Making your own spice blends at home is one of the smartest moves when you're navigating a candida-conscious lifestyle, because store-bought seasoning mixes often sneak in sugars, fillers, or fermented additives that can derail your progress. This Japanese seven-spice blend is built entirely from whole, clean ingredients — dried chilies, toasted sesame seeds, nori, sansho pepper, orange peel, ginger, and poppy seeds — every one of which fits comfortably within the framework of avoiding yeast-feeding foods. The process is straightforward and deeply satisfying: you toast the seeds and pepper until fragrant, grind everything to a pleasantly coarse texture, and end up with something that smells absolutely incredible. That citrusy, smoky, tingly heat is genuinely complex, and it transforms plain proteins, roasted vegetables, or simple grain bowls into something you'd actually look forward to eating. Ground ginger brings a warming depth that pairs beautifully with the numbing tingle of sansho pepper, while the nori adds a subtle savory note that ties the whole blend together. A small jar of this kept on the counter means you're never more than a pinch away from a seriously flavorful meal, even on the most restrictive days. It keeps for up to three months, so one quick batch goes a long, long way.
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This recipe uses the outer peel of the orange for its aroma, not the fruit or its juice, so it adds virtually no sugar. That is very likely fine on a candida diet. If you prefer to always avoid orange, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
Toast the white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds together in a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the white seeds are lightly golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Watch closely, as sesame seeds can brown quickly. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool.
Add the sansho pepper to the same skillet and toast over medium-low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds. Transfer to the plate with the sesame seeds and let cool completely.
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