Part II of "Top 10 Spices"

6. “Herbamare” A lovely seasoning blend made in France. You should be able to purchase this in a health food type store, Whole Foods, or Central Market (or online). It contains sea salt, celery leaves, leek, water and garden cress, onion, chives, parsley, lovage, garlic, basil marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and kelp (which is loaded with life promoting trace minerals). This is one of my most used seasonings. Sprinkle on veggies, put in soups, use in sauces… put on anything really. It has well-rounded flavors, and the dehydrated veggies give it a depth you will treasure.

7. Pumpkin Pie Spice. This is one blend that I believe you will feel grateful to have. Just lift the lid and take a whiff.. ammmmmazing. It contains cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, star anise, fennel, and black pepper. It is “warming” in nature, helping to circulate “qi” throughout the body. This blend is especially beneficial to my health living here in the Northwest, as much of the year is damp and cold. It brightens up my Seattle mornings sprinkled a top my creamy buckwheat cereal. I use it in stir-fry (just a little), cookies, my pumpkin spice scones, I mix it in with almond butter and spread on rice cakes, it’s a beautiful way to add spice to roasted holiday nuts, and it absolutely makes my butternut squash soup. Whenever I use Pumpkin Pie Spice it feels like a holiday ☺.

8. Herbes De Provence. This is a French blend that contains thyme, rosemary, basil, marjoram, fennel, and lavender. When we were filming our “Cooking for Fertility” DVD we used this herb blend in our black bean burgers. Oh my, did it make the recipe! It has an earthy aroma, and if it weren’t for the lavender you would think “Thanksgiving dinner.” But it does have lavender and it adds a uniqueness that will spark subtle surprise. Get creative with this… try it out in different recipes that may call for rosemary or thyme. My favorite: Use Herbes De Provence in the water that you boil to make quinoa. If you can get it, try it in “red” quinoa. The added benefit: lavender soothes the central nervous system,

9. Red Chile Pepper Flakes. Well, if you like spicy, you need to have this on hand. I use it my gluten free lasagna, soups, sweet chile sauce (featured on “Secrets of Gluten Free Cooking Asian” DVD, and its tasty in marinades.

10. Sweet Paprika. This is a little more obscure, but I feel the need to have it one hand. I use it quite a bit in the late spring and summer. It is great added to anything that you might put on the grill. It’s smoky and slightly bitter. I love it on my chile rubbed shrimp over corn cakes with jalapeno butter (featured on my Sizzling Southwest Summer” DVD).

Spice makes or breaks a dish. Chose wisely. Vary what you use based on season and ingredients. Trust yourself… open up a spice or herb that you are not familiar with, give it a good whiff and imagine what it might go well with. Imagine the smells coalescing and see if they jive. And most off all, enjoy youself!