Add Flavor to Your Meal

Here we go again!  We're back at the grocery store.  This time we are picking up all kinds of goodies to add  'wow' to our recipes. 

Oils:  Try flavored canola or olive oil - garlic, lemon, hot pepper, basil, rosemary, or dill, to name a few.  The stronger the flavor, the less oil you need to use.  Sesame oil has a strong flavor and a couple tablespoons go a long way.  Use one tablespoon mixed with 2 tablespoon lite soy sauce and 3 tablespoons orange juice as a sauce for stir-fry recipes.

Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Teriyaki sauce, or Tamari Sauce: Look for the reduced-sodium varieties.  Add a couple tablespoons to rice, couscous, and vegetables.  Tamari soy sauce is stronger than regular soy sauce, but it tastes great sprinkled on sautéed broccoli.  Oh, don't forget to add some garlic before sautéing the broccoli! Teriyaki sauce often contains a starch, so it is thicker than soy sauce. 

Flavored Vinegars: What a great way to reduce the fat in regular salad dressings.  Cut the fat and calories of oil based salad dressings in half by mixing with an equal amount of balsamic, raspberry, or rice vinegar.  Balsamic vinegar has a wonderful 'bite' to it.  Rice vinegar is mild and slightly sweet.  Fruit flavored vinegar and wine vinegar are both milder than balsamic, but stronger than rice vinegar.

Mustard:  Honey Dijon mustard is another flavor booster.  Combine 1 tablespoon honey Dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon dried dill, and 1 tablespoon orange juice or apple juice concentrate.  Spread on top of your cooked chicken or fish, then broil for a couple minutes until browned.  

Mayonnaise:  For a tangier mayonnaise, mix a small amount of horseradish (in a jar by the mayonnaise in the grocery store) with low-fat mayonnaise (mix 1/8 teaspoon horseradish with 1 teaspoon mayonnaise).  If you want to add perk to tuna sandwiches, mix the tuna with low-fat mayonnaise and a small amount sweet pickle relish.  Sweet pickle sandwich slices add flavor to tuna or chicken salad sandwiches. Lay them on top of the salad mixture for a flavor perk and to add an extra crunch to your sandwich.

BBQ Sauce:  Don't  forget plain old BBQ sauce to coat chicken or pork.  Add during the last 5 minutes of cooking to prevent the sauce from burning. 

Tomato Paste: Toss in a small can of tomato paste to tomato-based casseroles or soups to add extra zing.  Tomato paste is generally lower in sodium than other tomato products.  Make sure the paste contains 20 milligrams or less of sodium per serving (some have extra sodium added).  Concentrated tomato paste can be purchased in a tube.  Add 1-2 tablespoons for a rich tomato flavor.

Broth and Juices:  Cook pasta and grains in juice or reduced-sodium broth in place of water.  What a difference this makes!

Lemon and Orange Zest: Flavor pasta, grains, salads, and even cooked vegetables with 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest.  What is zest?  Zest is the skin of the lemon or orange.  Use a zester or grater and gently scrape just the top layer.  If you get into the white part of the skin, you will notice a bitter flavor.  Finely chop and toss in at the end of cooking.

Cajun Seasoning:  Flavor vegetables and potatoes with a couple shakes of these seasonings instead of salt. 

Ginger:  A teaspoon of ginger (from a jar in the produce section), 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, and 1/4 cup pineapple juice, makes a wonderful marinade for poultry.  A small amount of dry mustard (1/4 teaspoon) adds a pungent flavor.  Dry mustard has no smell.  The aroma develops when it is mixed with the juice.  Allow 10-15 minutes for the full flavor to develop.  Fresh gingerroot can be purchased in the produce section of the grocery store.  Peel off the tough outer skin, and scrape off the ginger.

Shallots:  Toss chopped shallots in any recipe that calls for garlic or onions.  Add them to soups and casseroles for extra flavor.  Shallots resemble garlic in appearance.

Dried mushrooms:  Soak mushrooms in hot water for 10-20 minutes, chop, and add to rice dishes for a meaty flavor.

Olives:  Toss in a few chopped Kalamata or Greek olives to your salads.  These olives are very strong and a few go a long way.  

Spices:  Chocolate spice powder and vanilla powder can be purchased in specialty cooking stores.  Both can be mixed with sugar to sprinkle on the top of cookies while they bake.  Sprinkle cafe late with spice powders for extra pizzazz.