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Prairie Fare: Add some spice to your menus

To retain spices’ quality, store them in a cool, dark place and label them with the date they were opened.

“How long can you keep spices?” a woman asked me.

I was presenting a workshop about food safety.

“Spices do not become unsafe, but they lose their flavor. How long have you had your spices?” I asked.

“I received them for our wedding,” she responded.

I noted a bit of a grin on her face, so I asked the next obvious question.

“How long have you been married?” I asked.

“It’s been over 40 years.”

That response got a big laugh from the audience.

Most of us have spices beyond their prime. To retain their quality, store them in a cool, dry and dark place. Most sources say to use them within two to three years, but label them with the date you opened them. Whole spices such as cloves last longer than ground spices.

As spices age, the essential oils and other compounds degrade. Do the “sniff test” with your spices. If the aroma is weak, add more. If you do not smell anything, you may want to refresh your spice cabinet and buy a smaller amount next time.

The use of spices dates back thousands of years. They were widely used in Egypt, China and India in food preparation, preservation, religious and medicinal purposes.

Early explorers were sent throughout the world to find spices for the spice trade. Spice traders became very wealthy because the cargo was almost as valuable as precious metals.

Early people did not have refrigerators and freezers, so spices became a way of disguising the flavor of food beyond its prime.

Spices can be from seeds, stems, leaves, bark, flowers and roots of plants, while herbs are from non-woody plants. Spices can be mild or hot.

Can you name a spice derived from a seed? If you are thinking of pepper, cardamom, coriander (the seed form of cilantro), cumin, dill, mustard or vanilla, you are correct. Many more seed-based spices are available.

Can you name a spice derived from the dried inner bark of a tree? Flavor-enhancing cinnamon is derived from an evergreen tree. If you have a sweet tooth, try putting a pinch of cinnamon in your coffee or tea.

Cloves, by the way, are a flower bud from a type of evergreen tree.

Spices can enhance the nutritional value of food, because have almost no calories. Spices allow us to reduce the amount of added salt, sugar and fat in some recipes.

Having a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder can release the pungent aromas from whole spices. Black pepper is the most popular spice. Consider investing in a pepper grinder or try the spices with the built-in grinder.

What if you have a lot of spices in your cupboard but are not sure how to use them? Cuisine throughout the world uses different spices.

Explore some recipes in the coming year or make your own spice blends. Check out NDSU Extension's “Do It Yourself Spice Mixes” for printable guides for a Mexican seasoning blend, a ranch blend or an Italian spice blend.

Have you ever tried making scones that are a delicious breakfast bread? Cardamom is featured in this week’s recipe. This recipe also has a secret ingredient: pureed red lentils. This ingredient adds protein and fiber.

Strawberry Cardamom Scones

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 cup split red lentil puree 
1 cup sliced strawberries

To make lentil puree: Cook lentils according to package directions for 15 to 20 minutes, drain and blend thoroughly in a food processor.

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large bowl, mix flours, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and cardamom. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or use your fingers to mix in. The mixture should resemble oat flakes. In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup, egg and lentil puree. Add strawberry slices. Mix all ingredients together to form a dough. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Halve the dough into two discs, approximately 1-inch thick. Cut each disc into eight pieces. Bake on a parchment lined baking tray for 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. Cool on a baking rack before serving.

Makes 16 servings. Each serving has 170 calories, 6 grams (g) fat, 4 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber and 45 milligrams sodium.

(Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.)


NDSU Agriculture Communication – Dec. 26, 2024

Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, 701-231-7187, julie.garden-robinson@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu


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