Spice It With Herbs! New Delicious Product

BS"D

Hello everyone!

Wouldn’t it be nice to never nag your children about eating healthily? And to not have to beg, “Will you just taste one bite of this heavenly cauliflower or amazing soup”?

I feel like it’s my duty as a parent to offer healthy food. I do know about food disorders and not to force children to eat. But honestly, I just want them to taste! And I'd be perfectly happy if they had one spoon of vegetables per meal. Don’t ask me if they get that spoon!

I do do some tricks. I don't like to lie. So it gets tricky. Like last night (I sure hope my son doesn’t read this article) my son wanted to know every single ingredient in the salmon patties I made. Now it turns out they were really tasty and he liked them. But they did contain ground up zucchini. If I would tell him about it, he would have no problem skipping supper and going to bed hungry. He’s that picky. So I went through the ingredients. The salmon, the tuna, the onion (somehow he’s okay with that), the eggs, the salt and spices (the spices I will introduce in a moment) and the bread crumbs (sourdough, have no fear!). He then asked me, and what else? Is there anything else? I hemmed and hawed, mentioned the olive oil sprinkled on top, mentioned that I didn’t remember the bread crumb ingredients exactly (it was from the freezer), and then tried to change the subject. He was insistent that I tell him if there was anything else! Somehow then my other kids got annoyed and said, “Mommy told you everything! Just eat it now!” so I didn’t have to lie, and he ate his patties (I did see him analyzing them though). Just to explain his hesitation, once I had the audacity to include quinoa in the patties and when he found out after eating about eight of them, he was soooo mad. So now he just wants to make sure.

But nowadays I put together some crushed herbs in a spice jar, and I sprinkle these herbs over everything, if I remember. Somehow my kids aren’t anti-spices, so that’s allowed. Little do they know how very healthy and special these spices are.

I call it Spice it with Herbs. I adjusted the recipe from Rosemary Gladstar and am so grateful that it’s working out.

I use this on popcorn, on pizza, on salad, rice pasta, on roast vegetables, in oil dips, chicken, fish, and whatever else I could think of. It’s a way of not having to say, can you please eat something healthy? Just, “Anyone want some spice?” or better yet, I don’t even say anything. It just gets on their food.

A friend of mine told me that when they were children, both she and her husband did not like to eat vegetables. But now she loves vegetables and her husband still can’t stand them. She thought about why they were so different if they started out the same and came to the conclusion that while it was true she didn’t like vegetables, her mother insisted on serving them every dinner. She still didn’t eat them but there they were, on the table, for her to look at. Her husband’s mother gave up and never served him vegetables at all. So there you go, there is hope even for anti-vegetable eaters, you just have to keep serving them and one day they will be enticed.

I’d love to share the ingredients with you. You can purchase my mix or make your own. Get creative and use what your family will like.

Here goes. (You can use equal amounts of each, or more or less of some. Play around with them.)

Basil: has powerful antioxidants that

protect from free radicals, and volatile oils that protect against bacteria, molds and yeasts. Has lots of minerals and vitamins K, A and C.

Thyme: has lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, having potential to kill off bacteria including MRSA. Also good for acne

Oregano: one of the highest antioxidant rich foods, it has anti-cancer properties and also has folate, magnesium, vitamin A, and potassium. It is associated with lower cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Garlic: antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antihypertensive and antitumor. Those benefits probably need to come from fresh garlic, so in this spice jar the garlic is more for flavor, and maybe offers a smaller amount of the benefits that you’d get from the fresh source.

Sesame seeds: bone building, has healthy fats, proteins and fiber, and lowers cholesterol.

Moringa: has 19 out of 20 amino acids. Is a cardiac and circulatory stimulant, possesses antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, anti inflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities

Kelp: this powdered seaweed is a superfood. It is iodine-rich and used to treat hypothyroidism, aids weight loss and diabetes-prevention, fights cancer, is used in blood diseases and helps with bone strength.

Black Pepper: is anti tumor, liver-protective, fights inflammation, reduces unfriendly oral bacteria, can fight depression(!), good for digestion, brain health and blood pressure.

Celery salt: is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, alleviates arthritis and gout, helps regulate blood pressure, and can reduce menstrual cramps.

Cayenne Pepper: boosts metabolism, fights colds and flus, is antifungal, anti-cancer, is very high in vitamin A, excellent for digestion and ulcers, prevents blood clots (this is major!), and relieves pain. It can also be used topically for conditions like psoriasis.

Nutritional Yeast: packed with fiber, protein, B vitamins, zinc, selenium, iron, folate and more. Good for digestion, immune function, for pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby, and to restore vitamin B12 to those deficient.

I want to note something important: if someone has one of the aforementioned conditions and wants to take an herb to remedy it, ask advice from a nutritionist or herbalist. You'd probably want a lot more of each ingredient. For example, I know someone who has a jar of cayenne pepper he uses at every single meal, and he sprinkles it generously and says it’s great for his heart and for so many things. He is pretty incredibly active for his age, yet I’m sure he has other healthy habits as well.

What I mean to do is to give a disclaimer that using this spice won’t necessarily clear up huge problems. For that you need more serious nutrition, if you are going that route. But what it could do is slowly build up good minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that over time make your body stronger and efficient.

In short, you can’t go wrong with this delicious and chock-full-of-nutrition spice. So order yours, or make your own blend. But take advantage of its good taste and slip it into your family’s meals. A little at a time will slowly build up till you get lots of benefits iy”H.

May we all be healthy, happy, peaceful, and close to our Creator.

Have a great day and a wonderful Shabbos!

Nechama Dina Smith