Enhance your Air Fryer with Natural Flavors
If you’ve spent any time online lately there’s no doubt that you’ve seen advertisements, social media posts, and video recipes for this trendy kitchen advice: the air fryer. Following the health and wellness trend, air fryers give consumers the much desired taste of deep fried foods without the added grease, mess, or calories. Healthy, easy to use, and versatile, air fryers are the way of the future as many are ditching traditional deep-fat frying for a lighter, more convenient. Today, we at Advanced Biotech are looking at three natural ingredients that will give a boost of flavor, visual interest, and health benefits to popular air fryer recipes.
Herbs
Fresh herbs are a great way to add brightness and fresh flavor to any air fryer recipe without adding extra calories, fat, or chemicals. Proteins like chicken and fish benefit from the use of sweet and savory basil, mild and slightly bitter parsley, or sharp and minty thyme. Top personalized air fryer pizzas, crispy potatoes, and even Asian-inspired glazed chicken thighs with fresh herbs for a punch of contrasting flavor. Air fryers are also great for dehydrating fresh herbs, intensifying the flavor and helping to preserve them for longer. High heat for a short amount of time is key and results in perfectly dried herbs, adding life to withered fresh herbs and opening the door for customized spice blends.
Spice
Dried herbs and spices are a no-brainer for air fryer recipes, giving unique flavor to everything from chicken tenders to french fries and fish, but chilis are often overlooked and are the perfect solution for those looking to spice up everyday recipes. The flavor of air fried chicken is amped up by paprika and cayenne, while tofu gets a much needed boost from garlic and dried chilis. Everyone’s favorite game day treat, jalapeno poppers, are just as good in the air fryer without the added grease, their natural floral spice perfectly paired with smoky bacon and creamy cheese. Much like fresh herbs, chili peppers can also be effectively dehydrated in the air fryer and provide consumers with the ability to maximize the flavor of their fresh peppers throughout the year.
Fruits
Air fryers are a great way to make healthy and flavor desserts that satisfy the sweet tooth without the extra calories or guilt. Stone fruit like peaches, plums, and nectarines are delicious when caramelized in an air fryer, and are paired perfectly with smooth and creamy vanilla Greek yogurt and fresh herbs like basil and mint. Apples also have their time to shine in this trendy device when thinly sliced and fried, making the perfect homemade apple chip. Dust with cinnamon and enjoy for a flavor and low-calorie snack that kids and adults alike will love.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to the air fryer. The natural flavors of spices, herbs, and fruits truly shine when utilized, giving everything from appetizers to desserts a delicious and complex flavor profile without the added oil and fat.