Flavor and diets are not incompatible, it's true. One of the keys to a delicious and healthy diet lies in spices; these magical powders work wonders in the kitchen and save most tasteless dishes without adding calories. All that is needed is a little imagination. The suffering of giving up tasty food due to diets is completely unnecessary. In fact, many of the most fattening products like breaded items and fats are flavor dampeners. We think of them as tasty because they are prohibited during a purely nutritional regimen, but the reality is that taste buds respond much better to fresh products with lower fat content. An example is chocolate; it may be far from being a diet ingredient, but seen in its spice form, like cocoa, where all that sweet and bitter flavor we love is present, it's completely healthy.

Similarly, herbs and spices enhance any meal without increasing its caloric content. Whether you're cooking fish, beef, pork, or chicken, it’s a good idea to steer clear of creamy sauces and choose to season with spices instead. For example, curry is packed with flavor and spice and is simply some protein with a broth and spices sauce that thickens. If you want that sauce to have more body, just add yogurt for texture and a tangy touch. Chives, parsley, thyme, dill, rosemary, oregano, and basil have the quality of enhancing the flavor of foods without adding calories. By combining various herbs according to taste, one can limit the use of salt, which in excessive amounts promotes water retention and, therefore, causes bloating. On the other hand, spices like pepper, curry, nutmeg, paprika, and saffron are practically calorie-free and can be used to flavor foods, again replacing salt. Where to find these herbs? Many are commonly found in supermarkets, but also, the new culinary boom brings tropical or Mediterranean spices to your home through gourmet specialty supermarkets. Similarly, and although we may not be fully aware, there are Indian and Buddhist communities in all major cities in Mexico where you can find exotic and organic spices for your new home menu. The quantities and use depend on taste; why not put a couple of fillets in the oven and sprinkle them with some spices, maybe some grilled skewers drenched in turmeric, or even a yogurt ice cream with cumin powder can result in delights. The sky's the limit.

Recipes with Spices

Curry Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: - 5 chicken breasts diced - 2 sticks of butter - 1/4 cup of flour - 2 cups of chicken broth - 1/4 liter of cream - 1 cup of white wine - 1/2 onion chopped - 1/4 teaspoon curry - juice and zest of 1/2 lemon - almonds - raisins - coconut - pepper - salt Click here to see the steps to prepare this recipe.

Scallops in Saffron Sauce Recipe

Ingredients: - 150 milliliters of dry white wine - 150 milliliters of fish broth - a pinch of saffron - 900 grams of large scallops without shell - pepper - 3 tablespoons of olive oil - 1 small onion finely chopped - 2 cloves of garlic - 150 milliliters of whipping cream - a splash of lemon juice - chopped parsley for garnish If you want to see the procedure for this recipe click here.

"What spices do you use in the kitchen?"