I have found that adding spices to my food, especially vegetable dishes, helps to keep me on track with eating healthier, but it turns out that some spices may actually be healthier than the vegetables I put them on. One of the true stand-outs in this category is Turmeric. This spice is native to India and gives curry its beautiful yellow color. The flavor is warm and peppery and I find it pairs well with potatoes (which I do let myself indulge in on a limited basis in my SpiteHot plan). A quick web search will glean you a host of results that highlight the beneficial health properties of this herb. Some of the more memorable benefits are:

• Anti-inflammatory properties, i.e. lessons inflammation of bodily tissues
• Linked to Improved Brain Functions
• May lower your risk for heart disease
• Can help prevent Cancer

Check out www.authoritynutrition.com for more information.

I have read that the best way to benefit from this herb is to take in pill form, but I lean more toward using the actual spice itself. The recipe below takes advantage of the peppery flavor of turmeric to dress up potatoes and it goes great with grilled burgers, chicken or fish. Enjoy…

TURMERIC POTATOES

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 medium yellow or white onions peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon ground Turmeric
• Salt and pepper
• 2 pounds Yukon Gold unpeeled potatoes sliced as desired
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth or water

DIRECTIONS

• Coat bottom of electric frying pan with olive oil. Heat to medium-high.
• Place all onion slices in one layer on bottom of pan. Sprinkle with Turmeric and salt and pepper.
• Place all potatoes over top of onions and add more salt, pepper and Turmeric.
• Cook on medium-high without stirring until the onions start to soften and brown. You may peek under the potatoes to look but DO NOT STIR.
• Once onions are browned add broth or water, cover and reduce the heat to low.
• Don’t stir the mixture during cooking but shake the pan occasionally and check to make sure there is still some liquid on the bottom of the pan. Add more liquid if needed.
• Cook for 20 minutes, until there is a syrupy brown glaze on the bottom of the pan and the potatoes are tender.
• Turn off heat and let stand covered for five minutes.

STORAGE

Store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Carb Count

1 potato = 23 carbs (26 g carbs – 3 g Fiber)

1 onion = 8 carbs (10 g carbs – 2 g Fiber)

TOTAL ~ 31 Carbs