Don't be Afraid of Flavor! Spice it Up!

There seems to be a tendency in our country to serve children bland, tasteless food. The assumption is that kids don't like spices (even if they're mild!) I have simply not found that to be true, and I believe that teaching kids to embrace flavor is a great way to help them be better eaters.

Since I have 5 spice related things that I'm sharing today, I'm linking up to Five Favorites.

1.

Fox Point Seasoning from Penzeys Spices. This is my favorite spice mix to have on hand. It is pricey, but so worth it because you can be a great cook without putting out any effort whatsoever. Need something to put on the chicken? Fox Point. Need something for your veggies? Fox Point. Eggs taste too bland? Fox Point. You can pretty much put this on anything and your meal is done. No recipe required.

By the way, if you head out to a Penzeys store (if you're lucky enough to have one near you) or you shop online, and you plan on doing any baking in the near future, you should also pick up their cinnamon. You'll know by smell alone, from the minute you open the jar, that this year's baking is going to be taken to a whole new level. (I love to use it on these spicy nuts.)

*Incidentally, I have no affiliation with Penzeys whatsoever…. I just love their spices and think that you should too!

2.

Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. This one is a little on the spicy side but my family loves it on everything! The best thing about this spice is that it can save just about any dish. Whenever I make something that is lacking in flavor, my family just asks for the Creole seasoning and everyone's happy.

3.

Magic Salmon Seasoning I resisted this one for a while. I already had the perfect seasoning for salmon (Fox Point- See #1) and I didn't think I needed to change it up.  However, a few weeks ago, I broke down and gave it a try.

Even once I decided to use it, I almost stopped at the last minute because it has sugar in it. There is LESS than one gram in a 1/4 teaspoon of the spice. And yet, I wondered, "Do I really need sugar on my salmon?" And the answer is, "YES I DO!"

This spice truly is magical. I just followed the directions on the shaker, buttered up my salmon, sprinkled it with Magic Salmon Seasoning and the results were amazing! Here's the thing. I really did love salmon with Fox Point, but only on fresh salmon. Frozen salmon still tasted like frozen salmon. Here's where the magic comes in… I don't know how, I don't know why, but even frozen salmon is amazing once you hit it up with the magic! The only problem was that my family was so enthusiastic about the fish that everyone ended up arguing over the last piece.

4.

Right now I am loving Aldi. It seems like every time I go, I find that they are carrying something new and exciting (they now have frozen organic strawberries for less than what you'd pay for conventional at most stores!!) Anyways, I also love to take advantage of their spices. I go through a TON of chili powder, so knowing that I can buy some (that actually tastes good) for only $1.00 makes me very happy.

5.

This jar needs a chalkboard label with the words "Taco Seasoning," on it, don't you think? ;)

"Homemade," taco seasoning. Or, at least, "Home-mixed." I use this once or twice a week, typically when I'm making my "taco meat," mixture of ground beef, black beans, zucchini, and onions. This is my "go to," starter for a bunch of recipes and this seasoning is what gives it all its flavor.

I usually mix up a bunch all at once so that I don't have to get all of the spices out every time I use it. Here's how I make mine (adapted from Allrecipes:

4 T chili powder

1 t garlic powder

1 t onion powder

1 t oregano

2 t paprika

2 t cumin

4 t salt

4 t pepper

This post for my "taco muffins," explains how I use it for my taco mixture.

These are my favorites, for now, but I'm open to suggestions… I'd love to know your favorite ways to add flavor to your family's meals. Do you have a favorite spice or spice mix?

*Though I don't have an affiliation with Penzeys (though I wish I did) I DO have an affiliation with Amazon… If I actually created the links correctly (which is doubtful) and you click on them, and then buy something, I'll receive a small advertising fee.

This post is linked up to: Best Mom Advice at Crystal and Co.