Spice Up Your Food

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these suggestions to spice up your food without piling on the calories:

• Use techniques that employ high heat for more intense flavor, such as broiling, grilling or pan-searing.
• Use fresh herbs and seasonings, such as cumin, cilantro, basil, caraway, chives, rosemary, ginger or garlic.
• Add a sprinkle of a sharp cheese to your favorite vegetable, rice or pasta.
• Add dried ingredients, such as sundried tomatoes, dried plums, cranberries, figs, apricots or red pepper flakes.
• Use brightly colored peppers to add flavor, and a splash of hot sauce or jalapenos.
• Add a squirt of citrus juice or grated peel from lemons, limes or oranges.