We do love a little spice here at HelloFresh. But, we also know that that not everyone has the same tolerance for spice. In fact, did you know redheads have a higher tolerance for pain, yet a relatively low tolerance for spice? Well, you don’t need to have red hair to be a bit sensitive to that spoonful of chili powder, a sprinkle of chopped jalapeno,  pinch of  cayenne or some chopped chipotle chilies.

Many people think chilies and peppers are vegetables, but they’re actually fruits (hint anything with seeds is a fruit!). Another myth about chilies is that when you get just a little too much, your mouth is burning, your eyes start tearing, and you are basically on the brink of breaking down,  you should grab the nearest glass of water. But, because the oils in the seeds are what make chilies so spicy, water just helps spread those spicy oils around in your mouth! Your best bet is to eat something with a little bit of oil or fat in it which will bind with the oils and help dampen their effect; think yogurt, milk, or sour cream.

Chipotle Glazed Pork

So, now that you know a bit more about spicy food and chili peppers, next week we’ve got some juicy Chipotle Glazed Pork Chops on the menu, and will be sending you a jar of chipotle chilies in adobo.  If you’re not one to add the whole jar, here are some ideas for what to do with your leftovers!

1. Transfer the chilies and sauce to plastic container or ziptop bag and freeze
2. Put them in your next 3-bean or beef chili
3. Mix some of the sauce with some mayo (we love Sir Kensingtons!) to make chipotle mayo for your sandwiches
4. Stir them into guacamole to spice it up!

Let us know if you use any of these tricks, or if you have any of your own you can share in the comments.

Happy Cooking!