Food Hack: 5 Meal Changing Spices
**Food Hacks: In this new series I'm sharing food and kitchen tips making your time in the kitchen much more of a breeze. Many tips are insights from my studies in Agriculture while at university. Join the conversation and share your most lived by tips in the comments below.
Hey guys! I’m still in London but I wanted to stop by and share with you a quick food hack! Before I started this blog nearly two years ago I had a strong, putting it nicely, aversion to cooking…and washing dishes (not much has changed there). I had an incident where I set the microwave on fire by putting tinfoil inside when it was cooking and a few times over caught fire to paper that was hanging out a little too close to the burner. But that’s all in the past.
So, when I started cooking, spices were an area I wanted to explore as a way to make healthy cooking much more flavorful and sustainable. So two years later, here are my top 5 spices that I always reach for when brining out the flavor of any meal.
Cumin
I adore cumin for its robust and smoky aroma. It’s a spice that I had never played around with but I’ve grown to appreciate its earthy undertones. It’s a bold spice so I use it when I want to flavor anything that needs an extra boost, like hummus or roasted cauliflower.
Recipes with Cumin (click below):
Shrimp Taco with Homemade Chipotle
Coriander
This is another spice I run out of all the time. It’s a very versatile spice as it’s a bit more delicate in flavor than cumin. It has a nice nutty flavor that works well in savory dishes. I also love to pair both cumin and coriander in the same dish. When I do that I add something zesty and acidic, like apple cider vinegar or lemon/lime-juice, to break up the earthiness of those two spices.
Recipe with Coriander:
Cinnamon
This is my most used spice, hands down. Cinnamon is one versatile spice as it camouflages and tastes delicious in both savory and sweet recipes. I use the cinnamon powder within every single sweet recipe. In chocolates, cookies, porridge and brownies – they all have a pinch of cinnamon. I also use cinnamon sticks in savory dishes like curry or any kind of stewed meal. It offers warmth with a touch of sweetness.
Recipes with Cinnamon:
Bonus!
Here are two other spices that are great to have on hand:
Vanilla Powder for any sweet treat and even in granola.
Turmeric for any soothing drinks, like warm almond milk, and even in curries and stews.
YOUR TURN!
And if you give these spices a try let me know how it goes! Leave a comment and tell me what you think. Your notes always help me improve the recipes and articles for you. I appreciate hearing what you guys would like to see more of - more recipes, lifestyle posts, photography advice - shoot me a message so I can get started!
I also love seeing your take on any of the recipes from the blog so don't forget to tag me on Instagram - #8thandlake - so I can see your creations!
You can also find me on Snapchat with more photos and clips of my everyday life - username - marie8thandlake and on Pinterest - to see what my dream reality would look like ;)
Lots of love from the West Coast,
xx Marie