Surprise ingredients for healthier meals

Cooking healthy must always remain interesting for both, the cook and the person eating. So here's a great list of healthy ingredients you can experiment with to ensure that your meals pack a punch and are anything but boring.

In fact don't be surprised if the entire meal gets polished off in seconds. What can be more fulfilling than that, we ask?

Fresh Herbs.  Select fresh basil for an Italian-inspired salad of mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes or in a marinade for meat or grilled vegetables using 6 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp minced basil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 clove of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

Other popular fresh herbs include dill, which is particularly tasty when added to sour cream as a vegetable dip or sauce for poultry and fish. A few sprigs of fresh rosemary, meanwhile, can be combined with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of onion powder as a sauce for oven baked chicken or combined with salt, pepper and 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg to add an interesting flavor to oranges.

Wasabi.  Once relegated to sushi, wasabi is stepping out as one of the hottest (both literally and figuratively) spices in the kitchen! In powder form, wasabi can be added to cashews and walnuts to spice up snack time, or combine 1 tbsp dry wasabi with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar and a drop of oil to make a seriously delicious salad dressing.

Another great recipe, meanwhile, is meat or cooked vegetable wasabi aioli dip. To make, blend 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp wasabi and 1 clove of garlic in a mixer. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and blend until mixture thickens.

Salsa.  There's always your regular tomato salsa, but instead of sticking to the old, why not try these unusual salsa mixes: For a fruity - yet low sugar - salsa, zest 4 tbsp of orange and then peel and cut the remainder. Then coarsely chop 2 cups of fresh strawberries and throw in a bowl with orange. To this mixture, add 1/4 cup of minced onion, 2 tbsp minced cilantro, 1 tbsp minced ginger root and minced chilies (jalapeno) and mix until blended. Let sit 3-4 hours before serving.

Another innovative salsa recipe that is sure to become a summer-time favorite is cucumber salsa that tastes amazing when paired with grilled chicken or fish or as an accompaniment to Greek-inspired salads with crumbled feta. To make, remove seeds of 1 large cucumber, chop and place in mixing bowls. To that, add 1 clove of minced garlic, 2 tbsp chili pepper, 1 tbsp diced onion and 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro. Then, stir in 2 tbsp lime juice, a splash of oil, 1 tbsp grated lime zest and salt and pepper to taste.

Citrus Juice.  Citrus is another popular ingredient in salad dressings, roasted vegetables, meat marinades, salsas and more.  Here's a recipe for chili lime sauce perfect for poultry and fish made by combining 7 medium minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp salt, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chili. Another popular sauce perfect for summer veggies? A lemon caper sauce made with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp minced red onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped drained capers, 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme and 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel.

You can put any of these ingredients, in your roasted veggies or salads, toss them up, and serve. They will give your cooking a surprise elements and a little pizzaz so necessary to ensure that everyone loves the healthy food you cook up.