January Canada Food Guide News
Healthy eating is often at the top of New Year resolution lists. It can be hard to stick to your goal with the common misconception that healthy eating means plain, bland, and flavourless food. This month, we’re here to give you ideas on how to prepare tasty food to add enjoyment to healthy eating. Keep reading for tips on flavouring food using herbs and spices.
New! Cajun lentil soup
Prepare a big batch of this hearty soup by doubling the recipe, and freeze portions to enjoy on those cold Canadian winter days. Your kitchen will be filled with the bold spicy aroma of Cajun seasoning every time you warm it up.
Prepared seasoning can be high in sodium. Read the recipe’s tips section for a homemade lower sodium Cajun mix.
TIPS for using Herbs and Spices
Ingredients used to season food are deeply rooted in history and cultures. Some herbs and spices are very common to a particular cuisine. Many are used in kitchens all around the world as flavour enhancers. Try adding:
- Sumac to fish and salad dressing
- Ginger to stir-fries, soups, and fruits
- Turmeric to chicken, tofu scramble, and wild rice
- Garam Masala to stews, curries, and lentil dishes
- Dill to fish, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and eggs
- Coriander to eggs, mushrooms, lamb, and potatoes
- Basil and oregano to soup, salads, tomatoes, and pasta
- Rosemary or thyme to potatoes, chicken, lamb, beef, and pork
- Paprika to seafood, vegetables, moose meat, chicken, and eggs
- Curry powder or cumin to lentils, chicken, chickpeas, soups, and stews
- Cinnamon to lower fat plain yogurt, fruits, popcorn, and roasted walnuts
For best results, add:
- dried herbs at the beginning of cooking to release their stronger flavours
- fresh herbs near the end of cooking (or even after) to preserve their flavour
General rule: You will need about 1/3 the amount dried as you would for fresh. Try increasing or decreasing measurements based on your taste and flavour preferences.
More...
Last month, we shared homemade spice mix recipes. Have you found yourself looking for more ways to experiment with flavours in the kitchen? Season eggs, pasta, omelettes, frittatas, and homemade pizza with a pinch of this mix: 30 mL (2 tbsp) dried basil, 30 mL (2 tbsp) dried oregano, and 10 mL (2 tsp) dried thyme.
You can also try adding 15 mL (1tbsp) of this mix to a homemade vinaigrette. Mix 85 mL (⅓ cup) olive oil, 30 mL (2 tbsp) balsamic vinegar, and 15 mL (1 tbsp) lemon juice.
Next month, we’ll feature the versatility of vegetables and fruits.
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