Did you know that the first time vanilla appeared in a recipe was in the 1805 edition of Hannah Glasse’s The Art of Cookery, in which she suggests adding “vanelas” to chocolate? The world has progressed far away from that first use of vanilla extract in cooking.
Nowadays, vanilla extract is used in so many different ways for improving food and its flavor. If you are searching for new and inspired ways to use vanilla extract in your daily cooking expeditions rather than the same old boring dessert routine, then keep reading.
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Table of Contents
Smoothies
Smoothies are a god-send for all of us who want to get 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables into our daily routine but aren’t able to figure out a way to fit it all into meals.
If you are already a fan of smoothies and have them daily, then think about adding vanilla extract into them as a way of enhancing that delicious flavor. Using pure vanilla extract rather than vanilla flavoring will enhance your smoothies much more than you expect.
You will be surprised at how much more you will start enjoying your daily smoothie ritual. Start by adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to your smoothies and then go from there. If you love it, you can always add more.
Also, this way you can avoid adding extra sugar into your smoothies if that’s something you crave. Just a few bananas, pineapples, and a bit of vanilla extract are all you need. Considering that sugar is touted to be more addictive than cocaine, it’s better to skip it from your meals as much as possible.
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Savoury Foods
Everyone always thinks of desserts as where vanilla extra gets used primarily, but what about savory foods? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
Many professional chefs who want to cook delicious meals for their customers, but also keep things healthy, will use vanilla extract as a flavor enhancer, rather than mounds of butter, salt, or other fats.
Vanilla extract is subtle enough that it won’t overpower any other flavors that you might have in your dishes. But it can be that secret weapon that will take your meals to that next level.
Try it the next time you have a dinner party and notice how everyone is enthralled and charmed by your dishes. You can keep it to yourself if you don’t want to tell them it’s vanilla extract that’s the trick. Shhhh!
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Salads
Do you have a hard time eating salad because you don’t find it flavorful or decadent enough? Are you running out of ways to dress up your salads so they taste as delicious as the meat or fish sides?
You probably never thought about using vanilla extract to create homemade salad dressings. But a creamy vanilla dressing can be just the ticket to make all those fruit and vegetable salads taste out of this world.
You could even drizzle some fresh pure vanilla extract over cut fruits to create a decadent dessert that’s whipped up in seconds, and so good for you!
Remember to use high-quality vanilla extract to get the best of that vanilla flavoring and scent. If you know anything about food, you know that scent is more than half the equation when it comes to good food and nothing beats that vanilla scent.
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Coffee or Cocoa
You might already be drizzling cocoa powder, or cinnamon over your coffee or tea, to get those anti-oxidants and to add a boost to the flavor. But how about vanilla extract?
The next time you brew coffee at home, add pure vanilla extract to the empty coffee pot and then allow the coffee to brew. The smell of vanilla will be all over your home. AND the flavor of vanilla will be infused deep into the coffee so that you will want to drink it by the pot loads.
Furthermore, with the sweet scent and flavor of vanilla, you won’t need to add as much sugar to your coffee, if at all. If you are worried about or looking to control your sugar intake, then this is a great way to do that. Trick your mind into believing that you are drinking coffee with lots of sugar when you aren’t!
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Grilled Meats
Do you consider yourself to be the king of BBQ season? Are you always searching for new ways to flavor, simmer, and sizzle these decadent cuts of meats and fish?
You can add vanilla extract either into the marinade or sauces, or you can drizzle vanilla extract into the meat while it’s on the grill, to truly infuse the flavor through the grilling process.
This works if you like a little bit of sweetness in your grilled meats, and can be used for all kinds of meats, including pork, chicken, beef, and lamb.
Just like professional chefs use vanilla extract as their secret weapon, grillmasters do the same as well. But now you are privy to all their secrets.
Get Experimental With Vanilla Extract
Now it’s time for you to get jiggy with it in the kitchen and start creating your unique concoctions with vanilla extract in them. The sky is the limit when it comes to being creative with food and flavoring.
This is especially true when it comes to high-quality ingredients, so ensure that you purchase your vanilla extract from a well-known manufacturer and don’t skimp on the quantity to improve your cooking.
Did you find this cooking guide useful? It’s time for you to check out more food-related articles on our website and keep growing as that home chef.
