Monday, January 23, 2012

4 ways to BOOST the FLAVOR in your healthy dishes

It is often said that healthy dishes are bland and flavorless. However, that does not always have to be the case. Here are 4 ways that you can boost the flavor of your dish without sacrificing the health benefits to it.

1. Rock the guac.
Guacamole is filled with flavor and is a great way to add a little extra kick to a dish. Sure, guacamole has got fat, but the source of fat is the heart healthy monounsaturated fat that comes from the avocados. Avocados are filled with nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are important to include in our diet.

2. Up the mustard
Mustard is not just for hot dogs! You can add mustard to your tuna salad which brings a puckery pop and enables you to use less mayo. Mustard mixed with a few other things can make a great addition to your dish to enhance the flavor, here are some ideas. A quick marinade for beef or pork: mix 1 tablespoon each sugar, mustard, and olive oil with 2 tablespoons each cider vinegar and soy sauce. Or for some steamed shrimp: instead of butter or tartar, boost the flavor with a tangy sauce made from swirling together 1 tablespoon each mustard and olive oil, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, and a touch of honey.

3. Use fresh herbs
The flavor of your dish can be enhanced simply by using fresh herbs rather than dried herbs. For example, fresh rosemary on your potatoes is very tasty.

4. Do the salsa
Salsa is a great flavor booster and in addition, just 1/2 cup serving counts for a serving of fruit or vegetables. You can use salsa to add flavor to your egg dishes, toss it in a green salad, or you can substitute the pizza sauce on your homemade pizza with drained salsa combined with 2% cheese, black beans and corn on top of a whole wheat crust.

Dont be afraid to experiment with these four flavor boosters. You never know, you may find something that you fall in love with!! Have a great week.

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