Can you smell it? No, can you taste it? Picture a pan in the oven with pieces of chicken rubbed in olive oil and seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, ginger, and a pinch of salt. The aroma fills the air in your kitchen. The smell of warm garlicky goodness as the chicken browns in the oven. You open the oven to flip the chicken and all the delicious juices run down to coat the other sides, The smell of slightly charred bell peppers mixed with the smell of caramelized onions envelops the chicken... ok that's enough lol I'm sorry if you're hungry now; but do you see where I'm going with this? Great! Hi beautiful people! Today's topic is herbs and spices. Nobody likes flavorless food but we also don't need the unnecessary added salt from commercial seasonings. Let's jump in!
Herbs are the aromatic leaves of plants and spices are made from the seeds, fruit, and bark of plants etc. According to the Mayo Clinic, not only are herbs and spices providers of great flavor without the need for additional fat and salt, they contain antioxidants which make them beneficial to our health. [1 ]
Herbs can come in a dried form or fresh while spices come in dried forms. For storage, it is recommended that they are stored in a dry, cool place away from direct light. For example, in kitchen cupboards, the pantry, or drawers.
It is a common misconception that food cannot be delicious without salt. Whoever said that, never tried herbs and spices. Think about it, herbs, spices and even vegetables can provide great flavor to a dish while allowing us to actually savor our food, without the overpowering presence of salt. Now, I'm not here to give salt a bad rep. However, too much is where we run into problems. In my opinion, you only need just a pinch of salt to amplify the flavor of whatever herb or spice you're using in a dish.
Lets talk about some of my favorite herbs:
Rosemary: This flavor rich herb is a yummy addition to your favorite meat, fish or poultry dish. You can create an infused oil by adding a few stalks to olive oil. Let it sit for a few hours or even a day or two. The result? a flavorful oil that you can add to your salad as a dressing, or on meats or even as a dip for toasted whole grain bread. Yum!
Sage: This herb is very versatile and nutrient rich. It's even been linked to good memory and cognitive functioning. [2 ] You can use it to make tea: add some fresh blackberries for an antioxidant rich tea. You can fry the leaves in olive oil or butter and eat them or add chicken or meat to the mix. Frying the leaves really brings out the flavor. You can sprinkle the leaves on top of salads and also make sage infused oil for cooking. You can even use sage on roasted provisions like potatoes, pumpkin, squash etc.
Mint: We're all familiar with this one. In fact there are several varieties. There's chocolate mint, apple mint, peppermint, spearmint etc. They're great for teas, infused water and also beverages. My favorite recipe is the juice of cucumbers, turmeric root, ginger, mint leaves, and kale. Sweeten with honey or agave if you desire. Mint leaves can even be added to fruit salads.
Oregano: This one is perfect for sauces. It can also be used to season fish, poultry and even pasta salads. Add it to scrambled eggs or omelettes. You can combine it with sage and thyme to give a rich flavor to soups. [2 ]
There are a plethora of herbs but if I listed them all we'd be here all day. Let's talk about some of my favorite spices. As I mentioned before spices are made from the seeds, fruit, bark etc. of plants.
Cinnamon: This is one of my favorite spices to add to sweet dishes. It can also be added to savory dishes. I add them to pancake batter (check out my instagram page @theholistichealthnut for a yummy recipe), smoothies, yogurt parfaits. It adds a little sweetness which helps us to lessen the amount of sugar in a given recipe. [1] This spice has been said to help regulate blood sugar levels in people living with diabetes. It's also been said to help lessen inflammation.[1 ]
Ginger: This amazing root provides a superior flavor. It provides a lovely kick to any dish. You can find it as a powder or in its original form. Ginger is used to alleviate an upset stomach. It can also help to boost the metabolism. Add it to your favorite juices or smoothies, add it to shredded kale and carrots for a zesty Cole slaw or add it to baked goods such as breads, cookies etc.
Onion Powder: I love onions. Yes, they may be hard on the breath but the flavor they provide?! mmm! perfection. If you don't have onions around you can use onion powder. It comes in handy if you're looking for a smooth texture that would otherwise be chunky if there were onion bits in the mix. Onions contain vitamins and minerals so they're not all flavor.
Garlic Powder: If anybody tells you they don't use onions in their cooking... Yikes! In my opinion, garlic is the creme de la creme when it comes to flavor. You can either use fresh garlic or garlic powder in your cooking. It is good for stews and pot roasts as well as baking of chicken and other meats. Ooh! and steamed fish. Fresh garlic also has medicinal uses. When I was younger my mom and grandma used to make garlic tea mixed with honey and used it as a natural cough syrup. It wasn't very delicious but it definitely helped!
There are plenty more spices available but as I said, we'd be here all day.
To conclude, herbs and spices are great flavor powerhouses; but, they are much more than that. They increase the nutritional value of any dish. They contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, which are plant compounds that provide health benefits for us. They provide antioxidants and some of them help fight against inflammation and protect our cells against damage according to dietitian Monica Auslander Moreno. Now that we've explored the endless possibilities of healthful flavor that herbs and spices can provide, I hope you'll exchange commercial seasonings for herbs and spices that will benefit your health. We have everything we need to live healthy lives we just need to be creative. Food is art, don't take it so seriously, play around with it, experiment, enjoy it.
Blessings!
Follow us on instagram @theholistichealthnut and subscribe to the blog!
References:
1. Pagán, Camille Noe. “Herbs and Spices for Your Health: Ginger, Turmeric, Cinnamon, and More.” WebMD, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/over-50-nutrition-17/spices-and-herbs-health-benefits.
2. “Spices and Herbs in Pictures: Pump Up the Flavor.” WebMD, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-spice-rack-herbs.
Comments