Delicious & Nutritious
By: Pam Smith, RDN
Cumin seeds are aromatic and potent, with the ability to significantly change the flavor of a dish. They are featured prominently in Mexican, Mediterranean, Indian, Middle Eastern, and certain Chinese cuisines. Back in the Middle Ages, cumin was one of the most popular - and most accessible - condiments for the Europeans. As is usually the case with spices that have been in use for thousands of years, cumin contains potent antioxidants and appears to provide a number of potential health benefits: serving as a blood sugar stabilizing agent, fighting osteoporosis, boosting immune function, and increasing energy thanks to being loaded with iron.
Often seen as “the sweetheart spice,” cocoa is nutritious and easy to add to your diet in creative ways. Use non-alkalized cocoa powder (which is just chocolate minus its natural fat - cocoa butter) or dark chocolate containing more than 70% cocoa to maximize health benefits. If chocolate is a guilty pleasure, then unsweetened cocoa powder is worth spooning up, guilt-free.
Use It:
Cumin’s nutty peppery flavor packs a punch when it comes to adding to chili and other Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, as well as playing an important role in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine where it is a key component of curry powder. It adds an exotic flair to rice, legumes, and vinaigrettes, and is delicious when added to vegetables before sautéing or roasting.
Cumin is a key ingredient in several P.S. Flavor!™ spice blends, including Texy Taco, Cha Cha Chili, Moroccan Spice, and Chili Lime.
Get your cumin in your meals with some of these nutritious & delicious P.S. Flavor!™ Club recipes:
… and don’t forget Texy Taco Tuesdays!
