Continued

As promised, here are a few recipes for homemade seasoning and dressing mixes. These taste WAY better than the ones you buy in the grocery store…and are much better for you!
I like to mix up several batches and put them into mason jars. I find it convenient to have them ready in my pantry when I need them. I simply attach a label with the name of the mix and brief instructions for preparation.



Taco Seasoning

4 tablespoons dried, minced onion
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano (you can use plain oregano if you want)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Mix 3 tablespoons of seasoning into 1 pound of browned lean ground beef or turkey. Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes.


Ranch Dressing Mix

1 tablespoon poon dried chives
1 tablespoon spoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1-2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Mix 1 tablespoon of dressing mix with 1/2 cup mayo (I like Spectrum organic mayo, or Nayonaise vegan mayo), 1/2 cup all natural sour cream, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1 tablespoon organic (or non-GMO) canola oil. The canola oil is optional, but gives it a better texture.

Italian Dressing Mix

1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon evaporated cane juice (organic sugar)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt

Mix 2 tablespoons of dressing mix with 1/3 cup of red wine or balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of water.

These recipes were adapted from recipe submissions on allrecipes.com.

A few other substitutions/brands I use…
Mayonnaise…Nayonaise by Nasoya. It is vegan, non-GMO and contains no preservatives…and lower in fat than traditional mayo. I like Spectrum Organic Mayonnaise when I need to use a full fat version.


Ketchup and mustard…Organic store brands (I use Meijer Organics)
BBQ Sauce…Organic Ville Original BBQ Sauce



Cereal…Kashi organic cereals, Nature’s Path organic cereals, or bulk organic old fashioned oats.
Canned soups…Pacific Natural Foods…Our faves are Organic Creamy Tomato and Organic Condensed Cream of Mushroom. These are free of preservatives, and come in a carton so they are BPA free!
I promised you the recipe for my simple spaghetti sauce…but I am going to make you wait a few more weeks. I’m so mean! I plan on using it in a recipe I will be giving in an upcoming menu post.

I will be back Friday with my menu post…and FREE printable recipe pages!

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Jessie