Modern spice labels from Paper and Pear on Etsy
Do you have a drawer full of spices you don’t use?
Are they more than six months old?
If so, it’s time to toss those puppies!
Well, first you can do the smell test. If they don’t smell like anything in the bottle, they’re not going to make your food taste good.
Go through that drawer. Do the smell test and toss the ones that don’t smell like anything.
If you have spices that smell ok, but that you never use, consider giving them away. Or you can search online for recipes that use that particular spice and get creative!
Look I’m going to keep it real.
This is a photo of my spice rack in my kitchen. It’s full to the brim of spices. I use many of them now and then, but there are only a handful of spices I use all the time.
Italian Seasoning
I’m in love with Italian Seasoning because it’s a mix of all my favourite flavours: basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. I use it on everything from roasted potatoes to soups, burgers and even eggs! I use it if I want a bit of a milder, Mediterranean flavour.
Smoked Paprika
I love smoked paprika for its… well… smokiness! I use it all the time on sweet potatoes, chilli, tacos, roasted cauliflower to name a few.
Chilli Powder
Chilli powder is not just for chilli! I use it on the same types of foods as smoked paprika. In fact, most times I use them together. You can also use it on fish! It adds a nice kick with a bit of lime juice.
Cumin
As with smoked paprika and chilli powder, I use cumin on everything from potatoes to curries. I get very sad if I don’t have cumin in the cupboard!
Garlic powder
Garlic powder is one of those spices that really doesn’t have the same nutritional punch as real garlic but I love using it in burgers, potatoes and other roasted veggies. It really kicks up the flavour profile to the next level.
Turmeric
I use turmeric mostly for nutritional and anti-inflammatory purposes. I use a ton in curries, warm drinks, and smoothies. If you have sore muscles from working out or sore joints from walking, add 1/4 tsp of turmeric or more a day to your soups, curries and drinks!
Cinnamon
Last but not least is cinnamon! Cinnamon is delicious on top of oatmeal, cereals, hot chocolate, coffee elixirs and even in some soups and stews!
That’s it! I have a ton of others, but these are what I use the most. Go through your cupboards to assess what you use and rearrange your cupboards so they’re easily accessible. Then start thinking of how you can use your other spices too so they don’t go to waste.
If I don’t know how to use a particular spice or ingredient, I use Duck Duck Go to search for ways to use it. Try it!
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