2019 February Paso Robles Magazine

Healthy Dishes
By Jodi Smith of Spice of Life
ariety is the Spice of Life! Spices and
herbs can be the foundation of our cooking,
transforming everyday foods into new and
exciting culinary adventures. The biggest reason
we add spices to our food is flavor, but spices
do more than perk up our dishes. High-quality
spices are a nutritional powerhouse with health
promoting benefits.
Creating healthy and delicious meals flavored
with spices is an excellent way to reduce calories
and unhealthy ingredients. Unlike sauces and condiments
that are generally loaded with calories,
refined sugar, salt and other processed ingredients,
spices allow you to boost the taste of your food
in a healthy way.
Spices and herbs come from plants, which
means they are a source of phytonutrients with
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
What’s the difference between spices and herbs?
Herbs are typically the leafy part of the plant
(parsley, basil, oregano, and bay leaf ) and spices
come from other parts of the plant such as the
bark, seeds, stems and roots. Coriander, cumin,
clove, cinnamon, fennel, and peppercorn are
examples of spices.
There are countless ways to vary flavors with
healthy foods and make it more interesting.
When time is short and you are pressed for
time, spices are an easy way to accentuate simple
whole foods such as fish, vegetables, meat, chicken,
soups, whole grains, rice and lentils. Using
good-quality spice blends offers a time-saving
benefit, providing they are good-quality blends
not loaded with salt, sugar and preservatives.
Pulling a healthy meal together can be quick
and easy and having some of the essentials on
hand in your kitchen is key.
Here’s a list of a few basics for your spice cabinet:
Basil, parsley, paprika, garlic, onion, ginger,
cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, chili, rosemary,
smoked paprika (one of my favorites), black pepper
and pink himalayan salt or sea salt.
A handful of spices have reached an elevated
status due to both their incredible flavors as well
as their potential to decrease inflammation, aid
digestion, reduce cholesterol, fight cancer and
boost our immune system.
Turmeric, typically found in Indian dishes,
has an intense, bright orange/yellow color with
mild flavor. Add to rice dishes, curries, marinades,
eggs, chicken rub, and salad dressing.
Vegetables such as carrots, squash, cauliflower
and potatoes work well with a dash of turmeric.
Adding a pinch of black pepper helps your body
better absorb the nutrients in turmeric.
Ginger is an impressive root and a powerhouse
for both flavor and health. Add fresh or
dried ginger to everything from soups, stir fry
dishes, marinades, rubs, and vegetables. Ginger
can be effective in overall gut health and helps
your body absorb and assimilate nutrients from
other foods we eat.
Cayenne pepper packs a punch of heat as
well as health benefits. The compound capsaicin
is responsible for aiding in a variety of health issues.
Sprinkle cayenne on egg dishes, vegetables,
soups, marinades, meats, poultry, stews, and more.
Creating healthy and delicious meals
flavored with spices is an excellent way to
reduce calories and unhealthy ingredients.
Spices you stock in your pantry will depend
on your taste preferences as well as your comfort
level in using them. Here are a few ideas of spices
that characterize different cuisines from around
the world. For example, Chinese food welcomes
garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and sesame
oil. Italian dishes often includes garlic, oregano,
parsley, rosemary, and fennel seed while Mexican
cuisine builds flavor from cumin, chilis,
coriander, oregano, cilantro and various citrus.
Allowing your taste buds to enjoy the flavor of
foods by reducing the amount of salt can enhance
your experience. Over-salted food tends to numb
our taste buds and subdue our sensitivity to other
flavors. Check labels at the supermarket, limit processed
foods that can be loaded with sodium, avoid
over-processed “table salt” and substitute with sea
salt or pink Himalayan salt. Fresh lemon juice is
a wonderful flavor enhancer and a healthier option
than reaching for the salt shaker. Consuming too
much salt can cause high blood pressure, stroke,
heart disease and kidney disease. Substituting
spices and herbs for salt will uplift your meals and
transform bland dishes into mouth watering feasts.
Celebrating healthy ingredients and bringing
balance and flavor can be magical. Adding
texture, color and increasing flavors can bring
healthy food alive.
44 | pasomagazine.com PASO Magazine, February 2019