Taco seasoning used to be a staple in my spice cabinet – I used it when making burritos, tacos, veggie chili and sometimes even in pasta.  It was a quick way to add all of the flavouring I needed into any dish and you could pick up a large container of it from Costco, instead of the individual packs available at most grocery stores.

Here’s a list of the ingredients in the mix – really not so bad, except for the fact that you could benefit so much more from having the fresh version of all these spices without the added salt and sugar (for my vegan friends, this wouldn’t be an option anyways because of the whey solids).

SPICES (INCLUDING CHILI PEPPER, CUMIN, OREGANO, AND RED PEPPER), ONION, WHEY SOLIDS (MILK), SALT, SUGAR, PAPRIKA, GARLIC, POTATO STARCH, AND CITRIC ACID.

Nowadays, when I’m making a South-of-the-Border inspired dish, I look to my pantry for these great ingredients – I’ve included some health benefits of adding them to your meals instead of using something designed to have an obscene shelf life.

Cumin – known to aid in healing digestive disorders, the seeds are rich in iron and help in absorbing nutrients into the body
Onions – a great source of fiber and contain Vitamin C (and Vitamin A if you choose the green onion variety)
Garlic – a strong natural antibiotic, garlic has fantastic antioxidant properties and has proven results in healing many ailments
Oregano – high in Vitamin K, this herb is full of antioxidants and fiber when the fresh leaves are used
Chile Powder – high in Vitamin A and C, and helps your circulation (my favourite brand is Rancho Gordo)

These are ingredients I keep in my house all the time and I have fresh oregano available almost year round – it is a very easy herb to grow, so even if you live in an area with harsh winters, bring your plant inside for easy access to this great herb.