Some people derive great benefit from medicinal herbs and other supplements, but don’t enjoy swallowing capsules and pills. For this crowd, learning to incorporate these herbs into daily cooking projects may be the best way to get the full dose. We’ve got some ideas that will help you adapt normal meals to include almost any herb in your cabinet.
Take Advantage of Strong Flavors
If you like food that’s well-spiced (as in flavorful, not simply spicy), this can be a great way to camouflage herbs that don’t taste the best. Sprinkle powdered herbs on pizzas, mix them into casseroles, or add them to your favorite taco seasoning after cooking your protein. In general, try to add your herbs from Starwest Botanicals only after cooking the main dish, as heat can denature the active ingredient in the herb. Alternately, make sure your herb is incorporated deep within the dish during cooking, as this will increase temperature but will protect the herb from direct heat. Non-herbal supplements like whey protein can stand up to a bit more heat, and are also more mellow in flavor, so they can be mixed with just about anything.
Savory Bakes are Your Friend
If you love savory bakes like breads and scones, these can be a great place to park some medicinal herbs. Again, try to meld your medicinals with flavors that will be more pronounced in the final bake, or at least ones that are harmonious with your herbal additions. Brown breads, seed loaves, and fruit breads (apricots, berries, apples) can all create a tasty backdrop for most any herbal addition. Mixed safely away into dough, almost all of your herbs will be away from the direct heat at the crust, and will more than likely survive the journey through your oven.
Tonics
Tonic beverages have been used for millennia to make medicine tasty. You’ll have to do your own research to create your best blends, but this is definitely a good strategy to examine if you work with herbs like turmeric or rosehip. The key to a good tonic is to meld the sweet with the savory or bitter, resulting in a beverage that’s both enjoyable and nutritious. Start with a flavor foundation using things like citrus fruit, mint, cocoa, kefir, or any other healthful liquid you enjoy. Amp up the nutritional factor with herbs (powders, tinctures, tea made from whole leaves, etc.) and experiment with blend until you have the perfect tincture for your taste.
Smoothies
Perhaps the simplest way to consume powdered herbs and supplements is by mixing them into a smoothie. You’ve got to be careful with this method, because if you don’t enjoy the flavor of an herb, too much of it can overpower a tasty smoothie. As with our other methods, balance challenging flavors with bold, bright ingredients you enjoy. Strawberries, raw honey, bananas, and yogurt all pack a lot of flavor, and will mix well with plenty of herbs in your
Make Homemade Spice Blends
One of the best ways to derive benefit from an herb is to make it a routine part of your day. Making a DIY seasoned salt or savory herb blend may be just the ticket, and you’ll find yourself sprinkling these fortified flavor enhancers to three meals a day. As always, carefully blend the medicinal with the culinary, allowing big, yummy flavors like basil to carry medicinal herbs that aren’t as familiar to your mealtime palette.
Not sure about homemade? Try these pre-packaged blends from Starwest Botanicals instead.
- Pau D Arco Bark
- Organic Kelp Powder
- Organic Turmeric Root Powder
- Fo-Ti Root Powder Organic
- Cayenne Pepper Powder
- Beeswax Slabs Yellow Filtered
As you can see, there are myriad ways to bring powdered herbs and supplements into your diet, without dramatically changing the way you eat and drink. Try a few of these methods at home and seriously boost the nutritional power of your next mealtime.
