Contest: Spice Up Your Health!

March is National Nutrition Month, and we're celebrating by running a spice-themed recipe contest!  Spices are a great way to create healthy, nutritious meals (scroll down for our Top 10 list).  Reduce salt and fat, and instead use herbs and spices to jazz up savory dishes.  Back off of sugar, and use warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to liven sweet treats.  And go heavy on the garlic — garlic is believed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  Below are some of our most recent creations using spices from Trader Joe's.

We have some terrific spice-themed prizes set aside for you, so send in your original recipe for a healthy entree using bottled herbs & spices from Trader Joe's.  Are you a grill master with a killer rub recipe?  Do your dishes fill the room with interesting spicy aromas?  We want to hear about it!  We will judge winners based on creativity, flavor, and ease of preparation. 
Please email recipe entries to contest@cookingwithtraderjoes.com by midnight, March 27, 2009.  U.S. Residents only.

1st prize: Spice Stack organizer* (holds 18 bottles and even includes pre-printed
    shelf labels), granite mortar & pestle, microplane zester, nesting prep bowls
2nd prize: Spice Stack organizer*
3rd prize: The Spice and Herb Bible reference guide

*The Spice Stack has 3 drawers that slide out and pivot down so you can easily reach all your spices. It's the perfect organizing solution for spice lovers!  Sorry, spices not included.

Here are some recipes from our latest newsletter to get you going:

Minted Lamb Kebabs
Turkish Minted Kebabs
These kebabs are wonderful with lamb, but also tasty with beef.  Serve on a bed of couscous or Middle Eastern lavash bread, with a side of our Raita Cucumber Yogurt Dip (pg 196).

2 lbs leg of lamb (or beef),
   cut into 1" chunks
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 cloves garlic, crushed
   (available frozen)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, or
   1 Tbsp dried mint
1 red onion, cut into 1" chunks

1. Combine all spices in a Ziploc bag (everything except meat and onion).  Massage with your hands until all spices are well combined.  The spice mixture will be thick in texture, like a rub or paste.
2. Add meat and continue to massage, so that each piece of meat is coated with the minted spice mixture.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
3. Skewer meat and onion chunks.  Depending on the size of your skewers, you will have 4-6 skewers.
3. Grill for 6-8 minutes total, turning skewers every couple of minutes.  You can also cook on the stovetop using a grill pan.
4. Let meat rest under foil for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.
Saffron Yogurt Dessert
Saffron Yogurt Pudding
Greek yogurt has a luxurious, thick texture similar to sour cream.  If you can't find Greek yogurt, drain plain yogurt in a paper-towel-lined strainer for 5+ hours or overnight.

1 (16-oz) pkg Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp Spanish Saffron threads
2 tsp hot water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup pistachios or almonds
Dried fruit as garnish (hibiscus
   flowers and mango shown
   in photo above)

1. In a small bowl, combine saffron and hot water.  Let sit for 10 minutes for color and flavor to be released.
2. Combine yogurt, saffron mixture, and sugar and mix well.
3. Place yogurt in 4 serving bowls, and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.  Top each bowl with 1 Tbsp nuts and garnish with dried fruit.

Serves 4.


And now (drum roll...) Our Top 10 herbs & spices for beginning cooks:

1. Basil is terrific for salad dressings, pastas, curries, pizza sauce, poultry, and meats.  (I prefer fresh basil, but dried basil is great to have on hand)
2. Oregano is great for pasta sauce, pizza sauce, seafood, and roasted chicken.
3. Rosemary imparts great aroma and flavor to seafood, pasta, roasted potatoes, and roasted chicken.
4. Cumin adds smoky depth to soups and chilis, is essential for making a great hummus, and is a critical spice for many Indian and middle-eastern dishes.
5. Cinnamon is a versatile warm flavor that is great on everything from simple desserts like rice pudding, to warm oatmeal in the morning, to savory dishes like middle-eastern rice.
6. Curry powder is the star ingredient in curried vegetables, curried rice, curried sweet potatoes, and flavoring curries.
7. Garlic is indispensable for pastas, stir fry, vegetables, or garlic bread.
8. Vanilla extract is a "must" for many cookies, desserts, pies, and puddings...even in oatmeal, coffee, or warm milk.
9. Salt is the king of basic seasoning, enhancing the flavor of foods.  Salt and pepper can be bought in containers with built-in grinders for maximum flavor. Try kosher salt or sea salt for best taste.
10. Black pepper goes hand-in-hand with salt and is best freshly ground.  Besides basic seasoning, it can be mixed with lemon zest and heavy cream for a great linguini sauce.

Posted by Deana Gunn at March 11, 2009
Categories: Vegetarian and Vegan , Announcements Fun and Contests, Food Recipes
Tags: beef spices herbs yogurt kebabs contest dessert
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