Spice up Your Life with Spice Mixes! (3 recipes to save your life, time, and money)

Dr Michael Greger's book, How Not to Die, has most influenced my family's diet and the recommendations I give in my practice by encouraging the use of many SPICES throughout the day, everyday! We eat veggies for their vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, and ANTIOXIDANTS! It turns out that SPICES contains loads more ANTIOXIDANTS than most veggies! FUN FACT: coffee is the top source of antioxidants for Americans!

SPICES flavorfully replace salt, AND fill us with an abundance of antioxidants! FLAVORS in foods indicate nutrient richness in the same way COLORFUL foods indicate nutrient abundance. The superfood sweet potato is much brighter and flavorful than a white potato, which lacks nutrient richness.

• One great way to add lots of spices to your life is through spice MIXES. 
• Save TIME by measuring one mixture when cooking, rather than various individual spices. 
• Save MONEY because prepared mixes charge you extra $ for the convenience they provide. There is a super selection of individual, organic spices at Whole Foods Market. 
• You gain QUALITY by avoiding extra chemicals, preservatives, bulking agents, salt, and other junk found in prepared mixes. 
• Additionally, the bulk spices I use are ORGANIC! Amazingly, organic homemade seasoning mixes are much cheaper than alternatives that often aren't even organic! 
• Finally, these mixes have superior TASTE!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 c organic cinnamon

1/2 c organic ginger

1/2 c organic nutmeg

1/4 c organic cloves

1/4 c organic allspice

Italian Seasoning

1/2 c basil
1/2 c oregano
1/4 c marjoram
1/4 c garlic
1/4 c thyme
1/4 c rosemary
1/4 c black pepper
1/8 c crushed red pepper

Taco Spice Mix

1/2 c each of oregano, cumin, garlic, and paprika
1/4 c each of cayenne, onion, and black pepper
1/8 c of unsweetened cocoa

I am so very grateful that some blessed soul introduced me to the amazing Richa Hingle, and her outstanding gold mine of a website, www.veganricha.com! I just cannot wait to savor her entire website, and I even imagine buying her cookbook (and I don't use or own many cookbooks)!

Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen

Richa shares an Indian spice mix (which I haven't tried yet) called Panch Phoran, as well as a recipe for, and other information about, Garam Masala! But really, while these mixes are fitting for the post, they are not even the tip of the iceberg for all that I want to try! Yum, and thank you, Richa!

Try ITALIAN SEASONING!
Penne Italiana   
Easy Eggplant "Parm"   
Tricky Traditional Lasagna   
Meatless Meatballs   
Hearty Lentil Stew

Try PUMPKIN PIE SPICE!
Spicy Ginger Latte
Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
Creamy Carrot Soup
Jamaican Ginger Cake

Try DIY TACO SPICE MIX!
Lentil Tacos
Tamale Pie
Avocado Quesadillas
Mexican Lasagna
Tofu Scramble

OR you can try one of these spice mixes for a quick breakfast or snack, using the EASIEST COUSCOUS PREPARATION!

Mexican Couscous = 1/2 c couscous + 1/4 tsp taco spice + black beans + diced tomato
Other add-ins: bell peppers, red onion, frozen corn

Pumpkin Couscous = 1/2 c couscous + 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice + sliced banana
Other add-ins: nuts, raisins, berries

Italian Couscous = 1/2 c couscous + 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning + diced tomato
Other add-ins: white beans, greens, hemp seed

Easy Egyptian Stew

Easy Egyptian Stew is a colorful and tasty variation of Hearty Lentil Stew. I used sweet potatoes and black rice, since I was out of white potatoes and brown rice. Continuing my quest to increase turmeric intake, I added it, as well as cloves and cumin, also known for their awesome health benefits.

By the way, this is perhaps a 6 check mark meal from Dr Greger's Daily Dozen?! Beans, rice, flax, spices, seeds, two other vegetables, and hey, this stew is delicious on a bed of greens!

Easy Egyptian Stew

1 c lentils
1 c black rice
1/4 c ground flaxseed
1/4 chia seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric (or 1/2" fresh turmeric)
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
10 c water
2 carrots

1 large sweet potato
1 red onion
4 celery stalks

4 cloves minced garlic
(Jenny, thanks for the awesome press!)

Chop onion, carrot, celery, and potato; I used my food processor, one vegetable at a time. Bring everything to a boil in a large pan, and let simmer for about an hour (or more!), and enjoy!

INSTAPOT directions: on MANUAL for 15 min.



PS - this recipe was titled when my sister-in-law was teaching my daughter's Girl Scout troop about Egypt. She started talking about Egyptian food, mentioning lentils, cloves, cumin, and sweet potatoes. LIGHT BULB! I had a name for the stew I made earlier that day! EASY EGYPTIAN STEW! Thanks, Tanya! Here are a few pics from our lesson:

COMMENTS: Do you enjoy foods from around the world? I love Indian, Italian, Mexican, Lebanese, and pretty much most non-American food! There are so many awesome vegetarian options from around the world! What do types of food do you like?

Healthy Fudgy Brownies - Simplified!

If you've already tried Peanut Butter Brownies, this recipe won't taste any different. The difference is that THIS RECIPE is EVEN HEALTHIER! I've included some previous text, since it highlights dates!

Like I often say, these are so healthy you could eat them for breakfast! In fact, that is exactly what my 10 yr-old daughter did! She said, "I had to remind myself that these were healthy, so I would stop eating them!" (she actually makes very healthy choices, but that's what she said).

Peanut butter and walnuts are healthy fats, and cocoa has it's own exhausting list of mental and and other health benefits! 

Dates rock! Check out: Dr Greger's endorsement of dates as a healthy food. In a nutshell: a worry is that dates (mostly sugar) may raise our blood sugar, raise our triglycerides, oxidatively stress our bodies, and make us fat. According to recent studies: DATES are FANTASTIC for us! Dates have no effect on triglycerides or weight, and improve antioxidant stress levels. One study proposes that dates may be an almost IDEAL food with their many essential nutrients and health benefits!

Speaking of Dr Greger, this recipe will help you achieve 5 delicious check marks on Dr Greger's Daily Dozen Checklist!

Healthy Fudgy Brownies

1.5 c black beans (or 1 can, drained, rinsed)
3 c pitted dates (60 dates if you're counting!)
2 c walnuts*
1/2" fresh turmeric (or 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 t vanilla
1/2 c ground flaxseed
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1.75 c water

In a strong blender, such as a Blendtec or Vitamix, combine ingredients. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, pulsing between, until mixture is smooth. Line a 12x18" baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet. Alternatively, use several silicone pans (Last time I used a 9x9 square pan, a bread pan, and an 8" round pan to use all the batter). Spread batter about a half inch thick on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 min at 400 degrees F (convection: 30-40 min at 375). Enjoy!

Gently cut while warm, with a serrated knife.

*Walnuts are healthiest, and one of the least expensive, but probably any nut will work!
**water helps with mixing, but if you omit that last cup of water, or some of it, brownies will be less gooey in the middle.

These are delicious piping hot from the oven! SO YUMMY! AND even tastier the next day...if there are any left!

COMMENTS: What is your favorite dessert? Have you tried a healthy version? Is there a recipe you would like me to try to convert, sweet or savory?

Previous directions (in case this is what you prefer):
In a food processor, combine nuts, dates, spices, beans, and vanilla. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, pulsing between, until mixture is smooth. In a large mixing bowl, combine mixture with remaining ingredients (flaxseed, cocoa, peanut butter) until smooth. Optional, add up to 1 c additional water**. Line a 12x18" baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet. Spread batter about a half inch thick on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 min at 400 degrees F (convection: 30-40 min at 375). Enjoy!