Flavour boosters

doubleh64
doubleh64 Posts: 20 Member
in Recipes
I hate bland food. I need my food to pack a flavour punch without adding a ton of salt. My favourite flavour boosters to use are garlic, lemon juice, and hot sauce. What do you guys use to keep your food interesting?

Replies

  • squeekersmom
    squeekersmom Posts: 107 Member
    |Mrs Dash makes good flavoured seasoning,,,,, I often look on my fridge door and grab what I have there for spice up my meals,,,,,
    barbecue sauce,,,worcerstersire,,,,soya sauce low sodium,,,,salad dressings (italian is great on chicken cut up and stir fried)
    there is some jellies out there too such as a mango jelly etc that is great on chicken and fish,,,,salsas,,,,,lots of choices
  • piratesaregrand
    piratesaregrand Posts: 356 Member
    Cajun spice! I cover just about everything in it
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    Spices have calories, like cinnamon and nutmeg! Don't forget to log them!
  • eylia
    eylia Posts: 200 Member
    I often turn to cayenne for spice and heat (it's good for you, a tiny bit goes a long way), ponzu (asian sauce, I think it's originally for dipping dumplings in, but I often use it in marinades-think it's a mix of soy and an asian vinegar?), balsamic is another one I use a bit. Recently ate at a friends house, and they spice up their spinach with a dash of vinegar at the end-I like greens, bit it made it soo much yummier. You've already named my favourites; garlic is one of my/my entire families all time favourites, and a squeeze of lemon. Cracked black pepper is always handy, and we keep a salt around called Veggie Salt (I know of another called Herbalmare), it's still salt and all-so moderation, but they have herbs and some spices in too-so it adds more than just saltiness.
  • Antlady69
    Antlady69 Posts: 204 Member
    I too love garlic, lemon juice and (various) hot sauces! In addition, I love to add ginger, red curry paste, and/or tikka masala curry powder. Oh, and soy sauce and fish sauce!
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    Lawry's makes A TON of sodium free marinades. Also check out the spice isle, cumin, chilli pepper, red peppers flakes ETC lots of things add flavor without salt.

    I personally love Siracha it does have salt but a little but goes a long way (unless you're a spice addict like me )
  • pocketmole
    pocketmole Posts: 614 Member
    Salsa is a big one for me. Cheap on the calories and super flavorful. For sweet things I love added cinnamon to just about everything. Fresh herbs are a must as well with pretty much all of my cooking.

    Things like truffle oil have a lot of flavor and only require a few drops to enhance a dish. It's kind of pricey but I love the stuff.
  • doubleh64
    doubleh64 Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks everyone for your ideas! So many good ones. Can't wait to start experimenting with some of this stuff I haven't tried. :)
  • doubleh64
    doubleh64 Posts: 20 Member
    Salsa is a big one for me. Cheap on the calories and super flavorful. For sweet things I love added cinnamon to just about everything. Fresh herbs are a must as well with pretty much all of my cooking.

    Things like truffle oil have a lot of flavor and only require a few drops to enhance a dish. It's kind of pricey but I love the stuff.

    I am addicted to salsa omelettes and cinnamon is one of my favourite "sweet" spices.
  • doubleh64
    doubleh64 Posts: 20 Member
    I often turn to cayenne for spice and heat (it's good for you, a tiny bit goes a long way), ponzu (asian sauce, I think it's originally for dipping dumplings in, but I often use it in marinades-think it's a mix of soy and an asian vinegar?), balsamic is another one I use a bit. Recently ate at a friends house, and they spice up their spinach with a dash of vinegar at the end-I like greens, bit it made it soo much yummier. You've already named my favourites; garlic is one of my/my entire families all time favourites, and a squeeze of lemon. Cracked black pepper is always handy, and we keep a salt around called Veggie Salt (I know of another called Herbalmare), it's still salt and all-so moderation, but they have herbs and some spices in too-so it adds more than just saltiness.

    Thanks for your suggestions. Are the salts you mention available in regular grocery stores or do you get them at the health food store?
  • notsosimplyabby
    notsosimplyabby Posts: 138 Member
    Kraft tuscan dressing isgood on EVERYTHING! Meats, Veggies, Rice, Couscous! & its only 25 calories or so per tbsp!
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    Kraft tuscan dressing isgood on EVERYTHING! Meats, Veggies, Rice, Couscous! & its only 25 calories or so per tbsp!

    Is it loaded with sodium? This tends to be my problem with dressings. "Tuscan flavor" whatever that is, is ALWAYS delicious!
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    Spices have calories, like cinnamon and nutmeg! Don't forget to log them!

    I dont feel the need to log spices. Thats really splitting hairs lol.

    If you feel like spices will get you fat then maybe you should put down the pizza instead of the crushed red pepper.

    I do log salad dressings though lol
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    smoked paprika, garlic, variety of peppercorns, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, dried ground chiles, locally sourced hot sauces... I jump on all of these on a regular basis.
  • Lynn_babcock
    Lynn_babcock Posts: 220 Member
    I keep a bowl of salsa in the fridge. Also, sprouts! Alfalfa, broccoli, radish sprouts are all very easy to do and cheap if you buy in bulk. I get 2.5 pounds of broccoli seeds on Ebay for about $36 shipped.. alfalfa is running about $10 a pound shipped if you get a couple pounds. To get the price down to $8-something a pound you have to buy a $300 bucket. $10 is a decent enough price. Takes about 6 days to get your first batch.. I usually keep 5-6 jars on the counter at a time of different types and different age stages so there is always fresh. Just got home from a trip Monday and forgot to start them back up!

    Edit: You don't need any special jar lids. Use quart size to gallon sized jars.. throw a clean washcloth over the top and rubber band it down.. use that as your lid. It breathes better (less change of rotting), and we pretty much all have them already. Use 2 tsp in a quart and 1-1.5 tablespoons for a gallon. Too many seeds and they up their chance of rotting and they crowd and don't grow very good.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    Spices have calories, like cinnamon and nutmeg! Don't forget to log them!

    This needs to be repeated again and again and again!! haha

    I use garlic powder, cinnamon, cayenne... lol and I didn't realize until recently that they had calories. Now I log them!
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Posted twice for some reason, sorry!
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    My meals are mostly vegetable based, so they already have a ton of flavor and don't need additions.

    But on the rare occasion where a dish needs perking up, I turn to acids (vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, citrus zest), fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, chives), and/or a drizzle of good olive oil. Or sometimes it just needs a little more salt, or freshly ground pepper, or red pepper flakes. Sometimes a splash of fish sauce is helpful because it heightens the umami.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    Spices have calories, like cinnamon and nutmeg! Don't forget to log them!

    I dont feel the need to log spices. Thats really splitting hairs lol.

    If you feel like spices will get you fat then maybe you should put down the pizza instead of the crushed red pepper.

    I do log salad dressings though lol

    Well, I don't think most of the stuff I eat gets people fat, but I still log it because it definitely adds up.

    However, I only log spices for meals I'm making at home where I know exactly what's going into them. If I'm adding spices or condiments to something at a restaurant, where it's already a wild guess as to what the calorie count is, I wouldn't bother counting them.
  • nturner612
    nturner612 Posts: 710 Member
    Goya seasoning. My puerto rican friend put me onto this: Black beans add a packet of ham flavoring...BANGIN!!! red pepper flakes i love them, lemon and salt flavor i got about 50 spices in my cabinet and i use aLL of them!
  • paigeslims
    paigeslims Posts: 25
    cinnamon
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Sometimes I find carmelized onions a little bland, so I season them with 16-24oz of steak.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Worcestershire sauce.
    Soy sauce.
    Balsamic vinegar.
    Lime juice.
  • Lynn_babcock
    Lynn_babcock Posts: 220 Member
    Goya seasoning. My puerto rican friend put me onto this: Black beans add a packet of ham flavoring...BANGIN!!! red pepper flakes i love them, lemon and salt flavor i got about 50 spices in my cabinet and i use aLL of them!

    Goya also makes a cilantro sauce.. I remember it packed a good punch for a small amount. Haven't been able to find it lately though. It was in with Ethnic foods before.
  • doubleh64
    doubleh64 Posts: 20 Member
    Nice! LOL
  • cielbee
    cielbee Posts: 62
    black pepper, Sriracha sauce, horseradish, cumin, salsa, curry powder, cilantro, vinegars and scallions. I also love the Del Monte diced tomatoes with zesty jalapeno-it makes a great base for soup or I use it where I would have used salsa.
  • DaveHuby
    DaveHuby Posts: 175 Member
    The big indian spices,

    Cumin seed or ground
    Coriander seed or ground
    Garam Masala
    Curry mixes
    Mustard Seed

    A little goes a long way and most are under 10 cal for a Teaspoon

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