Tag Archives: spice

Pumpkin Spice Season

Are You Ready For Pumpkin Spice Season?

Summer is winding down and Americans are already clamoring for their pumpkin spice fix…usually lattes, muffins, donuts, cakes and pies.

Why all this passion for pumpkin spice? It must be the health benefits and perhaps the taste as well. Loaded with vitamin A, pumpkin spice helps to boost immunity, improve eyesight, and contains inflammation fighters, antioxidants and potassium. According to the renowned Cleveland Clinic, it also can help prevent heart disease and promotes brain health. So do not feel bad eating a lot of Pumpkin Spice during Pumpkin Spice Season.

Evidently adding pumpkin spice to your diet can have tremendous benefits. So what are some of the healthy ways to introduce pumpkin spice into your daily diet: For those who love a splash of cream in their coffee or tea, try the dairy creamer Califia Farms’ Pumpkin Spice Better Half. Made with coconut cream and almond milk, with real pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. And it’s sugar free! A choice of protein and fruit bars such as KIND and LARABAR, low in sugar, moderate in calories.

How does spiced pumpkin vinaigrette sound to you over a nice bed of greens sprinkled with dried cranberries and walnuts…yum! Looking for some pumpkin spice in your morning cereal…then try Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, made with real pumpkin puree or Kellogg’s Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini Wheats! Even Hostess has pumpkin spice twinkies!

Everyone one loves Pumpkin Spice Season


Also let’s not forget about Starbucks pumpkin spice hot and cold brew offerings, canned pumpkin puree and, most of all, and probably the best, fresh pumpkin available in your local supermarkets. In conclusion, think about making your own pumpkin spice mixture. Basic ingredients include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
Experiment. Add a little cayenne, turmeric, cumin, or star anise. Even a sprinkle of garam marsala may give it a different twist.

And don’t forget the real pumpkin…after all, tis the season!

BTW, What’s your favorite pumpkin spice guilty pleasure?

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What are the best seasoning to use with Beef

We all know salt and pepper is all a good steak really needs. Have you ever wondered what other spices are good for cooking beef? Here are some of my favorite seasoning for beef. So lets take a simple grilled steak to the next level and get you a printable cheat sheet for your kitchen!

Bay leaf

Bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used in cooking. It can be whole or ground dried pieces of the plant. It comes from several plants such as: Bay laurel. Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance.

Cayenne seasoning

The cayenne pepper is a type of Capsicum annuum. It is usually a moderately hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes.

Chili

Chili powder (also powdered chili, chile powder or chilli powder) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (also sometimes known as chili powder blend). It is used as a spice to add pungency or piquancy and flavor to dishes.

Curry

The main spices found in most curry powders of the Indian subcontinent are coriander, cumin, and turmeric. A wide range of additional spices may be included depending on the geographic region and the foods being included (fish, lentils, red or white meat, rice, and vegetables).

Dill

Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is the only species in the genus Anethum. Dill is widely grown in Eurasia where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food.

Ginger

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems about a meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades.

Mustard

Mustard Powder by OliveNation is crafted by grinding the seeds of the mustard plant. This fine yellow powder has a tangy, mildly hot flavor and is also known as dry mustard or ground mustard.

Paprika

Paprika is a ground spice made from dried red fruits of the larger and sweeter varieties of the plant Capsicum annuum, called bell pepper or sweet pepper. The most common variety used for making paprika is tomato pepper, sometimes with the addition of more pungent varieties, called chili peppers, and cayenne pepper.

Marjoram seasoning

Marjoram is a somewhat cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marjoram are used to distinguish it from other plants of the genus Origanum.

Oregano

Oregano is a flowering plant in the mint family. It is native to temperate Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall, with opposite leaves 1–4 cm long. The flowers are purple, 3–4 mm long, produced in erect spikes.

Parsley

Parsley or garden parsley is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the central Mediterranean region, naturalized elsewhere in Europe, and widely cultivated as a herb, a spice, and a vegetable.

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs.


Thyme

Thyme is an aromatic perennial evergreen herb with culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. The most common variety is Thymus vulgaris. Thyme is of the genus Thymus of the mint family, and a relative of the oregano genus Origanum.

10 herbs seasoning that go well with lamb

Best Spices for Lamb: There’s nothing better than a perfectly herbed rack of lamb. If you are new to cooking with herbs or just want a brand new flavor combo to try. Simply combine some my favorites from the list below. 

Basil, also called great basil or Saint-Joseph’s-wort

Basil is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae. This herb is native to tropical regions from central Africa to Southeast Asia. It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide.

Cardamom, sometimes cardamon or cardamum

This a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indonesia.

Most curry powder recipes include coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, and chili peppers in their blends.

Depending on the recipe, additional ingredients such as ginger, garlic, asafoetida, fennel seed. Also caraway, cinnamon, clove, mustard seed, green cardamom, black cardamom, nutmeg, white turmeric. Finally curry leaf, long pepper, and black pepper may also be included.

Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae.

It is the only species in the genus Anethum. Dill is widely grown in Eurasia where its leaves. And seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food.

Mace is made from the lacy, red outer coating

that covers the shell around the nutmeg kernel. Once this coating is removed, it’s dried, and can be found and purchased as whole, golden-orange “blades“, though it’s mostly commonly sold ground. In flavor, mace is very similar to nutmeg, though more subtle and delicate.

Marjoram is a somewhat cold-sensitive perennial herb

Marjoram is undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marjoram are used to distinguish it from other plants of the genus Origanum.

Mint: Mentha is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae.

It is estimated that 13 to 18 species exist, and the exact distinction between species is still unclear. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally. Many other hybrids, as well as numerous cultivars, are known.

Oregano is a flowering plant in the mint family.

It is native to temperate Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm tall, with opposite leaves 1–4 cm long. The flowers are purple, 3–4 mm long, produced in erect spikes.

Paprika is a ground spice made from dried red fruits

The larger and sweeter varieties of the plant Capsicum annuum, called bell pepper or sweet pepper. The most common variety used for making paprika is tomato pepper, sometimes with the addition of more pungent varieties, called chili peppers, and cayenne pepper.

Rosmarinus officinalis, commonly known as rosemary

This spice is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs.


Turmeric is a flowering plant

of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the roots of which are used in cooking.