Spices add so much to our food. When we eat a healthier diet or cut down on salt, we can really count on them to add more flavor. Some spices not only deliver on flavor, but can be warming, comforting, and provide us with many health benefits as well. I want to share with you what’s inside my spice drawer in hopes that you find a little more spice to add into your own life. Cheesy pun originally unintended.
What’s Inside My Spice Drawer
365 Whole Foods Brand:
Chili Powder Blend (Organic)
I grabbed this one at Whole Foods to make Fall and Winter chili. I’ll sometimes put it in curry dishes as well.
Paprika (Organic)
I bought this to use when I make russet potato french fries in the oven. I use it solely for the coloring. We eat with our eyes first and this makes the french fries look better. I also add it to chili and other recipes that call for it, but mainly for the fries.
Cumin (Organic)
I use a lot of cumin. I add it to curry, black bean hummus, chili, and I’m sure I’m forgetting some big one. It’s one I have to purchase more often as it’s a flavor my husband and I both love.
Onion Powder (Organic)
Another one I use in recipes that call for it, but I mainly use it when I’m on my french fry kicks. A go-to russet french fry seasoning is onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Whole Foods Market Brand:
Balti Curry Seasoning (Organic)
The first ingredient is coriander so it’s what I pull from the drawer when any recipe (pretty much curry) calls for coriander.
The Spice Hunter
Whole Organic Nutmeg
I’m almost out of my jar and need to get another one. I put it in and on top of eggnog (egg-free/dairy free recipe), golden milk, other hot drinks, oatmeal, pumpkin pancakes, a chopped apple, date, raisin, walnut mixture, and pretty much anywhere I can use this delicious warming spice. The whole nutmeg is as fresh as it gets and there is just something about grating my own nutmeg. I use this grater. It’s great for grating ginger, lemon, orange, and lime zest as well.
Williams Sonoma
I love my Williams Sonoma measuring spoons to measure spices, fresh herbs, and more. I actually prefer the spice jar measuring spoons, but they were out of stock at the store, so I just grabbed the round ones.
Simply Organic Brand
Thyme
Ahh, one of my favorites, dried and fresh. I mainly use dried thyme in homemade pasta sauce and soups, but I’ll put it in anything that I think it will taste good in – potatoes, mushrooms, and more. I use fresh thyme sprigs to make thyme tea.
Turmeric
For curries, golden milk, and other hot drinks. I have a larger bag of Wilderness Poets turmeric for my smoothies, so I will just refill my jar from that when this one is gone. Use code RIANE10 for $10 off of your first Wilderness Poets order. I buy turmeric, dragon fruit powder, pumpkin protein powder, cacao products, & more from them.
Curry Powder
We use this so much, I bought two last time. Instant Pot Butternut Coconut Curry Soup, Curry Sweet Potato Fries, and Vegetable Lentil Curry Soup are just a few of the recipes I use it in. I tried to cut corners and buy a crazy large container of inexpensive curry powder since we go through so much, but it bit me in the butt. Each time I made something with it, I felt off, until I realized the curry powder was the culprit.
A Note On Spice Quality
There is a whole lot of crap hidden behind many spices. I’ve learned MSG, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, sugar, salt, flour and more are commonly hidden in spices without disclosure. Organic spices are supposed to be grown without chemicals and preservatives and are not fumigated or irradiated, but I also know not all organic brands are fully pure either. I still choose organic when I can, but I don’t strictly follow this as you can see. Overall I just do my best to decipher between and buy quality spices. One brand I can always trust is Simply Organics. The brand is not as expensive as it seems either once you actually look at the ounces. Yes, it’s more, but not what it seems at first glance.
Garam Masala
This is a staple in our Indian curries.
Garlic Powder
I use fresh garlic in most recipes, so I mainly use this to sprinkle over french fries. Using garlic powder and onion powder on fries, helps me cut down on salt or even eliminate it during the times I’m cutting it out all together.
Rosemary
I really don’t know the last recipe I used this in. I usually use fresh rosemary, but I must have bought this for something. Now I’m going to throw it in cauliflower and curry soups this winter since I don’t want to waste it.
Ceylon Cinnamon
This jar was originally filled with simply organic ceylon cinnamon, but now it is filled Frontier-Co-op organic ceylon cinnamon. I go through a lot of cinnamon with oats so I opted to buy a big bag of ceylon cinnamon and just fill my jar.
Cardamon
I’m not crazy about the taste of cardamom, but I add it to what I can for the health benefits. I’ll occasionally add it to oatmeal, an apple date mixture, and some hot tea.
Cayenne
Besides curries, I tend to sprinkle it on lunches. A cucumber, red pepper, avocado, radish, medjool date kind of lunch usually gets a 1/2 squeeze of lemon juice, Atlantic dulse flakes, and a sprinkle of cayenne. You can read about the benefits of cayenne here.
Trader Joe’s Brand
Bay Leaves
It’s unopened, so clearly I use it often. I bought it for a certain homemade broth recipe and never used it.
French Thyme
I bought this, but I prefer the Simply Organics thyme. The Trader Joe’s French thyme tastes much more bitter to me. My favorite dried thyme though is the thyme from Mountain Sage Wellness Shop.
Organic Cayenne Pepper
Another one I just grabbed at Trader’s, but I prefer the Simply Organic cayenne instead. The Trader’s cayenne is hotter and great in chili, but I think the Simply Organics one has a nicer flavor for salads, curry, and pretty much everything else.
Cinnamon Sticks
I use these to simmer on the stove during the winter season.
Organic Turmeric
One can never have enough turmeric. Joking, I clearly have too much turmeric in the house, and didn’t realize how much I actually had. It won’t go to waste though.
Mushroom Umami Seasoning Blend
I use this blend solely for my mushroom ramen when I make it. Thankfully I don’t make it all of the time since the first ingredient is kosher salt and when I add it to my mushroom ramen, I add A LOT. It’s delicious though.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
I just paid extra and ordered it on Amazon since the Trader’s by us couldn’t get it this season. I was hesitant to order it since if Trader’s can’t get it in stock, why can Amazon? But, I really wanted this exact pumpkin pie spice for our pie on Thanksgiving and I was running low. It’s seriously the best pumpkin pie spice I’ve had and although not organic, it tastes clean and pure to my sensitive body. When I got it in the mail, my husband said ” Great, we got our pumpkin pie spice from 1999 now.” Thankfully it is good until 2023.
Smoked Paprika
For chili and some curries, but I don’t use it that often. I grabbed this last minute at Trader’s when I needed to make chili, but I will be buying the Simply Organic brand of this next time. I was leery about buying a nonorganic smoked paprika, but I did because it was convenient at the time.
Aldi’s Brand
Organic Ground Ginger
I use this in my nighttime Blue Lotus tea, golden milk, and other hot drinks. I use fresh ginger for the majority of the time in cooking and smoothies though.
Frontier Co-op Brand
Organic Cinnamon Sticks
I use these to make cinnamon tea or in recipes like cranberry sauce that call for it.
Organic Ceylon Cinnamon
This is what I use to fill my Simply Organic jar with.
Other
Fennel
I use fennel for tea, some mushroom recipes, and this stuffing recipe. It’s just organic fennel and I’m not sure of what brand it is since I put it in a jar.
Red Pepper Flakes
We occasionally use this to sprinkle on top of recipes, but we don’t use it a lot. I have the Kirkland Costco brand that I bought in a pinch, but I usually steer clear of their spices.
Organic McCormick Dried Basil
I use it for making spaghetti pasta sauce once in awhile. I also grabbed this from Costco, and it is organic but I can say it’s taste and freshness is the poorest of any dried basil that I have bought. A good deal, but not worth it.
Well, that is my spice drawer! Let me know if you’ll be adding anything new to your drawer or cabinet or if I’m missing some grand spice in my life. As always, let me know if you have any questions too! Comment below.
So grateful you are following along!
xx Riane
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