2
THE ARCHITECT OF FLAVOR
Ten years after I seriously committed to becoming a “smaller” person, I was in Nashville, Tennessee, to work on a consulting project. The day before an important meeting, I received an unexpected call from Steve Harvey himself. I discovered later that my marketing and operations director knew a member of Steve Harvey’s personal team and had shared my background and contact information with him in the hopes that he would in turn pass it along to Steve. Steve had recently made a national announcement that he was going to launch a TV show in Chicago, my stomping grounds, and was in search of a personal chef.
I was shocked to hear his voice on the phone. After I stammered a greeting, he said, “Hey, Chef, I hear you are the healthy flavor chef. I want you to meet me at the NBC studio at 5:00 a.m. tomorrow with a packaged breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I will see you then.”
I was speechless, but managed to say I’d be there. He had presented me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had to go into strategy mode. I was four hundred miles away from Chicago and needed to figure out how to prepare a full day’s worth of meals for him and have them ready and delivered by dawn the next morning. Of course, I consulted with the Man Upstairs and my family for advice on how I should proceed.
I made my apologies and rescheduled my big meeting. I took the first flight out of Nashville that evening. When I got to Chicago, I had to find a twenty-four-hour grocery store that offered quality, fresh products, then prepare and package the meals. That morning, I was a firecracker, extremely nervous, but I had my game face on and was ready to present as the sun came up! All I could think was, “Jud, you are not going to squander this opportunity. Now serve it.”
I must say, it paid off that I did some preliminary research into the foods Steve loves. Of course, leave it to the “architect of flavor” to take those favorites and make them extraordinary. I dished up some of my proudest culinary creations, including my signature Crab-Stuffed Chilean Sea Bass.
I hit a home run and closed the deal! I became Steve Harvey’s personal chef, and he built me a kitchen in his dressing room, which was more like a completely decked-out condo. Steve valued my international culinary studies and was intrigued by my food science degree. In his inimitable voice, he asked, “So I hear you can make healthy food flavorful, huh, and what the hell is a food scientist anyway?” I knew that the Spice Diet would wow him.
He had seen me compete to the finals on season 8 of the Food Network’s hit show Next Food Network Star. He was impressed that I used that national platform to tell the story of how I struggled and finally overcame my weight problems. We discovered that we had a lot in common. Not only had we both dealt with weight issues, but we also share an insatiable zeal to win. Steve wanted to get in shape for the launch of his television show. During my first few weeks, I worked closely with others on his team, including his nutritionist and personal trainer. After a short amount of time, Steve developed a level of trust in me that spoke to my commitment and character.
I discovered that Steve knows a lot about health, food choices, and exercise. Having researched many weight loss, detox, and general health programs, he has also interviewed countless experts on his radio and television shows. With his opportunity to learn from the top experts, I consider him an expert in the healthy living field—no MD or PhD necessary.
He is one of the most disciplined people I have ever met, which is not hard to believe given his enormous success. Keeping his demanding schedule takes boundless energy. My sous chef and I used my spice and ingredient combinations to design flavor profiles that gave the hardest-working man on TV the energy and health benefits he needed.
Steve loves great-tasting food that has ultimately made him look and feel amazing. One of my proudest moments working for him was when he complimented me on my Lobster Mac and Cheese and Grilled Peach and Kale Salad. He said they were the best he’d ever eaten.
Steve lost ten pounds in three weeks. I helped him achieve these results by managing spices and substituting healthy ingredients into the food he loves. I was able to satisfy his cravings in a nutritious way. He came to terms with his weight struggles with an unwavering commitment to keep the weight off long term by changing his approach to eating. Steve ultimately lost more than thirty pounds. By delivering great nutrition in combination with powerhouse flavors, I helped Steve to change his perception of healthy foods.
I am feeling much better and leaner with your healthy, flavorful food.
—Steve Harvey
THE BLISS POINT
When food manufacturers formulate their highly processed food, they aim to set off the pleasure-reward pathways in your brain, the same pathways associated with addiction to drugs and alcohol. I explain this in more detail in the next chapter. The highly palatable foods they produce are designed to make you addicted to their products. The manufacturers are looking for what they have labeled “the bliss point,” created by enough sugar, salt, or fat, to make the food irresistible. When I began to take control of my eating, I realized I had to create the bliss point in healthy foods. I had to produce dishes that delivered pure satisfaction. If I could light up the reward center in my brain with food that was good for me, I assumed I would eventually switch my cravings from unhealthy food to healthy food.
I began by weaning myself from the rich, calorie-loaded food that I loved. My first step was to make simple swaps: corn tortillas for flour ones, roasted skinless chicken instead of steak, and plain yogurt instead of sour cream. I switched out cream in recipes, first substituting half-and-half, then whole milk, and then skim milk or light coconut milk. I worked more vegetables into my diet to make up for the bulk I was accustomed to getting from higher-calorie ingredients.
In the old days, I ate mayonnaise straight out of the jar. It was so creamy. I spread it thickly on every sandwich I ate. I even used it in dips. I decided to see if I could swap it out for something creamy with a lower fat content. I made myself a new condiment. I added a little mayonnaise to very good mustard—I especially liked whole-grain mustard for the subtle texture—to make the mustard creamier. It did the trick. The tanginess of the mustard combined with the creaminess of the mayonnaise made this lower-calorie spread my go-to condiment.
As I’ve mentioned, Mexican food was/is one of my weaknesses. I couldn’t get enough sour cream, so I knew I had to come up with a low-fat substitute. I decided to try using plain nonfat yogurt. I know, yogurt is not sour cream, but I had ideas about what to do to amplify the flavor. I added fresh lime juice for acidity, and then I mixed in some fresh herbs to boost the flavor even more. When I took a taste, I loved it. There were endless ways I could change up the herbs to make my new “sour cream” deliciously different each time. It was out with the old, in with the new.
I was infatuated with fried catfish with fries or grits and couldn’t get enough of it. I can remember my grandfather taking out the big cast-iron skillet and a can of lard. He would shake the fish in a brown paper bag to coat it with flour, cornmeal, and seasoning. I loved pouring hot sauce and tartar sauce on the crunchy, golden-crusted fish. When I thought about it, it was the crunch—the texture—that I loved.
I decided to reproduce this dish with healthy fat and less salt. I seasoned the fish with Cajun spices and my Chef Blend Hot Sauce, which has the benefit of being very low in sodium, and put the fillets on a baking sheet. For the crust, I combined chopped pecans, lemon zest, parsley, and a small amount of Parmesan cheese just for taste. I brushed the fillet with a little olive oil and then put the nut mixture on top of the fish. Rather than frying the fish, I baked it at a high temperature. The results were just what I wanted. Inside the delicious golden crunch, the fish was moist and tender.
This healthy version was actually better than my grandfather’s deep-fried catfish. My taste buds were introduced to flavor that was new and exciting. The crunch was even better than the fried fish. Prepared this way, the fish stimulated my palate. It gave me what I call a total foodgasm! It was a party in my mouth! I had no trouble replacing a deep-fried guilty pleasure with food that was healthy for me.
By experimenting with tasty substitutions and new prep and cooking methods, I was able to scale back and finally to wean myself off food that was making me obese and destroying my health. I came to see that exciting my taste buds with a balance of powerful flavors had the same effect as eating processed food. I was able to find the bliss point again and again. When your brain experiences pleasure from eating wholesome food, your cravings for fast and processed foods diminish.
I promote home-cooked meals for many reasons. When you cook at home, you have complete control over what you are eating. From the quality and freshness of the ingredients you buy to the relative quantity of those ingredients in a dish, from the flavor profile you want to achieve to the method you use to cook the food—there are no restrictions on what you can do in the kitchen. You can create your own bliss point in every meal. I want to give you the tools to become a home cook who is confident about working with food and equipped to make easy meals that do more than satisfy cravings. When you take control of what you eat by preparing your own food, you will have what it takes to get ahead of your weight problems and improve your health.
LAYERING FLAVOR
At a cooking demonstration I was giving a few years ago, a woman in the audience made a comment that I’ve since made my own. I had been talking about ingredient combinations and building flavor.
She called out, “Chef Judson, you’re like an architect!”
Her observation was right on the money. She could not have done a better job of describing what I do with flavor. An architect is not just concerned with the look of a building but the structure and function as well.
The same is true of the Spice Diet. It’s about using imagination as well as practical techniques to build delicious, healthy meals. It’s based on constructing customized flavor profiles that satisfy your taste buds. The food you eat will look and taste great and will be nourishing and healing at the same time.
Come to think of it, I learned how to build flavor from my family. Nothing made me happier than when my grandfather had a huge pot of chili simmering away on the stove. That wise food lover had a unique way of making flavors pop. The secret ingredients of his chili were malt vinegar, fresh cilantro, and crushed oyster crackers. The acidity from the vinegar, the freshness from the cilantro, and the crunchy texture from the crackers balanced the spicy and rich flavors of the chili. Aromas would waft from the kitchen all day long as he cooked his prized dish slow and low in just the right way. I appreciated what he did and decided to follow in his footsteps. I wanted to construct the food I ate with layers of flavor and texture.
I found that if a recipe or a meal balanced the five flavors—sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory—the food was as satisfying as it could get. Incorporating all the flavors wipes out cravings, because you are experiencing all of them. The recipes in chapters 9 and 10 have this layered effect. You’ll see—the flavor just keeps coming. I am going to teach you how to create this flavor effect in your own kitchen.
Eating Healthy Never Tasted Like This Before
I have struggled with weight as an adult, blaming my busy lifestyle. It was easier to pick up fast food than to cook. Over time, I developed an insatiable craving for all the wrong foods. Judson introduced me to highly flavored, nutritious meals using spices and ingredient substitutions. Before I experienced his style of food preparation and cooking, I had concluded that “healthy foods” were bland in appearance, tasteless, and generally not very appealing. After tasting the incredible flavor of Judson’s cooking, I had no problem adopting a healthier style of eating. Eating healthy never tasted like this before! Consuming high-calorie meals was clearly not necessary for me to feel satisfied. Cooking and eating this way decreased my cravings and put me on the path toward living a healthier lifestyle.
—John W. Lee III
AN ANATOMY OF FLAVOR
Flavor uses all your senses. It has four components: taste, mouthfeel, aroma, and appearance. And then there is the magic: how the food affects your mind and spirit. Taste is the effect of the food on your taste buds. Mouthfeel is exactly what it sounds like. It involves the sense of touch, such as whether the food is hot or cold; its texture—creamy or crispy; its hotness or sharpness; whether it makes the mouth pucker as a lemon does; and the sound made while it’s being eaten. Remember snap, crackle, and pop? That’s the sound of crispiness. Aroma is responsible for 80 percent or more of the flavor we experience. And let’s not forget the appearance of your food—our food must always look sexy! Eating engages all your senses as well as inspires an overall feeling of well-being.
If you are going to use spices well, you have to know the properties of the five basic flavors of food: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory, or umami as it is also called. Here is a quick review:
Sweetness brings out the flavors of other ingredients. In chef-speak, that quality is called roundness. Of all the flavors, sweetness requires the greatest amount to register on the taste buds. Sweetness is satiating.
Salt is a flavor enhancer, which is why it is a major ingredient of processed food. It is important in savory dishes. Salt makes you thirsty, which is why pretzels and salty foods are served as finger food at bars. Salt also increases appetite.
Sourness adds brightness to food. From vinegar to lemon juice, sourness contributes acidity to a dish. A sour note is important in savory dishes. Sourness functions to quench thirst. This flavor is refreshing and makes food sparkle.
Bitterness balances sweetness and reduces richness. Your mouth is very sensitive to this cleansing taste. Bitterness is considered stimulating.
Savoriness or Umami is known as the “fifth taste profile.” The Japanese word umami means “pleasant savory taste.” This flavor falls between savory and salty. Umami has a meaty taste that makes your mouth feel full. Mushrooms, beef, green tea, shrimp, soybeans, and anchovies are all savory.
You can balance a taste by combining it with its opposite. If you have made something too sweet, add something bitter. If you have been heavy-handed with the salt, add something sour such as lemon juice or vinegar. Opposites balance out each other. I will get into balance in more detail when I discuss creating flavor profiles in chapter 11.
SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
In my world, spices don’t only come in jars. For me, the word spice includes anything that brings out the flavor of food without relying on sodium, refined sugar, processed ingredients, or unhealthy fats. My view of spice goes beyond dried seeds, roots, herbs, and barks. My definition includes taste-and texture-enhancing ingredients such as nuts, berries, edible flowers, and other surprises.
Herbs and spices can add great flavor to foods, but not all of them are delicious alone. Nature created this form of defense to keep animals from eating the plants’ leaves. If you have ever accidentally chewed a peppercorn, you know what I’m talking about. The flavors of many herbs and spices are chemical weapons that repel snails, bugs, caterpillars, and other animals and kill germs that could affect the plant. Don’t be alarmed. The amount of the chemical in a leaf or seed is a fairly small dose. When you mix herbs and spices with other ingredients, the dose is diluted to just a fraction of its full strength.
Not all herbs and spices cause this reaction. For example, basil, dill, mint, and parsley are delicious on their own. The reason they taste good to us is that their chemical defenses do not have an irritating effect on our mouths. Just think of biting into a mint leaf or topping a juicy tomato with fresh basil.
Scientists have found that herbs and spices that have been grown organically have more flavor because they have higher levels of health-protecting chemicals. Organic herbs and spices are vulnerable to attacks by insects because they are grown without pesticides. When attacked, the organic plants produce more of the aroma and flavor chemicals to repel the insects. If you buy organic herbs and spices, you’ll be cooking with fire!
The way you handle herbs can affect their flavor. The defensive chemicals responsible for their flavor can be found in fine, hairlike glands on the surface of the leaves, usually on the underside. This is true of basil, mint, oregano, sage, and thyme. Most other herbs store their flavor chemicals in canals within the leaves. If you crush the herb or cut it very finely, you can damage cells, which release grassy chemicals that can dominate the herb’s flavor. You can slow the production of the grassy chemicals by chilling the leaves before you crush or chop them. I will discuss the care and handling of spices and herbs in more detail in chapter 7. I think this little bit of science about the source of the aroma and flavor of herbs and spices is fascinating. I like to know how it all works. No wonder I enjoyed my food science courses at school.
Flavor Families
There are fragrance families for scents, including floral, Oriental, woody, and fresh. These categories of scents, mixed in different combinations and levels of intensity, are used to create perfume. Spices have sensory characteristics as well. To give you an overview of the flavor and aroma profiles of spices, below are fifteen of the most common descriptive labels for spices and the spices that fit into that category.
Bitter: bay leaf, celery seeds, clove, cumin, fenugreek seeds, horseradish, mace, marjoram, savory, Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, turmeric
Cooling: anise, fennel, sweet basil
Earthy: cumin, dried mushrooms, saffron, turmeric
Floral: coriander, lemongrass, saffron, sweet basil, thyme
Fruity: fennel, savory
Herbaceous: dill, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme
Hot: black pepper, chiles, horseradish, mustard, white pepper
Nutty: black cardamom, coriander seed, cumin seed, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, poppy seed, sesame seed
Piney: bay leaf, rosemary, thyme
Pungent: allspice, garlic, ginger, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, onion, paprika, spearmint, star anise
Sour: pomegranate seeds, tamarind
Spicy: bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, curry, ginger, marjoram, nutmeg
Sulfurous: chives, garlic, onion
Sweet: allspice, anise, caraway seeds, cinnamon, chervil, clove, dill seed, green cardamom, poppy seed, sesame seed, star anise
Woody: cardamom, Ceylon cinnamon, clove, rosemary, Szechuan peppercorns
If salt and pepper are the full scope of your seasoning repertoire, you might find the number of spices listed here daunting. There is no reason to be intimidated about using spices. I will help you to become comfortable creating powerhouse flavor in your kitchen. This is a completely new territory for you to explore, even if you have experimented a bit. Using spices when you cook will add an exciting dimension to your food. Get ready for a luxury tour of Spice Nation.
Spice Nation
I want to introduce you to the spices you will be using and describe their characteristics. Just as wine experts have a way to talk about wine, there is a special vocabulary for describing the flavors and aromas of spices and herbs. There are five main flavor groups for spices: sweet, pungent, tangy, hot, and amalgamating. Herbs are described as mild, medium, strong, savory, and pungent. I have made a chart that contains common spices and herbs, their flavor groups, and their flavor profiles. An architect of flavor needs to be familiar with the building materials used to construct a balanced, layered harmony of flavors. In order to expand your spice palate, to encourage you to go beyond salt and pepper, you need to have an idea of what a spice will contribute to the overall taste of a dish. Consider this chart Spice 101:
Spices and Herbs
Allspice
Sweet
Warm and sweetly pungent with floral undertones.
Aniseed
Sweet
Sweet licorice aroma with a fruity, warm taste.
Basil
Strong
Deep, rich taste with a touch of mint flavor.
Bay leaf
Pungent
Bitter, spicy, strong flavor; a bit piney.
Caraway seed
Pungent
Sharp aroma, biting, warm, sweet flavor.
Cardamom
Pungent
Smoky, brash, and a little funky.
Cayenne
Hot
Pungent; the chemicals responsible for its heat repel grazing animals.
Celery seed
Pungent
Haylike, grassy, slightly bitter.
Chervil
Mild
Sweet, hints of anise with undertones of parsley and pepper.
Chives
Medium
Smallest member of the onion family. Delicate flavor.
Chiles
Mild to medium hot
Sweet, slightly smoky, and fruity flavor.
Cilantro
Amalgamating
Mix of citrus and parsley.
Cinnamon
Sweet
Delicate spicy, sweet flavor.
Cloves
Pungent
Sharp and bitter with a hint of heat.
Coriander
Amalgamating
Warm, nutty, spicy with a hint of orange.
Cumin
Pungent
Spicy, sweet, and somewhat bitter.
Dill
Strong
Fresh, floral flavor.
Fennel seed
Amalgamating
Warm, licorice aroma, slightly sweet.
Fenugreek
Pungent, strong
Nutty and bittersweet, a hint of heat.
Garlic
Pungent
Strong and spicy with a lemon/citrus, woody, earthy flavor. Sweetens with cooking to become delicate and nutty.
Ginger
Pungent
Peppery and warm with lemon undertones.
Horseradish
Hot
Member of mustard family; hot and spicy.
Lemongrass
Strong
Fresh, citrus, floral flavor. Key ingredient in Southeast Asian spice blends.
Mace
Pungent
Similar to nutmeg; mildly nutty, sweet, and warm.
Marjoram
Pungent
A bit minty, a little sharp, with bitter notes.
Mint
Strong
Refreshing and mellow with lemon undertones.
Mustard
Hot
Family includes black mustard, brown mustard, horseradish, and wasabi.Seeds have a nutty, sweet flavor.Powder is tangy and contributes to the depth of flavor of a dish. It acts as an emulsifier.
Nutmeg
Sweet
Spicy, sweet, slightly bitter with hints of clove.
Oregano
Pungent
Sweet, with a touch of anise.
Paprika
Amalgamating
Peppery sweet with a vibrant color.
Parsley
Mild
Vegetable taste; brings together the flavor of other seasonings.
Peppercorns
Pungent to hot
There is a range of intensity and flavors among the various peppercorns. The taste goes from brash, nose-clearing intensity to sweet sharpness. Fruity, grassy, citrusy, piney, woodsy, smoky are all used to describe the flavor of pepper.
Poppy seeds
Amalgamating
A bit nutty with a light crunch.
Rosemary
Pungent
Cooling, woody, minty.
Saffron
Pungent
Honeylike, earthy taste with a bit of bitterness.
Sage
Pungent
Robust peppery and savory flavor.
Sesame seeds
Amalgamating
Nutty and crunchy.
Smoked sweet paprika
Sweet
Rich, deep flavor with smoky undertones.
Star anise
Amalgamating
Mild licorice flavor.
Summer savory
Pungent
Peppery bite, light herby flavor; a combination of marjoram, mint, and thyme.
Tarragon
Strong
Warm, sweet, anise/minty.
Turmeric
Amalgamating
Mildly sour and bitter; slightly pungent, warm, and musky.
Thyme
Pungent
Piney, smoky flavor.
Fire Up
So far, I have praised spices for what they can do to add powerhouse flavor to what you eat. Now I want to introduce you to spices that can support your weight loss efforts. Spices can reduce your appetite, boost your metabolism, and help your body to burn energy more quickly, which leads to using energy stored in fat, even belly fat. Spices can control blood sugar and regulate insulin, turning your body into a fat-burning machine. When your blood sugar level stays even, you will be more likely to burn fat than to store excess calories as fat. Spices can reduce inflammation and bring your body back into balance. Chronic inflammation has been associated with weight gain and many diseases. Finally, the calming effect of many spices can help to reduce stress-related eating and cravings. You will find “Fire Up” sidebars throughout the book that highlight the spices that can contribute to burning fat and dropping pounds.
Black Pepper
When see you see what pepper can do to support weight loss, your pepper grinder will become your weapon against fat and extra pounds. Piperine, the chemical compound in black pepper that gives the spice its pungency, can jump-start weight loss. Black pepper:
Boosts your metabolism, which increases the speed at which your body converts what you eat to energy.
Continues to increase the rate at which you burn calories hours after eating it.
Impedes the creation of new fat cells.
Helps to block fat accumulation.
Makes you feel fuller.
Acts as a natural antidepressant to lift your spirits.
Use coarsely ground black pepper to perk up practically everything, even fruits like apples and melons.
Spices That Support Weight Loss
The list that follows provides you with a summary of fourteen spices and how they can contribute to achieving your weight loss goals.
Black Pepper
The substance that gives pepper its flavor is called piperine. It has been shown to help the body burn more calories through the process of thermogenesis. Piperine can also help your body to absorb nutrients more efficiently. Even better, piperine is thought to interfere with the formation of new fat cells. The result: reduced body fat and a smaller waist.
Cardamom
Recent animal studies have shown that cardamom helps to lower blood sugar and regulate insulin. When blood sugar levels are steady, you won’t have the same level of hunger as you do when your blood sugar is low.
Cayenne Pepper
If you eat cayenne pepper three times a day, the active compound in the spice increases the rate at which you burn fat. The capsaicin compound in cayenne stimulates your brain to release endorphins, the brain’s feel-good chemicals.
Chile Peppers
Capsaicin is also what gives chile peppers their kick. The compound has been shown to increase thermogenesis, reduce belly fat, and suppress appetite. It also boosts the body’s ability to burn food as energy. One study shows that men who ate spicy appetizers ate 200 fewer calories at later meals than those who did not.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon stabilizes blood sugar levels and improves insulin sensitivity. A powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, cinnamon is one of the top fat-burning spices. Some studies have shown that cinnamon can reduce the accumulation of belly fat.
Cloves
Cloves can contribute to your weight loss by boosting your metabolism so you burn more calories.
Coriander
Coriander, which is used in many Indian spice mixes, has been shown in animal studies to increase metabolic function and increase weight loss.
Cumin
Though cumin has not been studied by itself, it can improve weight loss when mixed with other herbs and spices. Think of curries and chili.
Garlic
Garlic appears to help your body metabolize carbohydrates and fats more efficiently. It contains phytochemicals that break down fat deposits. Some animal studies have shown that garlic may prevent the body from creating more fat.
Ginger
Ginger is known to reduce appetite and cut cravings. Studies suggest that ginger may accelerate the rate at which the stomach empties. Ginger can boost your metabolism by about 20 percent for three hours.
Mustard
This spice has a thermogenic effect, which causes your body to burn more calories as you digest food. If you want to intensify the effect, try seasoning your food with powdered mustard seed. One study showed that 1 teaspoon of spicy or whole grain mustard increased metabolism by up to 25 percent for several hours after eating. Another study showed that eating ¾ teaspoon of powdered mustard seeds a day burns an extra forty-five calories an hour.
Parsley
Parsley can reduce your levels of blood glucose, as blood sugar is called. Reducing blood sugar levels can help to control your appetite and make the processing of food into energy more efficient.
Peppermint
The smell of peppermint can decrease your appetite.
Turmeric
This spice helps to reduce inflammation, which is one of the root causes of weight gain and obesity. It is also an antioxidant, which protects your body from damaging free radicals that cause an inflammatory response. Animal studies have shown turmeric to prevent the growth of fat tissue.
In the continuing story of my battle with my weight, I zeroed in on spices and herbs to create layers of flavor in the food I cooked. The taste of my food was so satisfying it helped me to conquer my cravings and forget about junk food, well, most of the time. When I saw how my approach to food had positive results for others, including Steve Harvey, I realized I had found a way to eat that hit the bliss point by indulging the taste buds with wholesome food prepared in a healthy way.
My aim in this chapter was to familiarize you with the herbs and spices that saved my life. I have described their characteristics, so that the spice rack is not a mystery to you and you have a richer understanding of what the contents of those jars bring to food. This chapter has laid the foundation for your becoming an architect of flavor. I have also targeted a number of “fire up” spices that can support your weight loss with their medicinal effects.
In the next chapter, I examine compulsive overeating and food addiction and how junk food hijacks your brain to create food cravings. I introduce you to nine diet personalities that reflect what you crave most and how you tend to eat. I have to confess right now that I can identify with all nine personalities!