Developing flavor is a big factor in making food taste good! 

A roasted piece of skinless, boneless chicken breast can be a bland hockey puck, or it can be a delicious, delight! 

Frozen broccoli can be steamed to turn bright green & have no flavor, or it can be roasted & caramelized to create a complexity your tastebuds will love! 

Brown rice can be an unwanted side at a meal, or turn into a way to carry a ton of flavor! 

Lets start with some basic ways to help give food flavor! 

Herbs & Spices 

I feel like I preach about using herbs and spices all the time, well…I do, but its because they are such a simple way to add flavor!

Herbs & spices can take your tastebuds on a journey to different countries & allow you to experience how flavors can work together!

If you’re new to using herbs & spices, especially dried, start out with less than you think you need! 

• Right now, open your spice cabinet, dust off those spices, and smell them one by one.

• Then, choose two and smell them together!

• Then three!

If you’re feeing really wild, smell four or five together! This is a fun activity to do as a family! Remember, “your nose, knows” …if they smell good together they’ll taste good together! 

You may be saying…”I already have spice blends.”

Yeh…those are fine…but I recommend looking at the ingredient list; a lot of the time the first ingredient in spice blends is salt and it’s better to be able to add that yourself! 

How to Use Herbs & Spices in Cooking 

Use your hand to measure dried herbs & spices! The first couple of times, use a measuring spoon to learn how much you’re putting in your hand…so:

• Measure it!

• Put the scoop into your hand (learn to remember what it looks like). Over time, you’ll know what a teaspoon looks like versus a tablespoon! 

Marinade

Combine 1 to 1 portions of an acid (citrus or vinegar) and fat (oil), add a combination of herbs & spices that smell good together (remember to start off using less than you think you need). Marinades can be used on proteins or veggies! 

Rub

Combine the herbs & spices of your choice and rub onto your protein or vegetable of choice. Alternatively, you can add drops of water or oil to your spices to make a paste & rub that on your what you are cooking. 

BlooM

Before you sauté veggies, add oil to the pan, allow it to get warm and then add in your herbs & spices. Stir them around in the oil for 20-30 seconds until they become fragrant, then add in your veggies! 

Sprinkle

The most common way to add herbs & spices to dishes is probably just to sprinkle them on during the cooking process. This method works if you want to add flavor & you don’t have time or don’t want to do any of the suggestions above! I use this method often when roasting proteins! 

Cooking Methods 

This is the basis of my cooking & teaching philosophy!

If you understand a cooking method (skill) you can make anything without a recipe!

Cooking methods are not only the lifeblood of cooking, but they can also be a great way to impart flavor!

If you’re used to steaming your veggies, because that is the “healthiest” way to eat them…let’s work to reframe that mindset.

If you’re choosing to eat vegetables…celebrate that win by making them taste good and not needing melted cheese or bacon to make that possible. 

How to Use Cooking Methods to Build Flavor

It doesn’t matter what you’re cooking, using a variety of cooking methods will  help you develop flavor!

These are some of my favorite to use on a busy weeknight!

Roast

This is my go-to cooking method because all you have to do is put something on a pan, press a button and let the oven and oil do the rest! 

Roasting is best suited for proteins & veggies (yep, even that frozen broccoli we were talking about earlier). Heat your oven to 425°F…I cook everything at this temp, except for baked goods they’re a bit more temperamental and less resilient to high heat.

• To roast, line your sheet tray with parchment paper (this helps keep clean up quick and easy). Then flavor your protein or veggies using one of the above ways to use herbs & spices! Drizzle with olive oil & pop it in the oven. 

• If you’re unsure of how long to cook your protein, I highly recommend staring out with 15 minutes & then using a thermometer to check the temperature, this is the best way to avoid over cooking your meat (especially boneless skinless chicken breast).

• Veggies will probably take 15-20 minutes, but this will vary based on your oven, aim for golden brown edges. 

Sauté

This is another really good way to impart flavor! Remember earlier when we were talking about blooming herbs & spices?

Well that’s the basis of sautéing; oil, medium high heat, and keep the food moving in the pan! This is a great cooking method for small pieces of meat, raw veggies that are cut small and will cook quickly, or a good way to make fried rice! 

Stew

This is where the crockpot or instapot are your besties on weeknights! I probably don’t have to explain how to use these…but put all of your ingredients in the pot, add a liquid of your choice, cover, and allow to cook.

Based off of the pot you have it can be anywhere from 20 minutes in an instapot to 4-6 hours in a crockpot. Both of these cooking pots help to infuse the food with a ton of flavor whether they use time or pressure! 

Foods Themselves

This one may sound a bit strange…but hear me out!

There are individual foods & combinations of foods that can enhance other flavors & bring a dish to life!

For example…when sautéing onions & peppers; garlic LOVES to hang out at that party!

Real talk, whenever I forget to add garlic to sautéed onions & peppers I’m always a little bummed, because it adds such a complexity and a bit of bitter-sweetness! 

How to Use Foods to Build Flavor 

Alliums

This is a fancy word for all veggies in the lily family…onions, garlic, leeks, chives…etc.

These veggies bring a ton of flavor & health benefits to dishes. They can be used raw to add flavor to a salad dressing or cooked (sautéed or even roasted).

I like to grate raw shallots & garlic into dressings and marinades. Leeks are really underutilized and can provide a mild onion flavor in soups! 

Mirepoix

Also called the holy trinity or sofrito…the ingredients can change, but the essence is the same, FLAVOR!

Combining onions, carrots, celery and sometimes bell peppers…it’s an amazing way to build flavor in soups, stews, braises, roasts, sauces, you name it!

This is another way to add in veggies where your kiddos may be hesitant to try them; a good trick is to food process them while raw, sauté, cool, and then add to ground beef when making burgers! (This trick keeps them juicy too!)

Stock

This is a staple in most restaurants! A well made stock can add a ton of flavor to a dish as simple as sautéed dark leafy greens or your everyday rice! While making your own is awesome…99.9% of the time I purchase a quality pre-made stock. I look for one with minimal ingredients, (ingredient example: Beef Bones, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Turmeric) and without any added coloring. 

Was this helpful? Reach out on Instagram @wellnesscucina to let me know, and for regular posts about making quick, easy & delicious meals!