Listen up: summer is not over yet!

Even though some of you might be done with your vacations, busy getting your kids off to school, or getting ready to start the fall with a healthier start, please don’t call summer done. I still have a few healthy recipes I want to share with you.

Want the solution to a quick and easy dinner that is healthy at the same time? Start incorporating dry rubs into your cooking repertoire. Here’s why: dry rubs are basically blends of different spices that you can make in bulk (save some for another dish). Adding spices to your foods up the nutrient content of anything you eat. Spices, such as chili powder, cumin, curry, etc. are high in anti-inflammatory properties and anticancer benefits. A variety of spices also happen to make our food interesting and taste so good.

Dry rubs are like marinades in that they impart tons of flavor to chicken, fish meats, vegetables, or like I am using in this recipe, tofu. The key difference is that marinades sometimes take hours to work. With a dry rub, you coat what you are grilling with a little oil, sprinkle the rub, work it in, and done. Whatever you are eating goes right on the grill.  Spices love heat, so be generous.

Let the idea of plain old grilled chicken or long drawn out cooking go for this season. Try this simple dry rub and be sure to make extra for another dinner. Then experiment with different spices and open up your world to quick and easy cooking.

Southwestern Dry Rub

Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients

2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and combine.

**Use the rub with chicken, fish, meats, tofu or vegetables by brushing whatever you are grilling lightly with olive oil and massaging the rub well. This rub works for 2 pounds of meat/veggies/tofu.