by Amy Stroud

Created on: January 29, 2007   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

I have seen several good articles, but I thought I would give it a try.

Nothing gets bland sooner than a plain old salad made with iceberg lettuce. Always keep baby greens like spinach on hand and keep that crisper stocked with fresh salad veggies like cucumbers, squash, carrots and zucchini to slice or shred and make a salad more tasty.

Turkey bacon is an excellent alternative to pork bacon as it is much lower in fat, but just as savory. Just a little bit crumbled atop a salad will give it a lift; a slice or two on the turkey sandwich is delicious.

A fresh lemon or bottled lemon or lime juice will add extra zing to grilled or broiled fish, whether it be fresh or frozen.

Butter Buds is my good diet product and it really does taste like butter and can be used for a wide variety of foods from baked potatoes to popcorn to veggies.

Don't be afraid of using olive oil. Although it does contain fat, it's the good kind, so it's okay to add it to your diet. It adds flavor to salad greens, sauteed veggies and pasta.

Keep canned chicken broth readily available to substitute for butter when you stir fry. You can also use it to make tasty, reduced-fat mashed potatoes. It c
an be substituted for water in many dishes.

Flavored vinegar adds a lot of flavor to sauces, soups and entrees. Just a drop or two makes a big difference.

Adding minced hot peppers, onions, bellpeppere to dishes can add some taste

A handful of sun-dried tomatoes can really perk up your favorite Italian dish.

Toasting makes almond slivers much more flavorful.You can add to salads, low-fat vanilla yogurt, veggies, soups and entrees.

Try adding different herbs and spices to your veggies and entrees. Dried herbs are actually more flavorful than fresh. Experiment with basil, dill, tarragon, curry, cumin, cilantro, onio powder, garlic pepper salt, rosemary and others until you find your favorites.
Here are a few ideas:

Try adding cardamom or ginger to rice. It adds a sweet tinge to a side dish that can get quite boring after a few meals in a row.

Old Bay seasoning really peps up steamed or broiled scallops, shrimp, fish or almost any seafood dish

Chili powder such as chipotle can be added to everything from beans to chicken, but be careful, don't add too much or your mouth will be on fire.

One of my favorites to use is Mrs. Dash, it can spice up the blandest meal. All flavors are good, but I recommend Garlic and Herb and original.

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