Over the years I have collected a handful of ingredients that I find myself using over and over, whether it be a type of seasoning that is extremely versatile or a natural sweetener that tastes amazing and is free of chemicals, to foods that I incorporate in so many dishes. Many of these items may be things you already have in your home or have seen. But you may not be thinking of some of the creative ways you could be using them, which is why I want to tell you why I love them. I hope you enjoy the list below, each item accompanied by the uses I have found for them, brief descriptions, and pictures of all.
NOTES: I have no affiliation with any of the product brands that I am sharing, I truly just love them. Also I must disclose that I am not a nutritionist so my theories for some ingredients/products being healthier than others are just that, my own theories. I am eager to hear any input you may have as I love to learn as much as I can about cooking. Please feel free to comment accordingly and also please share things that you love with me as well.
RECIPE TUNES (because everything is always better with music)
Black Mirror by Sophie Simmons • Never Look Back by Graffiti6 • 50 Feet Tall by New Politics
HERBS, SPICES, SEASONINGS and SWEETENERS
Greek Seasoning
I love this seasoning because it works with almost anything that needs to be salted/peppered. If you don’t have the time or care to pull out a bunch of spices or find something you are eating too bland, this is a great go-to. I personally love using it on baked potatoes, avocados (as seen in main photo above, an avocado with Greek seasoning sprinkled on top: so yummy) and on scrambled eggs but it is equally excellent on steaks, roasts, chicken, fish, turkey, burgers, seafood, you name it! It is made up of a unique blend of 13 ingredients and together they are delicious. The photo I have here is one of a few brands I have used.
Stir-in Paste herbs (tubed herbs)
I use these in so many recipes. They are a 1:1 ratio so if the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of chopped basil, you use 1 teaspoon of the tubed version. They last in your fridge for up to 3 months and can be used in soups, dressings, marinades, stir fry, or any time a recipe calls for any given herb. I always prefer using fresh herbs over tubed. However, when you cook on the fly you don’t always have what you need fresh from the garden so I love knowing these have longevity in your fridge. There are 12 different varieties I have seen. The ones I keep on hand are the basil, parsley, Italian herbs, ginger, garlic, and I get the lemongrass when I make chicken soup or stew. I have added the basil from the tube to rubs I put on pork tenderloins as well and they turned out delicious. (Could do the same with the garlic or really any of the others.)
Cheesy Taco seasoning
Ok this is like the best “secret ingredient” ever for homemade chili. It adds this awesome creaminess and cheesy flavor without adding all of the saturated fat you would get from real cream, whole milk or actual cheese. It is a really delicious and simple way to add richness along with flavor to any dish. When I see it I usually buy a few packets to have on hand because I don’t see it at the stores often.
Good Seasons Italian seasoning packets
This is another item I use often. I make balsamic dressing with it which I use all the time on my salads and my kids love it when I marinate salmon with the dressing. (A staple meal in our home.) I also however use the seasoning packet alone to spice up any dishes that I feel need great flavor. I use it in soups sometimes and in my garden capresé salad (which is my variation of an Italian bruschetta appetizer using tomato, basil and mozzarella along with other great veggies and pita chips). You can also simply sprinkle some on top of any meats, veggies or dishes that need a little more flavor.
Dolcedi’ sweetener
This amazing sweetener is naturally low-glycemic made from the concentrated and filtered sugar extracted from organic apples. No crazy chemicals involved. It is gluten-free, vegan and STAR-KOSHER and is highly soluble in hot and cold beverages and/or foods. I found this at a local market and was happily surprised by how much it sweetens like sugar with absolutely no weird aftertaste. It is perfect for oatmeal or a cup of tea or really anything you want to sweeten but don’t want to use refined sugar. The only one bad thing about this product is that it is really hard to find in stores. The one store that I discovered it at stopped stocking it soon after I fell in love with it, go figure. You can however purchase it online. To find stores online or near you where you can purchase it go to: http://rigonidiasiago-usa.com/dolcedi/
Agave
Agave nectar is a real sugar, as opposed to an artificial or non-nutritive sweetener. It has properties similar to many sugars with one important exception: its glycemic index is significantly lower. This makes it a healthier alternative to many processed AND natural sweeteners. It has become somewhat controversial as to the health benefits using agave vs. table sugar however I tend to believe that anything natural and unprocessed has to be better than refined sugar. Right? I add a little to my protein shakes. It is also used in my simple, decadent, deep-dark chocolate pudding recipe (which is insanely yummy) and I also use it when I drink hot tea sometimes. It is also great for oatmeal, plain yogurt or cereal.
Cumin
Cumin adds a smokiness that you cannot copy with any other spice. It is great in Mexican food, Indian inspired dishes and awesome in soups (such as my savory butternut squash soup) and also delicious in dips like my smoky cauliflower hummus.
Smoked Paprika
This spice is especially awesome because it adds smokiness and beautiful color without having a strong flavor. It is both great in dishes and sprinkled on top. I have used it in guacamole, soups and rubs. I just love its smoky aroma.
OTHER PRODUCTS AND FOODS
Powdered peanut butter
This is my favorite recent discovery. It is the most brilliant product because it has all the great flavor of peanut butter and the awesome protein without all of the saturated fat, which is the biggest reason we all feel so guilty enjoying peanut butter, right? You can add it to health-shakes, yogurts, mix it into ice-cream or bake with it but you can also use it to make savory things such as spicy thai-peanut sauce (as I do in my Thai lettuce wrap recipe on the blog), salad dressings or to create a marinade for grilled chicken skewers or steak. You can find it at most regular grocery stores where they sell peanut butter. I am still experimenting a lot with it but you can definitely plan on seeing more recipes where I incorporate it. I love when I find products that are yummy and good for you too. Oh, I added a little to my oatmeal one morning with a touch of agave sweetener and it tasted like dessert. Yummmmmm!
Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder and Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips
I think maybe I should be a rep for Hershey’s because their Hershey’s Dark baking products are by far my favorites even above most of the fancier chocolate brands dark chocolate products. Their dark cocoa powder is densely chocolatey and truly lives up to its name. Their dark chocolate chips I love because they melt in your mouth almost like milk chocolate ones do (they aren’t waxy or dry at all like other dark chocolate chips) but they maintain their intense chocolatey flavor. I use these two products for so many recipes from pancakes to my meringue cookies, chocolate pudding and so on. These are two items I like to have in my pantry for any given need to make something chocolatey and delicious.
Broccoli slaw
Add a half bag of this to any regular salad and you will be adding so many more healthy veggies along with awesome crunch. It does NOT taste like broccoli. It is equally great used as slaw for fish or pork tacos or to top on burgers or sandwiches for added crunch. I love using it in my Asian slaw recipe as well. Its one of those things you can add with any ground meat and almost any marinade for a great and healthy one-pot meal. Add some brown rice (or not), either way: yummy and delicious and so good for you.
Avocados
Well duh, avocados are the best food ever. I eat them plain with the Greek seasoning listed above sprinkled on top sometimes as a snack. (As seen in the main photo above on this post.) You will however be amazed at how good they are in my chocolate pudding recipe. You truly cannot tell it is made with avocados but they make it so thick, creamy and smooth. Did you know that 1/3 of an avocado has only about 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals? (It also has a gram of protein and a gram of fiber per third of one avocado!) The avocado is virtually the only fruit that contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fat – the good fat!
TruWhip
This is my favorite whipped topping because it is super thick but not too sweet and is made of all natural ingredients. No hydrogenated oils are in it. It is great for topping desserts and fruit with but as well I love using it in my light and airy peanut butter mousse which can be enjoyed as an amazing snack, sweet-treat or even breakfast! You can substitute this in any recipe that calls for whipped cream.
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