In My Fridge: At Home with Vegan New Yorker Remy Park

Remy Park is a New York vegan, a certified yoga and meditation teacher, mindfulness coach and holistic nutritionist. But most people know her by the name 'Veggiekins' as her popular Instagram and YouTube channels are named.

We asked Remy to join our In My Fridge series as she's a major foodie and holistic nutritionist (not always the same thing!) and knew we'd discover a few cool tips and products while rifling through her kitchen. Meet Remy below, then explore the full series here!

Always in my fridge: Fresh greens, avocado, tofu or tempeh, berries, mushrooms, chili peppers, Pressed Juicery Wellness and Vitality Shots, some kind of plant based milk, fresh herbs, lemons and limes. If I’m being completely honest, the majority of my fridge is usually leftovers, and what’s in my fridge depends entirely on what kind of recipes I’m working on at a given time. That usually dictates 75% of my grocery list, and then my meals become whatever I’ve been cooking. 

Food philosophy in one sentence: Whole food and plant-based with a healthy dose of fun food!

Best WFH lunch: Breakfast and lunch tend to be my larger meals, as I find that my hunger levels are highest early in the day. I’ve been really enjoying Soba Noodle Salad lately, because it’s so easy to throw together and it keeps me full without any sluggishness. 

7 recipe staples always on hand: Tofu or tempeh, salad greens, a good marinara, sweet potatoes, curry paste, rolled oats or buckwheat, mushrooms.

Must-have munchies: Roasted pistachios, popcorn, sourdough discard crackers and kale chips. Also love dried mangoes and Three Wishes cinnamon cereal. Cereal might not be a conventional snack but I love cereal!

Fave condiments: Tahini, coconut aminos, a drizzle of truffle oil, sesame oil, miso paste and nutritional yeast.

Ingredient that makes everything taste better: Red chili flakes or togarashi (Japanese chili spice)! Love a good hit of heat, and I usually add one or the other to everything. 

Go-to proteins: Tempeh is a favorite of mine followed by chickpeas, lentils and pumpkin seeds. I also love nutritional yeast--I think is a wildly underrated plant protein source. It’s a great “cheesy” substitute and 2 tablespoons alone provide 8-10 grams of protein. 

Best bargain: I love frozen fruit and veggies! They get a bad rap but they are frozen at peak ripeness and nutrients stay in tact--great way to save, and enjoy fruit or veg that may not be in season year round. I also love to browse the farmer’s market closer to closing. You can often find bargain bundles of produce, as most farmers would prefer to sell what they can instead of bringing produce back with them at the end of the day. 

Best label-reading tip: Remember that ingredients are listed in order of amount, so generally you can focus on the first few ingredients to get a sense of what the base of a product is.

Fave veggie + what you make with it: Broccoli is an underrated vegetable in my opinion. I love it roasted, stir fried, turned into a cheezy soup, and even steamed. Lately I’ve been breading and air-frying it!  

Must-have pantry staples: Lentil pasta, beans/lentils/pulses, coconut milk, veggie broth, brown rice, quinoa, dried wakame, 100% buckwheat soba noodles, coconut sugar or maple syrup, almond butter, vegan chocolate chips, gluten free baking flours and ceremonial grade matcha powder. 

Craziest thing I buy: Instead of plant milk, I’ll often mix my matcha with coconut water, and even though it may sound odd at first, it’s the most amazing combination.  

Dairy or non-dairy faves: Unpopular opinion, but I’m a big fan of soymilk. I grew up drinking it and it’s a nice high protein milk froths like a dream for lattes and drinks. I don’t eat vegan storebought 'cheezes' or butters very often. In the frozen department, I’m obsessed with Pressed Juicery Vanilla Freeze, and MyMo dairy-free mochi ice cream bites.

Sweets and other indulgences: Big fan of Hu Kitchen sour golden berry hunks (any of their chocolate products, really) and anything from Erin Mckenna’s Bakery. It’s a haven for me as a vegan who can’t eat gluten. 

Skip labels that read: Not a huge fan of labels that boast a low calorie count. I am a firm believer in quality vs. quantity and prefer to focus on nutrients, not numbers. 

Favorite splurge: A high quality ceremonial grade matcha powder. My personal favourite is from a brand I grew up with called Ippodo Tea. My grandma (who is Japanese) introduced me to the brand and it’s a Japanese family owned business that has been around for over 200 years! 

For last minute entertaining: My go-to is a vegan cheeze and veggie snack board. It’s an easy way to serve something stunning, and it’s very low effort to prepare. A feast for the eyes and stomach! (Check out all the Chalkboard's vegan cheese recipes and stories!)

Favorite places to shop: Upper West Side or Union Square farmer’s market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Westerly Natural Health. 

Simple go-to recipe: Kale Caesar Salad + Garlicky Chickpeas. This has been one of the most popular recipes on my blog for a few years now, and I love it because it’s a balanced meal that comes together almost instantly. You’ve got greens, plant protein, healthy fats, fiber, complex carbohydrates etc. It’s something I make whenever I’m in a rush and don’t know what to make.

Best food memory: Making veganized versions of classic Japanese recipes with my grandmother. I’ve found that a lot of my older family members have a hard time understanding veganism and because food is one of the ways they show love, they had a hard time coming to terms with my not being able to enjoy our cultural dishes. Over the years, it has become more of a fun challenge to re-create traditional dishes and make them vegan friendly, and cooking with my family members has been such a fun way to bond too. 

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