Warm Up with Warm Spices

 

Looking for a way to add flavor without salt or sugar? Try adding some of these spices into your day for great flavor, a boost to your health, and a bit of warmth. Spices bring flavors together, creating a unique dish. They also enhance the flavors of a dish, just as a touch of salt may do to a sweet dish.

These warm spices go well in sweet or savory dishes, and are great with root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets, and more!).

• Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash 
• Curried Chicken with Vegetables 
• Ginger Pear Smoothie - try it with your milk of choice
• Rootin Tootin Ribbon Salad 
• Curried Lentil and Chickpea Stew 

Ginger

Ginger is sweet and warm. It aids in digestion, reducing nausea, and is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. The part we eat grows underground. Often called a root, it is actually a part of the stem that grows underground called a rhizome (rye-zoam).

You can find ginger...

• Whole/Fresh in the produce area. It is firm, light brown with a knobby shape.  When cut, the inside is often tough and  fibrous (stringy). Store in an airtight bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, or in the freezer for longer periods of time. When you’re ready to use it, peel off the outer layer with the edge of a spoon - like you’re scooping it off. You can also use a peeler.
• It’s best used in:
• Stir fries, salads, soups
• Drinks - add fresh ginger to hot water for ginger tea. Add extra flavor with lemon and honey. Mix some into a smoothie - fresh or dried.
• Any dish where chunks or strings of ginger would be okay.

• Ground/Powdered in the spice section. It is light brown/mustard color. Ground ginger has a more concentrated flavor than the fresh form, so use less when using dried (¼ tsp dried ginger for every 1 tablespoon fresh ginger). Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. 
• It’s best used in any ginger dish, especially baked goods, or with higher cooking temperatures.

• Prepared Ginger  - minced, grated - in the produce section, spice section, or international aisle. It is a creamy yellow color, and can be found in various forms. Use the same amount of preserved ginger as you would fresh ginger. You can also prepare and preserve your own by using fresh ginger, and storing it in the refrigerator or freezer. 
• It’s best used in dishes that are cooked, or where ginger is not the dominant flavor. 
• It works well if you are low on time or do not want to prepare ginger.

Try ginger with - carrots, citrus, sweet potatoes, beets, squash; chicken, beef, fish, pork, tofu; rice, curries, stir fries, marinades

Cinnamon

It’s for more than just cinnamon rolls! An earthy and sweet spice, cinnamon is said to help lower blood sugar. It helps to add sweetness without adding sugar. Cinnamon comes from the bark of a tree (a special kind of evergreen tree).

You can find cinnamon...

• Sticks in the spice section. Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place.
• It’s best used to flavor foods or drinks, and is not eaten. 
• Drinks - add a cinnamon stick to a hot beverage for extra flavor, or to hot water for cinnamon tea.
• Rice - add a cinnamon stick while cooking your rice for an extra burst of flavor.

• Powder/Ground in the spice section. Store in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. (1 tsp ground cinnamon = 1, 1-inch stick of cinnamon)
• It’s best used in foods, and can be eaten. 
• Savory foods - Try adding a pinch to your tomato sauce or vinaigrette for a twist.
• Sweet foods - fruit sauces, desserts, breads

Ground cinnamon is used to flavor sweet and savory foods such as apples, mangos, pears, salad vinaigrettes, lamb dishes, and pork recipes. Try adding a pinch of ground cinnamon to boost the flavor of tomatoes.

Turmeric 

Turmeric has a pepperlike aroma and an earthy, slightly bitter taste. It gives curry seasonings their yellow color, but can stain, so use caution when using it.  

Turmeric is ginger’s cousin, and just like ginger, the part we eat grows underground. It is often called a root, though it is actually a part of the stem that grows underground called a rhizome (rye-zoam).

You can find turmeric…

• Whole/fresh in the produce section. It is firm, and has a thin, light brown outer skin. It is orange inside. The skin should be washed, and can be peeled before using. Store it with the peel on in an airtight bag in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for longer periods of time.
• It’s best used grated or sliced, and in dishes that are raw or minimally cooked/processed.
• Drinks - mix with some milk and honey for “golden milk,” add to a smoothie, or add to hot water with lemon for a tea.
• Thinly slice and add to salad or coleslaw

• Powder/Ground in the spice section. It is yellow in color. Store it in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Ground turmeric has a more concentrated flavor than the fresh form, so use less when using dried (1 tsp dried turmeric = 1 tablespoon fresh turmeric)

It’s best used in any dish where you would like a bit of a peppery kick, and where you would like a golden color.

Best used in dishes with higher cooking temperatures.

Try turmeric with - Cauliflower, cabbage, potato, sweet potatoes; Beans, lentils, chicken, fish, tofu; Curries, rice

Buying these spices

Start small. Some recipes only call for a small amount. Most spices are best used within 18 months to 3 years. 

Found a good sale? If you do purchase in bulk, keep the excess spice in the freezer to refill as you need. Just remember to be realistic on the amount you purchase.

Where to find the best deals?

Spices can vary in price depending on where you purchase them. Check for lower cost options in the “international” aisle of some stores, or at stores specializing in certain regions, cuisines, or ethnicities. Or check for stores that sell spices in bulk, where you can buy smaller amounts at a time.