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9 Great Foods You Can Add to Almost Any Dish
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Super food(s) is a word that gets tossed around pretty easily nowadays. However, in this case, these truly are, and best of all, you can add at least one of these to almost anything you are cooking. Many of these will keep in your pantry for up to a year so you will almost always have some on hand. So next time you are in the mood for granola, oatmeal, salad, soup, or what-have-you, add one of these 10 fantastic foods for an added healthy boost.
1. Chia Seeds
This is a very simple food that packs a whole lot of healthy wallop! These tiny seeds are high in protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and a ton of vitamins and minerals.
They don’t have much flavor which makes them easy to add to almost anything you can think of, granola, oatmeal, salads, and smoothies, just to name a few. Soak them in water overnight to soften them up a bit.
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2. Raisins
You might think raisins are good only for oatmeal and yogurt but they add a very unique flavor to rice, curries, even salads.
Raisins are high in many vitamins, not to mention important minerals such as copper and iron.
Try a handful in new ways such as rice pilafs, whole grain muffins, and bean salads.
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3. Coconut Oil
Instead of using those unhealthy vegetable oils, try coconut oil. Coconut oil has no artery clogging cholesterol! This versatile oil has a special type of saturated fat that can increase your metabolism, fight off fungus, candida, and yeast infections.
This healthy oil can also affect our hormones in such a way that it helps control blood sugar. It’s not just for cooking, either, you can mix it into many other dishes such as dressings, sauces, and protein shakes.
Try it with some of your favorite veggie dishes.
Read more about how to improve your life with coconut oil.
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4. Bee Pollen
Perhaps you haven’t tried this yet, but this has to be one of the best super foods you will find anywhere.
Bee pollen is the food for young bees and, amazingly enough, it has many of the nutrients that human beings also need. Bee pollen is a high protein additive that contains many amino acids, vitamins, including all the B-complex vitamins, and folic acid.
Bee pollen has more protein than any other animal source.
Add this true super food into baked goods, salads, protein shakes, and smoothies.
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5.Flaxseed
This is a great way to not only get an energy boost, but it keeps you heart healthy as well.
Flaxseed is high in both omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
Ground flaxseed works best as it’s more easily absorbed by the body this way.
Add it to oatmeal, yogurt, salads, and if you like to bake, you can use ground flaxseed as a replacement for eggs.
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6.Hemp Seeds
Like chia seeds, hemp seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein.
They do have more flavor than chia seeds, though, which is a good thing since this means they will add a unique flavor to your meal.
Try some hemp milk or add them to salads, smoothies, protein shakes, and vegetarian dishes.
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7. Maca
This is a winner, folks, as it not only gives you a boost of energy but it’s a known sexual stimulant.
This is perhaps one of the oldest super foods around since it originates in Peru, where the Inca used it.
Maca has 55 phyto-chemicals including the B vitamins, zinc, and vitamin C, just to name a few.
Maca has a sweeter, almost coffee like flavor so this is good in smoothies, tea, or any dish where you want a taste of sweetness.
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8. Powdered Peanut Butter
Forget all that unhealthy oil and preservatives that is regular peanut butter.
Powdered peanut butter has all of the flavor, without all that fat. Two tablespoons has a tiny 45 calories and only 1.5grams of fat.
Try it with your granola, oatmeal, or smoothies.
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9. Nutritional Yeast
This is a great way to get your protein, folic acid, and vitamin B12 all in one shot.
This has a slightly cheesy kind of flavor to it so it can give you some of the flavor of cheese without adding the typical fat associated with some cheeses.
This is a great one to try on popcorn, veggies, salads, and you’ve got to try it on mashed potatoes!
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