I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but around here the weather has been amazing. Spring has sprung! I love this time of year for a lot of reasons, fresh produce, longer days, warm yet breezy days, and it’s the time of year we start firing up the grill with more frequency. I mentioned last week that we’re building a patio in our backyard for the ultimate lounge/grilling area, but this work-in-progress isn’t stopping me from grilling our dinners outdoors. I love grilling because it tastes great, it’s usually quick, and EASY. I love easy.
Even though I love dinner to be easy, I also love to experiment and try new things…which can be daunting at times, you know? I’ll read a recipe and sometimes shy away from it simply because it calls for a lot of ingredients and spices that I don’t want to commit to or just because I am hesitant to stuff one, or five, more bottles into my already cramped spice cabinet. Enter the genius people at Raw Spice Bar. They offer a subscription service for a mere $6 a month…chump change when you consider sometimes a bottle of a single spice can cost even more than that and will probably end up just expiring in your pantry (no, just me?). In the subscription you get 3-5 freshly ground spice blends from a single geographical region–enough to make about 3 dishes and serve several people–plus recipe cards, and possibly my favorite thing next to the spices, a little note on the spice blends, origins, and history. It feeds the nerd in me.
I really love the idea behind Raw Spice Bar–it satisfies my desire to try new things without the commitment of purchasing lots of stuff that will further clutter the cluster that is my pantry, PLUS it’s totally affordable. I also see this being a great gift and can already think of a few people in my life who would appreciate it.
I collaborated with Raw Spice Bar to bring you a little giveaway, a 3-month trial subscription of their spice boxes, in addition to this recipe using the Advieh Koresht from their Persian Spice Box from March. I came to love Middle Eastern flavors when I was living in Michigan and these blends did not disappoint. They are so fragrant and flavorful. The Advieh Koresht contains a number of spices–including ROSE PETALS! plus, cinnamon, cardamom, angelica, persian lime powder, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. I paired it with creamy-tangy yogurt, lemon, and garlic in a marinade for chicken skewers that I then grilled. These were so easy to make and absolutely delicious. April’s box was a Japanese theme and I am so excited to try a few recipes with the spice blends.
To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below about whatever–springtime, grilling, favorite spices, spice cabinet organizing. Easy, breezy. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only (apologies to my international friends!) and will end Thursday, April 30th.
Raw Spice Bar did provide me with a complimentary sampling of their spices, however I was not further compensated for this post. I just really think it’s a cool concept and wanted to share the giveaway with you all. As always, words and opinions are my own. Thanks, always, for visiting.
[recipe]
Grilled Chicken Skewers
2-4 servings
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons of Advieh Khoresht spice blend (or other spice blend)
kosher salt
1 lemon
5 bamboo skewers soaked for 1 hour (or use metal skewers)
Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt.
In another bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, Advieh Khoresht, a pinch of salt, and the juice of half of the lemon. Reserve the other half. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the yogurt mixture in a small dish and set aside. Pour the remaining yogurt over the chicken and mix to coat the chicken pieces. Let the chicken marinate in the yogurt mixture for at 20 minutes.
Cut the remaining half lemon into think half moons. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, alternating with some slices of lemon. Prepare your grill and cook the chicken skewers directly over high heat, 2-3 minutes on all sides, or until the chicken in cooked through. Remove from the grill and allow to rest under a foil tent for 5 minutes before serving. Serve drizzled with the reserved yogurt mixture. [/recipe]
what science mandates that things just taste better off a stick? bonus points for grilling. i’ve never seen a subscription for spices – too cool!
I’m Persian and love that you featured a Persian recipe on your blog! Looks delicious!!
Love the look of these skewers – one of my favourite easy summer meals!
Love this for summer! We are looking for a grill this weekend 🙂 That Persian lime powder sounds so cool! My favorite spice is hands down a goood cinnamon though. So good!
Lovely recipe! I’d love to try raw spice bar!
Buying spices is the WORST! I have so many bottles of things that I only needed 1/2 a teaspoon for that I’ve never used after! This would be a great service!
Love the idea of Spice Bar!
Omg these grillled chicken skewers look like the perfect dinner. And Raw Spice Bar seems like such a great idea!
Raw Spice Bar sounds like an interesting concept…I love being introduced to new spices!
These look great! I love the idea of experimenting with new spices. I’m all about grilling now that the weather is nice. Just have to get a new propane tank…
This is an awesome giveaway! I would love to try some new spices to kick us fully into spring!
I really need to try grilling some chicken skewers!!!
Can’t wait to start grilling in a few weeks!
These skewers look delicious! I’m so ready to grill again!
I have a bit of a spice obsession! I love the idea of not having to purchase a whole lot of any one spice!
Those shish kabobs look so good. i’ve become obsessed recently with making everything spicy! Fortunately the men who live here love that.
spice bar sounds like a great idea!! omg can NOT wait to break out the grill!
These look great – perfect for summertime grilling! Lately, I’ve been really into expanding my cultural horizons in term of spices. I love adding freshly ground cardamom in my coffee in addition to my standard cinnamon stick. I also recently found some great great garam masala mix and think it would be perfect in this recipe. Thanks!
Starting some grilling this week since I finally have a snow-cleared patio and can get to my BBQ! I will be clearing out my spice cabinet and replenishing it too.
Economical. Fun. Tasty. Empowering cooking skills….. Love it!!
I love planting my vegetable garden in the Spring. Tomatoes are already in the ground 🙂
Dinner on the grill sounds perfect since the weather is warming up!
Gaahh.. I seriously need to get into grilling. This Spring I have been going to the beach often, but whenever I smell someone in their backyard with their grill I get super jealous.
Wow, what a fun idea! I am horrible at seasoning things so I love that there are recipe ideas included.
My favorite springtime recipe is lemon herb with thyme grilled fish
This is such an amazing idea! Maybe it would inspire me to actually organize my spice cabinet 🙂 Favorite spring recipe: chicken marinated overnight in buttermilk with salt/pepper/garlic/rosemary/thyme/a little bit of mustard and then grilled. It is SO good.
I looooooove this idea! I love subscription boxes–who doesn’t like surprises in the mail? And this one is really cool and useful!
I’m such a sucker for subscription boxes! A spice one?!?!? How fun!!
I just got a new grill in time for the warmer weather and hope I can learn how to use it.
I like this idea! I love to experiment with new spices but I don’t always want to buy a whole jar.
This is really fun! Who doesn’t love new spices and mail. I’ve been really into harissa lately 🙂