Why spices? 

Just a spoonful of the right spices can transform your cooking. They provide the flavor foundation for a delicious, globally-inspired meal.  

Clean ingredients. When we started slow cooking the only “speed scratch” meal-prep products on the market were simmer sauces and seasoning packets loaded with sodium and fillers. We created these naturally no/low salt, non-GMO spice blends with no preservatives, as the foundation for tasty, nourishing home-cooked meals. 

Exceptional value. Using our premium, non-irradiated spices with fresh ingredients, you can create a budget-friendly “clean” meal for under $20 for a family of six. 

Globally inspired. We love to travel, which is a fundamental part of our connection - we encourage and support each other’s passion for traveling the globe. From Marrakech to France, and Spain to China, we truly enjoy internationally-inspired foods and wanted to bring that into our homes.

Spice stories. 

Over the years we have blended, tested and perfected our spice blends inspired by our global travels, and each has a story:

Coq au Vin: We have both lived in France and enjoyed the luxurious signature dishes from different regions. Our inaugural blog recipe is Julia Child’s classic French Coq au Vin and remains to this day the most popular on our blog since 2012. It is also the reason we created this bestselling multi-cooker spice blend in the first place! It combines aromatic French herbs, sun-kissed oregano, delicate thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns for a salt-free blend that perfectly complements chicken and grain dishes.
 
Indian Dal: Dried turmeric root brings a woody earthiness to the Indian Dal blend. We hit upon our signature recipe as an antidote to Halloween candy excess. To satisfy our hungry little trick-or-treaters, Jane filled a slow cooker with onion, garlic, and lentils then sprinkled in her favorite aromatic Indian spices. The result was a satisfying and savory, plant-based tortilla wrap that gave rise to the Indian Dal spice blend. 

Moroccan Tagine Whole Spice Infusion: Jane was sitting in the hot summer sun, reading a book on spices when she noted the sentence “over long slow cooking whole spices release their essential oils”…it was in that precise moment that the tea bag infusion idea came for the Tagine. Cinnamon, cumin, coriander and a pinch of Saffron (harvested in Afghanistan by our friends at Rumi Spice) are at the center of this fragrant blend. 
  
Sichuan Whole Spice Infusion:  Meg was traveling in China when she discovered aromatic Sichuan peppercorns at a spice market in Chengdu. She brought them home to Jane, who was inspired to create this fragrant, earthy, citrus infusion that went on to win a SOFI award for best new product in 2017! 

Smoky BBQ: A long-standing love affair with Spain, coupled with a request from our customers at the farmers market, opened the door to bring the deliciously deep orange-red color of smoked paprika into our spice blend repertoire. The paprika lends a light, smoky note, while cayenne brings a generous helping of capsaicin for a natural, pleasant heat. Other classic bbq spices come together in this family favorite blend.

Provençale: As our first summer of selling blends came to an end, we looked to comfort food to take us into the fall and hit on our own excellent beef stew. The rocky hillsides of Provence in Southern France give up their herbal bounty to flavor the regional Beef Daube with just a hint of orange zest. The herbs in this blend are versatile and good for other mouthwatering French classics too.

Tuscan: When Jane’s organic community garden on the north side of Chicago produced a bumper crop of tomatoes at the end of a very hot summer, they made it into the slow cooker. Since every family has a favorite marinara sauce brand or a recipe they make at home, the idea for the Tuscan blend was to give everyone an option for their multi-cooker. 


Southwest Fiesta: There is such an array of uses for the flavors of the Southwest. The opportunity to play with more unusual chili varieties meant that Jane could work on this blend inspired by Meg’s favorite taco chili recipe.

Mulling: We both love to have a pot of mulled cider or wine simmering with spices to welcome guests as the aroma wafts through the house. As a festive addition to our Zen blends, the 8 pronged star anise is fascinating for both its astral looks and dominant licorice flavor. New cocktail recipes allowed us to really have fun with this blend.