Cooking for One: Add Spice to Your Life

Hallmark greeting card commercials and Norman Rockwell paintings portray happy families gathered around the dining room table, feasting together on a meal cooked by Grandma, Mom, and the virtuous children.

For those of us who are single, it's all too easy to use that vision as an excuse to hold a "whine and cheese party."If you're stirring the pity pot (and the pan consists only of canned soup), it's time to discover how to add spice to your life with these flavorful additions.

Help with Herbs

Whether you're making soup, salad, or red snapper, a dash of the right seasoning can turn yuck into yummy! Here are some examples:

• Baking or broiling a chicken breast? Add a dash of thyme and garlic powder.
• Going for the beef? Try sprinkling on tarragon for an unusual flavor, with a dash of onion powder.
• And about that snapper or salmon? Make that dish delightful with dill and, once baked, a wedge of fresh lemon.
• If you love lamb, you'll love it even more when you bake it with garlic cloves and rosemary.
• From vegetable soup to vegetables steamed to a leafy salad, herbs can make the mundane magical. Basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder are tasty choices. If you're a wine vinegar lover, experiment with taking an empty glass bottle and pouring a mixture of herbs inside (estimate for no more than a teaspoon total). Pour in the wine vinegar, and let it sit for a few days to absorb the flavor.

Sweeten with Spices

I try to avoid sugar, but I do love sweets. Solution: find ways to bring out the full flavor of fresh fruits and plain yogurt without adding sugar:

• Applesauce becomes awesome mixed with a sprinkle of allspice.
• Slice up peaches or nectarines, then mix in with plain Greek yogurt, a dash of ginger, and a dash of cinnamon.
• Nutmeg's not just for eggnog. I love plain Greek yogurt mixed with Equal or Splenda, a dash of nutmeg, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.