North & South American

“One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
― Henry Miller

American cuisine has been influenced by many different cultures and culinary traditions. American families make Jewish, European, Mexican, and Indian dishes on a daily basis. America is a great place to eat healthy. There is so much variety of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains to experiment with. The secret to getting our health back as a nation is to go back to basics: make good simple food at home and use as many plant based ingredients as possible. In America I developed my passion for dishes from around the world.

On this page you'll find recipes that vary from Puerto Rican rice and beans to American Black Bean Burgers.

Try these delicious North & South American recipes!

Vegan Black Bean Soup

Pico De Gallo

Vegan Pina Colada Bars

Carrot Cake with Candied Ginger

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Baked Lemon Cheesecake

Vegetable Pot Pies

Baked Summer Squash, Zucchini And Cherry Tomatoes

Spices and Herbs

North and South American dishes rely on variety of different spices and herbs. They make these dishes truly exceptional. Consider keeping these herbs in your pantry and you will always be able to make a nice Mexican, Cuban, or American meal.

Cumin

Cuisine:Mediterranean, African, Indian, Latino-American.
Uses: stews, grilling, potatoes, curry, lamb, chicken, rice, beans, fish. I can’t live without this native to Egypt herb. It adds a great flavor to your rice dishes. If you use lemon on your fish, add a little bit of cumin and you will notice a difference in taste: cumin goes very well with citrus.

Chili Powder

Cuisine: North and South American
Uses: soups, sauces, marinades. Chili powder is a combination of chili pepper powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic powder. It gives your food a nice kick.

Ground Cinnamon

Cuisine: Mexican, Indian, American
Uses: add to your favorite cake batter, pies, rolls, bread, oatmeal, sweet rice, fresh fruit. It goes very well with apples. Obtained from the bark of Cinnamomum trees. It was known in China and Egypt as early as 2000 B.C. Cinnamon was mentioned in the Bible and was used ceremonially (Exodus 30:23, “Take thou also unto thee principal aspices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels”)

Nutmeg

Cuisine: American, Indian, Caribbean, Middle-Eastern, Japanese
Uses: breads, cakes, rolls, pies, pastries. When you make stews or meat, combine nutmeg with cumin, coriander, and black pepper. It originated in Indonesia. You will just need one pinch to enhance the taste of meats, curries, and fried veggies. The taste of nutmeg will make your apple and pumpkin pies taste like holidays! Add a little bit of nutmeg to your hot chocolate and enjoy!

Cayenne Pepper

Cuisine: American, Mexican, Caribbean, Indian
Uses: meats, curries, rice, fish- if you like them spicy! Just a pinch is enough. I bake zucchini and squash in the oven and add just a tiny bit of Cayenne pepper to make them more flavorful and spicy.

Ginger

Cuisine: American, Asian
Uses: stir fries, vegetable marinades, baked goods, tea. Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many illnesses since the dawn of times. It's believed to help with headaches, nausea, and flu symptoms.

Sage

Cuisine: American, European Uses: sauces, marinades, roasted vegetables. Sage has strong pungent taste. Use sparingly and stick to the recipe strictly. 

Basil

Cuisine: American, Italian. Uses: pizza, salads, soups, pasta, and omelets. It is perfect when you use it in combination with oregano, tomatoes and garlic. Basil is a great anti-oxidant and protects your cells from damage. For moms, it is believed to help increase breast milk production. 

Oregano

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, Italian, French Uses: tomato dishes, pizza, soups, zucchini and other vegetable dishes. I love to add oregano to omelets. It goes very well with basil. 

Rosemary

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean Uses: soups, mushrooms, baked potatoes, unsweetened breads and rolls, and tomato soups. Be careful with how much you use rosemary. It will make your food bitter if you use toof much. I’ve made that mistake once myself. Live and learn.

Black Pepper

Cuisine: American, European, Indian.  Uses: in every dish that needs a bit of a kick. Use black pepper to help your body break down fats that you get from meats. It is supposed to help your digestion.  It is the third most used ingredient all over the world after water and salt. Originated in India and has a history of at least 4000 years. It is believed to be the oldest spice used in cooking. Pepper used to be so valuable in ancient times that it was used as money!