Spices are a great way to add dimension and flavor to your dishes. If you’re watching your salt or sugar intake, spices can be a great way to make this less boring.

There are a few spices I always have on the shelf, in addition to salt and pepper. My savory staples are: onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, dill, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, guajillo chili powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, garam masala and rosemary.

Extracts: vanilla and lemon. A dash of vanilla extract gives my coffee a boost without sugar. “Sweet” spices: allspice, nutmeg

Oils and vinegars: I get the best olive oil at the best price I can find. I recently found a wonderful one at Aldi, at a great price point. It’s in a glass bottle and everything! I keep several vinegars on hand: apple cider, balsamic, white and red wine vinegars, rice wine vinegar, and W sauce.

Asian spices and condiments: green and red curry pastes, coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce for lower sodium), fish sauce, mirin, turmeric, garlic stir in paste, basil stir in paste.

The spices I replace the most are onion and garlic powders, and italian seasoning.

I make my own chili powder blend and taco seasoning with high quality powdered individual chilies (guajillo and ancho).

Finally, my favorite spice of all time is Tajín seasoning: a blend of salt, chili powder, and crystallized lime juice. I put it on everything from tacos to watermelon to my favorite: peanut butter and orange marmalade sandwiches.

There’s no limit to where spice combinations can take you. Dive in and take a trip around the world, all from the comfort of your own kitchen!