The Top 7 Spices Every Kitchen Must Have

Want to be a Spice Girl in the kitchen, but don’t revel the thought of sporting Union Jack short shorts?

Fear not, us spicy sisters here at Bite Me More are here to help you spice up your cooking in a few simple steps. With a pinch of this and a dash of that, you can elevate your food from ho-hum to oh-yum.

What every kitchen needs is a well-stocked spice rack. Does that sound overwhelming to you? It isn’t. With just these seven spices, you’ll be perfectly equipped to make the ordinary, extraordinary in all you cook up. You'll also have everything you need to make meal planning fast, easy, and delicious.

Here are the 7 Wonders of the Spice World:

1. Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Really, what’s salt without pepper? We add a pinch of this top-notch course ground black pepper to almost every type of food.

2. Italian Seasoning

This superb Italian seasoning is a simple way to brighten up the flavour of pasta dishes, pizza and is also an easy way to season chicken or meat.

3. Ground Cinnamon

Cinnamon used in both sweet (pies, cookies and cakes) and savoury (spice rubs, sauces and marinades) dishes, adds an unmistakable fragrance, sweetness and warmth to all, including can’t-be-beat cinnamon toast.

4. Ground Cumin

Most often used in Mexican, Moroccan, and Indian cooking, ground cumin is a simple way to add both a rich aroma and a spicy punch to your cooking.

5. Paprika

Not just for deviled eggs, paprika, a bright red powder, is best used to bring a distinct flavour of ground sweet red chili peppers to stews, soups, and many meat dishes.

6. Chili Powder

Chili powder serves up some spice to Mexican cooking, and can also kick up your tomato sauce, beef rubs, Indian dishes and even chocolate recipes.

7. Ground Ginger

Ground ginger brings a warmth and spice to everything from ginger cookies to cake, dressings to vegetables, and Asian to Indian cooking.

On that note, we’re so excited to have put ground ginger, along with full-flavoured Club House Shepherd’s Pie Seasoning Mix, essential course ground black pepper, and the super convenient minced garlic to the test with these fast, easy, and delicious Asian Lettuce Wraps.

Not only does this quick and simple recipe serve up fresh vegetables and spiced ground chicken you can hold in the palm of your hand, but it’s also a healthy choice for a weeknight family meal.

What are you waiting for? Spice up your kitchen routine in less than 30 minutes with these delicious wraps.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame oil
1 lb (500g) ground chicken
1 tbsp (15 mL) Club House Prepared Minced Garlic
1/2 cup (125 mL) each finely chopped onion, carrots and mushrooms
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) light soy sauce
1 package (47g) Club House Shepherd’s Pie Seasoning Mix
1 1/2 tsps (7 mL) each Club House Ground Ginger and Club House Course Ground Black Pepper
14 iceberg lettuce leaves (1 medium head)

  In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken, garlic, onion, carrots and mushrooms. Drain off fat.

  Stir in water, soy sauce, Club House Shepherd’s Pie Seasoning Mix, Club House Ginger and Black Pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

  Place 1/4 cup (50 mL) chicken mixture in lettuce leaf, fold in ends and roll.

Serves: 7 (14 wraps)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

  Recipe notes:

1. These Asian Lettuce Wraps also work as a great appetizer.
2. The Asian filling would also be great rolled in tortillas, put on top of a salad or used to make eggrolls or dumplings.
3. You can substitute ground turkey, ground pork or ground beef for the ground chicken.
4. To make meal prep time faster, wash and cut vegetables in advance and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To see us in action, check out our webisode to learn more about these fabulous spices!