Cooking Ideas for Random Pantry Products

By now, you've probably taken the time to dig deep into your pantry to see what you have in stock. You've probably found a few rather obscure -- and maybe forgotten -- foods that you're not quite sure what to do with.

Here's a look at 11 random pantry products that registered dietitian nutritionists have found in their pantry, with simple ways they incorporate them into healthy dishes:

-- Dried mushrooms.

-- Turmeric root.

-- Dried pineapple slices.

-- Calabrian chile peppers.

-- Sorghum.

-- Horseradish.

-- Jackfruit.

-- Pomegranate molasses.

-- Canned crab.

-- Water chestnuts.

-- Texturized vegetable protein.

[SEE: Family Meals Using Pantry Staples.]

Dried Mushrooms

"If you think dried mushrooms are void of flavor, think again!" exclaims Sarah Ryan, a media representative of the Texas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Houston. Ryan places the dried mushrooms in a large bowl, covers them with boiling water and in less than an hour has an umami flavor bomb you can add to your favorite pastas, cream sauces, salads, side dishes and casseroles.

Turmeric Root

Jacqueline B. Marcus, president of TheFitFoodPro in Highland Park, Illinois, had an online grocery mistakenly add an 8-ounce package of turmeric root to her delivery. She took this as a challenge and used it rather creatively, minimizing any food waste.

"First, I steeped it. Then, I made turmeric tea with the liquid and dried the remains in a 200-degree Fahrenheit oven; ground it, and used the powder in eggs, rice, roasted veggies, smoothies, soups and, of course, golden milk -- a mixture of milk and turmeric powder."

[SEE: 8 Anti-Inflammatory Spices for Easing Arthritis.]

Dried Pineapple Slices

"Dried pineapple is one of those perfect pantry items for when you want to sweeten a recipe without using sugar," explains Layne Lieberman, an award-winning registered dietitian nutritionist in Boca Raton, Florida, and author of "Beyond the Mediterranean Diet: European Secrets of the Super-Healthy."

A few ways Lieberman uses dried pineapple includes chopping into overnight oats for texture and sweetness, adding to a stir-fry for a flavor profile that balances the umami taste, folding into a basic muffin or cake recipe to up the fiber and sweetness or using it in a quick salsa to serve with seafood or poultry, together with peppers, onion, parsley and lime.

You can try this with other dried fruit too -- like dried apricots or plums.

Calabrian Chiles

San Francisco-based registered dietitian nutritionist Katie Sullivan Morford is author of "PREP: The Essential College Cookbook." She always has a jar of crushed Calabrian chile peppers in oil in her pantry. "They're spicy, but won't blow your socks off and add a great pop of flavor to everything from sauces to soups to roasted vegetables."

Morford adds a tiny spoonful to her favorite pasta with simple tomato sauce when she wants a little kick of heat. You could substitute other chiles in your pantry too -- just be mindful of the heat.

[READ: How to Cook With Spices to Add Flavor.]

Sorghum

Even dietitians forget about foods in their pantry. Matawan, New Jersey-based registered dietitian nutritionist Barbara Baron, a self-described "Family Meals Dietitian," says, "I don't know how I forgot about it because I love that a one-quarter cup serving is packed with 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams protein."

Sorghum is a gluten-free ancient grain that is thought to have originated in Africa. This whole grain has a chewy texture and mild earthy flavor. The kernels are round is shape and golden in color. Sorghum grains cook similar to rice, combine in a ratio of 1:3 sorghum to liquid.

Baron likes to combine sorghum with legumes like lentils or black beans. She explains that sorghum can easily replace rice or pasta that you may typically combine with lentils.

Sarah Gold Anzlovar is owner of Sarah Gold Nutrition in Boston. She uses sorghum "as a base for grain bowls, mixed in salads or tossed with roasted vegetables for a simple side dish." She also pops it like popcorn by putting it in a heavy bottom pot over high heat and covering the pot.

Horseradish

Amy Gorin, a registered dietitian in the New York City area, has a bottle of white horseradish that remained unopened in her pantry for a while, but recently she put it to good use. "Last night, I used it to make the most delicious sauce. I combined a couple of teaspoons of it with a few tablespoons of aioli (a garlic-seasoned mayonnaise), then mixed the sauce with carrots and cauliflower. I roasted everything up and had a super tasty, nutritious side dish for dinner."

Jackfruit

Not sure what to do with that can of jackfruit? Lisa Andrews, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition in Cincinnati, Ohio, says, "Jackfruit has a 'meat-like' texture and can be used as a substitute for shredded pork."

Andrews uses it with barbecue sauce by draining and rinsing the canned jackfruit, and then cooking it on the stove for 5 to 10 minutes. She also likes to season it with taco seasoning to make vegan tacos.

Pomegranate Molasses

"This thick, sweet and tangy syrup has made an appearance on our weekly quarantine menu since rediscovering two bottles in the back of my pantry," explains Jeanne Petrucci, founder of Living Plate Nutrition Education and Counseling Center in New Jersey. Her family loves it as a simple glaze for roasted vegetables and grilled meats.

Petrucci also recommends adding it to dressings and dips and is now using it "as the base for our new favorite clingy barbecue sauce -- slow cooked with other pantry staples such as tomato sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire and spices."

Canned Crab

Judy Barbe, a Wyoming-based registered dietitian and author of "Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest," says "this lucky find felt like a party." Barbe used the canned crab in a crab salad.

To make Barbe's version, drain the canned crab and add to a bowl with a quartered hard cooked egg, lettuce, chopped cucumber, shredded carrot, chopped avocado, a bit of sliced red onion, canned beets and blue cheese crumbles. Drizzle the salad with vinaigrette and serve.

Water Chestnuts

If you find a random can or two of water chestnuts in your pantry, Emily Rubin -- director of Clinical Dietetics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Philadelphia -- has a few easy ways you can prepare them.

"Add them to a stir-fry, roast or use to fill lettuce wraps." She also recommends enjoying canned roasted water chestnuts as a side dish. Mix them with garlic, onion, rosemary, pepper and 1 teaspoon of oil. Then spread the chestnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.

Texturized Vegetable Protein

Colleen Christensen, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Grand Rapids, Michigan, loves this shelf-stable source of protein. "It's so easy to make. You just add some water and re-hydrate it in the microwave."

Christensen uses TVP just as you would ground meats, such as in tacos or taco salad.

Do you have other pantry products you're not sure what to do with? Let me know! You can email eatandrun@usnews.com.