teaspoon spices

Spiced pancakes!

We like a breakfast of good, hearty pancakes. But we don’t like having to pour syrup or honey all over them and ratchet up the calorie count – and with a good dose of organic spices we don’t have to!

One of our favorite recipes uses ginger, cinnamon and cloves, but you should try it with other spices as well. For instance, try cardamom instead of cinnamon or use nutmeg instead of cloves.  Experiment! It’s hard to go wrong.

Spices – especially organic spices – give you loads of flavor, free from calories and fat. Now that’s a winning combination!

Spiced oatmeal -- healthy, hearty and just plain good

What better breakfast on a rainy winter morning -- or any morning, really -- than oatmeal? Healthy, stick-to-your-ribs hearty, and the perfect vehicle for yummy condiments.

Like spices -- organic spices.

The only problem with oatmeal is that it begs for additions like cream, sugar and even butter. We solved that problem by reaching for spices instead. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger or allspice -- or a blend of all three -- and you won't miss the sugar.

 

Low-salt, low-butter corn on the cob

I love this time of year, when there are almost more ripe vegetables than a family can eat. In addition to our weekly share of CSA produce, my husband stopped at a roadside stand and came home with a bagful of just-picked corn on the cob.

Typically we like to add some salt and a moderate amount of butter, particularly something like Lime-Cumin Butter that brings an interesting, complementary flavor.

However, the other night we decided to go even simpler with the flavor, so we snipped open a teaspoon packet of Smart Spice organic Italian Seasoning and gave each ear of corn a light dusting of herbs, rather than butter and salt.

We loved it! No salt, no butter, but lots of flavor. Italian seasoning -- a perfect condiment!

--Sara

More spice, less salt

Today's Wall Street Journal carried an interesting story on new recommendations that Americans cut down their salt intake. Current dietary guidelines suggest a limit of 2,300 mgs for the 30% of people who don't have a higher risk of high blood pressure. The new guidelines simply level the playing field. Now we all will be living with sodium-guilt.

Sodium, a key component of salt, can contribute to high blood pressure, and that, as we all know, isn't good. But cutting out salt or sodium isn't as simple as laying off the salt shaker. Most of the salt in our food is hidden -- in slices of packaged bread or processed food. 

In fact, a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the average adult American consumes some 3,400 mgs of salt per day, not including the salt they use in cooking or add from the salt shaker.

Salt -- and sodium -- enhances other flavors. So food manufacturers turn to it to make their products more appealing. That's especially true when they try to engineer a product to eliminate other unwanted ingredients, like calories or fat. A good example, cited in the WSJ article,Kraft Free Zesty Italian Dressing, which has lower calories than regular dressing, but more sodium. Well, darn!

What's a would-be healthy eater to do? 

Naturally, we have some suggestions. One is to eat more fresh food, as well as more home-cooked food (restaurant fare is often a major source of salt). 

And, of course, prepare the food with organic herbs and spices!

One thing we have learned over the past few years of cooking with organic seasonings is how much difference fresh-tasting flavors can make in food. We used to reach for the salt shaker when a recipe needed a little more oomph. Now, when something seems lacking, we cast an eye over our spice supply and find a better solution.

So instead of bemoaning a new source of dietary guilt, make some new friends in the kitchen -- organic spices and herbs. 

--Sara

Planning to grill? Stock up on rosemary and turmeric

A new study finds that adding certain spices to your hamburgers before grilling adds flavor and cuts the risk of cancer. The best effects were seen from adding rosemary, but turmeric helps too. We suggest adding a packet or two per pound of ground beef.

Read more about this study.

Food allergies? Try organic spices

A dear friend lives with two difficult food allergies – she’s both gluten averse and lactose intolerant. She has learned to pay close attention to the ingredients in her food, and with tsp spices she has discovered how helpful that organic label can be.

In short, organic spices must be pure – no fillers or other foreign matter like anti-caking agents to keep the spice from clumping up and not flowing well. The fact is, ground spices can be quite clumpy and hard to pack. Meanwhile, consumers don’t like to open a jar of ground spice and find it’s hard as a rock.

But even in tiny amounts, some of those additives can cause problems for people with allergies. In fact, before learning that many spices do contain these extra ingredients, my friend thought she was allergic to certain spices.

Given all the restrictions she copes with every day, it was a relief for her to discover that she doesn’t have to deny herself the delightful flavors spices can bring to food. She just needs to look for that organic label.

That’s why we at The Seasoned Palate, Inc. chose to go organic. Yes, it’s more difficult to pack organic spices. But it’s healthier and tastier. Besides, our single-serve, airtight packets seal out moisture, so that consumers don’t have to worry about a jar-full of clumped-up cinnamon or allspice.

That organic label is not a gimmick. It’s assurance of quality, full flavor and – for people like my friend – the comfort of knowing it won’t contain some stealth ingredient that will make her sick.

--Sara