Spice Addiction
I love spices. I love them so much that even when we were living in the tiny house I had an entire kitchen drawer dedicated to them. But apparently that wasn't enough, because I still had an overflow container for even more spices on top of the fridge. Needless to say, Matt thinks I have a bit of a spice hoarding problem.
(Matt's Note: She also has a tea hording problem!)
When I made the decision to remove wheat from my diet I was flabbergasted by how many condiments I removed from my fridge and pantry. Most sausages, and pre-seasoned meats contain wheat too and were also cut from my go-to groceries. Apparently, wheat ends up in just about everything.
While I understand that companies want to protect their secret blends, I hate buying products that simply list "spices" without actually naming which ones! I prefer to know what I am eating.
One time I was on a curry kick and for weeks and I was experiencing mild reactionary symptoms. I finally pieced together that the curry was the most likely culprit and low and behold I found that wheat was one of the spice ingredients. Never did I think I would have to check my spices for flour!
After cutting out wheat, we also removed most processed foods and anything with questionable ingredients on the label. So, while our pantry items dwindled, my spice collection multiplied!
Discovering the Spice Mix
We used to eat salad every single day and we never bought salad dressing. Instead, we'd add a splash of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Perfection! But once in a while it's nice to switch things up. I was craving an Italian dressing and neither wanted to drive into the city to buy some, nor accept the sub-par ingredients I knew I would find on the label of a premade bottle. Alternatively, I looked up a recipe to make my own dressing.
It's been so long since I searched for the recipe that I can't even credit the original source. We have made a few tweaks over the years and finally feel like we've found the sweet spot.
I really like that this recipe is stored dry with the wet ingredients mixed in as needed. The best part about this blend is how versatile it has been for me over the years. Whenever a recipe called for Italian sausage, or spiced tomatoes I would just reach for this trusty mix and toss in a few tablespoons.
One of my favourite ways to use this dressing is tossed over grilled zucchini.
At a loss for what to make for supper one night, I kind of hodge-podged a few things together. We had so much zucchini that I figured, why not grill it? It ended up being really good and a great way to use up an abundance of zucchini.
Matt and I have this joke that people love to grow zucchini, but by the end of the season end up with so much that they can't even give it away. Wait, is that a joke or just reality?
The Recipe
Dry Spice Mix
- 1Tbsp. Garlic Powder
- 1Tbsp. Onion Powder
- 2 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 tsp. Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp. Dried Basil
- 1/4 tsp. Celery Salt
- 2 Tbsp. Himalayan Sea Salt
- 1 tsp. Paprika
Store dried mix in sealed container.
To prepare combine:
- 1/4 cup Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 2 Tbsp. Dried mix
- Hot pepper flakes to taste
