Spicing Things Up

Too much of my time was spent yesterday trying set up a Frugal Wellness Facebook page, figuring out the pros and cons of a Facebook group and page, and then trying to eliminate the confusion by switching between the two so much. For those of you that experienced the Facebook blow-up with me, thank you. Your patience with my computer ignorance is much appreciated.

During the Facebook shuffle a question was asked about where to buy good herbs, what goes well together, and how to store them. Figuring out what works together is tough. If you try it in the middle of cooking and ruin a recipe it is maddening, and sampling dried herbs doesn’t develop the true flavors and is just icky.

Most of my seasonings are purchased from Vitacost. I am blessed to have several local friends that split the cost of these herbs with me; however, if I didn't I would slowly build up my stash and freeze the stash I wasn’t using. Compare the prices of the small McCormick jars to an entire pound of Starwest, and you will see what a deal these herbs are. Organic consumer talks about the fumigation of conventionally grown herbs in America, and it is definitely worth a read.

I have already shared my taco seasoning recipe, so today I will share a couple other mixes I turn to. It took a lot of coaxing (not really), but included in this post is my husband’s delicious barbecue rub. There are great savings in making your own blends, and you know exactly what is going into the mix. This is also a great way to learn what spices go well together.

Homemade Seasoning Blends

Italian Herb Blend

2 T basil
2 T marjoram

2 T oregano
2 T rosemary

2 T thyme
2 T sage

Optional:
1 T salt
1 T garlic
1 T red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container

(I use this in spaghetti sauces, on squashes, and quite a bit of it on spaghetti squash.)


Mexican Seasoning Blend

4 T chili powder
2 T onion powder
1 T ground cumin
1 T sweet paprika
1 T garlic powder
1 T sea salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.

(I use this on vegetables, when making fajitas, or in any recipe I am looking for a bit of kick.)

Moroccan Spice Rub

2 T ground nutmeg

2 T ground cumin

2 T ground coriander

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1.5 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.

(This is one of my favorite blends to use on chicken. So savory, and has a kid-approved kick to it.)

Brandon’s Not-So-Secret Barbecue Rub

2 T sucanat (or you could use brown sugar or turbinado)

1 T sea salt

1 T garlic powder

1 T oregano

1T pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 tsp onion powder

Mix all ingredients together, and store in an airtight container.

(6-8 hours before cooking, rub into raw meat of choice. If you have a hard time getting it to stick do a very light coating of mustard. The sugars and salt help to tenderize the meat)

What are some of your favorite blends? Leave a comment or come talk with the Frugal Wellness community on Facebook!