Help Me! I'm Tired Of Flavorless!

[justjacqueline]

I am gluten free...almost two months now! Yay!

I am now going "nightshade" free in hopes of ridding my body of Psoriasis.

Soooooo....no gluten, no potatoes, no tomatoes, no peppers (except black pepper), no eggplant (which is not a problem anyway)...missing anything else?

Anyway, I need help. What seasonings make flavors of veggies POP? I've been eating stir fry for every single night. I'm tired of it!

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. And I'm not dropping dairy yet. I'm hoping nightshades being out of my diet will help with my psoriasis.

[CarolinaKip]

I am gluten free...almost two months now! Yay!

I am now going "nightshade" free in hopes of ridding my body of Psoriasis.

Soooooo....no gluten, no potatoes, no tomatoes, no peppers (except black pepper), no eggplant (which is not a problem anyway)...missing anything else?

Anyway, I need help. What seasonings make flavors of veggies POP? I've been eating stir fry for every single night. I'm tired of it!

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. And I'm not dropping dairy yet. I'm hoping nightshades being out of my diet will help with my psoriasis.

I use a lot of fresh herbs with my veggies and meats. My favorites are, basil, dill, chives and thyme. I love the fresh taste! Mint with some fruits as well.

[Takala]

Acids such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, with spices. Balsamic vinegar.

Try vinegar and cumin on beans, for instance.

Olive oil and garlic, too. Fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

Fresh citrus peel, but use organic citrus.

[jerseyangel]

I am gluten free...almost two months now! Yay!

I am now going "nightshade" free in hopes of ridding my body of Psoriasis.

Soooooo....no gluten, no potatoes, no tomatoes, no peppers (except black pepper), no eggplant (which is not a problem anyway)...missing anything else?

Anyway, I need help. What seasonings make flavors of veggies POP? I've been eating stir fry for every single night. I'm tired of it!

Any ideas are greatly appreciated. And I'm not dropping dairy yet. I'm hoping nightshades being out of my diet will help with my psoriasis.

Try roasting your veggies in the oven with olive oil, fresh garlic, and sea salt. I've done lots of different veggies this way--it works with anything.

[lynnelise]

I have this Himalayan pink salt and it makes steamed veggies awesome! I also like lemon or lime juice on veggies. Especially greens. I like to roast veggies with a little olive oil, maple syrup, and thyme.

[jenngolightly]

The nice thing about this is that you'll get to step out of your comfort zone and try a world of flavors that you didn't know could be combined to make wonderful flavors!

garlic (fresh)

ginger (fresh)

sea salt

extra virgin olive oil (the darker the better)

FRESH black pepper (get a pepper mill - so much better than preground)

lemon juice (fresh - the bottled kind isn't as good)

lime juice

fresh herbs - you can freeze the ones you don't use - fresh is usually very expensive so look up how to freeze fresh herbs

Cheese

Bacon!!!

Vinegars (except malt)

Mustard - all kinds, including dried

Chicken stock

tree nuts

craisins

raisins

...more...

[Tiskers]

Please forgive what is probably a stupid question... but what is "nightshade"?

THANK YOU!

Lynn

[Marlie]

I like to saute green beans and spinach with a tablespoon or two of both butter and olive oil with some chopped up garlic and then add some salt and pepper. Another thing we especially like is Aspargus grilled with some sesame oil and soy sauce (gluten free) with minced garlic, salt and pepper.

[T.H.]

Please forgive what is probably a stupid question... but what is "nightshade"?

It's the common name for foods in the Solanaceae family. Some people can have an allergy to the entire family of foods, or a sensitivity to them.

The usual suspects are: potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers

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[tarnalberry]

It takes a while for your tastebuds to adapt and be able to taste the more subtle flavors in various foods if you've been overdoing it for a while (which a lot of our food does).

The spices you use are only equally important as how you cook the food, and the details matter. Stir-fry, for instance, is fabulous for bringing out the natural flavor of vegetables (and lots of foods), but you need to use it right. Most stir-fries require VERY HOT heat - just don't ever turn the stove down - and an oil that can stand up to the heat. Some vegetables you may choose to cook first and for a long time (for instance, carrots and onions, if left undisturbed to brown, will caramelize a bit, giving a wonderfully sweet flavor that is similar to roasting them). Some you want to only barely heat up (bell peppers are an example, but there are others). When you add the spices you use makes a difference too in a stir-fry. Add garlic first and let it mellow for one flavor, add it right at the end keeping it sharp for another (or both for more complexity).

I'd encourage you to read a bunch of different recipes and try ones that jump out to you, and follow the instructions on timing and size of ingredients. It makes a big difference.

That said, a pinch of salt (not enough to make something salty) is a flavor enhancer the same way MSG is (it makes the tastebuds react more strongly). As mentioned, sometimes acids can do the same thing, particularly with bitter foods like cabbages.

[Tiskers]

It's the common name for foods in the Solanaceae family. Some people can have an allergy to the entire family of foods, or a sensitivity to them.

The usual suspects are: potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes, and peppers

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Shauna,

THANK YOU for the reply. So interesting.

Lynn