Grilled eggplant can sound a little boring, but what if it was marinated in a balsamic vinegar, tossed with fresh basil, and sprinkled with toasted pine nuts? Sounds a little better, doesn’t it?

Having a few key herbs, oils, and the like are key ingredients to make your meals go from mundane to meaningful.

Fresh herbs
Especially during the warmer months, markets and grocers usually stock an abundance of aromatic herbs, practically begging for you to add them to your favourite dishes. Fresh herbs can enhance any dish. Add dill to a warm potato salad and use cilantro in your favourite Mexican and Southwest dishes. Fresh basil, thyme, and rosemary instantly fancify a tray of roasted vegetables.

Dried herbs
For those times you can’t get fresh, most dried herbs offer a close second. Thyme, sage, rosemary and oregano can immediately add some oomph to your sauces, stews, salads, and other favourite dishes. Get the most out of your herbs by rubbing them first – it releases the oils and alerts the flavour. Dried herbs should be replaced every 6 months (one year maximum).

Spices
Spices instantly bring a dish from bland to anything but basic. Many countries rely on specific combinations of spices to distinguish and set their cuisine apart; take curry, for example: everyone has their perfect combination and proportions of ingredients. Other staples include paprika for its anti-inflammatory properties and ginger which aids in digestion. Having garlic powder and onion powder on hand when you run out of fresh can make a good substitute. To store fresh ginger, peel completely and then keep it in the freezer in a Ziploc, then grate (frozen) as needed in your favourite dishes.

Sea salt
Because its naturally evaporated, sea salt contains more minerals than table salt – and is more flavourful, too.

Nuts and seeds
We often talk about how much we love nuts and seeds, and their healthy fats are a key ingredient in everyone’s diet (unless, of course, you are allergic). Almonds, for example, pack in calcium and fibre, and walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Pine nuts are a great source of protein and pumpkin seeds have cholesterol lowering properties. There’s also pecans, hemp, flax, among others, just waiting to up the nutrition in your meals. To enhance the flavour, toast them first – careful not to let them burn – for a few minutes on high heat in a dry frying pan.

Cooking oils
Two of the best choices for cooking are olive oil and canola oil. Olive oils are rich in monounsaturated fats, which benefits heart health and canola oil aids in lowering LDL-cholesterol and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. They are most readily available and often the most budget friendly.

Finishing oils
If you can, opt for a few key finishing oils to up the nutrition post-cooking. These oils should not be used in cooking, but instead, added at the end or tossed in cold dishes, like salads. Both hemp and flax seed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Sesame oil has a strong, nutty flavour that enhances your favourite Asian dishes. Nut oils, such as walnut oil, add the same benefits of the nuts themselves, such as heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Vinegars
Good vinegars can cost a little more, but a splash or two goes a long way. Balsamic vinegar, red and white wine vinegars, rice vinegar and basic apple cider vinegar are great staples to have on hand. Balsamic adds a carmelized, sweet flavour, perfect for marinades. Wine vinegars are excellent tossed in salads, with the fruity flavour of wine. Rice vinegar is a key ingredient in Asian marinades and dishes, with a sweet taste to balance the acidity. Apple cider vinegar is a good basic, all around vinegar.

What are your favourite herbs, spices, vinegars and the like? Add to our list below!

Image courtesy of dkimages.com

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