Tag Archives: spices
Adding Some Heat to Your Dishes, with Video
Try to add some Heat to your Recipes
If you are bored of your day to day eating routine, it just might be time to spice things up a little bit in the kitchen, both figuratively and literally. Different types of hot spices, spicy blends, hot sauces, and fresh peppers can all contribute different flavor profiles and heat levels to foods and individual dishes. Vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower are all delicious when roasted with hot spices. Proteins like chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, and salmon are also all delicious when prepared with spicy sauces and seasonings.
Video Overview
Try Different Types of Hot Spices
Black pepper is not the only spice out there that will add some flavor to your food. In fact, black pepper is likely one of the most mild spices on your spice rack. Smoked hot paprika, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and cayenne pepper are all popular choices for hot spices. Powdered and dried hot spices are perfect to keep in the pantry because they last for a very long time. This will allow you to spice up foods without having fresh ingredients on hand.
Try Spicy Blends from Different Brands or Make Your Own
Try Spicy Blends from Different Brands or Make Your OwnMany different cultures and different brands produce their own spice blends. These blends can contain different herbs and spices, depending on the recipe. Spice blends can also easily be made at home by using a recipe or experimenting with random ingredients. Spice rub blends are delicious when used on smoked or grilled meats like brisket and ribs. When shopping for spice blends, make sure you find one that does not contain too much salt. Salt can always be added at home and the best spice blends focus on maximizing flavor and heat. Paying attention to heat level descriptions on product labels is important when shopping for hot spice blends. When making your own at home, it is sometimes easier to control the heat level. You can also tweak pre-made spice blends by adding your own addition salt, herbs, or spices.
Use Fresh Peppers to Spice Up Foods
If you have fresh peppers on hand, they are a great way to add heat to different culinary dishes. It is important to do your research and make sure that you know the heat level of the type of pepper that you are using. For example, when handling extremely spicy peppers like ghost peppers you will want to use great caution. Peppers that have extremely high spice levels should be cut carefully while wearing gloves to prevent heat transference. Other popular fresh peppers used to spice up dishes include jalapeno peppers, shishito peppers, red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, green bell peppers, chili peppers.
You can always take a look at our spice blends here.
Do Spices Expire?
Spices Do Expire. Here’s Information On When And How They Expire
If you have begun your seasonal cleaning, try to be certain to include the spice rack. When cleaning out certain things, many think of the pantry, the freezer, and the refrigerator. Most, however, don’t even consider the spice rack. If you are wondering if spices ever expire, there is news that may well cause you to do a deep cleaning. Spices expire. If you wish to know how to tell when your spices expire, continue reading.
Video Overview
Store Spices In Their Original Container
The best way to store fresh spices so they’ll last is to either keep them in their initial, original containers or use ones that are similar to the original. The containers must be sealed and airtight. Seal the spices fully after each use. When seasoning blends are concerned, there is a guideline that says they last for two to three years. Store spices in an environment that is both dry and dark. A dark cupboard or a dark pantry will suffice.
The USDA considers spices to be products that are stable. They never actually expire. Although this is technically true, the flavor and the potency of the spice will change. The flavor and its potency diminish over time. Whole spices will be fresh for roughly four years. The expiration date, therefore, should be four years from the date of purchase. One to three years is the period that dried herbs will last. Consider the expiration date accordingly.
How Can You Tell If A Spice Has Reached Expiration?
Rub a small amount of it onto your arm and sniff it. If the spice is still fresh, it’ll be quite fragrant. If you cannot smell it, the spice is no longer fresh and has expired. Fresh herbs and vegetables will be fresh for about a week.
The color of dried, ground spices will tend to fade as they lose fragrance. The herbs that were fresh and leafy will begin to wilt.
It is suggested that you should put tape on the bottom of the spices when you purchase them. Write down the date of the purchase. When you decide to clean out the spice rack, doing this will make things a lot easier.
Ground and dried spices will tend to remain fresh for two or perhaps even three years. Steak seasoning that is bottled will last as long as two years.
Fresh basil may last for a week. Basil that is both dried and ground will last two or even three years. It’s the same for bay leaves that are ground and dried.
Spices do expire. It’s good to remember that if you enjoy fresh spices that have a strong flavor, keep a tab on how long you have them for and replace them if you do not use them all within a certain amount of time.
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Holiday Gift Giving Ideas, Spices!
Spices and the Holiday Season
Intriguing Spices and the Pleasures of the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be pretty tough. It can be difficult at times to anticipate what the people in your life want the most. One thing is pretty clear, though. So many people the world over are crazy about cooking and about food preparation in general. That’s why it can be hard to go wrong with gifts that involve food or the culinary arts overall. If you’re keen on the gift of cooking, then you should look into delectable spice choices that may be out there. COVID has us indoors, which is why more people are taking day-to-day meal preparation seriously. That’s why more people are looking to the universe of amazing and memorable spices to liven up their meals.
Getting People to Cook More With Fresh Spices
Why can spices make such fine gifts for the holiday season and beyond? If you give someone an amazing spice set for the holidays, this gift of cooking can be inimitable. People aren’t joking when they say that food is love. People care more about wellness than ever, and spices help boost flavor as well as other health benefits. Everyone wants their immune systems to be able to safeguard them from all kinds of hazardous illnesses. If you give a person you care about a present that includes spices, you may be promoting optimal health. It can help to look into particularly beneficial spices that are staples in cuisine. Turmeric is one such example. This spice is associated with all kinds of undeniable wellness perks. It at the same time is associated with delectable flavoring. If you’re keen on spicy and hot South Asian dishes that involve curry, then you cannot go wrong with turmeric.
Spices make great gifts for yet another big reason. There are so many mouthwatering varieties out there. It doesn’t matter if you love dessert spices that are milder, or if you like particularly piquant ones, either. People never have to settle for spices that just do not appeal to them. Give the gift of spices this year.
See our popular gift sets here.
Health Benefits of Chile Powder
The Many and Varied Health Benefits of Chile Powder
Chile powder is an amazing substance for a wide variety of reasons. Most people know it has a great taste, but that’s not where this substance’s impressive resume ends. Chile powder isn’t simply tasty. It also has a number of health benefits.
Video Overview
Chile powder alleviates coughing
One of the most important health benefits of chile powder comes from a substance called capsaicin. It works through a wide variety of different pathways within the body. But anyone who’s coughed while tasting something spicy may have experienced one of its most notable properties.
Capsaicin activates the transient receptor potential within one’s body. It starts by actually increasing one’s cough. But eventually, the transient receptor potential reaction is overwhelmed and it essentially shuts down for a while. Basically, one can think of the powder as a way of shorting out the cough reflex for a while. It’s best administered through a liquid that can coat the throat. Mixing 1/4th tsp chile powder into a cup of warm water is all it takes to find relief.
- Mix hot water and powder
- Drink the mixture while trying to maximize contact with one’s throat
- Wait while the capsaicin first triggers then suppresses the cough reflex
Chile powder can fight nasal congestion
Anyone who loves spicy food can attest to the fact that it can clear up congestion. One doesn’t even need to do anything special to take advantage of the health benefits of chile powder for nasal congestion. It’s simply a matter of eating or drinking something extremely spicy. On top of that, the powder also has some antimicrobial properties. This can help it fight off an infection while also clearing nasal passages.
- No special preparations needed
- Spices quickly reduce congestion
- Fights the infection causing the symptoms
Health benefit of chile powder can help people lose weight and keep it off
Weight is an important part of one’s health. And chile powder can help people burn fat or maintain a healthy weight. The powder is a known appetite suppressant. This means that meals using the powder are more filling. It’s also thermogenic which helps burn fat at a faster pace than normal. Finally, it’s a flavor enhancer with very few calories. It’s roughly half the calories of sugar per tablespoon. And the powder is roughly 1/4th the calories of cooking oil per tablespoon.
- Helps burn fat
- Appetite-suppressant
- Thermogenic
- Low calorie
You can find our blend of chile powder here.
Why is Saffron so special?
What Makes Saffron so special?
The way we value anything is largely dependent on the effort we put into getting it. This is especially true of saffron of which is asked why so special. Why is it “one of the most precious spices in the world”? Its highly labor-intensive production is one factor that makes it a most expensive spice.
What is saffron?
It comes from the saffron crocus flower. There are three stigmas in the center of each flower. These must be manually taken out, placed on a sieve to dry over a heat source to enhance the flavor. According to one source, it can take more than 75,000 flowers harvested by hand to make one pound of it. With so much labor going into the production of saffron it must be considered special.
The many uses and health benefits derived from the use of saffron also makes it a special spice. Research suggests that this spice is:
• an aphrodisiac, among the health benefits associated with its use.
• It also offers protection against cancer. Crocin, which it contains has been found to prevent the formation of malignant cells and trigger cell death for different types of human cancer.
• While not affecting normal body cells, it also stimulates immune cells that help destroy cancer cells.
Studies have also shown that crocin is useful for age-related mental problems and is used in treating memory loss, Parkinson’s disease, and inflammation. Saffron is also useful as a stimulant. A pinch in a tablespoon of milk is useful to promote hormone production in underdeveloped girls. As an aphrodisiac, it can be used for low libido to be taken at bedtime. Mixed in licorice and milk, saffron also is an effective topical application to promote hair growth. It is also an effective treatment for cold and fever that gives quick relief.
There are other ways in which this spice is used including it as food additives. It is also a culinary treasure that is used in combination with other condiments, to marinate fish and add color and a rich aroma to cakes and other foods and drinks.
The labor that goes into producing what is saffron and the many ways in which it is useful, makes it an incredibly special spice.
Come see our saffron here.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Eat Cinnamon Every Day For Better Health
Cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon toast crunch. Cinnamon apple crisp. These cinnamon-based dishes are not only delicious, but you may be surprised to hear that the cinnamon in them provides a wealth of health benefits, too. There are many health benefits of cinnamon that you may not have known about. After reading the following list, you may begin using cinnamon in your everyday cooking and food preparation more and more.
Cinnamon has antioxidants
Antioxidants are chemical compounds that inhibit oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals in your body that may cause damage to your cells and lead to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Cinnamon is chock-full of antioxidants. It even has more than the presumably healthier “superfoods” such as garlic or oregano. Therefore, a steady diet of cinnamon may help bring you to the regular level of antioxidants you need to avoid contracting these terrible diseases.
Cinnamon may prevent heart disease
Another major health benefit of cinnamon and its regular consumption is that it may prevent heart disease. Studies have been conducted that showed people who consumed small samples of cinnamon per day saw a significant decrease in their LDL cholesterol levels, which are known to clog arteries and cause heart disease. In addition, the people who ate cinnamon saw their triglyceride levels go down as well. These two factors combined make it likely that cinnamon consumption can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Cinnamon Can Fight Diabetes
The nutritional community is well aware of cinnamon’s ability to lower blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that taking as little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 30%. It does this through two molecular interactions. First, it blocks several digestive enzymes which slows down the breakdown of carbs into sugar. Second, cinnamon mimics insulin and is able to have your cells take in glucose at a slower and more steady rate.
Final Thoughts
There are many health benefits of cinnamon that you may not have been aware of. Now that you have learned some major ones, go ahead and find more and more opportunities to eat cinnamon every day!
See our cinnamon varieties here.
Health Benefits of Turmeric
What are the Health Benefits of Turmeric
Turmeric, in addition to being a popular spice used in many cuisines around the world, is also a staple ingredient in many supplements, as it has been scientifically proven to help with a multitude of ailments. Turmeric is derived from a chemical, Curcumin, which is a fat-soluble chemical that you can take as a daily vitamin. Turmeric is believed to help ward off dementia, relieve heart problems, and reduce general inflammation in the body. Keep reading to know the health benefits associated with turmeric and what it actually is.
How Do People Usually Ingest It?
Turmeric as a spice can be added to give flavor and an orange tinge to many savory dishes, including omelets or pasta dishes. It may also be steeped in hot water to produce a soothing, antioxidant-rich tea-like drink. The root chemical, Curcumin may be purchased at a regular supplement store, or even at some drug stores. You can take the recommended dosage (a capsule or two) with a full meal, as this chemical is fat-soluble, so just taking it with water will not do much for you.
Where is Turmeric Usually Found?
Those who love their food to be brightly colored and packing a ton of flavor probably know that turmeric is a spice that originated in India. It is a staple of the cuisine in that part of the world, and wild turmeric grows on plantations along the mainland of India and several Indian Ocean islands. It was in Indian medicine that turmeric made its emergence and people began to really learn what it is and its great health benefits. They saw that tea made from steeping the spice resulted in greater health and vitality.
With an Indian restaurant in just about every community, you have every reason to ask “What is turmeric?” Once you realize how it can be used to add color, flavor and a few health benefits to every meal, you will be sure to keep it in your kitchen. Add turmeric to your favorite dishes or brew some tea and see how this antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spice can help you.
See our Turmeric here.
Do it Yourself Seasoning Blends
DIY Seasoning blends
One of the most popular trends being followed today is the trend toward healthier eating. Most people are trying to avoid unhealthy foods and seasonings that have additives and other harmful ingredients. A better way to accomplish the use of healthy seasonings is by making the blends yourself. You can add a combination of your favorite spice blends together for a do it yourself seasoning that is nutritionally better for the body. Some easy do it yourself seasonings include what you prefer, and like in your food.
Make a list
To start with your do it yourself seasoning blends, shop for your favorite spices. Get enough to make at least five different blends. You can either grow fresh herbs and spices in your garden or purchase them fresh from your favorite market. You can allow them to dry, or use them fresh. They will eventually dry on their own. Decide what spices will blend well together, and give you the flavor that you want.
Set up mixing materials
Get out the bowls, measuring spoons, and the containers to be used. Mason jars in various sizes are ideal for this project. This is something that the kids can help with. It will give them an opportunity to use their math skills. Once the spices have been blended, put them into containers and label. The herbs will sometimes clump together once they sit for a while, but just give them a stir and they are ready to use again.
Use the seasoning blends on favorite foods
A cajun blend will go great on chicken, pork, salmon, and burgers. Make up a chili blend to enhance soups, ground beef, and sloppy Joe’s. For grilling steaks, chicken, fish, and pork, a jerk blend is a perfect mixture. A tasty Mediterranean blend gives a zesty flavor to roasted vegetables, chicken, and seafood. These do it yourself seasoning blends puts you in control of your sodium intake and saves money on the expensive store-bought seasonings. Enjoy eating healthier and eliminating many of the harmful preservatives that are used in packaged seasonings by experiencing do it yourself blends.
You can purchase some seasonings here.
How To Make Your Own Dried Herbs And Spices
How To Make Your Own Dried Herbs And Spices
There are several benefits to making your own spices and herbs, and you need to learn how to do that if you want to save what you grow in your garden. The process of drying the herbs and spices is easier than you might think, and they also taste better than what you can get in a store. Here are a few tips, as found on Farmer’s Almanac, for making your own spices and herbs.
Harvest The Herbs When They Are Small
You don’t want overgrown spices and herbs for drying, but you will want to pick them when they are small and fresh. The best time of day for cutting the herbs is once the dew is gone in the morning hours. Harvest them when they are healthiest so that they will taste great when dried.
Give The Herbs A Gentle Wash
You might be able to get away without washing some of the herbs if they don’t have the appearance of dirt on them, but those that look a bit dirty need to be gently washed. You can use a bowl of water to put them in and give them a gentle bath in it. Don’t touch them too much or you might bruise them.
Dry And Store The Herbs
Once the herbs are washed, you will need to find a good place for them to dry. You will want to keep the dried herbs out of the sun because the sunshine can ruin their flavor, and you will want to hang them upside down so they will dry quickly. Allow the air to dry them, and then get airtight containers to put them away. To store the herbs, remove the leaves from the dried plants and save them. Keep the containers in a cool part of your house to keep them fresh.
A Few Things To Keep In Mind For Dried Herbs
- Harvest them at an optimal time before they freeze.
- Make sure they are fully dried before you store them away.
- Store them away from moisture and sunshine.
See more about our herbs and spices here.
Revamping Your Leftovers using Spices
Transform your leftovers using spices
They say that fresh is best, but often, leftovers taste better the next day. Many, for example, think Thanksgiving Day turkey is great, but leftovers such as turkey sandwiches, perhaps with a little mayo and cranberry sauce, could sustain many for a week.
One way to really make those leftovers “zing” is by adding spices to them. Here are a few examples:
Tadka
In India, they have a technique called “tadka,” which involves tempering spices by briefly heating spices in either oil or clarified butter in order to release the aroma of the spice.
Indian women who want to revive leftovers swear by taking a few cumin seeds, heating them along with a little onion in either clarified butter (ghee) or oil. Once the tadka is prepared, it is then mixed with yesterday’s dish, and you have a whole new and inviting meal.
Malaysian Fried Noodles
Have you ever cooked too much pasta and don’t have any spaghetti sauce to freshen it up for a meal. Most likely, since pasta is relatively cheap it went into the garbage, or maybe into your compost in the garden. But consider this recipe for Malaysian style fried noodles.
You add dried cloves, onions, ketchup, fish sauce, and sugar, (I personally like to add some white pepper as well,) add some pork or prawns, together with yesterday’s pasta along with some tomato and other vegetables, then heat it in a hot skillet with oil for a couple of minutes.
Spice-up leftover pizza
Spice-up leftover pizza One thing that generally doesn’t taste better is yesterday’s leftover pizza. However, that’s because you don’t get creative with it. A popular Chicago pizza chain has these ideas: add mozzarella cheese, onion, pepper flakes, minced garlic, oregano, and melted butter together with some egg, and milk. Pour it over the leftover pizza and bake for 45 minutes.
Revive rice
Whether you ordered Chinese, Thai, or Indian, chances are you got too much rice and have two choices, throw it away or revive it. Throwing it away is so wasteful, so consider reviving it by frying it, then add onions, scallions, garlic, or ginger; chopped fresh or frozen and if you prefer some additional spices like cumin. Mix in a little hamburger meat and you’ve got something 10 times better than Hamburger Helper.
