WHAT IS SHE GOING ON ABOUT NOW....FLAVOR PROFILE?

I'm going on about adjusting your flavor profile to fit your likes and dislikes. 

This is a topic I’ve touched on before, but I wanted to go a little more in-depth about it. The conversation got started in our house when Dearest Step-Daughter sent her dad (my husband) a Mediterranean Cookbook to help with his health and weight loss efforts. Hubs is NOT a fan of the Mediterranean flavor profile.

I, on the other hand, am a HUGE fan of a lot of the flavors involved in Mediterranean cooking. Some of them I’m still not 100% on board with, but I’m learning little by little.

This sparked a debate in our house. I told Hubs that we don’t have to cook exactly like the cookbook says and that we can adjust things to fit his flavor preferences.

He asked, “Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of it being Mediterranean?”

Well....he has a valid point.

The long and short answer is – Yes and No.

Perfectly clear, right? Insert eye-roll here.

To make it Mediterranean, it has more to do with the style of cooking and flavor of the spices. Style of cooking means lots of local foods, heavily plant-based, using olive oil primarily in the cooking, fresh foods, avoiding most processed foods, etc. Typical flavors and spices include garlic, onion, citrus, parsley, cardamom, coriander, cumin, sumac, turmeric, paprika, rosemary, oregano, thyme.

So, yes, to make a dish Mediterranean in FLAVOR, it needs certain spices and ingredients.

HOWEVER!

That does not mean that foods typically found in Mediterranean cuisine are not used in other dishes – obviously.

For example, I have chicken, onions, bell peppers, and garlic.

What am I cooking???

Fajitas?

Mongolian Chicken?

Jambalaya?

Sheet-Pan Roasted Chicken and Veggies?

Italian Chicken and Peppers?

Anything I add beyond those first 4 ingredients will determine what this dish becomes. The flavors and spices will be the deciding factor between Mexican, Cajun, Asian, American, or Mediterranean. And even with Mediterranean it varies from region to region – Greek, Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, Egyptian, French.

This goes for just about any meal you want to make.

Pick a protein.

Pick 2-3 veggies.

Go nuts. Hop on Pinterest, Google, Facebook, whatever and find a few recipes that match what you’ve got to work with. I promise SOMETHING will come up. It might be a pasta dish, a rice dish, some kind of soup/stew....American, Mexican, Italian, German....SOMETHING!

Some of the options might really appeal to you while others sound kind of iffy. Stick with what you know and branch out slowly. I know I like eggrolls, and so does Hubs, so making Eggroll In A Bowl for the first time wasn't too much of a stretch for either of us.

Mini-Me is working on her cooking skills. So, we are cooking up a LARGE batch of Ground Turkey. With some assistance she is going to be making Tacos, Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, and a variation on Stuffed Peppers that involves Sloppy Joe mix. A couple of things we're used to, and a bit of branching out - Zucchini Spaghetti for Hubs and Bell Pepper "Sloppy Joes".

It’s going to be epic.

Or a complete bust. But we’re doing it anyway.

You don’t have to be stuck with the same old things. Or, if you’re trying to eat healthier, you don’t have to force yourself to choke down something you really don’t like. There are lots of options to make those foods work without you absolutely hating it.

This is another reason it’s not a bad idea to experiment with cooking at home. If you like certain meats or veggies, but aren’t a fan of making it in an Asian style or like my husband, Mediterranean, you can try other options.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

And if you would like to learn more about nutrition, health, and wellness contact me to Book a FREE Consultation Call to see how Health and Nutrition Coaching can help you.