Herbs and Spices: Let's Get Cookin'

At Olivera we want you to lose weight AND spice up your life! So how about boosting the flavor in your foods? Are your current food boosters high in salt, sugar or fat? Well, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of herbs and spices, a place to expand your palette (instead of your waistline) without sacrificing flavor. Not only do they make food taste great, they also help aid in the prevention of many chronic conditions including diabetes and heart disease.  This is due to the high levels of measured antioxidant activity, some of the highest amongst all commonly eaten foods!

Just in case you were wondering, herbs come from the leaves of plants whereas spices come from the seeds, berries, bark or roots of a plant. But who cares where they came from if you don’t know how to cook with them, right? It might be a little daunting at first, but with these helpful tips you’ll be on your way to cooking Michelin Star dishes in no time.

When to Add:

• Ground spices and herbs may be added closer to the end cooking time for a more distinct flavor, around 15 minutes before the end cooking time, or at the beginning for more blended flavors.
• Whole spices and Bay Leaves release flavor more slowly and therefore are ideal in dishes with longer cooking times. Add to dish at least 1 hour from the end cooking time.
• For uncooked foods such as salad dressings or fruit juices, add herbs and spices several hours before to let the flavors marry.
• For salad dressings, add the spices and herbs to the vinegar and allow to stand for a few hours before adding the oil.

How Much to Add:

• There are no general rules on the correct amount of spices and herbs to use as personal preference plays a role, as does the strength and pungency of different herbs and spices. However, there are good starting points to work with when a recipe is not available.
• Depending on what you’re cooking, start with a ¼ teaspoon of ground herbs and spices (or ¾ cup of fresh herbs) and adjust to taste for the following: for every 4 servings, for every one pound of meat or for every 2 cups of sauce or soup.
• Decrease your starting amount to 1/8 teaspoon for cayenne, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Adjust to your taste.
• It is important to start with a small amount when cooking with red pepper as the intensity increases during cooking. Add in small increments and test taste frequently.

How to Store:

• Spices and herbs will lose their color, taste and aroma over time. To preserve peak freshness, store in a cool, dry, tightly covered container.
• Store away from heat, sunlight, moisture and oxygen (far away from the oven, stove and dishwasher to avoid rising steam and heat).
• Keep ground herbs and spices for 1 year, whole spices for 2 years.
• Refrigerate chili powder, cayenne pepper and paprika to preserve its color and flavor/spice.
• Refrigerate/freeze oil rich seeds (poppy, sesame) to prevent rancidity.

Try to leave the excess salt behind and experiment with different combinations of herbs and spices. Below is a list of herbs and spices that pair well with different proteins and vegetables. Our taste buds are so over stimulated by large quantities of salt and sugar in the American diet. Don’t be surprised if your food seems a little bland in the beginning. Trust me, your taste buds will adjust and within a week or two you’ll be tasting flavors you didn’t even know existed!

• Beef: Bay leaf, marjoram, onion, pepper, sage, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, cumin, ginger, parsley, rosemary, savory, shallot, tarragon, chives
• Chicken: Ginger, marjoram, oregano, paprika, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, saffron, parsley, onion, garlic, dill, cumin, chives, basil
• Fish: Dill, dry mustard, marjoram, paprika, pepper, basil, chives, rosemary, sage, tarragon, cayenne, garlic, parsley, oregano, thyme
• Turkey: Basil, garlic, marjoram, onion, oregano, parsley, rosemary, saffron, sage, tarragon, thyme
•  Asparagus: Chives, lemon balm, ginger, parsley, tarragon, thyme, sage, savory, rosemary
• Broccoli: Garlic, lemon balm, oregano, thyme, tarragon
• Carrots: Cinnamon, cloves, dill, ginger, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, mint, tarragon, thyme
• Cauliflower: Chili powder, caraway, chives, cumin, curry, dill, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon
• Eggplant: Basil, cinnamon, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, onion, oregano, sage, savory, rosemary, thyme
• Green Beans: Dill, curry, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, thyme, basil, sage, rosemary
• Mushrooms: Pepper, coriander, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme
• Squash: Cloves, cinnamon, curry, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, basil, caraway, cardamom, ginger, savory
• Zucchini: Basil, dill, tarragon, thyme

Finally, here are some great spice blends to help you get started that are free of MSG and sugar! Blend all ingredients together and store in an airtight container until ready for use.

Taco Seasoning

1 Tablespoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon paprika

1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Blackened Seasoning (great for grilling)

1 ½ tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon ground dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Garam Masala (delicious on chicken)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander

1 ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Creole Seasoning (perfect for shrimp)

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon white pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

5 tablespoons paprika

3 tablespoons salt

Cajun Spice

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 ½ teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano

1 ¼ teaspoons dried thyme

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Italian Seasoning

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons dried thyme

2 tablespoons dried marjoram

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried sage

Balsamic Vinegar and Oil Dressing

1 sprig fresh orgenao

1 sprig fresh thyme

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Pinch of salt and pepper, or to taste

1 cup olive oil (add this last, after a few hours for best results)

Orange Ginger Marinade

1 teaspoons orange zest

3 tablespoons fresh squeezed OJ

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried mustard

½ teaspoon minced ginger

1 clove minced garlic

1 small onion sliced thinly

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt to taste