Add healthy flavor with herbs and spices!
You can keep foods flavorful and healthy, too!
Using spices and herbs to season foods can make them tasty, without adding fat, salt, and sugar.
Buying
Herbs are the leaves of a plant, and spices are made from the roots, bark, berries, and seeds of a plant.
You can buy herbs fresh or dried. Dried herbs can also be crumbled or ground. You can find fresh herbs in the produce or salad section of your grocery store. You can find dried herbs in the spice aisle. Generally, you can use either fresh or dried, whatever you have on hand.
You can buy spices ground or in a cracked, crushed, or flaked form. You can find spices in the baking needs or spice aisle in your grocery store.
Citrus juices, like lemon juice or orange juice, and vinegar also add a lot of healthy flavor. They aren’t really herbs or spices, but they are tasty!
Measuring
Generally, dried herbs have a much stronger flavor than fresh ones. Here is how to convert measurements from one form to the other.
- 1 Tablespoon of finely cut fresh herbs equals
- 1 teaspoon of crumbled dried herbs equals
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground dried herbs
Cooking
When you are cooking, start with ¼ teaspoon of ground spices or ground dried herbs for about four servings of food, 1 pound of meat, or 2 cups of soup or sauce.
Adjust as needed for the flavor level you want. Add just a little at a time. Remember, you can always put more in, but you can’t take it out!
If you are using crumbled dried herbs or fresh herbs, use more.
Red pepper and garlic powder
Start with 1/8 teaspoon for cayenne pepper and other hot peppers and for garlic powder. Adjust as needed for the flavor you want.
Remember that the flavor of red pepper becomes more intense as it cooks.
Doubling a recipe
If you are doubling a recipe, do not double the herbs and spices. Increase those amounts by 1 ½ times. Then adjust as needed for the flavor you want.
Using fresh herbs
If you are using fresh herbs, add them near the end of cooking or just before you serve the food. Cooking fresh herbs too long can reduce their flavor.
Add delicate fresh herbs just a minute or two before the food is done. Or sprinkle them over the cooked food before you serve it. Delicate fresh herbs are basil, chives, cilantro, and dill leaves.
Add sturdier fresh herbs about 20 minutes before the food is done. Sturdier fresh herbs are dill seeds, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme.
Here are some tasty flavors to try with your favorite foods! You can try just one, or make your own blend of spices you like.
Meat, Chicken, and Fish
Beef
Bay leaf, garlic, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, pepper, sage, thyme
Chicken
Garlic, ginger, lemon juice, marjoram, oregano, paprika, pepper, poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
Fish
Curry powder, dill, dry mustard, garlic, lemon juice, marjoram, paprika, pepper
Lamb
Curry powder, garlic, rosemary, mint
Pork
Garlic, onion, sage, paprika, pepper, oregano
Veal
Bay leaf, curry powder, ginger, marjoram, oregano
Vegetables
Carrots
Cinnamon, cloves, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Corn
Cumin, curry powder, onion, paprika, parsley
Green beans
Curry powder, dill, garlic, lemon juice, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, thyme
Greens
Garlic, onion, pepper
Peas
Ginger, marjoram, onion, parsley, sage
Potatoes
Dill, garlic, onion, paprika, parsley, sage
Summer squash
Cloves, curry powder, garlic, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary, sage
Winter squash
Cinnamon, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, onion
Tomatoes
Basil, bay leaf, dill, garlic, marjoram, onion, oregano, parsley, pepper
