Discover more than 30 go-to ingredients guaranteed to make meal prep a snap.

Most of the ingredients needed for healthy cooking are probably on your shelves right now, like fresh fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta, lean meats, and poultry. Some other foods that are called for may be unfamiliar but are worth stocking because they make food tastier and more healthful. The list below introduces these new ingredients and tells you how to use them. All are available at most large supermarkets.

Apricots, when dried, add flavor to sweet or savory dishes. They are rich in fiber, beta carotene, iron, niacin, and minerals.

Balsamic vinegar is aged until it becomes dark and mellow, with a sweet-sour flavor. It is so intense in flavor that you need very little oil for salad dressings.

Barley adds interesting flavor and texture to soups and stews, as well as soluble fiber.

Basmati rice is a long-grained rice with a nutty flavor and fragrance.

Brown rice is the whole grain, with only the outer tough husk removed, and so takes longer to cook than white rice. It is rich in B vitamins, as well as calcium and iron.

Buttermilk is smooth and quite thick, with a sour, tangy taste. It is low in fat and used as a substitute for cream in baked goods, pancakes, and soups.

Canola oil contains more monounsaturated fat than any other oil except olive. It is best for stir-frying because the flavor is bland and it can withstand high heat.

Coarse-grained mustard has a grainy texture and a medium-hot fruity taste. Good with bacon and salads.

Cornmeal is made from dried corn kernel and is used for corn bread, corn cakes, and corn sticks.

Cornstarch is made from the endosperm of the corn kernel. It is used to thicken sauces and stews in place of flour and fat.

Couscous is a granular semolina that is soaked until soft. It is served like rice.

Dijon mustard is medium hot, with a clean, sharp taste and a pale color. Use for meats, dressings, and sauces.

Dried mushrooms add an intense flavor to stews and soups but must be soaked before use. The best variety is cepes, known in Italy as porcini. The rich flavor means you need only about 1 ounce for a dish for four.

Filo (or phyllo) dough comes in fresh or frozen paper-thin layers and is similar to strudel pastry.

Nuts come in varied forms and are a nutritious cooking ingredient: Almonds are high in calcium, minerals, and dietary fiber. Cashews are a good source of iron and folic acid. Hazelnuts are rich in minerals and folic acid. Pecans are high in fat and low in protein compared to other nuts and so should be eaten sparingly. Walnuts are a fairly good source of iron and vitamin B6.

Olive oil is low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fat. It's ideal for salad dressings and marinades and can be used for low- to medium-heat cooking.

Parmesan cheese is a robust-flavored Italian cheese ideal for those cutting down on fat because it is made with skim or part-skim milk. It is often used grated, so not much is needed. Use in pasta dishes and salads.

Prunes are dried plums. They are high in fiber, half of which is cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. They are also rich in beta carotene, B vitamins, and minerals.

Pumpkin seeds are dark green seeds also known as pepitas. They are a good source of iron and fairly low in fat.

Rolled oats or "old-fashioned" oats, are steamed or flattened oats. They are high in soluble and insoluble fiber and are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Sun-dried tomatoes are intensely flavored and can be added to sauces, salads, or soups. Available dried or in oil.

Sunflower seeds are rich in iron and low in saturated fat. They are good for snacks or in salads, cooked recipes, and breads.

Tacos are corn tortillas that are fried until crisp, then filled with spicy meat and topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, and cheese.

Tomato paste is made of concentrated tomatoes, and only a small amount is needed to give a rich tomato flavor. It's conveniently packaged in cans or tubes. If you use it occasionally, it helps to buy it in tubes so that you can use a tablespoon at a time with no waste.

Tortillas are made from finely ground corn or flour. Corn tortillas have a coarser texture than those made from wheat flour. Both are used for Mexican dishes and, when eaten with beans, form a complete protein.

Vegetable oil cooking spray can be used in place of oil or other fat for baking, frying, or browning. It prevents food from sticking and works best when used with a nonstick pan.

Wheat germ is the heart of the wheat kernel and is a source of vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, iron, and fiber. It's good added to breads, casseroles, and baked goods.

Whole-wheat flour contains the bran and the germ and so is high in fiber. It is also rich in B vitamins and E.

Wild rice is actually a grass that is often cooked with brown rice to add a nutty taste and more texture.

Yogurt is a tart, thickened milk product. It can be used in place of sour cream, but do not boil it, because it tends to separate. Look for low-fat varieties. Yogurt is rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin B12.

烹饪前需要了解的30多种配料

健康烹饪所需要的大部分配料可能就在你的架子上，比如新鲜水果和蔬菜、大米、面、瘦肉和家禽肉。所需的其它食品可能不太熟悉，但值得贮备，因为它们能让食物更美味，更健康。以下清单介绍了新配料，并告诉你如何使用。大部分可以在超市里买到。

杏，干杏，可以添加到甜品或开胃菜里面，它富含纤维、β-胡萝卜素，铁，尼克酸和矿物质。

香醋，陈化直到熟透、颜色变深，味道酸甜，由于味道浓郁，只需要一点点即可。

大麦，同可溶纤维一样，可以使汤和炖菜更美味，更有质感。

印度香米，是一种长粒状大米，具有浓郁的香味。

糙米，是只剥掉外壳的整个谷粒，烹饪时需要比白米更长的时间。它富含维生素B、钙和铁。

酸奶，光滑而粘稠，带有浓浓的酸味。酸奶脂肪含量很低，在烘烤食物、薄饼和汤中可以代替奶油。

菜籽油，其单不饱和脂肪含量比其他油类要高，除了橄榄油。因为菜籽油香味柔和且耐高温，所以更适合爆炒。

粗芥末，具有多粒口感和果味，适合咸猪肉和凉拌菜。

玉米粉，由晒干的玉米粒磨制而成，可以用来做玉米面包、玉米蛋糕和玉米条。

玉米淀粉，由玉米粒的胚乳制成，在调味汁和炖菜中代替面粉和油脂。

粗麦粉，是一种颗粒状小麦粉，使用时需要浸泡直至变软。可以代替大米。

大藏芥末，稍有刺激，颜色灰白，味道纯净辛辣。在肉、陷和酱汁中使用。

干蘑菇，在食用前需浸泡，可以为汤和炖菜增添浓郁香味。最好的蘑菇是老人头，是牛肝菌的一种，在意大利很出名。浓郁的香味意味着一碟食物中仅仅需要一点。

酥皮，是一个新鲜的或冷冻的薄层，与点心很相似。

干果，有很多种，是很有营养的烹饪配料。杏仁富含钙、矿物质和膳食纤维。腰果是铁和叶酸的重要来源。榛实富含矿物质和叶酸。与其他干果相比，核桃为高脂肪低蛋白质，所以应少量食用。胡桃是铁和维生素B6的重要来源。

橄榄油，饱和脂肪含量很低，单不饱和脂肪含量较高。很适合凉拌菜、调料汁和腌泡汁，适用于低中温烹饪。

巴马干酪，意大利干酪有着丰富的滋味，由脱脂乳或半脱脂乳制成，能够减少脂肪。食用时需要磨碎，所以不需要很多。在面食和凉拌菜里使用。

西梅干是一种干李子，富含纤维，一半为可以降低胆固醇的可溶纤维。同时也富含β胡萝卜素、维生素B和矿物质。

南瓜子，也称为南瓜子仁，是深绿色的种子。是铁的重要来源，含有较低的脂肪。

燕麦片，或老式燕麦，是蒸煮或压平的燕麦，富含可溶和不可溶纤维，同时也含有丰富的维生素和矿物质。

晒干的西红柿，含有浓郁的香味，可以添加到调味汁、凉拌菜或汤中。

葵花籽，富含铁，饱和脂肪含量低。是点心、凉拌菜、蒸煮食品和面包的配料。

粟米袋饼，是一种玉米粉饼，油炸至变脆，在里面填入肉馅，浇上生菜叶、西红柿、沙拉、酸奶油和干酪。

番茄酱，由番茄浓缩而成，只需要一点就有很浓的西红柿味。很容易储存在罐头或软管里。如果你偶尔使用番茄酱，就可以直接用大汤匙从软管里提取，避免污染。

玉米饼，由玉米或面粉制成，玉米制造的饼比面粉制造的更有粗糙质感。二者都是墨西哥饮食，与豆类一起食用，可以得到完全的蛋白质。

植物油烹饪喷雾可以代替烘烤、油炸中的油和其他脂肪防止食物变粘，当使用不粘锅时，效果更佳。

麦芽是麦粒的中心部分，是维生素E、维生素B1、核黄素、铁和纤维的重要来源。可以添加到面包、炒锅菜和烧烤食物中。

粗面粉包括麦糠和麦芽，纤维含量很高，同时含有丰富的维生素B和E。

野生稻实际上是一种经常和糙米一起烹饪的禾草科植物，以增加坚硬的口感。

酸奶酪，是一种带酸味的、粘稠的奶制品，可以代替酸奶油使用，但是不能煮沸，因为会分解。酸奶酪是一种低脂肪食品，富含钙、蛋白质和维生素B12。