Look for the simple tweaks that can spice up your experience

Recently, a close friend that is going through a transition temporarily moved into my home. Lucky for me, Diana just so happens to be a professional chef. While watching her cook, I have learned many amazing techniques to quickly create delicious meals with simple ingredients. (A side note: Amazingly, I have lost 5 pounds since she has been in my home. I imagine being totally satisfied with the food makes me eat less of it).

I always thought that being a good cook involved a lot of time consuming or complicated steps, but Diana has shown me that belief is completely false. Good ingredients are a must, but I already knew that.  What I didn’t know is how simple it is to make everything yummy, you just have to know a few tricks.  Here are a few of the things I’ve learned. I know there are many more lessons coming my way.

• Don’t serve nuts directly out of the container. Instead, roast them in the oven for 5-1o minutes. It brings out their full flavor and makes them doubly delicious.
• Freshly ground spices like curry taste totally different then store bought. The grinding enriches the flavor and the spices remain fresh for months.  A quick meal can be prepared in minutes by sprinkling freshly ground curry powder on chicken thighs and baking at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. While cooking, chop a Persian cucumber, add some fresh dill, a squeeze of lemon and Greek yogurt and voila you have a complete meal.
• After steaming veggies, bring out their natural flavors by sautéing them quickly in a small amount of salt and olive oil.
• Make a batch of pesto and keep it in a jar in the fridge. Use it on green beans or mix with mayonnaise for an amazing dip. (Who knew? I thought pesto was just for pasta).
• You don’t need a skillet to make a quesadilla. Instead, wrap a few slices of a flavorful jalapeño cheese and some freshly chopped jalapeños in hand-made tortillas and bake in a toaster oven for about two minutes.
• Start experimenting with new and unfamiliar ingredients. My new favorite herb is tarragon, a spice I never used before.

Opportunities to learn and grow can be found in all aspects of your life, including the kitchen. All it takes is a little curiosity to spice up your experience.