Spice Up Your Life: How to use herbs and spices

Sitting in the dining room at H3 this week, I overheard this statement “before coming here, I was most nervous about the food, but the food here is the best I have ever eaten”.  A common misconception about eating healthy is that your food has to be boring and bland.  I am here to dispel that rumor by giving you a few tips on how to add flair to your dishes by adding a variety of herbs and spices.

Using herbs and spices not only reduces your 'need' for high calorie and high fat dressings and sauces, but will also help cut down your use of salt!  As I have learned here at H3, salt is used sparingly during cooking to bring out flavors, not to add it. 

 

Basil
Characteristics: Fresh, dried, broken, ground with faintly anise-like flavor and sweet aroma. 

Uses: Raw or cooked tomato dishes, sauces, soups, stuffing, salad dressings.

Try it: Basil Balsamic Dressing

 

Dill
Characteristics: Fresh or dried with distinctive yet mild, caraway-like flavor; seeds are sharper, slightly bitter

Uses: pickles, cheese dishes, salad dressings, cocktail dips, fish and shellfish dishes, vegetables

Try it: Tzatziki Dip

 

Ginger
Characteristics: Whole roots, fresh, dried, ground or cracked (in small pieces), with pungent, sweet aroma and hot flavor

Uses: Asian – style meat, poultry, seafood and vegetable dishes; pickles, salad dressings, breads, cookies, pies, cakes and desserts; fruit

Try it: Spiced Carrot Cupcakes

 

Rosemary
Characteristics: Fresh or dried needle shaped leaves with pungent tea-like aroma and bittersweet flavor

Uses: Meat, poultry, and fish dishes; stuffing, breads, vegetables, salads

Try it: Rosemary and Lavender Sea Bass

 

Thyme
Characteristics: Fresh or dried leaves or ground; pungent and aromatic in flavor

Uses: Meat, poultry, seafood, egg, cheese, vegetable dishes; soups, stuffing, and salad dressings

Try it: Herb Roasted Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin

 

For more flavorful recipes like these, visit the Member’s Only section on www.hhhealth.com!