A GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR OWN HERB AND SPICE MIXES — Scope | Disability forum
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A GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR OWN HERB AND SPICE MIXES

thespiceman
thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

Hello every one.   I thought share my herb and spice mixes. You can buy them in the shops already blended for you.

Unfortunately these can be expensive.  I do get asked do spices and dried herbs do they go off. Yes they can. I would always buy small amounts.

I buy supermarket own brands.  A lot cheaper make a spice or herb blend.

Bought on line pepper shakers. Cost not a lot.  

Made the spice and herb blend no need for a spice mill.   In a bowl just mix together.

Add to the pepper shakers.

This means you use less and save money.

Do one teaspoon of the following.  Dried Herbs and spices.

PASTA HERB MIX

Onion, Garlic Granules, Black Pepper, Chilli Flakes, Basil, Coriander herb, Parsley, Oregano, Salt

Used this for Pasta.  Good shake when making a sauce.

ITALIAN SPICE MIX

Onion, Garlic Granules, Black Pepper, Fennel Seeds, Cayenne, Paprika, Cinnamon, Coriander grd, Salt.

Use with any meat.

ITALIAN HERB SEASONING

Italian Herb Mix from the supermarket own brand.  Add in Chilli Flakes, Fennel Seeds, Onion, Garlic Granules, Parsley, Coriander herb.

Use this with beans and pulses. Ragu and long slow cooks.

ITALIAN FISH HERB SPICE MIX

Onion, Garlic Granules, Black Pepper, Oregano, Parsley, Fennel Seeds, Salt.

Any body do there own mixes and spice blends.?

Be happy to help and advise those who wish to know anything about what sort of spice or herbs to use.

Understand there are so many.

Thank you all.

@thespiceman


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SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
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Comments

  • Deb_Alumni
    Deb_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 180 Pioneering
    oooh @thespiceman these are fab, perfect for my Easter weekend food plans :smiley: I am going to print these off, thank you for sharing.  Hope you have a lovely long weekend.

    Debbie
    Online Community Manager
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @Deb_Scope Thanks very much. 

    Have fun as they say.  The enjoyment is creating your own spice and herb mixes.

    It is all very pleasant buying a spice or herb mix from the supermarket but some of them are expensive. Especially the named brands. A certain Spice herb company we all know..  

    I know get asked all the time what herb spice mixes what can I have with my food.

    All depends what you eat and make something you like.

    Just buy a few.

    Please do not  be like my one time former friend who bought a load of spices and dried herbs.  For display purposes only.

    The when approached me I had to explain these have gone off past there sell by date.

    Cost her a fortune a lesson learnt.

    Hope you do as well have a great weekend.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • Deb_Alumni
    Deb_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 180 Pioneering
    oh dear, let's hope I have spices in date.  I have a lot of fresh herbs as well, as I have an allotment and a herb garden so really fresh.  Take care @thespiceman :)

    Debbie
    Online Community Manager
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @Deb_Scope  Quick tip   Food processor chop them up. Fresh herbs .

    Into ice cube trays with water to cover just a drop. Become ice cubes.

    Add to sauce.

    Another one freeze herbs into freezer zip or clip bags take out when frozen portion chop when frozen out of bag.

    Rosemary and Thyme freeze as they are. On the stem into bags. Double wrap.

    Basil goes black so use this with as a Pesto.

    Pesto Olive oil.  Parsley, Basil chop up with Almonds and Parmesan Cheese a knob.

    Called Rapido Pesto. 

    Change the nuts to Walnuts.

    Pine nuts come from Liguria and are expensive. Many different types.  Pesto.

    Quantities measurements your the chef.

    You could mix Olive oil with ordinary Rapeseed.

    Bueno Appetito

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,411 Disability Gamechanger
    @thespiceman do you use sumac at all, i bring it back from holiday and only ever sprinkle it on salads.. i'm sure there must be more uses for it??
  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @vikingqueen Sumac this is an lemon flavoured spice from the Middle East cuisine.

    Has same acidic content as Lemons or Limes.

    Understand can use it as an marinade with Meat .  Fish.

    Add in Olive oil.  Any herbs that are good to use like Parsley.  Coriander chopped up.

    Bunch of each roughly chopped. About a tablespoon of Olive Oil to cover .

     Understand easiest way is to use a freezer zip bag put Chicken Legs and Thighs in a Bag with Marinade, use a jug to pour over .

    Leave for an hour or more.  Then pour out on to.

    To a tray or baking sheet

    Cover it with Tin Foil .

    Into the oven . Moderate temperature about 150 or around that for a slow cook. For thirty or forty minutes depends on the temperature check .

    I usually check after thirty minutes. Increase heat if I have to. Use a fork to check Leg or Thigh cooked.

    Tray bakes you could underneath add cooked Potatoes sliced or any veggies with Chicken on top.

    Done this with Med veggies and Potatoes with Chicken on top.

    Done this with Fish like Salmon as well.

    If not good with the oven you can do the same.

    In a stockpot with using the hob.

    Great in Tomato sauces with Meat like you would use any spice.

    Mix together with other ones like Ground Coriander, Paprika, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Cumin any of those Med spices.  Add Black Pepper. touch of salt.

    I say a teaspoon of each.  Mix with Olive oil and to a freezer bag easier with any meat or fish.

    Usually use Onion, Garlic or use Granules .  Any Veggies from the med like Zucchini , Aubergines good.

    In the stockpot. Use Passata plus Stock cube.  Add  meat marinade into stockpot.  Tip it in from the freezer bag a lot easier to use.

    Cover leave on medium heat bring to boil and reduce simmer slow cook for forty minutes.  Check all the time.

    Chicken Thighs, Pork cubed or Chicken, Turkey, ideal for this.

    People think Chicken needs a oven all the time . Especially Thighs and Legs but I have done . Recipes with out using a oven.

    Like this.

    Hope that helps.

    Pleasure to talk to you.

    Happy to help.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman


    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,411 Disability Gamechanger
    good morning @thespiceman, thank you for your excellent reply, food for thought :) i'm like most people a cupboard full of out of date herbs ans spices 
    i will certainly be trying some of your mixtures 
    thanks again 
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,411 Disability Gamechanger
    herbs and spices not ans !!!

  • thespiceman
    thespiceman Community member Posts: 6,388 Disability Gamechanger

    Hello @vikingqueen Thanks very much for reply.  Good morning.

    Only too glad to help.

    Happy to share. Always here anytime.  If there are any problems or issues with anything cooking or recipes suggestions.

    I have to adapt recipes for my disability, mental health so please do that.

    Make anything your own.

    One thing idea for you any out of date spices add herbs dried ones. If there are not much in each jar make your own spice herb mixtures.

    As I have done.   .

    You can add to a small fry pan to reheat and activate the spices and herbs.  On a low heat for a few seconds. Be  careful .  Spices dried herbs can burn at high temperatures.

    Add them to Black Pepper and Salt then to recipes.

    Done this.  Use for example a curry spice mix had  not much left in Eggs. Like Omelettes.  Sprinkled it on to Veggies as a seasoning.

    Does help.

    Please do not apologise for mistakes in posts. I still have problems with any of this techno stuff .

    Gentleman of a certain age and era. 

    In the right hand side top of any post is a star sort of logo when you type any thing.  This you can click on and then the post becomes available to correct anything.

    Then click at bottom as you usually would save comment.

    Hope that helps.

    Pleasure to meet you.

    Take care.

    @thespiceman

    Community Champion
    SCOPE Volunteer Award Engaging Communities 2019
    Mental Health advice, guidance and information to all members
    Nutrition, Diet, Wellbeing, Addiction.
    Recipes

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