Keep It Spicy

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Dear Real Moms,
A friend of mine recently told me that spices can actually act like medicine in the body. What’s your take on it?– Mary R., Madison, Wisconsin

Spice is nice.


Mary, Mary, quite contrary, you are absolutely right! Spices have long been known to be medicinal in nature and for centuries, spices and herbs have defined cultures and ethnic diversity. They displayed wealth and even civic pride.

Today, we see our spice jars on the kitchen counter as colorful additions to our meals, but it’s been documented that herbs and spices have long been sources of fragrance, color, flavor and wellness.

It’s crazy to think that every time I use garlic or rosemary in my chicken dish, I can connect back to over 3,000 years ago, when the Egyptians expanded herbal and spice use from the merely pharmaceutical (including mummification) to culinary and cosmetic use. The Greeks used herbs to adorn the heads of their heroes, and the ancient Romans used herbs for magic and sorcery. It just goes to show you that simple kitchen ingredients are naturally steeped in tradition and carry the power to combat disease, relieve pain and improve our moods.

A few Real Mom favorites:

  • Ginger can help a queasy stomach. Chew on a couple of pieces of candied ginger and tummy troubles will disappear.
  • Bay leaves can be a useful remedy for cough and indigestion. Consider adding a bay leaf the next time you make soup.
  • One of my favorites, cinnamon, is used for common cold and headache, which explains my craving for cinnamon oatmeal when I’m feeling a cold coming on.

To find a complete list of tasty spice remedies, visit Herbs ‘n’ Spices.

Ready to start incorporating more spice in your life? Here’s a tasty cinnamon chicken recipe from cooks.com that I just love!

Cinnamon Chicken
Serves 4

Ingredients (use organic whenever possible):

  • 1 clove garlic, cut in half
  • 4 Tb. melted butter
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • Parsley
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • 2 pounds chicken parts (remove skin)

Directions:
Rub chicken well with garlic. Pour melted butter over chicken. Dust well with cinnamon. Sprinkle with soy sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix wine, sugar and parsley. Pour over chicken. Bake for another 30 minutes; baste often.

* Hungry for more? Become a Spice Pro and check out Eliza Green’s book, Field Guide to Herbs & Spices: How to Identify, Select, and Use Virtually Every Seasoning at the Market (Quirk Books, February 9, 2006)

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