Quote

The range of ingredients available to home cooks has expanded dramatically. People are incorporating herbs and spices like lemongrass, smoked Mexican chile, sumac, and za'atar mix.

Spices, of course, are essential.

I love fresh citrus and always keep lemons, limes, and oranges on hand; they come in handy for spritzing up quickly grilled meats, seafoods, and vegetables, especially when followed up by a quick drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

I use a lot of fresh citrus, garlic, and fresh herbs when cooking to cut down on fat and sodium but punch up flavor. Our cupboards and fridge are full of condiments - mustards, vinegars, etc. that also add tons of flavor but are low in fat, calories, or other processed additives.

Even just a few spices or ethnic condiments that you can keep in your pantry can turn your mundane dishes into a culinary masterpiece.

This is kind of weird, but I eat lemons with salt as snack. They're so good!

I use ginger like garlic. I love it for steaming fish and making barbecue sauces or roasted chicken.

My favorite is Steamfresh broccoli with just a hint of garlic salt.

I like simple food, seasoned with just salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. Complicated food and complicated lives are never good.