Cookbook giveaway - Gizzi's Healthy Appetite

January 27, 2016·Darcie

Gizzi's Healthy Appetite book cover

Chef Gizzi Erskine doesn't believe that healthy eating should be boring. That philosophy is reflected in her latest cookbook, Gizzi's Healthy Appetite: Food to Nourish the Body and Feed the Soul, which pumps up healthy ingredients with bold flavours and palate-pleasing textures. You can read an excerpt from the book's introduction on the EYB blog.

We're delighted to offer 5 copies of Gizzi's Healthy Appetite to EYB Members. The contest is limited to Members in the USA and Canada. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section to this blog post:

What's your go-to method for perking up a healthy but bland ingredient?

Please note that you must be signed into the Rafflecopter contest before posting the comment or your entry won't be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends February 24, 2016.

45 comments

SiegalJanuary 28, 2016

I find sour cream always helpS

jlemoineJanuary 29, 2016

Roasting almost any vegetable until just slightly charred. We've always done this with root veg and have recently started with broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Simple and delish!

Acequiamadre.nmJanuary 28, 2016

New Mexican Chile.

vicksterJanuary 28, 2016

Smoked paprika

sgumpJanuary 27, 2016

Freshly made tofu in Asia is anything but bland, but all I can get my hands on in my small town in Central Iowa is the mass-produced type in those square plastic cartons. Fortunately, even the mass-produced type takes very well to Asian flavorings, and I still love to pair tofu with fresh ginger, spring onions, and soy sauce (or, if I'm lucky to have any on hand, ponzu). Bland + zippy and flavorful = well, zippy and flavorful.

okcookJanuary 27, 2016

A small amount of red or green curry paste available at Asian markets add flavour and a little heat. Easy to incorporate into sauces or soups or dressings.

pandapotamusJanuary 28, 2016

garlic!

MagpieTJanuary 28, 2016

Squeeze of lemon or lime

katdennisJanuary 28, 2016

My go to is seasoning salt or spices and herbs.

decoratesJanuary 27, 2016

Garlic is a wonderful way to get some extra flavor in. I know some people find it too strong but it's never let me down.

MmeFleissJanuary 29, 2016

Spices!

BglLvrJanuary 29, 2016

If the ingredient itself is the problem, I usually add some type of heat (moist, dry - whatever the situation dictates). If it is a recipe that needs a bit of punch, I use one (or more) of 4 ingredients to add a bit of pop -- lemon juice (or vinegar in a pinch), EVOO, sea salt, or maple syrup (or honey if my bees have had a good year!) ;-)

DFedJanuary 29, 2016

Depends on the ingredient, but spices always help!

laurieskJanuary 30, 2016

Pink Himalayan sea salt.

beckyoginiJanuary 29, 2016

depends on the bland ingredient :) I like to add sliced almonds and a bit of cinnamon to plain oatmeal

kimboston206February 1, 2016

Spices, fresh herbs, fresh ginger, or a squeeze of lemon

TrishaCPJanuary 31, 2016

Lemons and fresh herbs

rstuartJanuary 30, 2016

Lemon juice!

lindaeatsherbooksFebruary 3, 2016

I use lemon to zest up bland flavours.

Gorge_usJanuary 29, 2016

Hot chiles!

wjsisungJanuary 29, 2016

Seasoning blend

yvonnedayJanuary 29, 2016

Fresh herbs

AnalyzeFebruary 3, 2016

Cheese helps :)

jupfluteFebruary 1, 2016

spices

trudys_personJanuary 28, 2016

Salt - which is probably not the right answer! A squeeze of citrus or a bit of heat is good too ...

angelanorrFebruary 4, 2016

chipotle in adobo

love2chowFebruary 9, 2016

chipotle powder

ballenFebruary 7, 2016

Fresh lemon or lime.

LynledFebruary 12, 2016

A homemade mixture of dried garlic, lemon peel, dried rosemary, dried herbs on hand and pepper!

eathealthybeefFebruary 12, 2016

Cinnamon is a marvelous secret spice that adds depth to relatively plain i desserts, sweetness to a simple pork or cut of grass-fed beef, and intrigue to cauliflower or kale. I like playing with the different Cinnamons including Vietnamese and Ceylon. I also sprinkle it on greek yogurt...no other sweetner needed. Also, a friend of mine who is battling cancer swears by it. Magical.

SuzanneLFebruary 12, 2016

Lemon zest!

DJ0309February 20, 2016

Definitely, herbs and spices. I usually use garlic and onion powder.

DeneenmFebruary 15, 2016

adding acid, shallots & roasting

topdawg11February 12, 2016

Heat, such as minced jalapeno or serrano peppers. Organic of course.

ballenFebruary 19, 2016

freshly ground pepper

Kimberly62February 16, 2016

citrus or spice

mflFebruary 14, 2016

lemon juice

ladibyrdFebruary 14, 2016

Plenty of spices from our local Savory Spice Shop.

sbh2006February 17, 2016

My trick is to use a variety of spices and sauces; depending on the ingredient (say, konnyaku), I layer with pepper (shichimi togarashi is great), yuzu paste, soy, etc. For greens, I love my Fustini's balsamic vinegars (especially maple and espresso!). For spice, I love to add gojuchang or curry paste. I love to chiffonade shiso and myoga as they provide a refreshing (and unexpected) counterpoint.

NancithFebruary 13, 2016

for bland greens, flavored vinegars do wonders.

sillyvyFebruary 17, 2016

using herbs, spices, and infused oil!

DrmiggyFebruary 15, 2016

Minced herbs and aromatics like shallot with a splash of sherry vinegar

KatiefayhutsonFebruary 22, 2016

Olive oil with a little bit of salt and pepper and a nice roasting in the oven

pgarciaFebruary 24, 2016

Unique spice blends, squirt of lemon, flavored olive oil, flavored balsamic vinegar, etc.

contest718February 20, 2016

Lemon and garlic. We love garlic in our house so much that it is hard to find a recipe that isn't overloaded with it. I also make all my own salad dressing so at least I know what is going into the dressing.