I have been cooking since my sophomore year of high school – which is around the time I was diagnosed with celiac disease.
Back then, I always followed recipes because I had yet to develop my own style.
But through the years of cooking, I have developed my own flair in the kitchen.
I am by no means a professional (I’ll leave that to the truly trained chef’s) but through tinkering around in the kitchen and taking cooking classes for my degree, I have gotten comfortable with “winging it”.
Now there are few things involved in successfully “winging it” and having a set of trusted spices/seasonings is part of it.
Trusting your spices and seasonings to help do some of the heavy lifting while cooking is important to create a delicious dish.
This means knowing what blends and spices to grab for what occasion.
Here are my top 3 spice blends that I find myself constantly reaching for in the kitchen!
1
Adobo
I pretty much can’t live without Spanish and Mexican food. Their food speaks to my stomach in a way that no other food does.
I blame this on my mom chugging jars of salsa she was pregnant with me and my sister.
Because there is no satisfying my constant desire for their food. You might say that my craving for their cuisine is insatiable even.
That’s why I love Adobo. It’s an easy way to add a hint of the cuisine I so dearly love.
Adobo in Spanish means marinade/sauce/seasoning and is used to season meats, beans, soups, and many other dishes.
I personally use it for everything!
I also love it for its versatility. When a spice or spice blend is versatile, it makes cooking a delicious meal for your guests that much easier.
Check out my Adobo recipe by clicking here or the picture on the right!
2
Pumpkin Spice
I talk a lot about how my diagnosis of Celiac Disease fueled my passion and desire to join the field of nutrition. However, there is something else that sparked my passion too and that was functional foods.
Functional foods are foods that provide a potential health benefit on top of providing energy for the body.
In all reality, all foods are functional but I have taken a huge interest in herbs and spices and their functionality in the diet.
Specifically, I love learning about and cooking with herbs and spices that have anti-inflammatory properties.
Believe it or not, most herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties but the spices found in pumpkin spice mixes might be arguably more potent. Especially because ginger makes up a large part of the blend (learn about ginger and it’s potent potential benefits here).
I also love pumpkin spice because it adds both a natural sweetness and heartwarming effect to food and drinks.
Check out my Pumpkin Spice recipe by clicking HERE or by clicking the picture to the left!
3
Italian Seasoning
Italian seasoning or an Italian spice blend is essentially just a mixture of dried Italian inspired herbs.
(Think basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, parsley, oregano, etc.)
This spice blend can elevate a tomato sauce, salad dressing, salad, pasta dish etc.
I personally most frequently use this blend when roasting savory vegetables or making a delicious cold vegetable salad!
It is one of my top 3 favorite spice blends because again, it’s so versatile.
And you know me, I’m all about versatility and keeping it simple in the kitchen.
What I also love about this spice blend is that it is so easily customizable to whatever Italian inspired herbs you have in the kitchen. Don’t have dried oregano, rosemary, or cilantro? You can easily substitute one of the three with a different Italian inspired herb!
Check out my Italian Seasoning recipe by clicking HERE or by clicking the picture to the right!
Comment below what YOUR favorite spice blends are!