Make Healthy Food Taste Great

Enter "The Healthy Diet=Bland Food " Phenomenon

The most common complaint I hear from clients and people I meet, is healthy food tastes  like $^&*. As a result, they become so averse to foods that nourish and support the healthiest versions of themselves. Sad story...but true story nonetheless. I definitely feel like the food we eat should taste good in order for us to integrate it into our lives. Now, if I absolutely have to, I'll down some chicken breasts, broccoli, and brown rice with not a hint of flavor. Why? Because I would rather get in the nutrients I need, than relinquish the control of my own body to "It just doesn't taste good"...and I'm a nut about health optimization, muscle gains, fat loss, and feeling awesome.

Do you have to do that? NO. Do I do that on a regular basis? Oh hell no. I come from an South Indian family that is so invested into flavor, that if a dish doesn't turn out quite right, it ruins the essence of the meal. The dishes have to come together and provide a combination that gives your palate an explosion of taste and texture. So trust me, I like my food to taste GOOD! How do you do that you may ask?

Embrace Spices, Roots, and Oils

Alright folks, I need to fill you in on something. There's more to taste than butter, salt, sugar, bread crumbs,and pepper. The palate can experience such a range of flavor, and yet people stick to such narrow choices. I get it. Fat, salt, and sugar = pure satisfaction. Hell, the brain's reward centers light up like the fourth of July! It says give me more of that good good! Here's the thing though: We can only go so far with that route until some sort of dysfunction occurs in the body. That's where spices, roots, and oils come into play.

Not only do they provide you with flavor, they also have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and immune system supporting properties. This is definitely good news for you! So head on over to your bulk sections and get to exploring your taste buds. If you are in Austin, Tx (and surrounding areas) Central Market, HEB, Wheatsville Co-op, Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, and Sprouts will have what you are looking for. If you are from out of town, you will be sure to find what you need in stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and SafeWay.

What do you do now?! Experiment and try new things.

 This is what I'll do for you:

I'll leave you with a list of MY favorite spices, roots, and oils that I use on a regular basis. Without these, I'd be sitting there chewing food with the most disgruntled look on my face. In addition to that, I will provide you guys with two resources that truly know how to combine these "flavor-helpers" into a nutritious and delicious meal. Feel free to experiment. That's half the fun.

Sumair's List

Spices

-Tarragon Spice

-Garlic Powder

-Fresh Ground Peppercorn

-Onion Powder

-Curry Powder (Asian Stores are bound to have this!)

-Turmeric

-Oregano

-Cajun Spice

-Cayenne Pepper

Roots

-Ginger

-Garlic

-Red onions and White onions

Oils/Fats

-Coconut Oil

-KerryGold Irish Butter (VITAMIN RICH!)

-Olive Oil

-Avocado Oil

-Grapeseed Oil

I usually pick one from the oil/fat category to cook my food, 2-3 from the root category, and anywhere from 3-5 from the spice category. Tell me what awesome combinations you come up with. If you want a baseline to go off of before you explore yourself, here are two amazing resources for recipes:

http://www.anaboliccooking.com/blog/recipes/ -Dave Ruel is the authority blogger for this site and really knows how to create meals that support your fitness and wellness goals

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/favorite-gourmet-nutrition-recipes-John Berardi is the founder of this website, and knows his nutrition at a PhD level. 

I highly recommend both resources as they are both very well-respected in the health field AND I feel that they can be extremely resourceful for you all!

I look forward to hearing about your cooking adventures.

Happy eating folks. Go forth and expand your palate. I know it's scary, but it sure as hell is worth it!