My Main Ingredients

You're dying to know exactly what brand of baking powder I use in my recipes...right?? OK, maybe not, but if you're anything like me, you like to have a general idea of what kinds of ingredients somebody is using in their recipes.

I never know how specific to get when I'm sharing recipes, so you'll find some that have exactly what type of flour I used and others that just say "flour" and leave it up to you. And I do believe that you should use what you have on hand and what works for you. Don't be afraid to make adjustments and substitutions! But just in case you're curious and want to know exactly what I use to achieve the results that I get, I'll share. And I'll link to this post in my Recipe Index {over 200 recipes there now!} as it might be helpful for some.

What this will also show you is that I'm somewhere in the middle of a real foods/organic/etc. kind of approach to ingredients. Each year finds me taking the time to use slightly different ingredients. Don't think that it means I'm telling you what ingredients you should be using - you get to decide that for yourself! And if you invite me over, I will gladly eat a cake that you baked whether it's sugar-free & organic, or completely non-organic, or from a cake mix. The blessings of love and hospitality far outweigh the type of ingredients used, in my opinion. :)

I have other types of these ingredients and do change what I use according to the recipe, but in general ~ here's what you'll usually find in my cupboard and my recipes {with the brand in brackets}:

Flour:  unbleached, sometimes organic {Trader Joe's or Red Mill}
Sugar:  organic evaporated cane juice {Trader Joe's}
Brown Sugar: light brown and dark brown {C&H}
Cocoa Powder:  unsweetened organic Dutch {bulk bins in WinCo}
Baking Powder:  aluminum-free {Trader Joe's}
Baking Soda:  regular {Trader Joe's}
Salt:  sea salt {Trader Joe's}
Spices:  mixture of organic & non-organic {various brands}
Vanilla Extract:  pure vanilla {Costco}
Chocolate Chips:  semi-sweet {Nestle 72 oz bag from Costco}
Nuts:  walnuts, almonds, pecans {Costco}
Honey:  organic {Costco}
Oil:  coconut oil {Tropical Traditions} or organic cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil {Costco}
Butter:  organic {Trader Joe's or Costco}
Eggs:  organic free-range {from a friend or Trader Joe's or Costco}
Milk:  organic whole, not ultra-pasteurized {Trader Joe's}
Fruits & Veggies:  organic 1/2 or more of the time {Trader Joe's, Costco, WinCo}

I guess you can tell where I shop the most - LOL! What did I leave out that you are curious about?

For more info on ingredients I use, you can check out the list of spices in my cupboard and the difference between cocoa powders.

Got any favorite types of ingredients that you can't live without?

Have a blessed day friends!