Pass the Paprika

Ground from dried peppers, paprika can be smoky, fruity, or bitter. Applied topically, the capsaicin in peppers has been known to relieve headaches, psoriasis, and shingles. Pair smoked paprika with parsnips and butternut squash, sprinkle on poached for flavor and a splash of color.

Quick tip
Choose small quantities of whole spices over big jars of powders, which lose their flavor quickly. Mark the month and year of purchase and toss or compost after 2 years.

Bay Leaf

This venerable spice, a distant relative of cinnamon and avocado, is an unsung hero of the modern kitchen. Its aromatic, slightly astringent flavor is essential to countless stocks, soups, sauces, and marinades. For a sweet adventure, add a leaf to rice pudding, poached pears or stewed apricots. Or to scent the home, place a few leaves in boiling water on the stove, lovely lingering scent.

Curry up!

Curry powder- This spice blend contains nutritional heavy hitters like fenugreek, which relieves everything from bronchitis to menstrual cramps, and tumeric, whose potent antioxidants helps prevent cell damage. We like curry on most anything...eggs in the morning, delish with fresh herbs for salad dressing or a heavy dash in potato soup, comfort food.

Cinnamon a natural antiseptic

Cinnamon- Most cinnamon in the market today is actually cassia, the dried bark of a tropical laurel tree. The real stuff is lighter in color and sweeter in flavor. Cinnamon oil is a powerful antiseptic, and the spice is believed to help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol. Try a stick in your tea or Latte, delicious sprinkled on apple with raw peanut or almond butter. I like sprinkled on kefir, too.

another spicy tip...Black pepper

Black pepper- The world's most popular spice is so ubiquitous that its health value is often overlooked.(Capsaicin, the alkaloid that gives pepper its bite, stimulates digestion, circulation anf perspiration.) It is also a cooling agent. For a refreshing drink, try an Indian-style glass of sweetened lime juice and soda garnished with pepper.

A Fire Cider Tonic

Fend off viruses with zesty herbal vinegar. Try a tablespoon as needed when you're feeling unwell; drizzle on veggies for an immune boost.

Step 1 prep ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped ginseng root, fresh or dried, 1/4 cup grated ginger root, 1/4 cup grated horseradish root, and 1/8 cup chopped garlic.

Step 2 Add cayenne to taste. Pour in enough apple cider vinegar to cover the herbs by an inch or two, then seal tightly. Let sit for 4 weeks.

Step 3 Strain the herbs from the vinegar. Sweeten with raw honey or have it straight up, like I do. Burn baby burn, clears up the sinuses too.