Have you ever read the ingredients list on those packaged seasoning mixes you find in the store? Taco seasonings and dressing mixes tend to be laden with preservatives, cornstarch and lots of salt. And nearly all of them contain sugar, even the organic ones.
What about sausage? Do you love the flavor, but not the fat? Did you know the flavor comes from the seasonings added to the sausage, not the meat itself? And most of them contain sugar. You can get the flavors of the sausage you love in ground chicken or turkey by adding the right seasonings.
I’ve been making my own seasoning mixes for years and it’s so easy and delicious. I want to share my favorites with you. I double or triple the recipe and store them in recycled glass jars so I have them on hand when I need them.
Taco Seasoning Mix
Tacos are one of those meals I know everyone in the family will love. I think it’s because everyone gets to choose their own favorite toppings and it’s just fun! You can add these seasoning mix to lean ground beef, but sometimes I also add it to ground chicken and sneak in some pureed kale or spinach and a little tomato paste for color.
2 tsp chili powder (or 1 Tbsp if you really love the flavor of chili powder)
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground black pepper, optional
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Toss it all together in a recycled glass jar or mason jar and shake it up. Use as much as you want to taste for your recipe.
French Onion Soup Mix
I love the flavor of french onion soup mix, especially as a dip for veggies, pretzels - you name it! Trying to get away from the preservatives, sugar and other stuff I’d prefer to avoid in packaged mixes, I found a homemade mix that tastes great. This recipe also includes health-friendly turmeric.
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp celery salt
Toss it all together in a recycled glass jar or mason jar and shake it up. Don’t skip the celery salt because it really gives the flavor. When making a dip, I like to add it to Greek yogurt for the probiotic benefits. You can also add it to homemade bone broth (see my recipe here), boiled with a bunch of sliced onions to make a flavorful and nutritious soup. Use as much as you want to taste for your recipe.
Chorizo Seasoning Mix
I have a chili recipe that I whip up in the instant pot that calls for chorizo. To lighten it up, I use ground chicken in place of the ground beef and I flavor more ground chicken with chorizo seasoning for the flavor. Chili is already a healthy meal, chock full of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin C. Substituting some or all of the beef for ground chicken takes some of that saturated fat out of the equation, but even if you decide to use pork or beef, you are still eliminating preservatives and sugar that you get in regular sausage. Chorizo-seasoned meat can be used in plenty of other recipes, so have fun with it!
3 Tbsp paprika
½ Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried coriander
½ tsp sea salt
1 pinch of cinnamon and ground cloves
Toss it all together in a recycled glass jar or mason jar and shake it up. Use as much as you want to taste for your recipe. When you go to cook with it, add a couple of cloves of minced garlic to top of the flavor!
Italian Sausage Seasoning
I just love italian sausage. Maybe it brings back memories of the flavors in the dishes my Nonna served when I was a little girl. I don’t, however, love all of the junk in store-bought italian sausage. At first, I thought of making homemade Italian sausage, but finding the casings, the stuffing, etc. just seemed so cumbersome when I could just add the seasoning to ground beef, pork or chicken. Here is the recipe that I love the most.
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp fennel seed (whole or crushed)
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or less, depending on your taste)
2 tsp sea salt
Toss it all together in a recycled glass jar or mason jar and shake it up. Use as much as you want to taste for your recipe. When you go to cook with it, add a couple of cloves of minced garlic and mince a ¼ of a small onion. Or you can add ¼ tsp of garlic powder and onion powder to the dry mix, your choice.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
You may be scratching your head with this one - you can just buy a jar of pumpkin pie spice that only contains the spices (no additives) ready-made in the store. But let me tell you, when you make it yourself, it just seems to have so much flavor and smells amazing! And you can use pumpkin pie spice in so much more than just pumpkin pie. Try it on yogurt, in your pancakes (add some pumpkin too for a nutrient boost), sprinkled over your cream cheese bagel and more. Get creative!
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp allspice
⅛ tsp cloves
⅛ tsp nutmeg (freshly ground on a microplane is best)
Toss it all together in a recycled glass jar or mason jar and shake it up. You can easily double, triple, quadruple this recipe. Use as much as you want to taste for your recipe.
When you make your own seasoning mixes, you won’t believe how fresh they smell and taste. Try it out and let me know what you think!
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