions and garlic, which you should always have on hand (shallots are nice, too); to frozen vegetables like spinach, peas, and corn, which it pays to stock; to fresh vegetables, which you have to purchase at least a couple of times a week. Keepers like carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes, celery, lemons, and limes, can be replenished as you use them.

Fresh herbs. Something as simple as parsley can make all the difference; and almost all herbs, especially basil, mint, dill, rosemary, thyme, and cilantro, are great to have around.

Spices. As big an assortment as your space and budget will allow. Ideally, you’ll replace spices annually, more or less; even whole spices don’t keep forever. But they’re inexpensive, especially if you buy them in ethnic markets rather than supermarkets, or from a specialist like Penzey’s (www.penzeys.com). Chiles are a special case (though you can usually buy them where you buy spices). Stock some dried hot ones (usually red) and also some mild ones, like pasillas. Chipotles are good to have around, too, for their unique smoky-hot flavor.

Vinegar. I think sherry vinegar is the most versatile and best for the money; balsamic, of course, is more popular, but sweeter. If you can find well-made red and white wine vinegar, those are good too, as is rice vinegar, which has the lowest acidity of any vinegar and important in Asian-style dishes.

Soy sauce. Look for brands that contain no more than soy, wheat, salt, water, and bacteria.

Dried fruit and nuts. For snacking and for cooking. The fat in nuts can go rancid, so don’t buy more than you’re going to use in a month or so (or store in the freezer). Remember sesame and sunflower seeds too, and nut butters, including tahini, which makes an excellent sauce when mixed with a little water or lemon juice.

Meat, dairy, and cheese. The whole argument here, of course, is that you don’t need meat or dairy food, but most people are going to want some of it around (I do, anyway), and the following four things all keep well, are very useful, and add great flavor whenever you use them. They’re also obvious, but hey:

• Bacon. Keep a hunk in the freezer or fridge and use it for seasoning. An ounce goes a long way.
• Parmesan cheese. Lasts forever; grated over almost any salad or pasta dish, is just a killer.
• Butter. What can I say? As an occasional alternative to olive oil in cooking or flavoring, a real pleasure.
• Eggs. Possibly the most useful of all animal products.

Canned tomatoes. Couldn’t be simpler. Plum tomatoes tend to be sweetest and best-tasting. Pre-chopped tomatoes make life a little easier. Avoid those with additives.

Sweeteners. Sugar is unavoidable and of course fine in moderation. But maple syrup and honey are in a way far more useful, since they deliver more flavor along with sweetness.

Baking soda, baking powder, instant yeast. Especially if you’re into baking.

The Advanced Food Matters Pantry

You don’t need everything here every day, or perhaps not even every week, but most of it keeps well and many items, once exotic, have become part of contemporary eating. Many of them provide instant flavor.

Dried mushrooms. Especially porcini (cèpes) and shiitakes.

Capers. Packed in vinegar or salt.

Miso. Truly one of the world’s great ingredients; instantly adds depth to soups and stews, and you can use it to make quick sauces and dressings simply by adding water.

Anchovies. Packed in olive oil: best bought in resealable glass jars rather than cans.

Sesame oil. The roasted kind, sold in all Asian markets. No better way to finish a stir-fry.

Sea Greens (seaweed). Especially hiziki, konbu (kelp), and nori (laver).

Coconut milk. Easily made fresh, but far more convenient when canned. Light is an acceptable option in almost every case.

Silken Tofu. The kind in the box keeps for months in the pantry. It’s a handy substitute for sour cream or other thickeners, and it is also nice slipped into a bowl of soup or tossed with Asian noodles and vegetables.