Must Have Seasoning Hacks for Your MOST Delicious Meals!
Around these parts, January is all about NOURISHMENT. Yes, that’s partially because December is full of deliciousness and debauchery. It’s also because it’s the start of a new year and I love the idea of a “clean slate” where I really focus in on work, intentionality, and goal setting for the year. Eating well and using longer fasting periods helps me to create an environment for these things. January is also a perfect time to focus on nourishment, though, because the seasonal foods available this time of year are perfectly placed to support better digestion and detoxification.
“NOURISHMENT is an experience in which your body and your soul are filled.
Don't resolve to lose weight. Don't resolve to eliminate sugar, or cut carbs, or go low fat, vegan or Paleo. If you truly want to impact your health, resolve to experience real food. As you conquer the ingredients and become secure within them, you find an opportunity to commune while you create!
Eat Food. Appreciate Flavor. Enjoy the Process. “
These goals and this mindset are best achieved inside your own home where you prepare the meals and come together with family and friends to enjoy it. That sounds a lot harder than it has to be. Meals don’t have to be elaborate or time consuming to be delicious! Here are my best Seasoning Hacks to get you in and out of the kitchen pronto with food your family will be talking about for days!!
Use SMOKED or FLAVORED SEA SALT. There are tons of different ones you can buy online and at local spice shops. They are naturally flavored, to be clear, not artificially flavored. I have been enjoying the Alderwood this time around but THIS Sampler is epic and could change your whole world of cooking- Lemon Rosemary, Black Truffle, Sriracha, Herbs de Provence… oh my! They are all amazing and you literally select a flavor and sprinkle it on. It does not get any easier than that!
Switch your Garlic Powder. I use the Badia Roasted Garlic Powder which I find in the international section of my grocery store in a small bottle. Add this to guacamole or just substitute this wherever a recipe calls for garlic powder. The flavor is so much better!
Make Seasoning Blends ahead of time and store them in easy to reach containers! Taking an hour on a day to measure out ingredients for rubs and seasoning mixes will save you tons of time when you get in the kitchen. You also make less messy, which is a huge plus for me! Here are two I make ahead and LOVE:
3 tsp whole cardamon
4½ tsp allspice berries
3 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp himalayan salt
Combine these and store. When you are ready to use them, place the mixture in a mortar and pestal and grind them well. For even more flavor, place the mixture in a heated skillet and toss around to toast before grinding! You can use the ground spices but nothing compares to fresh ground flavor. This combo is amazing for roasting chickpeas and seasoning any cut of chicken. Top whatever you make with fresh lemon juice and chopped fresh cilantro and parsley.
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C Smoked Salt
2 T Smoked Paprika (you can get this at the grocery but I linked my most favoritest one!)
2 T coarse Black Pepper
1/4 T Cumin
1/4 T Onion powder
1/4 T Roasted Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Combine everything and store til you’re ready to use. This makes AH-MAZE-ING pulled pork, BBQ grilled chicken and Foil Packet Ribs.
Cooking is THE key to your health goals. I wrote about this over on the blog for our Fitness Center. You simply cannot exercise or even fast your way out of a bad diet. Besides, why would you want to suffer like that when enjoying a healthy and delicious meal in the company of others is way more fun?!? How you eat should never ever be pennance for some perceived health transgressions. Food provides the very building blocks for health and longevity. Give your body the best and then HONOR it with exercise and movement that make sense.
NOURISHMENT is an experience in which your body and your soul are filled.