| September 09, 2026
Blog – Herbs, Spices & Healthy Recipe Inspiration
Welcome to the Natural Spices blog. Here you'll find everything you need to know about herbs, spices, seasoning blends, marinades, low-calorie sauces, and healthy, flavour-packed recipes. We share practical cooking tips, ingredient guides, and easy recipe ideas to help you bring more flavour to every meal.
Whether you want to learn how to use herbs and spices, make your own marinade or seasoning blend, or discover healthier recipes without compromising on taste, our articles are packed with step-by-step guides, practical tips, and inspiration for barbecues, air fryer cooking, weeknight dinners, and much more.
Kruidengids | Herb & Spice Guide
Wereldkeukens | World Cuisines
A cold pasta salad is one of those dishes that always comes in handy. As an easy lunch, for a summer evening, to take to a picnic or as a side dish at the BBQ. You can also make it well in advance and vary endlessly with vegetables, chicken, tuna, cheese, herbs and different dressings.
Still, surprisingly many things can go wrong with something as simple as a pasta salad. The pasta becomes dry, the lettuce goes limp, or after a few hours a layer of liquid suddenly appears at the bottom of the bowl. Fortunately, all those problems are easy to prevent.
In this blog we explain how to make a good cold pasta salad and share seven tasty variations to try yourself.
Which pasta should you use for a cold pasta salad?
In principle you can use almost any pasta, but short pasta shapes are the easiest. Think fusilli, penne, farfalle or orecchiette. Because of their shape they hold dressing and herbs well and are easy to mix with vegetables and other ingredients.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions
Do you love a nice crunch and lots of flavor? Then you don’t automatically have to reach for a bag of chips or another ready-made snack. With simple ingredients like chickpeas, nuts, beans, corn and vegetables you can make surprisingly tasty snacks yourself. The secret? The right herbs and spices.
From smoky and spicy to herby and fresh: with a few flavorings you can give each snack a different twist. You also decide what goes into them and how much salt, oil or other ingredients you use. Ideal if you prefer unprocessed or minimally processed ingredients more often and still crave something tasty.
Here are 10 ideas for healthy, crunchy snacks that are easy to make yourself.
1. Roasted chickpeas with smoked paprika and cumin
Chickpeas are perhaps the ultimate base for a crispy snack. Drain canned chickpeas well, pat them as dry as possible and toss them with a little olive oil, smoked paprika powder and cumin.
Roast them in the oven or airfryer until golden brown and crunchy. Then let
Anyone who has eaten bami goreng, nasi goreng or satay will probably recognize it: a small bowl of fresh, crunchy vegetables with a slightly sweet-and-sour taste. That is atjar. This colorful side dish provides a delightful contrast to spiced Indonesian dishes and has been beloved for years in both Indonesian and Dutch cuisine.
Although many people know atjar from the Chinese takeout or the Indonesian restaurant, it is surprisingly simple to make yourself. Moreover, there are many different types of atjar, each with their own vegetables and flavor accents. In this guide you will discover what atjar exactly is, which spices belong in it, how to make it and why it pairs so well with bami, nasi and other Asian dishes.
What is atjar?
Atjar, also written as acar, is a collective name for sweet-and-sour pickled vegetables. The dish originates in Indonesia, where it has been eaten for centuries as a fresh counterpart to richly spiced meals.
By briefly blanching vegetables or placing them directly
Private Label & Food Trends
Xanthan gum may sound like a technical ingredient, but in the kitchen it is surprisingly practical. Especially if you bake gluten-free or vegan, it can make a world of difference. It provides structure, binding and a pleasant texture – exactly what you often miss without gluten or eggs.
In this blog we explain what xanthan gum is, when to use it and how to prevent your dish from going the wrong way in terms of texture.
What is xanthan gum?
Xanthan gum (E415) is a natural binder produced by fermentation of sugars. It is widely used in the food industry, but is also rapidly gaining popularity at home in the kitchen.
The main function? Binding and thickening ingredients. Think of creating a stable batter, a creamy sauce or a dough that doesn't fall apart.
Why is xanthan gum used?
1. Essential for gluten-free baking
When you bake without gluten, the natural elasticity and binding that gluten normally provides are missing. Xanthan gum takes over this role and ensures that your dough or batter
Why are we afraid of sucralose, but not of sugar?
April 13, 2026
As soon as people see sucralose on a label, some immediately opt out. We understand that. There is a lot of discussion online about sweeteners, and bold headlines tend to perform well.
But strikingly, the opposite happens much less often with sugar. And we find that an interesting question — because if you look honestly at food, the real question is not whether you want sucralose, but why you would simply keep sugar.
Why we want to replace sugar
For us it starts there. We don't use sucralose because we prefer something "artificial" over sugar, but because we want to replace sugar.
The reason is simple: sugar adds a lot of calories while contributing little nutritionally. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre states that products with added sugar often contain many calories but few nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fiber.
And added sugar is not only in candy or soft drinks — it's also in products where you might expect it less, such as ketchup, sauces and dressings.
That makes sauces
Labeling regulations for Private Label: What you need to know for the EU and UK market
March 26, 2026
If you develop a private label food product — whether that is an herb mix, a sauce, a seasoning or a condiment — correct labelling is not optional. It is one of the most common areas where first-time private label customers experience delays, rejections by retailers or costly reprints of packaging. Done correctly, however, your label is also one of your most powerful tools: it builds trust, communicates quality and can actively support your premium positioning.
This guide covers the core requirements for both the EU and the UK markets, the main differences between the two, and what private label buyers should keep in mind when briefing their manufacturing partner.
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- Introduction
- Why labelling for private label is more important than ever
- The EU framework: Regulation 1169/2011
- The UK framework: Divergence after Brexit
- The 'Not for EU' label: What private label brands selling in the UK need to know
- Allergen labelling: No room for mistakes
- Clean label and health claims: Opportunities and obligations
Minder Calorieën, Meer Smaak | Fewer Calories, More Flavour
