Spices are one of the healthiest ingredients you can add to your food: They lend an intense punch of flavor to any recipe, and quality spice blends can make otherwise bland meat and vegetables exciting. What’s more, research shows that people think low-calorie food tastes better when it’s prepared with spices and herbs (the same goes for low-fat dishes). Instead of using extra oil or fat in your recipes to make them satisfying, try out these super-simple DIY spice blends.

Since you’re making them yourself, you know they’re free of scary ingredients like additives or preservatives—and they end up being cheaper in the long run! Most of the ingredients in these blends are probably already sitting in your pantry, too—so have at it!

Cajun Spice Blend

• 2 Tablespoons cumin
• 2 Tablespoons coriander
• 2 Tablespoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• Cayenne pepper to taste (you can go as high as you want here—the more you add, the hotter it will be)
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano

This spice blend is great on grilled chicken, tofu, or even salads.

Greek Spice Blend

• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 
1 Tablespoon dried basil
• 
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Use this on Greek salads, when roasting vegetables with olive oil, or in hummus.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1 teaspoons ground cloves

Some fun uses for this blend are: in oatmeal, on yogurt, or even on a peanut butter sandwich with sliced bananas.

Lemon Pepper

• Zest from 3 lemons
• 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons salt

This is great on chicken, on salads, or on popcorn.

Curry Blend

• 2 Tablespoons cumin powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground coriander
• 2 Tablespoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

I’d recommend using this any time you want to give dishes an Indian flair.

Italian Spice Blend

• 2 Tablespoons dried basil
• 2 Tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 Tablespoons garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

This is perfect for lasagna or pasta dishes—and it even works well on sautéed vegetables with fresh garlic.

Chili Seasoning

• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 
1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 
1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon
• 1 teaspoon regular paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or use 2 teaspoons regular paprika if you can’t find smoked)
• 1 teaspoon MSG

This blend is an easy way to spice up chili recipes—or any southwestern dish, really.

Taco Seasoning

• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
• 
1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

In addition to using this for taco meat, you can also mix it into refried beans, use it to flavor enchiladas, or stir it into Greek yogurtas a substitute for a “spicy sour cream.”

Indian Sweet Spice Blend

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon hing (a.k.a. Asafoetida; find it online or at Indian markets)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt to taste (no more than 3/4 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

This works great as a base for sautéed vegetables, in lentil soup, or any Indian stew. Just fry the spices in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until the seeds make a “popping” sound, add your vegetables/lentils/etc. into the pan, and heat until the food is cooked through.