Moroccan Spice Blend

If we move down and westerly along the Mediterranean coast of Africa on our travels, we eventually reach Morocco.  A country I’ve never been to, but think I would like to go there one day.  I have always loved their detailed wood art, wooden furniture, metal art and tile crafts.   Their cuisine is an interesting mixture of Arab, French, Spanish, Berber and a heavy influence of Middle Eastern cuisine.  Much of it is prepared in a tagine, a medium-sized clay pot.  I personally have never used one.  Photos of some lovely tagines below.    

I’ve only tried to create a few Moroccan dishes based on my limited reading of a very few recipes.  This spice mixture is very similar to Baharat spice in other Arab countries with the addition of paprika and a bit of spunk with the crushed red pepper (the Spanish and Berber influences).  I think you’ll like this one.  Delicious  with everything I’ve tested it on so far.   It’s great with grilled meats, or in water-braised dishes and stews.  It really lends itself to dried fruit added to your meat dishes as well.  I tried it one time on a grilled fish and it was most excellent used that way.  As most spice mixtures, it is Atkins Induction Phase friendly.

INGREDIENTS:

4 T. Smoked Spanish paprika

4    3″ sticks cinnamon, broken up, (about 3 T. if using ground cinnamon)

¼-½ tsp. cayenne, depending on taste

3 T. coriander seed

1 rounded tsp. whole cloves (about ½ tsp. ground cloves)

1 tsp. cardamom seeds, removed from their outer pod/husk

1 T. coarse black pepper

3 T. cumin seed (whole)

½ tsp. turmeric

DIRECTIONS:  Measure all whole seeds/spices into a dry, non-stick skillet.   Turn heat to high and roast spices a couple minutes until they become very fragrant.  Turn off heat and cool.  Run through a spice grinder or coffee grinder dedicated to spice grinding.  When you use your coffee grinder,, those tastes will linger for months and months, producing some really funny tasting coffee………so don’t do that.  🙂  Grind the mixture pretty fine.  Add any UNGROUND spices you are having to use instead of whole (whole is best though), mix well and spoon the blend into a lidded jar.  Store in a dark cabinet as is proper for all spice storage.  

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes about 1 cup or 16 Tablespoons.  One tablespoon is about how much you would use for a 4-serving braised entrée or to grill fish or meat for four people.  One tablespoon contains:  

18.4 cals, 0.75g fat, 3.78g carbs, 2.28g fiber, 1.5g NET CARBS, 0.71 g  protein, trace sodium

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Shawarma Spice for Chicken

As we travel south out of Turkey, we come to the Eastern Mediterranean nations of Syria, Lebanon and Israel.  I have been to Beirut, but quite honestly, didn’t find the foods there to be very different from those in Greece, Turkey and Iran.  They do the stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh, grilled kibbeh meat kebabs and a lot of rice dishes with lentils, nuts and dried fruit.  I have never been to Syria or Israel, so my only exposure to their cuisines is through cookbooks and on-line recipes.

One flavor I associate with Middle Eastern dining is the taste of cumin in their dishes.  I’ve mentioned before in other recipes how much we love a chicken Shawarma spice mixture we used to buy at the Phoenicia Deli/Importer on Westheimer in Houston, TX.  I believe the family that owned it was Egyptian, but not certain about that.  My huge 1# bag of the spice was getting real low so I decided I better try to come up with my own version before it was totally gone and I would lose the capability to compare any trials to the flavor of the real thing!  Houston is 3 hours away, so buying another isn’t an option and they do not have a website for placing orders.  😦

So I took my almost empty container of this spice and studied it closely.  First I went for visual clues as to its possible ingredients. I could clearly see black pepper in it.  It had a yellow hue, so turmeric was there.  I could actually see bits of coriander seed husk in it.  Then I went for smell and taste.  I could taste cumin for certain.  I could definitely detect a little “bite” on my tongue, so I also included a wee bit of cayenne to the final recipe.    At that point I was stymied and decided to just go for it.  I mixed the few things I felt certain were present.

I usually start with equal amounts of spices when creating a blend, backing off a bit on cayenne, as I don’t like things too hot, and their shawarma blend was not “hot” at all really.  But when all was stirred and tasted, something was still missing.  Seemed a bit flat compared to the original Phoenicia product.  So I decided to spunk it up with a little onion powder and garlic powder.  A little of those never hurt anything, right?  Finally I was close enough to the original blend to just stop!  Here’s the final result of my endeavors.  This one does NOT disappoint, folks.

INGREDIENTS:

3 T. ground cumin seed

2 T. ground coriander seed

1 T. turmeric

1 T. black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

DIRECTIONS:  Mix all on a paper plat.  Curl/fold plate and pour contents into a lidded jar.  Store spices in a dark cabinet.  This is sprinkled on broiled chicken or chicken that you plan to grill outside for the famous Shawarma chicken sandwich wraps. I find I also like it on a plain cooked ground beef patty or broiled fish, on oven-roasted chicken and even roasted vegetables!  I like it so much I always put 1-2 T. of it into a double batch of my homemade mayonnaise recipe.  Mmm.  That is good on all sandwiches and makes a great dressing for your meat wraps!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 8 T. or 24 tsp.  One teaspoon contains:

7.2 cals, 0.27 g  fat, 1.28 g  carbs, 0.47 g fiber, 0.81 g NET CARBS, 0.27 g protein, trace sodium

Baharat Spice Blend

Moving a little west of Iran on our food journey, we would be in Iraq.  When I was attending UT Austin, two of the fellows in my future husband’s social circle and roommates were Middle Eastern.  One, Sabah, was a native Iraqi and Farouk, whose father was Syrian and his mother was French (so he was fluent in French).  Farouk and I were even in a French literature class together there.  They often talked about the good foods from their native countries, both insisting the rice from their country was the best in the world.   Having never tasted rice from either country, I always said I personally couldn’t imagine any rice being better than that we ate in Iran.  

Intrigued about our culinary discussions I read in a Middle Eastern cookbook about Baharat Spice.  Never gave it another thought until after I married and started doing a little Mid-East cooking myself.  Baharat is quite common throughout all the Middle Eastern nations along the Mediterranian:  Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,  even in Iraq.  I don’t recall it in Iran, but it might be possible they may have used it, too.  This spice mixture varies somewhat from country to country, and even from kitchen to kitchen.  I have seen recipes for it that also have dried mint and hot red chili pepper.  My husband is particularly fond of beef and lamb dishes made with this spice blend.

A couple of years after our tour in Iran, Dad was teaching at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and was asked to ‘sponsor’ a visiting Iraqi officer stationed there for 6 weeks (military command school there).  Sponsoring a newcomer in the military means to help them feel welcome to the base/post, the city, the country, and to show them the ropes of American culture they have been abruptly immersed in.  Dad’s experience mixing with many Iranian officers gave him the experience to do so.

To make a long story short, This Iraqi officer dined in our home several times and before he went back home to Iraq, he insisted my mother allow him to cook us a traditional Iraqi dinner.  Let me just say it was delicious beyond words!  He was quite impressed my mother had Iranian rice on hand (200 lb. of which we had shipped back home with us when we left Iran, it’s THAT unusual and THAT good!).  He was blown away that she also knew how to prepare it traditionally, to create that wonderful nutty-tasting, crusty browned layer at the bottom of the rice pot that is so prized at the Middle Eastern dinner table.

He was also impressed she already had all the requisite spices to prepare his special meal.  Being a veteran recipe collector, Mom wrote down every little thing he was threw into pot the next morning lest she forget.  Sadly, I have not found it amongst her recipe collection or I would post it for you.

This spice mixture is also good in regional seafood dishes, on grilled fish and for most lamb recipes.  I use it on beef kebab as well.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. black peppercorns

1 whole nutmeg, grated

1 tsp. turmeric

2 T. paprika

1 tsp. allspice

1 T. cumin seed

1 T. coriander seed

1 stick cinnamon, 3″ long (yields 1 tsp. ground)

1 tsp. cloves, whole (or allspice)

1 tsp. cardamom seed (Removed from outer husk/pod coating

DIRECTIONS: Break up the cinnamon stick a bit and place in spice grinder.  Grind until quite powdery.  Add all other spices and grind as fine as possible.  Depending on the size of your grinder, you may have to grind these in batches and then stir up in a bowl.  Place spice blend in an air tight jar and store in dark cupboard.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes about 1/2 cup (8 T.) of spice mixture.  Each tsp. contains:

6 calories, 0.26 g  fat, 1.25 g  carbs, 0.6 g fiber, 0.65 g NET CARBS, 0.24 g protein, 0 mg sodium

Za’atar Herb Blend

This lovely-tasting herb blend is common throughout the Middle East, most often mixed with quality olive oil to dip bread into.  I like a bit of it in the oil I encircle my hummus with.  It is also sprinkled on roasted or grilled chicken, grilled fish, or grilled lamb.  I have even used it myself over roasted root vegetables like carrots and parsnips!  We love the earthy herb flavor profile. 

It is all herbs and spices, with some toasted sesame seeds, so it does have carbs, but not many, plus herbs are so good for you.  I put no salt in mine, but you can add a bit if you like.  This recipe is suitable once you reach the nuts and seeds rung of the Atkins carb re-introduction ladder.  Keto, Primal and Paleo followers can also enjoy this flavorful condiment.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp. dried marjoram

2 T. dried oregano leaves

3 T. sumac

1 T. toasted sesame seeds

2 T. dried thyme leaves

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper (optional)

2 tsp. onion powder

Optional:  ¼ tsp. sea salt

DIRECTIONS:  Toast sesame seeds over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet or in your oven.  Watch them closely to not over brown.  Remove and pour them onto a paper plate or into a jar (that has a lid).  Add all remaining ingredients and stir/shake well.  Store in a lidded jar in your spice rack.  Will keep as long as the sesame seeds keep, or about a month or so.  Add ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil for a pita bread dip or to use on hummus.  If using on grilled/roasted meats, coat meat surface with olive oil and sprinkle on 1 T. of the spice mixture and cook meat as usual until properly done.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes about ½ cup, or 8 tablespoons.  1 T. contains (spice only, oil not included):

26 cals, 1.51g fat, 3.07g carbs, 1.68g fiber, 1.39g NET CARBS, 0.98g protein, 350 mg sodium (salt can be omitted and added at table).

Homemade Everything Bagel® Spice Blend

Just made a fresh batch of my Everything Bagel spice blend.  Next time you bake low-carb bagels, baguettes or dinner rolls, try my mock version of this popular spice/seed blend.  It’s great on top of my low-carb dinner rolls https://wordpress.com/post/buttoni.wordpress.com/25406 or sprinkled atop your favorite low-carb loaf breads.  Though not quite the same, it’s real close to the taste of the well-known proprietary blend, considering I’m just guessing on the amounts of each spice/seed that appear in the ingredients listed on the commercial spice bottles.  It works for me anyway.   If you’d like to try a more aromatic blend, you might also like to try my 8-Seed Blend sometime!  It’s got a wider variety of spices and is very good in its own right.

INGREDIENTS:

3 T. dried minced onion flakes

2 T. dried minced garlic granules (I find at Sam’s)

3 T. white sesame seeds

4 T. toasted white sesame seed

1 T. coarse black pepper

1 tsp. sea salt (I used Himalayan pink)

4 T. black sesame seeds (I order on-line)

DIRECTIONS:   In your broiler, toast the 4 T. sesame seeds on a small baking sheet until lightly browned.  Please do not get distracted as they can burn in the blink of an eye!  Been there myself a time or two.  Remove and cool.  Pour them onto a paper plate.  Measure out remaining ingredients and stir well.  Fold the paper plate to pour them up into an awaiting lidded jar.  I always keep my old spice jars when emptied as they are so convenient to have when I make a new homemade spice blend such as this one.  This blend will keep for months, as the only real perishable thing in the blend are the sesame seeds, with their high oil content.  As with all spices, store in a dark cabinet or closed spice rack.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes 18 T. or 54 tsp.  1 tsp. contains:

12.44 cals, 1.6g fat, 1.09g carbs, 0.34g fiber, 0.75g NET CARBS, 0.4g protein, 44.7 mg sodium

Dad’s Poultry Seasoning

My Dad, the REAL cook in the family, made a lot of his own spice blends.  This was one he nailed!  I got ready to make some holiday cornbread dressing this afternoon and realized I was completely out of this blend and had to make a new batch today.  So I thought I’d share his special recipe in case you might like to try it on for size for your Thanksgiving recipes.  This recipe has a little more intense flavor, with a little less sage and a dash of cayenne, but I think it’s much better than commercial poultry seasoning.  It has a dash of garlic powder for a nice twist, too.  In a 9×13 pan of dressing, I tend to use around 1T.+2 tsp. of this mixture. This recipe usually lasts me about a year.  It’s great in stuffing, on roast pork, pork chops and baked chicken.  You may even think of more uses for this tasty spice blend.

INGREDIENTS:

1½ T. dried sage

1½ T. onion powder

1½ T.  black pepper

1½ T. celery seed (not celery SALT)

1 T. + 2 tsp. dried thyme

1½ T. dried marjoram

2¼ tsp. dried rosemary

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and spoon into dark, tinted storage jar with a tight lid.  Or store in a dark cabinet.  Spices store best away from light exposure.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes about 11 tablespoons (33 teaspoons).  Each tsp. contains:

4.79 cals, 0.12g fat, 0.95g carbs, 0.31g fiber, 0.64g NET CARBS, 0.18g protein, 1 mg. sodium

Peggy’s Poultry Rub

I’ve been trialing a new poultry rub recipe I’m developing for chicken and turkey.  Have tried it several times and I just kept increasing several of the ingredients as well as eliminating one that added nothing to the flavor profile.  I think it’s about right for my palate now.  I am quite pleased.  I have tested it on oven baked cut-up chicken parts and liked that method best, as the rub gets on more surfaces of the chicken flesh that way.  But last night I tested it on an air-fryer whole roasted chicken.  That was moist and delicious, but the seasoning does a better job on individual pieces, in my opinion.  Can’t wait to try this on duck!  This recipe is suitable for all phases of Atkins and other Keto programs.  It is also OK for Paleo and Primal Blueprint followers.

NOTE:  My husband is on a low-sodium diet, so you will notice my spice blends have little salt (if any).  I can always add salt at the table if I want more.  You may want to increase the salt in the blend itself for your family’s palate. 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. Spanish paprika (regular is OK, but lacks the smoky flavor I love)

On a whole roasted chicken

1 T. chili powder

2 T. onion powder

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. black pepper

2 t. dried crushed sage leaf

2 t. dried crushed basil

2 t. dried crushed oregano leaf

1 t. sea salt

DIRECTIONS:  Mix all ingredients on a paper plate.  Stir well.  Fold plate and pour all into a spice jar (with a lid).  Close lid and shake well to distribute ingredients evenly.  Use about 1 T. on a whole (or cut up) chicken.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes about 9 T. of the rub (or 27 tsp).   Each teaspoon contains:

6.44 cals, 0.15g fat, 1.37g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 0.87g NET CARBS, 0.26g protein, 89.6 mg sodium

 

Homemade Everything Bagel® Spice Blend

Next time you bake low-carb bagels, baguettes or dinner rolls, try my new mock version of this popular spice/seed blend.  It’s real close to the taste of the real proprietary blend.  Not quite the same, but hey….I am guessing here for the amounts of each spice/seed that appear in the ingredients listings on the bottles.   It’s close enough to work for me anyway.   If you’d like to try a more aromatic blend, try my 8-Seed Blend sometime!  It’s got a wider variety of spices and is very good in its own right.

INGREDIENTS:

3 T. dried minced onion flakes

2 T. dried minced garlic granules (I find at Sam’s)

3 T. white sesame seeds

4 T. toasted white sesame seed

1 T. coarse black pepper

1 tsp. Sea Salt (I used Himalayan pink)

4 T. Black Sesame Seeds (I order on-line)

DIRECTIONS:   In your broiler, toast the 4 T. sesame seeds on a small baking sheet until lightly browned.  Please do not get distracted as they can burn in the blink of an eye!  Been there myself a time or two.  Remove and cool.  Pour them onto a paper plate.  Measure out remaining ingredients and stir well.  Fold the paper plate to pour them up into an awaiting lidded jar.  I always keep my old spice jars when emptied as they are so convenient to have when I make a new homemade spice blend such as this one.  This blend will keep for months, as the only real perishable thing in the blend are the sesame seeds, with their high oil content.  As with all spices, store in a dark cabinet or closed spice rack.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes 18 T. or 54 tsp.  1 tsp. contains:

12.44 cals, 1.6g fat, 1.09g carbs, 0.34g fiber, 0.75g NET CARBS, 0.4g protein, 44.7 mg sodium

Homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning Blend

I have eaten Jamaican Jerked chicken in a cafe before but found it way too spicy for my palate.  I understand the spices and amounts of each used varies a lot from household to household, much like gumbo recipes vary dramatically in Louisiana from home to home.  I have always found most commercial Jerk seasonings to be too heavy with salt, and of course, I also cannot have the sugar anymore, or in my case, not even substitute sweeteners.  I worked around that by adding a small amount of maple extract to the final marinade to mimic brown sugar’s taste.  Works for me!  I’m extremely pleased with my final version, having now tested it out on oven-baked chicken, grilled shrimp and air-fried pork.  We loved it on all 3 meats.  This spice is suitable for all phases of Atkins and Keto diets as well as Paleo and Primal Blueprint followers as well.  Here’s a delicious air fryer pork recipe made from this seasoning mix.

INGREDIENTS: 

1 T. Spanish Smoked Paprika (I order mine on-line)

2 T. onion powder or granulated onion

3 T. garlic powder

2 T. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. crushed red pepper (more if you like things real spicy)

2 T. crushed dried thyme leaves

1 T. allspice

1 T. ground cinnamon

2 T. dried parsley

1 T. coarse black pepper

1 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:   Measure out all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. Stir well.  Spoon into an old empty spice jar or other jar with tight lid.  Tip:  when making spice blends, pour the mix onto a paper plate (in 2-3 portions), fold the plate to make a handy “funnel” to tap your new spice right into the receiving jar.  My Dad taught me this trick as he loved concocting his own blends.  As with all spices, store in a dark cupboard or spice cabinet that has doors. I use 2 T. for pork chops, 3 T. for whole chicken or equivalent parts, and 2 T. on shrimp.  I always rub either olive oil or butter all over the meat surfaces so the spice will adhere and marinate for 1 hour (covered) in the refrigerator before cooking.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes about 14 tablespoons of spice.  Each 1T. serving contains:

20.6 cals, 0.31g fat, 4.71g carbs, 1.07g fiber, 3.64g NET CARBS, 0.72g protein, 169 mg sodium

Chai Tea Spice Blend

We just love Indian Chai tea.  Perfect for a cold winter day.

Cardamom Pods, cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon sticks

It was not until today, looking on the internet for the origins of the word CHAI, that I learned Indian hot chai tea, infused with all its lovely aromatic spices, actually gets its name from the Persian word for tea, CHAI (pronunced in Iran with second syllable stressed  CHA – EEEEEE )   Ya learn something everyday!

Having lived in Tehran, Iran for a couple of years when I was 10-12 years old, I just loved drinking their unspiced plain hot tea from the little 2″ tall sipping glasses they serve tea in there.   It always reminded me of my childhood days, playing “house” and having “tea parties” with my dolls.  In Iran, sugar was sold in huge solid blocks and they would just hammer off chunks, pop a piece into their mouths and sip the hot tea right through that sugar “cube”.  At age 10, what fun!  Pure sugar in your mouth!  🙂  What can I say?  My views on sugar sure have changed.  🙂  I very quickly learned considerable Pharci language at age 10, mostly from our maid, Fatimeh, who spoke little English.  When we would pass a tea shop in the bazaar she would make a sipping gesture and ask:  “Chai meekhawheed?” (sp?) which I quickly figured out meant “Do you want some tea?” I learned the proper response in no-time flat “Adeh, chai meekhawham” (sp?), “Yes, I want some tea!”.  I also knew in that setting, I’d get it served Iranian style, with those fun chunks of rock sugar, something my mother would never  allow at home.  Wasn’t I a naughty little 10 year old?   Mom was always worrying about that evil, Mr. Tooth Decay (those old enough, remember him from the Colgate TV commercials in the late 50’s?).  Moms always over worry, don’t they?  My teeth haven’t all fallen out after all!  LOL  Wonder if Chai tea is served with rock sugar in India?  Sorry, I digress with my boring nostalgia trip………..

I really avoid commercial spice preparations as much as I can, what with all the “extras” they add to those prepared mixes, beaucoup salt and sugar.  So I decided to take the most common spices I can taste in a cup of chai tea and just make up my own, using equal amounts (roughly) of the likely spices.  I quickly learned it needs to be a little top-heavy with cinnamon and doubled that 1 ingredient.  The final spice blend, brewed into a 2-cup pot of tea, was DELICIOUS!  So I thought I’d share my new blend here with my readers.

I’m a lazy cook by nature and don’t like the nuisance of shelling cardamom seeds from those big pods, so once I saw that Penzey’s sells it already shelled, well you know I was on that one like a fly on flypaper!  🙂  I order already shelled cardamom seeds from Penzey’s Spices on-line or their catalog.  Therefore, I have no earthly idea how many cardamom pods it will take to yield 1 tsp. seeds, but probably around 10-15?  There are about 8-10 little black seeds in the average green cardamom pod.

INGREDIENTS:

¼” slice of fresh ginger root (about 1 tsp.)

6 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon (or 1 3″ stick broken up)

1 tsp. cardamom seeds

3/4 tsp. fennel seeds

DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder (I use a dedicated cheap coffee grinder for spices) and grind until all is pretty fine.  Store in a lidded jar in a dark cabinet or your refrigerator if you’re worried about the ginger.   To make tea from this spice blend, boil your water in a proper teakettle and add your teabag(s) or loose tea in an infuser (my pot has a built-in infuser that lifts in and out).  Add 1 tsp. Chai Spice Blend to the infuser along with your tea for every 2 cups of water/tea you want to serve.  Steep for 5 minutes with the lid on and serve in cups with milk or cream and sweetener of your choice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:    Makes about 9 tsp. of spice blend, each teaspoon (amount to brew 2 cups chai tea) contains:

3 calories, 0.1 g  fat, 0.75 g carbs, 0.45 g  fiber, 0.3 g  NET CARBS, < 0.1g protein

Za’atar Herb Blend

This lovely-tasting herb blend is common throughout the Middle East, most often mixed with quality olive oil to dip bread into.  I like a bit of it in the oil I encircle my hummus with.  It is also sprinkled on roasted or grilled chicken, grilled fish, or grilled lamb.  I have even used it myself over roasted root vegetables like carrots and parsnips!  We love the earthy herb flavor profile. 

It is all herbs and spices, with some toasted sesame seeds, so it does have carbs, but not many, plus herbs are so good for you.  I put no salt in mine, but you can add a bit if you like.  This recipe is suitable once you reach the nuts and seeds rung of the Atkins carb re-introduction ladder.  Keto, Primal and Paleo followers can also enjoy this flavorful condiment.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp. dried marjoram

2 T. dried oregano leaves

3 T. sumac

1 T. toasted sesame seeds

2 T. dried thyme leaves

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper (optional)

2 tsp. onion powder

Optional:  ¼ tsp. sea salt

DIRECTIONS:  Toast sesame seeds over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet or in your oven.  Watch them closely to not over brown.  Remove and pour them onto a paper plate or into a jar (that has a lid).  Add all remaining ingredients and stir/shake well.  Store in a lidded jar in your spice rack.  Will keep as long as the sesame seeds keep, or about a month or so.  Add ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil for a pita bread dip or to use on hummus.  If using on grilled/roasted meats, coat meat surface with olive oil and sprinkle on 1 T. of the spice mixture and cook meat as usual until properly done.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes about ½ cup, or 8 tablespoons.  1 T. contains (spice only, oil not included):

26 cals, 1.51g fat, 3.07g carbs, 1.68g fiber, 1.39g NET CARBS, 0.98g protein, 350 mg sodium (salt can be omitted and added at table).

Indian Garam Masala Spice

I made the Indian version of of Creamed Spinach to have with our ham and yellow squash tonight.  I love creamed spinach so much I’m willing to eat it with so many different foods.  The flavors went quite nicely together!  Thought I’d re-share my Garam Masala recipe for anyone who loves Indian food as much as we do.    The Indian version of creamed spinach is quite unusual and very tasty.  Not hot/spicy, just aromatic with spices.  This spice blend has many uses.  Type “Indian” in the search box to see an array of Indian recipes here on my site to try this spice in. They are all tried-and-true recipes I’ve cooked many times. Give them a try some time!  I think you’ll be pleased if your an Indian food fan.

Many more delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, Volume 8, by Jennifer Eloff, Chef George Stella of Food Network fame, and myself.  Volume 8 is almost completely comprised of my recipes! Chef George Stella and Jennifer Eloff are also including several tasty new delights in Vol.  8! Order yours (or any of our earlier cookbooks) from Amazon  or our direct order site: amongfriends.us/order.php.  Remember, they make GREAT birthday or holiday gifts!  If you’ve already purchased a book, the team would appreciate it if you would please take a moment and drop by the our Amazon page to leave your personal review.  🙂

INGREDIENTS:

6 T. coriander seeds
3 T. cumin seeds
2 T. black peppercorns
1 T. whole cardamom pods (outer part and seeds inside)
5  small cinnamon sticks broken into small pieces
2  tsp. whole cloves
1  whole grated nutmeg (about 1 tsp.)

DIRECTIONS:  In a dry skillet, over low heat, heat the first 6 spices until they become very fragrant. This step is most important, so do not skip it or your results won’t be as good.  When fragrant, turn off heat and remove pan from stove.   Using a spice/coffee grinder (I have a cheap dedicated coffee grinder for spices only), grind all toasted spices to a pretty fine grind, but it doesn’t have to be as fine as salt.  Add grated nutmeg at this point.  When adding this spice to curry recipes, I once again heat the dry skillet and reheat these until they become fragrant and then proceed with whatever recipe I’m making. This is outstanding in all chicken, beef and fish curries.  It’s great on charcoal grilled, buttered  fish and chicken, too!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Each teaspoon contains:

6  calories, 0.31 g.  fat, 1.1 g.  carbs, 0.6 g.  fiber, 0.23 g.   protein, 0.5 g. NET CARBS

 

 

Garam Masala – Indian Spice Blend

My husband and I just love Indian food!!  I cook it every other week and sometimes even more often.  There are garam masala blends available for sale ready-made, but like other blends, they can vary widely in flavor from bottle to bottle.  I haven’t found any commercial blends I like and most have been tossed out.

After experimenting with so many garam masala recipes, this is one that we keep coming back to and that has now become my “permanent recipe”.  This mix is well worth adding to your spice rack.  It is a little heavy with cinnamon, but we like that to round out the sharp coriander, which can be too strong in some recipes for this blend.  You won’t be sorry you added this to your arsenal of culinary “secrets”.   I have found it to be good in all curries, on all grilled meats and even on broiled or grilled seafood and Indian vegetable recipes.  It is also nice in a few dessert applications. Nearly 1,000 followers have copied this recipe and none have come back to complain, so I think you’ll like it.  As you get familiar with its flavor profile, you may want to increase one spice or perhaps decrease another to your liking.  That’s what makes cooking fun!

Type “Indian” in the search box to see an array of Indian recipes here on my site to try this spice in sometime. They are all tried-and-true recipes I’ve cooked many times.  Give them a try some time!

This spice mixture, like most herbs and spices, is Induction friendly.  If you like to explore other Garam Masala spice combinations, take a look at this list of other Garam Masalas:

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

INGREDIENTS:

6 T. coriander seeds
3 T. cumin seeds
2 T. black peppercorns
1 T. whole cardamom pods (outer part and seeds inside)
5  small cinnamon sticks broken into small pieces
2  tsp. whole cloves
1  whole grated nutmeg (about 1 tsp)

DIRECTIONS:  In a dry skillet, over low heat, heat the first 6 spices until they become very fragrant. This step is most important, so do not skip it or your results won’t be as good.  When fragrant, turn off heat and remove pan from stove.   Using a spice/coffee grinder (I have a cheap dedicated coffee grinder for spices only), grind all toasted spices to a pretty fine grind, but it doesn’t have to be as fine as salt.  Add grated nutmeg at this point.  When adding this spice to curry recipes, I once again heat the dry skillet and reheat these until they become fragrant and then proceed with whatever recipe I’m making. This is outstanding in all chicken, beef and fish curries.  It’s great on charcoal grilled, buttered  fish and chicken, too!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Each teaspoon contains:

6  calories, 0.31 g.  fat, 1.1 g.  carbs, 0.6 g.  fiber, 0.23 g.   protein, 0.5 g. NET CARBS

Chai Tea Spice Blend

We just love Indian Chai tea.  Having lived in Tehran, Iran for a couple of years when I was 10-12 years old, I just loved drinking their unspiced plain hot tea from the little 2″ tall sipping glasses they serve tea in there.   It always reminded me of my childhood days, playing “house” and having “tea parties” with my dolls.

In Iran, sugar was sold in huge solid blocks and they would just hammer off chunks, pop a piece into their mouths and sip the hot tea right through that sugar “cube”.  At age 10, what fun!  Pure sugar in your mouth!  🙂  What can I say?  My views on sugar sure have changed.  🙂  I very quickly learned considerable Pharci language at age 10, mostly from our maid, Fatimeh, who spoke little English.  When we would pass a tea shop in the bazaar she would make a sipping gesture and ask:  “Chai meekhawheed?” (sp?) which I quickly figured out meant “Do you want some tea?” I learned the proper response in no-time flat “Adeh, chai meekhawham” (sp?), “Yes, I want some tea!”.  I also knew in that setting, I’d get it served Iranian style, with those fun chunks of rock sugar, something my mother would never  allow at home.  Wasn’t I a naughty little 10 year old?   Mom was always worrying about that evil, Mr. Tooth Decay (those old enough, remember him from the Colgate TV commercials in the late 50’s?).  Moms always over worry, don’t they?  My teeth haven’t all fallen out after all!  LOL  Wonder if Chai tea is served with rock sugar in India?  Sorry, I digress with my boring nostalgia trip………..

Cardamom Pods, cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon sticks

It was not until today, looking on the internet for the origins of the word CHAI, that I learned Indian hot chai tea, infused with all its lovely aromatic spices, actually gets its name from the Persian word for tea, CHAI (pronunced in Iran with second syllable stressed  CHA – EEEEEE )   Ya learn something everyday!

I really avoid commercial spice preparations as much as I can, what with all the “extras” they add to those prepared mixes, beaucoup salt and sugar.  So I decided to take the most common spices I can taste in a cup of chai tea and just make up my own, using equal amounts (roughly) of the likely spices.  I quickly learned it needs to be a little top-heavy with cinnamon and doubled that 1 ingredient.  The final spice blend, brewed into a 2-cup pot of tea, was DELICIOUS!  So I thought I’d share my new blend here with my readers.

I’m a lazy cook by nature and don’t like the nuisance of shelling cardamom seeds from those big pods, so once I saw that Penzey’s sells it already shelled, well you know I was on that one like a fly on flypaper!  🙂  I order already shelled cardamom seeds from Penzey’s Spices on-line or their catalog.  Therefore, I have no earthly idea how many cardamom pods it will take to yield 1 tsp. seeds, but probably around 10-15?  There are about 8-10 little black seeds in the average green cardamom pod.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (also available individually) from Amazon or here: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

INGREDIENTS:

¼” slice of fresh ginger root (about 1 tsp.)

6 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon (or 1 3″ stick broken up)

1 tsp. cardamom seeds

3/4 tsp. fennel seeds

DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder (I use a dedicated cheap coffee grinder for spices) and grind until all is pretty fine.  Store in a lidded jar in a dark cabinet or your refrigerator if you’re worried about the ginger.   To make tea from this spice blend, boil your water in a proper teakettle and add your teabag(s) or loose tea in an infuser (my pot has a built-in infuser that lifts in and out).  Add 1 tsp. Chai Spice Blend to the infuser along with your tea for every 2 cups of water/tea you want to serve.  Steep for 5 minutes with the lid on and serve in cups with milk or cream and sweetener of your choice.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:    Makes about 9 tsp. of spice blend, each teaspoon (amount to brew 2 cups chai tea) contains:

3 calories, 0.1 g  fat, 0.75 g carbs, 0.45 g  fiber, 0.3 g  NET CARBS, < 0.1g protein

Herb Spice Blend

This aromatic herbal blend I created to bake chicken, but I’ve since discovered it’s nice on baked fish or pork, too.  I figure since I tend to reach for the same herbs and spices to bake chicken over and over, why not create my own blend?  This blend, of course, would be suitable for all ketogenic diets.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends.  Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love!  Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

Shown on my delicious Shallot-Herb Baked Chicken

1 T. dried tarragon leaves, crushed

1 T. dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1 tsp.dried thyme leaves, crushed

2 T. dried parsley, crushed  (or ¼ c. fresh, chopped fine)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or dash cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp. Victoria Gourmet No-Salt Lemon Pepper

DIRECTIONS:   Mix all ingredients well in a bowl.  Stir well.  Spoon into a tightly lidded jar.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes 16 teaspoons.  Each teaspoon has:

3.5 calories

0.03 g  fat

0.62 g  carbs; 0.09 g  fiber, 0.53 g NET CARBS

0.06 g  protein

210 mg sodium

Ranch Dressing Powder Blend

Ranch Dressing Powder Blend

My husband loves Ranch Buttermilk Dressing on his salads, so I decided to take equal amounts of the herbs I had on hand that I suspect are in the Hidden Valley commercial blend and see what I could come up with.  Since the onion and garlic taste are so pronounced, I have added a lot of those two ingredients.  🙂

You will find dehydrated buttermilk powder in a small can in the baking aisle of your grocery store.  Most carry it.  If you can’t find it, just mix the herbs and spices.  There won’t be a buttermilk taste in the spice blend, but if using to make dressing, you can follow this Ranch Salad Dressing recipe, which I will be posting very soon.

This recipe is suitable for Atkins Induction, Keto dieters and Primal followers that consume some dairy.  One tablespoon of this blend should be equivalent to 1 envelope of the commercial powder mix.  1 envelope is enough to season 1 cup of the mayo-sour cream base for making the well-known salad dressing.  Of course, you can always add more if you like, since the net carbs are low.

TIP:  You can use fresh herbs for a better taste, but I’d make up half as much as it won’t keep so well using fresh herbs.  Use approximately double the shown amounts below if you use fresh herbs.  But know that it won’t keep in your refrigerator longer than the fresh herbs keep, the fresh parsley will be the first to spoil on you.  For this reason,, I double bag mine in plastic and freeze.  Then I break off a clump and defrost when I want 1 T. or so for a recipe.  If you use dried herbs as listed below, this blend should keep a long time in a tightly lidded jar in your spice rack/cabinet.  The buttermilk powder is room-temperature stable.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented cooks to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in the cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (also available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein.  I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS

1 T. dried chives  (or 2 T. fresh)

1 tsp. – 1 T. dried dill weed  (I prefer 1 tsp., personally, as I’m not fond of dill)

1 T. dried parsley (or 2 T. fresh)

½ tsp. dried thyme (or 1 tsp. fresh)

1 T. onion powder

1 T. garlic powder

1 tsp. coarse black pepper

1 T. dehydrated buttermilk powder

¼ tsp. salt (more if you like, but I’m salt sensitive)

DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process to a fine powdery mixture (won’t be so powdery if you use any fresh herbs).  If fresh herbs are used, you need to refrigerate and use this mix up in about a week, or freeze it flat in a plastic bag.  Then you can just pinch/break off (still frozen) what you need for a small batch of dressing or a recipe. 🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes 8 T. each contains:

12.3 calories

.11 g  fat

2.42 g  carbs, .38 g  fiber, 2.04 g  NET CARBS

.73 g  protein

80 mg sodium

Chai Tea Spice Blend

Chai Tea Spice Blend

We just love Indian Chai tea.  Having lived in Tehran, Iran for a couple of years when I was 10-12 years old, I just loved drinking their unspiced plain hot tea from the little 2″ tall sipping glasses they serve tea in there.   It always reminded me of my childhood days, playing “house” and having “tea parties” with my dolls.

In Iran, sugar was sold in huge solid blocks and they would just hammer off chunks, pop a piece into their mouths and sip the hot tea right through that sugar “cube”.  At age 10, what fun!  Pure sugar in your mouth!  🙂  What can I say?  My views on sugar sure have changed.  🙂  I very quickly learned considerable Pharci language at age 10, mostly from our maid, Fatimeh, who spoke little English.  When we would pass a tea shop in the bazaar she would make a sipping gesture and ask:  “Chai meekhawheed?” (sp?) which I quickly figured out meant “Do you want some tea?” I learned the proper response in no-time flat “Adeh, chai meekhawham” (sp?), “Yes, I want some tea!”.  I also knew in that setting, I’d get it served Iranian style, with those fun chunks of rock sugar, something my mother would never  allow at home.  Wasn’t I a naughty little 10 year old?   Mom was always worrying about that evil, Mr. Tooth Decay (those old enough, remember him from the Colgate TV commercials in the late 50’s?).  Moms always over worry, don’t they?  My teeth haven’t all fallen out after all!  LOL  Wonder if Chai tea is served with rock sugar in India?  Sorry, I digress with my boring nostalgia trip………..

Cardamom Pods, cloves, black peppercorns and cinnamon sticks

It was not until today, looking on the internet for the origins of the word CHAI, that I learned Indian hot chai tea, infused with all its lovely aromatic spices, actually gets its name from the Persian word for tea, CHAI (pronunced in Iran with second syllable stressed  CHA – EEEEEE )   Ya learn something everyday!

I really avoid commercial spice preparations as much as I can, what with all the “extras” they add to those prepared mixes, beaucoup salt and sugar.  So I decided to take the most common spices I can taste in a cup of chai tea and just make up my own, using equal amounts (roughly) of the likely spices.  I quickly learned it needs to be a little top-heavy with cinnamon and doubled that 1 ingredient.  The final spice blend, brewed into a 2-cup pot of tea, was DELICIOUS!  So I thought I’d share my new blend here with my readers.

I’m a lazy cook by nature and don’t like the nuisance of shelling cardamom seeds from those big pods, so once I saw that Penzey’s sells it already shelled, well you know I was on that one like a fly on flypaper!  🙂  I order already shelled cardamom seeds from Penzey’s Spices on-line or their catalog.  Therefore, I have no earthly idea how many cardamom pods it will take to yield 1 tsp. seeds, but probably around 10-15?  There are about 8-10 little black seeds in the average green cardamom pod.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (also available individually) from Amazon or here: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein.  I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

INGREDIENTS:

¼” slice of fresh ginger root (about 1 tsp.)

6 black peppercorns

10 whole cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon (or 1 3″ stick broken up)

1 tsp. cardamom seeds

3/4 tsp. fennel seeds

DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder (I use a dedicated cheap coffee grinder for spices) and grind until all is pretty fine.  Store in a lidded jar in a dark cabinet or your refrigerator if you’re worried about the ginger.   To make tea from this spice blend, boil your water in a proper teakettle and add your teabag(s) or loose tea in an infuser (my pot has a built-in infuser that lifts in and out).  Add 1 tsp. Chai Spice Blend to the infuser along with your tea for every 2 cups of water/tea you want to serve.  Steep for 5 minutes with the lid on and serve in cups with milk or cream and sweetener of your choice.  Rock sugar, too, if you can get it!  (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) LOL Just kidding, I don’t eat real sugar anymore.  🙂

NUTRITIONAL INFO:    Makes about 9 tsp. of spice blend, each teaspoon (amount to brew 2 cups chai tea) contains:

3 calories

.1 g  fat

.75 g carbs, .45 g  fiber, .3 g  NET CARBS

< .1g protein

Homemade “Cavender’s Greek” Seasoning

Click to enlarge

This is my version of the ever popular Cavender’s Greek Seasoning.  My brother, a professional chef before he retired, just LOVES his Cavender’s, in salad dressings, on fish and chicken, and even on vegetables.  My version is real close to the popular commercial product, but it has a more pronounced garlic/onion flavor and has no salt in it (I’m very sodium sensitive). I think you’ll  like my mock up of this flavorful blend.  This spice blend is suitable for all phases of Atkins, other Ketogenic diets and Primal-Paleo lifestyles as well.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein.  I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection

INGREDIENTS:

1 T. dill seed

1 T. black peppercorns

1 T. dried basil

1 T. dried oregano leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 T. granulated garlic

1 T. granulated onion

1 T. dried parsley flakes

1 T. dried rosemary

2 tsp. dried marjoram leaves

DIRECTIONS:   Mix ingredients in a bowl and transfer to a grinder (or your blender).  This may take several batches if using a dedicated coffee grinder like I use.  You want the blend fairly fine.  Store in an airtight jar in a dark cabinet with all your other spices.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes about 9 Tbsp. or 27 tsp.  Each teaspoon contains:

4.6 calories

.09 g  fat

1.0 g  carbs, .34 g fiber, .66 g  NET CARBS

2.1 mg potassium

1 mg sodium

Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

Recipes abound for mock ups of this very popular spice blend that McCormick created in their “Grillmates” line of seasonings, all varying by an ingredient or two, or the amounts of those ingredients. There are, however, similarities from one recipe to the other.  Those ingredients are in my blend below.  I’m not so fond of the chicken blend, but absolutely adore the steak blend.  For my blend, I have used less dill and coriander seed, (spices I’m not so fond of) and I use Smoked Spanish Paprika over regular paprika.  My blend is quite similar to the original but is more to my taste.  This is my favorite recipe with this spice blend:   Montreal Baked Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. whole black peppercorns

2 tsp. dill seed

1 tsp. coriander seed

2 T. Smoked Spanish paprika (or regular)

1 T. granulated garlic

1 T. minced dried onion

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:  Place all ingredients into a spice grinder or blender and pulse a couple times to coarsely grind.  Place in airtight, lidded jar and store.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes 20 teaspoons.  Each tsp. contains:

7.4 calories

.18 g  fat

1.6 g carbs, .59 g  fiber, 1.01 g  NET CARBS

.33 g  protein

1 mg sodium

Smoky Chipotle Spice Blend

Click to enlarge

My inspiration for this spice blend was a jar of Smoky Paprika Chipotle Seasoning by Victoria Gourmet: http://www.vgourmet.com/Smoky-Paprika-Chipotle-Seasoning/p/VIC-00146&c=VictoriaGourmet@SeasoningBlends .   Alas, my jar of this tasty blend is about gone, so I have attempted to mix up a batch of my own.  I have no earthly idea of the ratios of the ingredients they use in their blend, but my first stab at recreating it is not bad if I do say so myself.  Clearly not quite the same, but not bad. This is suitable for all phases of Atkins. Paleo and Primal followers can enjoy this blend as well.  Remember, peppers and paprika are nightshades, so if you are allergic/sensitive to nightshades, you should avoid this spice mix.

This spice blend is a delicious addition to your favorite Mexican casseroles, at a ratio of 1 tsp. to a large 9×13 casserole.  Adding 1 tsp. to 1/3 c. homemade mayonnaise will produce a lovely condiment for charbroiled burgers.  It takes an ordinary chicken or turkey sandwich to a whole new flavor level. I find the flavor of chipotle mayo almost addictive and good on a variety of things, including broiled seafood!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tsp. dried ground guajillo pepper, seeded & ground (very mild pepper)

2 T. chili powder

2 T. paprika (I used Smoky Spanish Paprika from Penzey’s)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground oregano

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

3/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder

1 T. mesquite flour  [Optional, but brings more smoky flavor to the party!]

DIRECTIONS:  Seed and grind a dried guajillo pepper in a spice grinder or your blender until fairly fine.  Measure out 1 tsp. of the mixture into a small bowl (store the rest in a plastic sandwich bag or lidded jar if any is leftover).   Measure out all remaining ingredients listed above and stir well.  Store in a tightly lidded jar, preferably in a cabinet away from sunlight.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes around 1/3 c. spice mix or 15 tsp.  Each teaspoon contains:

10 cals. 0.33g fat, 2g carbs, 0.95g fiber, 1.05g NET CARBS, 0.39g protein, 12 mg sodium

8-Seed Spice Blend

Peggy’s 8-Seed Spice Blend

I’ve grown quite fond of a spice mixture I stumbled upon in my local Marshall’s last year.  It is called 7-Seed Crust by Victoria Gourmet.  I absolutely adore this flavor in or on the tops of my low-carb rolls, focaccia and flax crackers.  As it’s fairly expensive, I decided to try and reproduce it myself at home.  I poured it out on a sheet of white paper to compare what I can see with the naked eye and what is listed on the back of the bottle.  I can clearly see all the listed ingredients except fennel.  I see it neither whole or crushed.  There is also no licorice fennel flavor to this blend, so I’m assuming it doesn’t really have fennel in it.

Shown on my Gluten-Free Grain Free Focaccia bread

Next problem is how much of each item should I use?  This is proprietary information, so it’s a sheer guess really. Visibly, there appear to be equal amounts of the various colored/shaped seeds in this mix, but I find the taste of onion and garlic to be decidedly pronounced, so I am going to opt to use a little more of these than the other seeds and spices. I also decided to add Nigella (also known as onion seed, black caraway, kalongi and charnushka).  It has a peppery, caraway flavor and I think it will enhance this blend for use on savory baked goods.  Calculating the nutritional information was extremely difficult, as number for spices are difficult to obtain.  The amount of carbs in 1 tsp. in under 1, so I’m not going to worry about using 1-2 tsp. of this in future.  My end spice blend is very close to the VG brand product, perhaps a little more black peppery, but overall, I’m very pleased.  Mine isn’t exactly the same, but I didn’t really expect to get an exact match.   By the way, my blend below does not have the sea salt the original blend has.  I don’t like to put salt in my spices so I will know exactly how much total salt is going into a recipe.  I always add my salt separately.   I know this spice blend will be good on any of your savory low-carb rolls, breads or crackers.   This is of course suitable for all phased of Atkins and Primal-Paleo as well, since quinoa is also actually a seed.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own set of Jennifer Eloff and friends’ best-selling cookbooks LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS.  She has collaborated with famous low-carb Chef George Stella and several other talented chefs to bring you a wealth of delicious recipes you are going to want to try.  Even a few of my recipes are in her cookbooks! Order your 5-volume set TODAY! (available individually) from Amazon or: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not get paid for this book promotion or for the inclusion of my recipes therein.  I do so merely because they are GREAT cookbooks any low-carb cook would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

1 T. coriander seeds

1 T. black peppercorns (I use a mixture of black and red)

2 T. dehydrated onion (I used dried shallot)

1 T. sesame seeds

1 T. caraway seeds

1 T. Nigella seeds (available in Indian groceries or from Penzey’s)

1 T. dark whole flax seeds

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 T. poppy seeds

2 T. dehydrated minced garlic (not powder), found at Sam’s

1 T. quinoa

DIRECTIONS:  Put the first 3 ingredients into a grinder.  I have a dedicated coffee grinder I use just for spices.  Pulse the grinder a few times, checking often, breaking these larger items up a bit, DO NOT reduce them to a powder.  You want them coarse ground.  Place this mix into a medium bowl.  Measure and add all remaining ingredients and spoon into a lidded jar.  Always store spices in a dark, cool cabinet away from heat sources.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:    Makes about 3/4 c., 12 T. or 36 tsp.  Each tsp. of the spice blend contains:

9.2 calories

.49 g  fat

1.04 g  carbs, .39 g fiber, .65 g NET CARBS

.31 g protein

Herb Spice Blend

This little blend I created to bake chicken, but it’s nice on baked fish, too.  I figured since I tend to reach for the same herbs and spices to bake chicken over and over, why not create my own blend?  It is great on baked chicken and as I said, is nice on fish and baked pork chops or pork roasts.  This, of course, is suitable for all ketogenic diets.

More delicious low-carb recipes can be at your fingertips with your very own cookbooks from LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS, by Jennifer Eloff and low-carb friends.  Chef George Stella also brings you a wealth of delicious recipes you will love!  Order yours TODAY! from Amazon or our direct order site: http://amongfriends.us/order.php

DISCLAIMER: I do not accept payment for this book promotion. I promote the books because they are GREAT cookbooks anyone would be proud to add to their cookbook collection.

INGREDIENTS:

Shown on Shallot-Herb Chicken

1 T. dried tarragon leaves, crushed

1 T. dried rosemary leaves, crushed

1 tsp.dried marjoram leaves, crushed

2 T. dried parsley, crushed  (or ¼ c. fresh, chopped fine)

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or dash cayenne pepper (optional)

1 tsp. Victoria Gourmet No-Salt Lemon Pepper

DIRECTIONS:   Mix all ingredients well in a bowl.  Stir well.  Spoon into a tightly lidded jar.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  Makes 16 teaspoons.  Each teaspoon has:

3.5 calories

.03 g  fat

.62 g  carbs; .09 g  fiber, .53 g NET CARBS

.06 g  protein

210 mg sodium

Moroccan Spice Blend

If we move down along the Mediterranean coast on our travels, we reach Morocco.  A place I’ve never been but think I would like to go there one day.  I have always loved their detailed wood art, wooden furniture, metal art and tile crafts. 

I’ve only tried to create a few Moroccan dishes based on my reading of a few recipes there.  This spice mixture is very similar to Baharat spice in other Arab countries.  I think you’ll like it.  Delicious  with everything I’ve tested it on so far.   It’s great with grilled meats, or in water-braised dishes and stews.  It really lends itself to dried fruit added to your meat dishes as well.  I tried it one time on a grilled fish and it was most excellent used that way.  As most spice mixtures, it is Atkins Induction Phase friendly.

INGREDIENTS:

4 T. Smoked Spanish paprika

4    3″ sticks cinnamon, broken up, (about 3 T. if using ground cinnamon)

¼-½ tsp. cayenne, depending on taste

3 T. coriander seed

1 rounded tsp. whole cloves (about ½ tsp. ground cloves)

1 tsp. cardamom seeds, removed from their outer pod/husk

1 T. coarse black pepper

3 T. cumin seed (whole)

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS:  Measure all UNGROUND spice seeds/kernels into a dry, non-stick skillet.   Turn heat to high and roast spices a couple minutes until they become very fragrant.  Turn off heat and cool.  Run through a spice grinder or coffee grinder dedicated to just spices.  Grind pretty fine.  Add any UNGROUND spices you used, mix well and spoon into a lidded jar.  Store in a dark cabinet as is proper for all spices.  

NUTRITIONAL INFO:   Makes about 1 cup or 16 Tablespoons.  One tablespoon is about how much you would use for a 4-serving braised entrée or to grill fish or meat for four people.  One tablespoon contains:  

18.4 cals, 0.75g fat, 3.78g carbs, 2.28g fiber, 1.5g NET CARBS, 0.71 g  protein, trace sodium

Baharat Middle Eastern Spice Blend

Moving a little west of Iran on our food journey, we would be in Iraq.  When I was attending UT Austin, two of the fellows in my future husband’s social circle and roommates were Middle Eastern.  One, Sabah, was a native Iraqi and Farouk, whose father was Syrian and his mother was French (so he was fluent in French).  Farouk and I were even in a French literature class together there.  They often talked about the good foods from their native countries, both insisting the rice from their country was the best in the world.   Having never tasted rice from either country, I always said I personally couldn’t imagine any rice being better than that we ate in Iran.  

Intrigued about our culinary discussions I read in a Middle Eastern cookbook about Baharat Spice.  Never gave it another thought until after I married and started doing a little Mid-East cooking myself.  Baharat is quite common throughout all the Middle Eastern nations along the Mediterranian:  Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan,  even in Iraq.  I don’t recall it in Iran, but it might be possible they may have used it, too.  This spice mixture varies somewhat from country to country, and even from kitchen to kitchen.  I have seen recipes for it that also have dried mint and hot red chili pepper.  My husband is particularly fond of beef and lamb dishes made with this spice blend.

A couple of years after our tour in Iran, Dad was teaching at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and was asked to ‘sponsor’ a visiting Iraqi officer stationed there for 6 weeks (military command school there).  Sponsoring a newcomer in the military means to help them feel welcome to the base/post, the city, the country, and to show them the ropes of American culture they have been abruptly immersed in.  Dad’s experience mixing with many Iranian officers gave him the experience to do so.

To make a long story short, This Iraqi officer dined in our home several times and before he went back home to Iraq, he insisted my mother allow him to cook us a traditional Iraqi dinner.  Let me just say it was delicious beyond words!  He was quite impressed my mother had Iranian rice on hand (200 lb. of which we had shipped back home with us when we left Iran, it’s THAT unusual and THAT good!).  He was blown away that she also knew how to prepare it traditionally, to create that wonderful nutty-tasting, crusty browned layer at the bottom of the rice pot that is so prized at the Middle Eastern dinner table.

He was also impressed she already had all the requisite spices to prepare his special meal.  Being a veteran recipe collector, Mom wrote down every little thing he was threw into pot the next morning lest she forget.  Sadly, I have not found it amongst her recipe collection or I would post it for you.

This spice mixture is also good in regional seafood dishes, on grilled fish and for most lamb recipes.  I use it on beef kebab as well.

INGREDIENTS:

2 T. black peppercorns

1 whole nutmeg, grated

1 tsp. turmeric

2 T. paprika

1 tsp. allspice

1 T. cumin seed

1 T. coriander seed

1 stick cinnamon, 3″ long (yields 1 tsp. ground)

1 tsp. cloves, whole (or allspice)

1 tsp. cardamom seed (Removed from outer husk/pod coating

DIRECTIONS: Break up the cinnamon stick a bit and place in spice grinder.  Grind until quite powdery.  Add all other spices and grind as fine as possible.  Depending on the size of your grinder, you may have to grind these in batches and then stir up in a bowl.  Place spice blend in an air tight jar and store in dark cupboard.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes about 1/2 cup (8 T.) of spice mixture.  Each tsp. contains:

6 calories, 0.26 g  fat, 1.25 g  carbs, 0.6 g fiber, 0.65 g NET CARBS, 0.24 g protein, 0 mg sodium

Dad’s Poultry Seasoning

My Dad, the REAL cook in the family, made a lot of his own spice blends.  This was one he nailed!  I got ready to make some holiday cornbread dressing and realized I was completely out of this and had to make a batch today.  So I thought I’d share his special blend again today.  It’s a little more intense, with a little less sage, but I think much better tasting than commercial poultry seasoning, with the garlic powder and cayenne in it.  But it’s definitely not real “hot” from the cayenne.  In a 9×13 pan of dressing, I tend to use 1T.+2 tsp. of this mixture. This recipe usually lasts me about a year, as I use it fairly frequently.  It’s great in stuffing, on roast pork, pork chops and baked chicken.

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INGREDIENTS:

1½ T. dried sage

1½ T. onion powder

1½ T.  black pepper

1½ T. celery seed (not celery SALT)

1 T. + 2 tsp. dried thyme

1½ T. dried marjoram

2¼ tsp. dried rosemary

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and spoon into dark, tinted storage jar with a tight lid.  Or store in a dark cabinet.  Spices store best away from light exposure.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes about 11 tablespoons (33 teaspoons).  Each tsp. contains:

4.79 cals, 0.12g fat, 0.95g carbs, 0.31g fiber, 0.64g NET CARBS, 0.18g protein, 1 mg. sodium

Shawarma Spice for Chicken

As we travel south out of Turkey, we hit the Arab nations of Syria, Lebanon and Israel.  I have been to Beirut, but quite honestly, didn’t find the foods there to be very different from those in Greece, Turkey and Iran.  They do the stuffed grape leaves, hummus, tabouleh, grilled kibbeh meat kebabs and a lot of rice dishes with lentils, nuts and dried fruit.

One flavor I assocoiate with Middle Eastern dining is the taste of cumin in their dishes.  I’ve mentioned before how much we love a chicken Shawarma spice mixture we used to buy at the Phoenicia Deli/Importer on Westheimer in Houston, TX.  I believe the family that owned it was Egyptian, but not certain about that.  My huge 1# bag of the spice was getting real low so I decided I better try to come up with my own version before it was totally gone and I would lose the capability to compare any trials to the flavor of the real thing!  Houston is 3 hours away, so buying another isn’t an option and they do not have a website for placing orders.  😦

So I took my almost container of this spice and studied/smelled it closely.  First I went for visual clues as to its possible ingredients. I could clearly see black pepper in it.  It had a yellow hue, so turmeric was there.  I could smell and taste cumin in it.  I could see bits of coriander seed husk in it.  Then I tasted it over and over and gave up of gleaning further information.  I decided I’d just go for it and mix up the few things I felt certain were there.  I could definitely detect a little “bite” on my tongue, so I also included a bit of cayenne to my final recipe.

I usually start with equal amounts of spices when creating a blend, backing off a bit on cayenne, as I con’t likek things too hot, and their shawarma blend was not “hot” at all really.  When stirred and tasted, something was missing.  Seemed a bit flat.  So I decided spunked it up with a little onion and garlic powder.  A little of those never hurt anything!  Finally I was getting real close to the real blend!  Here’s the final result of my endeavor.  It does not disappoint.

INGREDIENTS:

3 T. ground cumin seed

2 T. ground coriander seed

1 T. turmeric

1 T. black pepper

1 tsp. cayenne

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

DIRECTIONS:  Mix all on a paper plat.  Curl/fold plate and pour contents into a lidded jar.  Store spices in a dark cabinet.  This is sprinkled on broiled chicken or chicken that you plan to grill outside for the famous Shawarma chicken sandwich wraps. I find I also like it on a plain cooked ground beef patty or broiled fish, on oven-roasted chicken and even roasted vegetables!  I like it so much I always put 1-2 T. of it into a double batch of my homemade mayonnaise recipe.  Mmm.  That is good on all sandwiches and makes a great dressing for your meat wraps!

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 8 T. or 24 tsp.  One tsp. contains:

7.2 cals, 0.27 g  fat, 1.28 g  carbs, 0.47 g fiber, 0.81 g NET CARBS, 0.27 g protein, trace sodium

Seafood Spice Blend

Cajun Seafood Spice Blend

This is my version of Emeril’s Cajun seafood spice blend.  It is good on all seafood in my opinion.  But it is also good on pork.  I’ve even used it on roasted vegetables tossed in olive oil and roasted at 450º.   That, I’m here to tell ya, is absolutely delicious.  Hope you like the lovely spice blend.  I use it on something every single week!  You’ll notice I don’t put any salt in my spice blends.  I like to control the salt in recipes and may forget it’s in the blend, add more when making some recipe and ending up with a too salty dish.  This solves that problem.  So you will NOT see any salt in my spice blends, EVER.

INGREDIENTS:

7 T. paprika

4 T. garlic powder

2 ½ T. crushed oregano

3 T. ground thyme

3 T. onion powder

2 T. black pepper

1 T. cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: Mix all ingredients and put in convenient shaker.   Once you try this on baked fish, Cajun recipes and seafood, you’ll be using a LOT of it!  I sure do!

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

serving size = 1/4 tsp. which contains:

5 calories

0 g  fat

1.5 g  carbs

0 g  fiber

0 g  protein

Garam Masala – Indian Spice Blend

My husband and I just love Indian food!!  There are garam masala blends available for sale ready-made, but like other blends, they can vary widely in flavor from bottle to bottle.  I haven’t found any commercial blends I like and most have been tossed out.

After experimenting with so many garam masala recipes, this is one that we keep coming back to and that has now become my “permanent recipe”.  This mix is well worth adding to your spice rack.  It is a little heavy with cinnamon, but we like that to round out the sharp coriander, which can be too strong in some recipes for this blend.  You won’t be sorry you added this to your arsenal of culinary “secrets”.   I have found it to be good in all curries, on all grilled meats and even on broiled or grilled seafood and Indian vegetable recipes.  It is also nice in a few dessert applications. Type “Indian” in the search box to see an array of Indian recipes here on my site to try this spice in sometime. They are all tried-and-true recipes I’ve cooked many times.  Give them a try some time!

INGREDIENTS:

6 T. coriander seeds
3 T. cumin seeds
2 T. black peppercorns
1 T. whole cardamom pods (outer part and seeds inside)
5  small cinnamon sticks broken into small pieces
2  tsp. whole cloves
1  whole grated nutmeg (about 1 tsp)

DIRECTIONS:  In a dry skillet, over low heat, heat the first 6 spices until they become very fragrant. This step is most important, so do not skip it or your results won’t be as good.  When fragrant, turn off heat and remove pan from stove.   Using a spice/coffee grinder (I have a cheap dedicated coffee grinder for spices only), grind all toasted spices to a pretty fine grind, but it doesn’t have to be as fine as salt.  Add grated nutmeg at this point.  When adding this spice to curry recipes, I once again heat the dry skillet and reheat these until they become fragrant and then proceed with whatever recipe I’m making. This is outstanding in all chicken, beef and fish curries.  It’s great on charcoal grilled, buttered  fish and chicken, too!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Each teaspoon contains:

6  calories, 0.31 g.  fat, 1.1 g.  carbs, 0.6 g.  fiber, 0.23 g.   protein, 0.5 g. NET CARBS