Alongside the usual savory and sweet items that every pantry needs, there are a few ingredients that are particularly useful for vegetarians or those wanting to eat more meatless meals. As a lifelong (since age five) vegetarian and sometime vegan, here are the items that I like to keep on hand for protein, texture, and flavor. Of course, each household's pantry will vary according to personal taste, ethnic background, and food allergies. Let us know what you would include in the comments.• Beans. Though I like to keep a variety of dried or canned beans, I always make sure my pantry has at least two: lentils and chickpeas. Lentils cook quickly and are great additions to soups, pilafs, and salads. I like to throw chickpeas into pasta dishes and vegetable braises and stews. Pinto, black, kidney, and cannellini beans are also good to have on hand. • Tempeh. Once you know how to prepare it, tempeh can be one of the best staple sources of protein. It can be refrigerated for a week or two (check the date on the package) and will keep up to several months in the freezer.

• Tofu. Like tempeh, tofu is not strictly a pantry item, but it's an essential for vegetarian kitchens. I like to keep blocks of refrigerated extra firm tofu for baking and frying, vacuum-packed silken tofu to blend into dressings and puddings, and dried tofu for soups and stir-fries. Stay tuned for a tofu post later this month.

• Grains. Using a variety of grains lends nutrition, texture, flavor, and interest to vegetarian meals. I like to keep my pantry stocked with brown rice, white rice, quinoa, spelt, farro, millet, and bulgur.

• Nuts. I always have almonds and cashews and try to keep pistachios and pine nuts around, too. Whole or chopped nuts can be used in salads and grain dishes. Ground nuts can add body to lasagna. And there's always pesto. Extend the life and freshness of nuts by keeping them in the freezer.

• Dried fruits. Raisins, dried apricots, dates, etc. are not only great for snacking but they can add interest to grain dishes, vegetable braises, and sautéed greens.

• Vegetable stock. I prefer to make stock from scratch and keep it in the freezer. But if you don't have the time or inclination, Better than Bouillon is a great option.

• Nutritional yeast. I've sung the praises of nutritional yeast before, and it can be used in sauces, as a coating for tofu, and sprinkled on potatoes and popcorn.

• Miso. I like to keep both light and dark miso paste in the refrigerator for different degrees of savoriness, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the mellow white variety. Miso makes excellent soup as well as dressings for salad, vegetables, and tofu.

• Tahini. Tahini or sesame paste often works in conjunction with miso in my kitchen. A quick tahini-miso sauce (try adding lemon juice and garlic, too) can be poured over steamed vegetables, tofu, or tempeh for simple weeknight dinners.

• Dried sea vegetables. I like to keep several kinds of seaweed, from sheets of nori that can be wrapped around rice and vegetables, to kelp/kombu that adds flavor to broth, to hijiki that can be reconstituted and used in salads and vegetable dishes.

What else would you add to this list?

Originally published on thekitchn.com.

Pulses, legumes, beans—they have far more in common than the production of gas within your digestive system. They are both rich sources of protein and fiber, and contain valuable antioxidants. It’s these characteristics that are tied to the cancer-preventing properties of the foods and that should motivate you to add more to your diet. Numerous studies have linked beans and legumes with cancer prevention.

How Beans Fight Cancer

Scientists with University College London found that beans actually contain an anti-cancer compound that blocks an enzyme involved in tumor growth. As BBC reported when the study first came out, scientists had been researching cancer treatment options that targeted the enzyme phosphoinositide 3-kinase directly but had difficulty until they found the natural compound in beans to do the work for them. Not only did the compound known as inositol pentakisphosphate block tumor growth, it enhanced other treatment options.

A more recent study from Loma Linda University found dramatic reductions in cancer risk that coincide with modest increases in bean consumption. Those study subjects that ate pulses or lentils at least three times each week were able to reduce their risk of colon polyps by one-third. Colon polyps are small growths that can lead to cancer. Another study from the university found that individuals consuming beans 2+ times a week had a 42% reduced risk of colon cancer than those eating beans less than once per week.

Increased bean consumption is associated with a lower risk of colon cancer overall, with research showing that the fiber in beans impact colon cancer risk more than any other source of fiber.

In addition to the high fiber content of beans, they also contain antioxidant compounds that work to fight free radicals which can lead to oxidative damage on a cellular level, including cancer.

While vegetarians have been reaping the benefits of beans for some time, many using them as one of their primary sources of protein, not everyone is experiencing what beans have to offer. (Beans can also help reduce blood pressure). As this research shows, just three servings of beans and legumes a week could significantly decrease your cancer risk.

Here are some bean-eating tips:

• Skip canned beans whenever possible and opt for cooking dry beans instead.

• Soak harder beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, etc.) for several hours to shorten cooking time.

• Use leftover beans as the foundation of a great veggie burger.

In addition to eating beans for their cancer-prevention benefits, beans are also a good source of B-vitamins, can help regulate digestion, and work to regulate blood sugar.