Everyone is creative and crafty these days. And everyone is thinking about healthful additions to our lifestyle. Combine the fun of these joys as you craft fun healthful gifts this [and future] holiday season to give the gift of foodie fun, health, vibrance, spirit & flavor! Read our Avanti post on the Ron&Lisa blog for more!
Spices, herbs & seeds are
among the most invigorating and body nurturing ingredients. So for the holidays, why not put your
culinary knowledge and creativity into practice for flavorful herb & spice
gift blends. We all pay attention
to the new trend of integrative medicine and nutrition. We get so much new info on what to eat
from Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil, Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Amen and more. And it’s great stuff. Like Lucy Ricardo said so many years
ago, “We can spoon our way to health!”
But all this info can be overwhelming. Oregano is an anti viral, cloves are anti bacterial,
turmeric & ginger are anti inflammatory. Fennel and hibiscus are good for high blood pressure. Cinnamon & nopales regulate blood
sugar. Chili pepper stimulates the
cardio vascular system. And so on
and so forth. So as your interest
and knowledge increase and your spice cabinet explodes, how many curries can we
eat on a daily basis. Instead of
spending too much time reaching for multiple jars in front of the stove, plan
ahead and create great tasting & health boosting spice blends, in a fun
filled creative hour in the kitchen.
Think regional flavors, think specific health benefits, think overall
wellness then get out your measuring spoons and combine stuff. I like a mixture of ground spices,
whole seeds & dried herbs. Go
for Italian, Thai, Mexican, French, Japanese Spanish, Lebanese and more. Whip up some fun labels with a list of
ingredients and serving suggestions, pack the blends into wee zip bags or
larger glass jars. Blooming spices
in a little evoo, avocado or sesame oil creates a ton of flavor right
away. Cooking is fast, flavorful
and fun if you plan ahead. And the
spicy gifts you give nurture body (taste nutmeg, cumin, peppermint), soul
(mediate on lavender, sesame, chamomile & lemon balm) and mind (think sage,
saffron, rosemary, garlic & basil).
Give a tasteful hand blended gift of culinary pizzazz this holiday
season. When you begin to research
the health benefits of herbs, seeds and spices you’ll find that many are across
the board powerhouses. Ginger,
turmeric, chili peppers (including sweet paprika, for those that don’t like
heat), sage, rosemary, parsley, saffron, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, basil,
lavender and fennel are on almost every list. Spend some time online and make up your own mind as you dream
up concoctions that will fill your senses with fragrance and tantalizing flavor
as they soothe and support your body’s health.
Eating
Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win Situation!
Eat, Live
& Party Well
Blog post
by Chef Mark Cleveland
Avanti is
the longstanding leader in organic, sustainable, local, flavorful cuisine in
Orange County, CA.
Meaning
'forward' in Italian, Avanti Natural is a culinary philosophy that integrates
the best of traditional European and Asian healthful eating with the latest
nutritional information for optimum health.
At Avanti
Natural, we believe that you don't have to sacrifice taste to eat healthy. You can Eat Well & Live Well. Follow us on social media to see what
Avanti is up to now. We are
Whole Foods Experts. Post photos
of your versions of Avanti Natural recipes on our Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter,
YouTube and Instagram pages. Check
our blog on the website for how to recipe blogs. We’re excited to see and share your culinary creativity!
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