10 Tips for Using Spices and Herbs

Are you an herbs-and-spices kind of cook?

With all the good news about how they boost the immune system and lower risk for chronic disease, you’ll want to use herbs and spices in your kitchen everyday. But how?

10 Easy Tips for Using Spices and Herbs – Getting Started

Get started for using more spices and herbs by tossing out your very old ones. If they’ve been in your pantry for >3 years, then out they go. Next, go to the grocery store and buy new ones, two per shopping trip. If you see a sale, then buy three. Little by little, you’ll own an assortment of fresh and flavorful spices and dried herbs. Buy (or in summer, grow) beautiful, green fresh herb plants, too. They are beautiful, fragrant, and fresh!

10 Easy Tips for Using Spices and Herbs

1. Sprinkle dried basil and/or oregano onto your tossed salad.
2. Sprinkle cinnamon onto your yogurt.
3. Sprinkle chili powder onto your avocado.
4. Sprinkle black pepper onto your cucumber slices.
5. Sprinkle cumin onto your bean soup.
6. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes into your Marinara sauce.
7. Add a pinch of paprika into your scrambled eggs.
8. Add a pinch of dill on your fish fillet before broiling or baking it.
9. Add a pinch of garlic powder into your rice or mashed potatoes.
10. Add a pinch of turmeric to your roasted cauliflower, before roasting it.

Moving Forward with Your Kitchen Skills

There are many kitchen skills that lead to better nutrition and using spices and herbs is one of them. The only way to gain the skill is to practice it over-and-over. Try the tips above and come up with your own favorites, too. In the Mediterranean area of the world, herbs and spices – fresh and dried – are used as everyday ingredients.

To get more familiar with this healthful cuisine, grab my free Mediterranean Meal Plans here. Also, visit my blog and use the search term, Mediterranean.

Which spices and herbs will you try this week?