I’ve been having mad wanderlust lately. I go through these phases sometimes where I start googling real estate in other parts of the country and scoping out jobs for dietitians and salivating over gorgeous kitchens. Pros and cons. I love New York, but sometimes it makes my heart hurt to see how much more space I could have if I lived somewhere else. This never used to matter, but I guess this is just another one of those things my parents told me would happen one day that I didn’t believe them about.

New York is notorious for its teeny-tiny kitchens. A lot of us who live here have gotten used to thinking in terms of how little space ingredients take up when factoring in what to buy. I recently wrote an article for New York Spirit on the oils I consider essential in my tiny kitchen.

On my must-have list?

Olive Oil—Awesome for roasting and making dressings and sauces.

Sunflower Oil—My go-to neutral. Its high smoke point makes it great for high-heat cooking methods like sautéing but also for roasting. It’s also perfect for smoothing out homemade nut and seed butters.

Coconut Oil—Amazing as a sub for butter in baked goods but also delicious for frying eggs, stir-frying veggies, and roasting. I love to melt a little and drizzle over a smoothie bowl to make a “magic shell” sort of topping. I even use it as a moisturizer instead of body lotion. I keep a separate jar in the bathroom.

I also always have some sesame oil on hand—I keep a little bottle in the fridge to add flavor to things like stir-fry, roasted veggies, and marinades.

What are some of your kitchen staples? Do you ever torture yourself looking at jobs and homes in other places? Or maybe you do this to feel awesome about where you are compared to other places?