What are some food ingredients you recommend that vegetarians and vegans should have in their kitchen for cooking?
A. First, any ingredient I bring into my kitchen has to have at least three to five applications on the menu, otherwise, the kitchen pantry will become overloaded with ingredients. Soy milk, extra-firm tofu, two to three varieties of dry beans, tamari, at least two types of brown rice and pastas, a wide variety of dry spices and herbs (fresh herbs if possible), a few varieties of dried fruits (apricots, raisins, dates, cranberries), and a wide selection of fresh vegetables and fruits should be available for daily consumption.