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Spice Blends–My Kind of Convenience (Review & Giveaway!)

Published on April 6, 2014 By Emily. Updated on April 6, 2014

Remember that time (3 days ago) when I posted about making more things instead of buying them?  There’s another aspect to that philosophy that I didn’t really include.  To borrow a phrase from Rachel Wilkerson’s earlier writings, “Don’t be ridiculous”.  I have a full time job, I’m a graduate student, I have a husband who likes to spend time with me, and I have several local organizations I’m involved with.  I could certainly make everything I eat from scratch, but I’m pretty sure it would be at the cost of my sanity.

So when I was given the opportunity to try out Healthy Solutions Spice Blends, I quickly accepted.  Though spice blends are certainly something I could strive towards developing on my own, I won’t be working on it any time soon.  I keep a well stocked spice rack, but spice blends aren’t something I’ve explored much.  But I do know that the right spices in a dish can make a world of difference.  spiceblend packages

There are 16 spice blends in the Healthy Solutions Line:

  • Herb Crusted Tilapia
  • Shrimp Scampi
  • Cajun Seafood
  • Encrusted Haddock
  • Lemon Pepper
  • Sesame Ginger Tuna
  • Grilled Swordfish
  • Salmon with Dill
  • Bold Beef Rub
  • Authentic Chili/Tacos
  • Hearty Beef Stew
  • Italian Meatballs
  • Perfect Steak
  • Savory Meatloaf
  • Ultimate Burger
  • Pork & Poultry

Each blend comes in a resealable plastic pouch and includes ingredients, nutrition facts and a recipe on the back.  Choosing which varieties I wanted to try was a little difficult, as many of the options are intended to be used for meat and I’m an indecisive person by nature.  I knew I could do something more creative with them then their intended uses, but I was also open to trying something different than my usual seafood applications.  In the end, I requested and received samples of the Authentic Chili/Taco, Shrimp Scampi, Cajun Seafood, and Grilled Swordfish blends.

spice mix collage

So far, I’ve really only used each mix once.  The fact that I received the spice blends during my recent meal planning slump was both a blessing and a curse: the provided recipes were really helpful in figuring out what we were going to eat, but I also didn’t have the creativity to come up with unique uses for each spice blend.

For the tacos, I simply followed my standard recipe, using the spice blend instead of my usual spices.  The result, which was served over kohlrabi slaw, was very close to the usual taste of my tacos.  No complaints here about that; it was nice to open one packet instead of several jars.  I really enjoyed the shrimp scampi blend, which I sprinkled over shrimp that I then cooked with tomatoes and vegetable broth.  The spice blend was buttery, garlicky and flavorful.  I think the Shrimp Scampi blend may be my favorite of the bunch.  The Cajun seafood seasoning was the first blend I tried and I mistakenly attempted to use almost the entire packet on one pound of fish.  It wasn’t until I looked at the recipe after dinner that I realized I was only supposed to use a couple tablespoons.   This is what happens when you don’t read directions carefully.  As a result, the fish was way too spicy.  That said, it’s nice to have a pre-made spice mix that really packs a punch and I’m looking forward to re-testing it again soon.  Finally, I followed (correctly) the instructions for the swordfish seasoning and then cooked the fish on my George Foreman grill.  Though my swordfish ended up a bit overcooked, the lemony seasoning was still awesome.  Next time I think I’ll use more than the recipe called for and cook the fish less, but the mix is definitely a keeper.

Each of the packets includes enough seasoning for several meals and, after exploring their website, it’s nice to see that they’re reasonably priced for dried spices.  I’m looking forward to using up what I have remaining in some more creative applications in the weeks to come.  The spice blends are available in a number of stores and are available for purchase online.

Want to try Healthy Solutions Spice Blends for yourself?  Enter to win your choice of any 4 of the spice blends using the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I was provided with 4 varieties of Healthy Solutions Spice Blends in exchange for a review and giveaway.  As always, all opinions are my own.  Product photos used with permission from the Healthy Solutions website.

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Comments

  1. Mackenzie says

    April 6, 2014 at 10:50 am

    I’m a cajun lover, so I would pick the cajun seafood.

  2. Melissa says

    April 7, 2014 at 1:48 am

    Salmon with Dill. I’m not a huge seafood lover, but salmon is delicious!

  3. Lucy says

    April 7, 2014 at 10:48 am

    I’d love to try any of the fish ones, especially the tilapia and the tuna. We eat tilapia a lot – it’s quick and easy. Thanks for the giveaway!

  4. Stephanie @ My Freckled Life says

    April 7, 2014 at 11:27 am

    These all look so good!! But probably any of the fish ones – I don’t cook fish nearly enough in our house, so this would be a great way to try something new!

  5. Mom says

    April 7, 2014 at 4:24 pm

    I just want to say, these food photos look great! At first I thought maybe they came from the product’s site, but then I recognized the dishes!

  6. Tammy says

    April 7, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    They all sound great! Salmon Dill I think is my top choice right now. I love Salmon a lot. I’ve tried Lemon Dill a few times and I’m hooked. So guess I’ll stick to what I really like!

  7. amanda says

    April 8, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    i think i’d like to try the savory meatloaf or the perfect steak. i actually have a lot of lamb left over from our CSA and need to come up with creative ways of cooking with it! great blog! :-D

  8. manda says

    April 9, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    Salmon with dill.

  9. katy says

    April 10, 2014 at 7:57 am

    I would love to try the bold beef.. but they all sound amazing!

  10. Jessica Dobbs says

    April 11, 2014 at 3:23 pm

    I’d like to try the ultimate burger

  11. Carolsue says

    April 11, 2014 at 9:40 pm

    I would like to try the Shrimp Scampi. I would make Shrimp Scampi with it, of course! LOL.

  12. Emily Shoemaker says

    April 12, 2014 at 11:19 am

    I can understand the convenience of having a pre-made blend, esp taco seasoning that we use all the time and I always seem to be missing one ingredient; this week its oregano, last week it was cayenne pepper, etc. I usually don’t get the pre-made blends because they are either too specific – and therefore I wouldn’t go though them fast enough – or contain lots of salt, MSG, or other ingredients I would use.
    On a side note, why are spice blends often sold in the larger 1 or 2oz bottles, where as the individual spices are usually in 1/2oz containers? Hmmm….

Trackbacks

  1. Monday Announcements: 4.7.14 | Healthy Living Blogs says:
    April 7, 2014 at 8:00 am

    […] mixes come in varieties like Authentic Tacos/Chili, Lemon Pepper and Perfect Steak. Check out her Healthy Solutions Spice Blends review and giveaway to enter before Sunday, April […]

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Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring Last week Brian and I finally got around to hiring a sitter for a rare night out. We went to dinner at @publicna and took advantage of the opportunity with drinks, appetizers and dessert.

Pictured:
- Citrus Braised Beef Tacos
- "Chicken and Waffles"
- House Fries with Garlic Aioli
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- Blood Orange Cheesecake
It was no surprise that Public was close to full on a Wednesday night - everything was so good. 

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New year, new theme word! This year's word is "enr New year, new theme word!
This year's word is "enrich" and I'm really excited about it.

I've written more about this year's theme on the blog. Click in the link in my profile or follow the link below to read the post.
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https://www.relishments.com/blog/my-2023-theme-word-enrich/
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#YearlyTheme #MyOneWord #2023 #enrich2023 #NewYearsResolution
It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post. It's It's not New Year's Eve without a Top 9 post.
It's almost all #Berkshires content this year, which is great.
1. A pasta salad reel that took longer to create than the recipe took to make.
2. A reel from North Carolina where I could have watched birds all day.
3. The @thelazygenius book giveaway.
4.@plantconnector 
5. @berkshiremuseum 
6.@sculpture.now at @themountlenox 
7. @massmoca 
8. @mountainviewfarm413 
9. The #AshuwillticookRailTrail
New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year' New on the blog: My 2022 reflections on last year's theme word - resume. 

I was able to get back to many activities that were meaningful to me this year and I'm calling this theme a success. Follow the link below or click the link in my profile to read more.
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New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022. For New on the blog: My Favorite Recipes of 2022.

For the fourth year, I've recapped the best new (to me) recipes I made this year in the hope that they'll give you some new dishes to try. This year's list is short, but delicious. It includes @budgetbytes My Favorite Recipes of 2022
Published on December 30, 2022 By Emily. Updated on December 30, 2022

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is basically behind us. Though overall this year found me getting back to the person I want to be (post-babies and “post”-pandemic), I did not try nearly as many new recipes this year as I used to. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I’d made note of any new-to-me recipes I wanted to share in this post. This year’s list is short, but delicious. It includes recipes from @budgetbytes, @smittenkitchen and @howsweeteats.
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Read the post by visiting the link in my profile or 
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@coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one @coastalmainebotanicalgardens continues to be one of the highlights of all my return trips to Boothbay and their annual Gardens Aglow event continues to impress. It was great to be back to walking the gardens instead of the pandemic drive through and there seemed to be more lights than ever.  I'm already looking forward to next year.
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It has been a while, but there is finally a new CS It has been a while, but there is finally a new CSA menu plan on the blog! Visit the link below or in my profile to see how I plan to make use of some of the @mightyfoodfarm produce seen here.
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Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but t Fall in the Berkshires is always incredible, but this year we've had weather that has also been outstanding. The past 2 weekends have included time at Jaeschke Orchards, the Greylock Glen, and the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail as well as stopping to photograph any random foliage I see. 
Check out the last slide for video of some feathered friends we saw on a walk.
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@freshgrassfestival continues to be one of my favo @freshgrassfestival continues to be one of my favorite events each year, and it doesn't hurt that it's just minutes away from home. Enjoying the festival with my kids is definitely a different experience than without, but it's still a good time. The weather was especially cooperative today which was great for all the laps I did around the @massmoca campus pushing a stroller. I'm already looking forward to next year.
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