How To Make Vegetables Taste Better With Herbs And Spices

Cooking vegetables with the right herbs will make an unforgettable difference. Learning how to use herbs will have your family and dinner guests impressed. Here is how to change an ordinary tasting vegetable dish into an extraordinary one with the added flavors of herbs and spices.

All of the common and favorite herbs can be used with vegetables. Herbs such as oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, chervil, Tarragon, coriander, cumin, dill, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and curry. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves can also be added to really spice up some vegetables. Adding chopped nuts and mushrooms to vegetable dishes is another great way to bring more flavor and nutrition into the meal. Herb flavored vinegars, marinades, and oils are readily available in supermarkets or they can be made at home. These flavored additives can be used on salads and when grilling vegetables, meat and fish.

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Salt, pepper, onions, garlic and fruit juices have been favorite flavor enhancers over the ages. With the popularity of gourmet cooking a wider variety of herbs and spices are becoming widely used. Here are some combinations of vegetables and herbs and spices that work well together:

Vegetables & Herbs

Sweet Potatoes - nutmeg or cinnamon

Potatoes -garlic and basil, mint and sage

Squash (orange) -thyme, basil and rosemary

Squash (yellow) -basil, parsley and oregano

Cabbage -cilantro and cumin

Carrots -cumin, sage, ginger

Corn -marjoram or sage, dill seed & thyme, basil and rosemary

Broccoli -basil and oregano (with tomatoes)

Peas -thyme

Beans -oregano and basil, onion and garlic (add chopped nuts)

Egg Plant -Basil and parsley

Leeks -Garlic and ginger

Asparagus -Tarragon, basil (add tomatoes and cheese)

Brussel Sprouts -Parsley and Garlic (add walnuts, orange zest with sweet peppers)

Beets -ginger and cinnamon (add lemon juice to retain color)

Spinach -Basil and garlic, Dill and lemon

Vegetables with herbs make a wonderful side dish at any meal. Whether you are using fresh, frozen or canned vegetables their flavor will always be enhanced with the addition of herbs. Fresh herbs can always be substituted with dried ones. Just be careful not to use too much of the dried herbs because they are more condensed than in the fresh form and can easily overpower the flavor of vegetables.

Mixing various vegetables together provides an interesting medley of colors and food flavors. Some recipes also add chopped nuts, peppers and tomatoes along with herbs. By adding other foods you will not only add more flavors, but will make your vegetable dishes more interesting and nutritious too. A healthy diet is one that has the most variety of fresh and nutritious foods. So don't be shy, experiment with a wide variety of herbs and foods. Add flavored oils and fruit juices and you'll be surprised how much more you'll not only enjoy eating vegetables, but also cooking and serving them. Making gourmet tasting meals can be just that easy. Your family and guests will be wonderfully delighted every time they sit down at your dining table. Using herbs and spices will turn your meals into an extraordinary health food experience that is as rich in vitamins and nutrients as it is in color and flavor.

How To Make Vegetables Taste Better With Herbs And Spices

Deborah is a partner in Ipcor Publishing and Personal Logs.com. Find more information about herbs and spices on her webpage Herbs and Spices. Download a Free copy of the e-book '101 Everyday Tips To Lose 10 Lbs' from her Get In Shape website.

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Herbs And Spices

The native herbs and spices of a country speak volumes about the healing traditions of that culture. Battles have been fought and territories invaded all for the sake of precious spices. Voyages and trade ensured the spread of these treasures from one part of the world to another, thereby influencing a peoples' way of life.

But just what are herbs and spices?

\"herbs And Spices\"

Herbs are the leaves and flowers of low-growing woody plants without a trunk but with several stems growing from the base. Examples of herbs are parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, dill and celery.

Spices on the other hand come from the roots, bark, seeds, or fruits of tropical plants and trees. Examples are cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper and mustard. Herbs and spices can come in the form of mixtures, and are typically used as seasoning blends such as chili and curry powder.

Herbs and spices have multiple uses. From enhancing food to improving health, they have a very important role to play. Diet related disease is the plague of modern times. Using herbs and spices can regulate levels of fat, sugar and salt in the diet. The calories from herbs and spices are negligible compared to calories from trimmings, dressings, gravies, sauces and fried foods.

Herbs and spices can add taste simply by adding flavor. The tantalizing aromas created by herbs can add a more sensual dimension to eating. Spices are distinguished because they aid digestion, increase the rate of metabolism and impact energy levels positively. Black pepper is used in many traditional cuisines as an example. To store herbs and spices, they should be ground and kept in a cool place to maintain aroma and taste.

Herbs And Spices

Herbs provides detailed information on Herbs, Medicinal Herbs, Herbs And Spices, Chinese Herbs and more. Herbs is affiliated with Mediterranean Diet Food [http://www.e-mediterraneandiet.com].

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Spices - Antioxidant Source Throughout the Ages

Spices are the most antioxidant-rich of all food types and they contain other important compounds that have had profound health benefits on mankind throughout the ages. The evolution of spices in our diets is a fascinating story that shows how important spices are to our health as much today as they were eons ago.

Thousands of years ago our hunter/gatherer forebears were forced to adapt to a wide range of climatic and other environmental conditions. Thus, before agrarian societies developed, humans consumed a wide variety of plant species. Some of these plants contained the basic macro and micronutrients needed for survival (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals). Many of the pungent, stronger-tasting, and richly coloured plants also contained an array of "non-nutritive compounds" that had profound health benefits.

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Today we know that the piquant flavours and bright colours characteristic of spices are hallmarks of the important phytochemicals these plants contain. The resilience that characterizes many spice plants means that, during times of famine, pestilence and drought, these are often the last edible plants to survive. When taken alone many of them may be very unpleasant to eat. However, these foods, in the absence of tastier alternatives, were frequently the only forms of nourishment available to our ancestors. This was a fortuitous dietary hardship and one which resulted in unwitting, but important, self-medication.

However when agrarian communities began to form, the variety of plant species consumed by these societies decreased and they became dependent on a small selection of crops and a limited variety of wild plants. As our forebears were forced to eat "spicy" foods out of necessity, they probably enjoyed the intense flavors of these plants. Another factor that influenced their palatability was the relative strength of flavors between different foods. To understand this, it is necessary to consider that most of the fruit and vegetable species eaten by early societies were stronger tasting and less sweet than they are today. In fact, the majority of modern plant-food cultivars bear very little resemblance to those varieties that grew thousands of years ago: the bitter, sour and astringent flavors that characterized fruits such as apples, melons, pears and many others have been bred out by generations of selective propagation.

As hunter-gatherer peoples began to be replaced by agrarian societies, motives for the consumption of spices began to change. Among settled societies, spices were the source of flavorings and colorings that could be used to augment the more monotonous diets based on a restricted number of crops. Also, in order to establish food security, these societies began to store the plants they grew or animals they killed. Drying of food was one solution, as was the use of the refrigerant effect of the low temperatures found at higher altitudes and latitudes. However, until recent times, the desiccation and freezing of food was not a viable option for those living in hot, humid climates; these societies discovered chemical preservation, in the form of salt and spices. As the former was only available in certain areas spices were often the only other option to protect food from insect infestation and microbial putrefaction.

We now know that many of the strongly flavoured phytochemicals which give plants protection against insect and microbial attack are the same compounds that "preserve" our bodies, by protecting us against degenerative diseases.

Today spices are consumed in much greater quantity and variety in warm, humid countries than in colder climates. India and Thailand have the highest consumption of spices; the warm Mediterranean countries follow somewhat behind these and other Eastern countries but are ahead of the United States. Chilly Scandinavian countries have the lowest spice consumption of all. Moreover, the importance of spices in helping to prevent chronic degenerative disease can be seen to correspond to the varying levels of spice utilization that occurs across different temperature zones. Cold countries - typically the most developed countries - tend to have much higher incidences of chronic degenerative diseases when compared to hotter regions.

The dearth of spices in the diets of those of us living in most Western countries means that we are depriving our bodies of the important compounds that have, since time immemorial, been used by our physiological and homeostatic mechanisms to protect us from many diseases. We need to consume lots of spices on a daily basis as they can make us feel better, think better, age more slowly, and help us to resist the onslaught of scourges like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other chronic degenerative disorders.

Spices - Antioxidant Source Throughout the Ages

Dr Keith Scott is a medical doctor with a special interest in nutrition and complementary therapies. He has written several books including "Medicinal Seasonings, The Healing Power of Spices" and "Natural Home Pharmacy". Find out why spices are the "Missing Links" in nutrition at: http://www.medspice.com

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Spices vs. Herbs: What's the Difference?

Spices and herbs are common in most foods around the world today. Both are used to flavor foods and some for medicinal purposes. Herbs and spices have both been prominent throughout human history. In earlier times, herbs and spices were considered luxuries and only available for the use of the wealthy. Herbs and spices were also traded frequently between nations in medieval times. Many people do not know the difference between an herb and a spice. There are many similarities between the two, and some of the differences are very subtle, but they are still valid.

The essential difference between an herb and a spice is where it is obtained from on a plant. Herbs usually come from the leafy part of a plant, and are usually dried. However, some herbs can be used fresh. Spices can be obtained from seeds, fruits, roots, bark, or some other vegetative substance. Spices are not necessarily as fresh as some herbs can be. Herbs can be found many places around the world, while spices are more commonly found in the Far East and tropical countries. Herbs are considered to have a few more uses than spices. For instance, herbs have been used more frequently than spices in the medical field. Also, herbs can and have been used to augment cosmetics and preserve foods.

Herb

Some argue that there is no distinction between herbs and spices, considering both have similar uses. However, a botanical definition reveals that an herb is a plant that doesn't produce a woody stem. It is common knowledge that in certain areas of the United States, a dried herb is considered to be a spice. This leads to more confusion because if a spice is simply an herb, then there cannot be a difference between the two. However, believing this is ignoring the fact that many herbs tend to be leafy green substances and spices are found in plants that are tropical in nature.

Because herbs and spices have so many uses and are great food flavorings, they have played important roles throughout history. The Portuguese navigator, Vasco Da Gama, sailed to India in search of spices. Even Christopher Columbus described the types of spices available in the "new world" to investors after he landed. Herbs have been used throughout history for medicinal purposes. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbology (the study of herbs for medical purposes) has been used for thousands of years.

The debate between herbs and spices is ongoing. Some say that there is no difference, while others maintain that they are both completely different. Most learned scholars will say that the difference between an herb and a spice is found in where the herb or spice is obtained on the plant, and where that specific plant can be found.

Spices vs. Herbs: What's the Difference?

Sam Herbert recommends the Monterey Bay Spice Company for bulk herbs.

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