Day 4: Spicing It Up And Healthy Snacking
Two Things Today
Hey y’all! We’re three full days in now…feeling those caffeine withdrawals yet? Mike and I are both doing the Challenge with you all. I can tell you that yesterday was a rough day to have no caffeine. I had another little mishap with the shoulder Tuesday night, only about an hour or so after falling asleep, that ruined my sleep for most of the night. (By “mishap,” I mean that I woke up in intense pain when my left shoulder decided to exit its rightful position, yet again.) But I stuck with the no caffeine rule, even though it would’ve been a nice comfort with my achy arm. So don’t worry, you’re not in this alone. Me and my janky left wing are right there with you.
Yesterday, we all took a look at how we spend our time. Guess what? I spend too much time on the internet doing unproductive things. How about you? What are your time sucks? So with your new-found time, it’s time to get back in the kitchen. Hopefully you’ve been taking to this new (for some of you) cooking thing and trying some new foods, but if not, you will today.
Two quick things today: a brief discussion of herbs and spices and a little bit on healthy snacking.
Herbs And Spices
While most people don’t give herbs and spices much love, they are really the most important ingredients in my kitchen. I mean, on two consecutive nights, I can have steak and kale, or chicken and a sweet potato, or pork chops and broccoli. And on those two consecutive nights, my meals will taste far different, just by grabbing different herbs and spices. When you think about it, for the most part, most regional cuisines taste different because of the way they are spiced, not because of the main ingredients, which are usually the same types of meat and vegetables.
I think excitement about cooking and eating is at least as important as having a cabinet full of recipes. I find that keeping things interesting in the kitchen makes it more likely that I’ll spend time there eating right. I’m not one of those people that can eat the same meal three times a day and be fine with it. So I’m always trying something new. Sometimes it’s a recipe, sometimes it’s just grabbing and creating…science meets art. So really my goal here is to tell you to make sure you don’t get bored.
For tips on buying and storing herbs and spices, see this article: How To Buy Herbs And Spices. And for a run-down of my favorites, check out Eight Essential Herbs And Spices In My Kitchen. Finally, there’s a big list of herbs and spices in our shopping list if you’re looking for some ideas.
Healthy Snacking
Part 2 of this quickie post is about snacking. It’s important to be prepared for the inevitable hunger that’s going to strike, especially if you’re not super-strong with the willpower just yet. What do you do when you walk through the breakroom and see a box of Dunkin’ Donuts staring you in the face. By “being prepared,” I don’t mean having $.75 sitting on your desk so you can get to the vending machine more quickly either. Doritos and Twinkies aren’t going to cut it.
I’m talking about apples, oranges, and bananas; almonds and cashews; hard-boiled eggs; beef jerky. Vegetables like carrots and celery work well here, but I’ll be honest, I don’t snack on those. The first thing I usually do when I walk in the door, before I even start thinking about dinner, is grab an apple and eat it with some almond butter (or this awesome Coconut Peanut Butter from Tropical Traditions) and a couple hard-boiled eggs. That takes the edge off so I can relax a bit before I get to cooking.
In Tuesday’s comments, lel posted a link to a recipe that can make your almonds a bit more flavorful. It looks really good to me: Ginger Almonds. I can eat almonds by the truckload, but I’m always keen on giving things new flavors.
If you’re looking for something different, check out Steve Liberati’s Paleokits, which go to support his non-profit in Camden, NJ: Steve Liberati’s Paleokits.
If you’re not a snacker, ignore everything I just said since the last heading.
Task For The Day
Okay, another pretty easy task for the day, but what I’m trying to get you to do is realize that you don’t necessarily need a recipe to get things done in the kitchen. I like to use recipes as a starting point, but a lot of times I just start putting things together to see what results.
Today, you are going to go buy spices you’ve never used before. I don’t care how many. 1, 2, 5, whatever you can afford. Here are a few ideas: allspice, turmeric, cloves, cardamom, and fennel. Blends like garam masala are fair game too. A couple of those have been recent additions to my spice rack and none of them were there more than 2 years ago. If you’re someone that has a well-stocked spice rack already, you probably have your go-to spices that you run out of constantly and then there are the ones that sit collecting dust. We want the dusty ones.
So start throwing things together and find a new favorite combination. Cumin and cinnamon. Anise and nutmeg. Cilantro, allspice, and tamari. Note, I have no idea how those combinations will taste. It’s just the kind of experimenting that I do when I’m making something. Throw stuff together and see what happens. As I said Tuesday, it will probably be edible, it might be amazing (or in need of just a little tweaking) and most likely won’t be deadly, so get to it.
Here’s a video we posted about a month ago with Antonio Valladares and Donna Sonkin with a fairly haphazard, “grab what’s nearby” type of recipe. It’s how I cook most of the time, which is probably why I enjoy it so much. Check it out here: Cooking Tips
What are your go-to spices and what are some new ones you’re going to experience?
Table of contents for 30-Day Challenge
- Day 2: Planning Your Daily Meals
- Day 3: Managing Time for What is Important
- Day 4: Spicing It Up And Healthy Snacking
- Day 5: Bodyweight Exercises Workout Challenge
- Day 8: Get More Sleep
- Day 10: The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- Day 12: Finding Quality Food
- Day 15 – Phase II – Reintroduce, Rotate and Reflect
- Day 17: Healthy Eating Out
- How to Set Up the Simple Home Gym Fitness Program
- Day 22: Healthy Dessert Recipes
- Day 24: Reduce Stress and Simplify Your Life
- Day 26: Personal Goal Setting
- Day 30: Phase III – Adjust and Maintain
17 Reader Comments
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My go to spices are cinnamon, curry powder, cumin, basil, rosemary, dill and black pepper. I use the dill on salmon, cinnamon on berries, and the rest go in my meat and egg dishes, including meat loaf, stews, omelets, and tacos/taco salad.
I recently bought some marjoram and cardamom, but still don’t really know what they taste like or how to best use them. Any suggestions? I suppose a Google search would solve the problem too, but personal recommendations would be better in my opinion.
What do you all use on poultry, especially turkey?
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Unfortunately, I’m limited on selection of spices. As far as my wife’s concerned, black pepper is far too hot to actually eat. She doesn’t care for onions or garlic either. Rather limiting.
I have had some success going with marinades. Italian dressing is a favorite, and she actually put a handful of red pepper flakes in a dish the other night. Then lamented the fact…
Poultry is pretty good slow cooked in an Italian dressing.
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This is how I cooked most of the time. I open, sniff and add, if I think it’ll work with what I already have.
So…tonight, I will break out the fennel, not one I use often, and it gathers dust.
Oddly, I find my “C” spices are those that get used the most often: cumin, curry powder, coriander, chili powder and cinnamon. The only one not in the “C” group that I use really often is the red pepper flakes.
My biggest time sink right now is my new roommate. She and I are good friends and she wants to kick back each night over tea and chat. I enjoy it, but it makes it awfully hard to exercise while talking to her. The cooking while talking thing is working just fine.
Last night, I experimented with frying a banana as a “desert” to my cinnamon/spicy chicken/onion/apple experiment of the night before. I used coconut oil, cinnamon and a splash of vanilla. It worked pretty well, though the edges of the banana didn’t crisp the way I wanted them to. Still tasted good, though.
I just thought I’d share a quick idea.
@Rodney – I like a combination of lemon and dill with chicken, and I always eat my turkey with rosemary and oregano. (And onions, carrots, potato chunks and tomatoes cooked with it – somehow turkey just isn’t complete without a suite of veggies…)
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My favorite “sweet” treat in the winter months is cups of peppermint-licorice root tea (and it warms my hands, which are always cold). 1T loose peppermint to 1tsp licorice root per cup – the licorice root adds a hint of sweetness to the cuppa, with no sugar. I buy my herbal teas in bulk from culinaryteas.com.
I have a huge spice cabinet, which is right next to my stove, and like Scott, I just grab things while cooking. In winter months, rosemary & garlic get a lot of play, as do cumin, smoked paprika, coriander and various dried chiles. But when I want to add some quick punch to some roasted sweet potatoes, or a pork chop – I go to my tub of pureed chipotles en adobo that I keep in the fridge, and add a spoonful to whatever is on the menu. Adds a ton of flavor with very little effort.
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I LOVE herbs and spices. I haven’t met a spice or herb that I didn’t like. I grow most of my herbs in my herb garden (basil, dill, cilantro, parsely, sage, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, mint, oregano, and savory) and dry whatever herbs I don’t use fresh to have them on hand.
Even though I grow savory, I have never used it so need to find a recipe and try it. Another herb I have never used is cardamom – never ran across a recipe that called for it.
My go to spice I use most often seems like cumin, basil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Since I use a lot of cumin, I buy the cumin seeds in bulk and grind them as needed so they stay fresh and potent.
I have used different roots (like astragulus, burdock, and dandelion) in chicken stock but never used it in meat or vegetable dish. Recently came across an immune building autumn chai tonic that uses spices and roots. If anyone is interestd in the recipe, I can post it in a separate comment.
One of my all time favorite herb has to be the holy basil. I steep jasmine green tea leaves with holy basil every morning. The holy basil gives it a medicinal taste/effect but it is very good.
The best place to buy spices and herbs in bulk is at MountainRoseHerbs.com. Their bulk prices are reasonable, you can find any organic spice or herb (some you have never heard of before like kudzu root), and you can read up on their origin, profile, and uses.
@Rodney – depending on what ethnic flavor you like, you can use cumin or coriander for a southwestern style, or make a basil and parsley sauce for Italian flavor to go over pan fried chicken cutlets.
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Coriander (ground) is another good C spice, one I add to many savory dishes, including bean medleys and soups/stews. Black pepper is good, and it comes in many varieties which, like tea or coffee, can taste vastly different from one another. My all-time favorite is telicherry pepper. The same is true of sea salt–the varieties are endless and if you have access to a store that sells in bulk, you can try that or any spice in very small amounts for a VERY low price. I never buy my spices in the bottles at the store; they give you way too much and there’s no telling how fresh it is. Bulk is really the freshest, most economical way to buy herbs and spices. If the herb or spice does not have a distinctive fresh aroma, you can choose not to buy it.
Don’t underestimate the value of a good aged balsamic vinegar for flavoring soups and sauces, and experiment with different olive oils for flavoring foods once they’re cooked (stick to expeller pressed coconut or palm oil for high temp cooking as these remain stable and olive oil gets iffy when used over high heat).
Finally, I love good homemade stocks made from grass-fed beef bones, free-range chicken etc. I can post instructions for making stock if anyone is interested.
A final note to the guy whose wife hates garlic. Try a garlic shaver (pampered chef has one) for a whole different taste. Thinly shaved garlic actually tastes sweet. You’d be amazed at the difference that comes just by the different methods of preparation. Also make sure you buy garlic that is really fresh and firm with no sprouts to avoid any chance of bitterness. Good luck!
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Mike OD Reply:
Spices are nature’s flavors, and the added bonus of getting the anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal/bacteria and other benefits as well. I need to go get some more turmeric, cumin, and cayenne pepper (for those cold days to warm up!).
I always joke, I wish Doctors handed out “spice racks” instead of prescription drugs…..but there is alot of truth to that.
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Ok, talking about spices and herbs, here is another snack recipe using lots of herbs for all you NUT fans.
Sorry, but it uses maple syrup so it might have to wait until the week we can introduce sugar back into our diet. You may be able to omit the syrup all together but it will be a little expensive experiment to try with all the nuts, if it doesn’t turn out well. Can anyone think of something else in place of maple syrup?
Spicy Herb Roasted Nuts:
1 1/2 cups almonds
1 1/2 cups walnut halves
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, sage leaves, thyme leaves, rosemary leaves, savory leaves, and marjoram leaves***
3 tablespoons olive oil
About 1 teaspoon kosher salt or seasoned salt
1. Mix almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, maple syrup, cayenne, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, savory, marjoram, and oil in a 10- by 15-inch rimmed pan. Sprinkle nuts with 1 teaspoon salt.
2. Bake in a 300° oven, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates and nuts are golden under the skin (break open to test), about 45 minutes.
3. Let cool. Taste and add more salt if desired.
***Notes: In lieu of fresh herbs, use dried ones (1/2 teaspoon of each). Store cool nuts airtight up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 month in the freezer.
Nutritional analysis per 1/4 cup.
Yield
Makes 5 cups
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 217(79% from fat); FAT 19g (sat 1.7g); PROTEIN 4.2g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; SODIUM 77mg; FIBER 2.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 11g
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Cinnamon is my favourite at the moment. Use it in my Coffee, Chilli and just about anything, also great on Apple slices. Not a spice but I love my Natural Sea Salt too…. As for snacking I am all for a good snack before I start cooking to settle and take time and joy while cooking up the main meal.
Thanks for the reminders, gonna go checkout some spices on my next whole foods trip!
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My mouth was watering for tilapia tonight but with 8 inches of new snow outside, my husband said to stay in.
I make this simple dish a lot and thought some of you might enjoy it too.
Brush both sides of tilapia fillets (or any white fish fillets) with olive oil. Take equal amounts of cumin and salt plus a little ground red pepper and sprinkle both sides of tilapia. Saute the seasoned tilapias in little olive oil, about 3 minutes on each side.
Make a sauce with melted butter, a little lemon juice, cilantro, and paprika and pour over the cooked fillets.
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@Melody, wonderful ability I envy you , my husband dose the same, just by smelling a herb knows if it is right to use it or not!
@Lel thanks for the spicy nuts recipe , I shall try it soon.
As for me I am starting to use different herbs but not sure how to combine them, I dont seem to be sensitive to herbs, my husband just by trying a food can tell which herbs are in them!! So to develop that I am using not more than two herbs at a time in a dish, I like all herbs except for chilli, my latest adquisition was fennugreek, which I added to a veggie soup last week , it was fantastic, very aromatic and the next day the kitchen was smelling so good , that you felt hungry!! I am using also lately tumeric and cinnamon and have become quite fund of them.
As a task to buy a new herb I bought fennel seeds, now I have to find out where I can use it , I think I saw it in a kebab somewhere.
Day 4:
B- boiled egg and herbal tea ( Missing the coffee so much)
L- cashew nut coated baked hake + brussels + Home made tomatoe sauce
D- Big ass salad with fish left over+ greens+ cheery tomatoes + 1/2 kiwi+ omeboshi vinager
S-grapefruit
Work out:
I h walk under the rain (great fun)
Today I feel good and very motivated, but blotted due to too much salt in the omeboshi vinagar.
@Mike OD and @skudes Is great to know you are also doing the challenge.
Till tomorrow.
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My GO TO Spices/Herbs are… Pumpkin Pie Spice, Cinnamon, Apple Pie Spice, Italian Seasoning, Garlic, Fennel Seeds (good for stomach aches), Black Pepper, Parsley, Thyme, Rosemary & Basil
Every morning I eat pureed pumpkin & roasted cubed butternut squash sprinkled with pumpkin pie spice, which is the best, most energizing combo ever (of course I have some eggs along with)… it’s like eating pie every morning!
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ggrrr…..totally failed this challenge on the day it was posted, but I did make up for it by getting some turmeric today at the store…
I do know I need to branch out and try some more – my main ones are garlic, cinnamon, cumin, pepper, and some others I can’t think of right now
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[...] 3- Herbs and Spices. How often do your meals seem bland or lack flavour, if its more often than not your probably short of herbs and spices in your cooking. They have the ability to instantly lift your food and give it life along with a host of other beenfits. I always joke, I wish Doctors handed out “spice racks” instead of prescription drugs…. — Mike OD [...]
[...] 3- Herbs and Spices. How often do your meals seem bland or lack flavour, if its more often than not your probably short of herbs and spices in your cooking. They have the ability to instantly lift your food and give it life along with a host of other beenfits. I always joke, I wish Doctors handed out “spice racks” instead of prescription drugs…. — Mike OD [...]
For many, the healthiest snack is a great little treat I call the NoSnack. Snacking only strokes your appetite and makes you hunger for more. Eat when you eat.
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[...] Spices and Healthy Snacks [...]
[...] 3- Herbs and Spices. How often do your meals seem bland or lack flavour, if its more often than not your probably short of herbs and spices in your cooking. They have the ability to instantly lift your food and give it life along with a host of other beenfits. I always joke, I wish Doctors handed out “spice racks” instead of prescription drugs…. — Mike OD [...]