Are you looking for way to make your recipes stand out? Do you want to leave your guests asking for the recipe to your latest culinary creation? Here is a short list of some ingredients that will leave them wondering what that secret ingredient is.

Cinnamon

Add cinnamon to your scrambled eggs – just a dash – to add a unique, but very delicious flavor. Especially with shredded cheese and fresh cracked black pepper. Yum!

Add some ground cinnamon to your coffee grounds before brewing. It’s subtle, but any fan of Dune will appreciate the beauty of spiced coffee

Nutmeg

Nutmeg and spinach are a perfect flavor combination. If you are making a spinach quiche, add some nutmeg. If you are saute-ing spinach or swiss chard in butter and garlic, add a dash of nutmeg. I don’t know what the magic is, but it is definitely there!

Vanilla

Add it to tomatoes to cut down on the acidic taste. Weird, I know. Not a lot, just a splash. Something in vanilla helps to enhance the good flavors in tomatoes, while removing the other flavors. This is great in salsa – along with some sugar, of course!

Chocolate

Is there anything that chocolate really doesn’t go with? Think about it… cacao grows in tropical climates alongside chilies… why not combine them? Mole is a savory chocolate-based sauce. The original xocolatl was a combination of cacao and peppers among other things, and it was a drink prized by the Aztecs.

Figs

Figs and pork. Oh yes. This is one flavor combination that borders on the divine. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and you get even closer to nirvana. Pork loin stuffed with fig, pork chops with a balsamic fig glaze, the list goes on. Oh, and don’t forget the gorgonzola.

Cardamom

This is a spice that just isn’t used enough. If you use too much, it’s not very pleasant – I agree with that. But, used in small pinches, cardamom is delicious.

Bread – add up to 1/4 tsp. of ground cardamom to your bread dough for a citrus-y flavor. Very good, especially in Irish Soda Bread.

Smoothies – Cardamom powder is a main ingredient in lassi’s, and for good reason! Just a pinch added into your favorite smoothie will help the flavors pop. So tasty.

Rice – Plain white rice can be so boring. Natural brown rice at least has a nutty flavor going for it. But add a cardamom pod or two while it is boiling, and the flavor gets tasty. Toss in some broken up cinnamon sticks, a star anise and a clove and look out – this rice is fabulous! Even better… take those whole spices and toast them lightly in a pan before tossing them into your rice and look out – a flavor sensation. Use it for rice pudding, alongside tikka masala, curry, roast chicken… it goes with anything, and is 180 degrees away from boring, plain rice.

Applesauce

If you have read very many of my baked goods recipes, you will notice that vegetable oil very rarely makes the cut. I just don’t like it! I much prefer to substitute applesauce – it’s better for you, and it’s pretty tasty too! Just make sure it’s plain, unsweetened applesauce. I made the mistake of using boysenberry applesauce in vegan brownies once… they were good, but there was a distinct boysenberry aftertaste!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are just a few ways to use unusual flavor combinations to your benefit. Some are quite surprising, but your taste buds will thank you for them! Just remember… the secret is often in the spice.