The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Optimal Health, Beginning Today by Sharon Palmer

Author:Sharon Palmer
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Cookbook
Publisher: The Experiment
Published: 2012-12-07T08:00:00+00:00

SPICE UP YOUR DIET RIGHT

Lend more spice appeal to your diet by upping your intake of flavorful, health-protective herbs and spices in your favorite foods. Check out my favorite tips:

1. Fresh herbs come first. Typically, fresh herbs and spices such as green herbs, garlic, and ginger have higher antioxidant content than dried or processed forms. For example, fresh garlic is one and a half times more powerful than dry garlic powder. So, keep bulbs of fresh garlic and roots of fresh ginger on hand. Place a fresh herb pot on your doorstep or kitchen window to keep these powerful ingredients on hand.

2. Snip fresh herbs into everything. Now that you’ve got a fresh herb pot at your beck and call, get out a pair of kitchen shears and snip herbs into everything: soups, stews, salads, dressings, pastas, beans, grains, vegetables, pizza, and sandwiches. Hint: Fresh herbs are best when you add them to a dish right before serving.

3. Dried herbs and spices are good, too. Just because fresh herbs may be more potent in some cases, that doesn’t mean you should give up on dried alternatives. They are still packed with health-protective compounds. And some spices, such as mighty turmeric, are only available in their dry form. Remember that some whole spices, such as bay leaves and cinnamon sticks, are meant to provide aroma and flavor in a dish but then be removed before serving.

4. Stock your medicine—I mean, spice—cabinet. Try to accumulate all the different dried forms I suggest in Top Herbs and Spices for Health—and even more varieties, if you feel up to it! Then you’ll have them at your fingertips for use in everyday dishes.

5. Use a heavy hand. When you’re using fresh green herbs, a spoonful is a little skimpy—instead, add basil, parsley, cilantro, and chives by the handful. Even many dried herbs can be scooped by heaping spoonfuls into soups, vegetable and grain dishes, and stews. However, you may need to more carefully adjust the amount of hot spices such as black, white, or red pepper according to your tolerance and preference.

6. Cut out sodium. Take your favorite savory recipe and cut out the salt. Now replace it with herbs, spices, or a low-sodium herbal blend, such as Mrs. Dash or Spike. (See Getting to Know Low-Sodium Herbal Blends.)

7. Combination therapy. Try a variety of spices and herbs—such as pepper, turmeric, basil, garlic, and ginger—in a single dish.

8. Sweet spice strategy. Let sweet, nutty spices—such as cloves, allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger—flavor your everyday cereals, fruits, desserts, and breads.

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