Spice It Up!

Have you ever opened your kitchen cupboard in hopes of receiving inspiration for a delicious dinner, but instead come face to face with endless bottles of herbs, spices and condiments? Many households sport spice racks and herb gardens, but there are few who know how to use these resources in everyday cooking. The benefits of herbs and spices are amazing and they taste pretty good too! So how can you start using more of those dried flakes sitting in your cupboard? Let’s start with the basics!

Herbs vs Spices

Yes, it is true! There is a difference between an herb and a spice. These two words are used interchangeably, but they each describe a different part of the plant.

Herb - leaves of the plant

Spice - roots, bark, and seeds of the plant

Basil (herb)

Ginger (spice)

Here are a few examples of herbs and spices, along with some fun tidbits about each one:

Basil: a popular herb used in cuisine all over the world. It contains vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Fresh basil is best in any vegetable, poultry, or meat dish.

Oregano: a culinary herb that is a flowering plant in the mint family. It is a staple herb in the Italian-American cuisine, and is used most frequently with roasted, fried, or grilled vegetables, meat, and fish.

Black Pepper: a flowering vine whose fruit is cultivated and dried to use as a spice. When the dried fruit or peppercorn is ground, it becomes the pepper we see on every restaurant table in America.

Ginger: a root that when dried and ground becomes a spice. Ginger is also used as medicine and is commonly used to treat an upset stomach and nausea. Culinarily, it is used in many Asian and Indian dishes as well as sweet dishes such as gingerbread and ginger snaps.

What about Salt??

The majority of Americans eat too much salt which can lead to high blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney damage. But never fear! Spices and herbs are a great way to lower your salt consumption and add more flavor to your meal!

Quick Tip!

When deciding between dried and fresh herbs or spices, remember this easy conversion factor: 1 teaspoon dried = 1 tablespoon fresh. In other words, use three times the amount of fresh herbs/spices that you would normally use for dried.

Spice it up on Biteable.

What Herb or Spice Should I Use?

Food/Dish	Herbs/Spices To Use
Fish	Basil, curry, dill, ginger, nutmeg, paprika
Pork	Cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, thyme
Meat	Cayenne, cumin, curry, onion, thyme
Chicken	Curry, onion, oregano, thyme
Potatoes	Dill, nutmeg, onion, oregano, thyme, mint
Rice Dishes	Curry, onion
Sauces	Oregano, paprika
Soups	Basil, cayenne,onion, thyme
Beans	Cumin, mint, onion, paprika

Minestrone Soup

Yield: 2 quarts

Serving size: 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ¼ cups onions, diced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ cup carrots, diced

1/3 cup celery, diced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh basil, minced

¼ cup bell pepper, diced

1/3 cup zucchini, diced

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

2 ½ cups water

1 ¼ cups tomato puree

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup cooked garbanzo beans

1 ½ tablespoons dry red wine

½ cup tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup dry pasta

Directions:

1. In a large pot, saute onions, garlic, and carrots in olive oil for 10-15 minutes or until onions are VERY translucent.
2. Add celery, oregano, black pepper, salt, and basil; cover and cook over low heat 5-10 minutes.
3. Add peppers, zucchini, broth, water, tomato puree, tomato paste, garbanzo beans and red wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and stir.
5. Cook pasta separately (about ¾ of the recommended cooking time). Add right before serving or distributing. (Do not add while soup is still hot.)

Make It A Meal!

What addition to this soup could be more perfect than a fresh fruit salad? Adapted from therecipecritic.com, this salad highlights fruits in season during the winter months, which is perfect for this time of year! Apples, pears, clementines, and kiwi fruit all meet a sweet and delicious honey-lime dressing sprinkled with poppin’ poppy seeds. Add a slice of French bread or your favorite crusty bread on the side to make it a meal.

The Best Winter Fruit Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Serving size: ½ cup

Ingredients:

1 large apple, peeled and sliced

1 pear, sliced

2 large bananas, peeled and sliced

3 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced into rounds

3 clementines, peeled and separated

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
Walnuts and/or almonds, optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine all fruits and lightly toss.
2. In a small bowl whisk together honey, lime juice, poppy seeds, and mint. Drizzle over fruit and toss until coated. Garnish with walnuts and/or almonds, if desired. Serve.

Minestrone Soup

The Best Winter Fruit Salad