Treks & Bites: Big Flavor, Simple Ingredients, and a Little Adventure in Every Bite
What started as a food and travel blog eventually grew into a family business featuring a collection of handcrafted spice blends designed to make everyday cooking easier—and a whole lot more flavorful.
Treks & Bites focuses on bringing exciting flavors into the home kitchen without requiring a pantry full of individual herbs and spices. Their blends are designed to work with meats, seafood, vegetables, salads, potatoes, dips, dressings, and even baked goods. The company describes its blends as small-batch creations that balance bold flavors with fresh ingredients. Great spices from Austin, TX.
And I love the philosophy behind that. Most of us want to put a delicious homemade meal on the table, but busy schedules don't always leave us with the time to measure ten different spices for one recipe. Treks & Bites takes many of those flavors and combines them into convenient blends that can be shaken, sprinkled, rubbed, or mixed into a dish.
The Story Behind Treks & Bites
Treks & Bites began as a mother-daughter project centered around food, travel, and culinary adventures. As they developed recipes for their blog, they frequently encountered recipes requiring long lists of herbs and spices.
Instead of continually measuring and combining all those individual ingredients, they began making their own pre-blended seasonings.
Those homemade blends became popular with friends and readers, eventually inspiring the family to turn the idea into a business. Their goal was simple: create flavorful seasoning combinations that could help busy families prepare delicious meals with less fuss.
The result is a collection that reflects their love of different cuisines and culinary traditions. Their current spice collection includes six handcrafted blends, ranging from smoky and spicy to bright, citrusy, herby, and savory.
Another detail I appreciate is the company's effort to reduce packaging waste. Treks & Bites offers its spices in one-pound bulk bags that can be used to refill their bottles, allowing customers to keep using the same blends while reducing the amount of packaging going into the landfill.
What's Inside Treks & Bites Seasonings?
Rather than relying on one basic flavor profile across the collection, Treks & Bites creates blends with distinct personalities.
The ingredients vary depending on the blend, but the company highlights ingredients and flavor components such as peppers, garlic, herbs, citrus, spices, and different varieties of pepper. Their Taco Temptation, for example, features a Southwestern-inspired combination built around New Mexico chili powder, smoky paprika, cumin, lime, and chili spice.
The Diavola Spice Rub brings together cayenne, garlic, and other spices for a savory blend with heat, while Peppercorn Perfection combines cracked pepper, white pepper, pink salt, and spices.
One thing that stands out about the collection is that these aren't seasonings meant to be used only one way. The company encourages home cooks to experiment with them on different proteins, vegetables, salads, potatoes, dips, and side dishes.
That versatility makes them especially useful for anyone who enjoys cooking but doesn't want a complicated recipe every night.
Let's Talk About the Treks & Bites Spice Blends
Taco Temptation
This blend has a Southwestern/Mexican-inspired flavor profile with smoky paprika, cumin, lime, and a mild chili character. Treks & Bites specifically uses New Mexico chili powder, which brings a robust, slightly smoky chile flavor without overwhelming heat.
How does it taste?
Taco Temptation brings savory, smoky, slightly spicy, and citrusy notes together. The lime helps brighten the seasoning while the chili and cumin provide the warmth you'd expect from a taco seasoning.
It's wonderful on
Ground beef
Chicken
Shrimp
Fish
Ground turkey
Roasted vegetables
Beans
Rice
Tacos and enchiladas
Dips and hummus
Treks & Bites even uses Taco Temptation in a pinto bean hummus made with tahini, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, garlic, olive oil, and pinto beans.
It is proof that taco seasoning doesn't have to stop at tacos!
Santa Maria Sizzle
Santa Maria barbecue is famous for bold, straightforward seasoning and grilling, particularly with beef. Treks & Bites gives the traditional flavor profile a versatile twist, creating a seasoning that works beautifully on shrimp, fish, chicken, steak, and even tofu.
The flavor profile includes paprika, garlic, black pepper, a touch of cayenne, and herbs.
How does it taste?
This is the blend to reach for when you want smoky, savory, peppery flavor with just enough heat to keep things interesting.
The paprika gives it warmth and color, garlic provides savory depth, black pepper adds bite, and cayenne contributes a gentle kick.
I particularly like the idea of using it on seafood because delicate fish can sometimes be overwhelmed by heavy seasonings. Santa Maria Sizzle gives fish a grilled, smoky character without requiring a complicated marinade.
It also works beautifully with:
Steak
Tri-tip
Chicken
Shrimp
Salmon
Tilapia
Roasted potatoes
Grilled vegetables
Tofu
Santa Maria Sizzle Tilapia
Ingredients
4 tilapia fillets
1 ½ tablespoons Treks & Bites Santa Maria Sizzle
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 lemon, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, if needed
Instructions
Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels. This helps the seasoning adhere and allows the fish to brown nicely.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, Santa Maria Sizzle, lemon juice, and minced garlic.
Brush the mixture generously over both sides of the tilapia.
Allow the fish to rest for about 10–15 minutes so the seasoning can settle into the fillets.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the seasoned tilapia and cook for approximately 3–4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
When the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, remove it from the pan.
Brush the tops with a little melted butter.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
What to Serve With It
I'd serve this tilapia with roasted baby potatoes, steamed broccoli, grilled asparagus, or a fresh garden salad.
For something lighter, serve it over rice with avocado and a fresh tomato-cucumber salad.
The smoky seasoning, flaky fish, buttery finish, and bright lemon make this a simple dinner that tastes much more elaborate than it actually is.
Diavola Spice Rub
If you like a little heat, Diavola Spice Rub is the blend that brings some attitude to the dinner table.
The company's Diavola blend contains cayenne pepper, garlic, and other spices. Despite the name and the presence of cayenne, Treks & Bites describes it as flavorful rather than overwhelmingly hot.
How does it taste?
Think savory, garlicky, peppery, smoky, and spicy.
It is especially good for grilling and roasting.
Try it on:
Chicken
Steak
Fish
Shrimp
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Potatoes
Popcorn
Yes—popcorn!
Treks & Bites also uses Diavola Spice Rub on roasted cauliflower with Parmesan, garlic, and shallots, showing just how well the seasoning works with vegetables.
If you're someone who enjoys adding a little heat without covering up the natural flavor of the food, Diavola is a fun blend to experiment with.
Ranch Revolution
The company originally created it as a way to make homemade ranch dressing but discovered that the herb blend could do much more. It can be used on salads, chicken, fish, vegetables, pasta, eggs, and even biscuits.
How does it taste?
Ranch Revolution is herby, savory, fresh, and unmistakably ranch-inspired without requiring a bottle of ranch dressing.
It is especially useful when you want to add flavor without adding a heavy sauce.
Try sprinkling it over:
Baked potatoes
French fries
Roasted vegetables
Chicken
Fish
Eggs
Pasta
Salads
Popcorn
You can also mix it into sour cream, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or buttermilk to make a quick ranch-style dip or dressing.
Treks & Bites also uses it in savory biscuits and homemade dressings.
Peppercorn Perfection
This seasoning combines cracked pepper, white pepper, pink salt, and additional spices to create a savory, pepper-forward flavor. The company recommends it for steaks, chicken, and potatoes and says it can be used as either a rub or marinade mix.
How does it taste?
Peppercorn Perfection is bold and savory with a noticeable pepper bite.
The combination of cracked pepper and white pepper gives it more complexity than ordinary salt-and-pepper seasoning, while the pink salt helps round everything out.
This is the seasoning I'd reach for when preparing:
Ribeye
Sirloin
Filet
Burgers
Chicken breasts
Pork chops
Roasted potatoes
Steak fries
Roasted vegetables
It would also make an excellent seasoning for a classic Sunday roast.
Lemon Pepper Paradise
This blend brings together the familiar combination of citrusy lemon and peppery flavor, making it especially useful for seafood, chicken, vegetables, and lighter dishes.
Treks & Bites uses it in everything from lemon herb hummus to roasted mushrooms, pumpkin, pepitas, chicken, and vegetable dishes.
How does it taste?
The flavor is bright, citrusy, savory, and peppery.
The lemon provides freshness while the pepper keeps it from becoming too sweet or one-dimensional.
It's especially good with:
Chicken
Pot roast
Pork
Fish
Shrimp
Mushrooms
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Green beans
Roasted vegetables
Hummus
And because lemon and beef are such a great combination, I thought it would be fun to use Lemon Pepper Paradise in an unexpected Sunday dinner: pot roast.
Slow-Cooked Lemon Pepper Paradise Pot Roast
This pot roast is rich and comforting, but the lemon pepper seasoning adds a brighter flavor that keeps the dish from feeling too heavy.
Ingredients
3–4 pound beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons Treks & Bites Lemon Pepper Paradise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 ½ pounds baby potatoes
2 cups beef broth
½ cup red wine or additional beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour, optional, for thickening the gravy
Instructions
Remove the chuck roast from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.
Pat the roast dry with paper towels.
Rub the Lemon Pepper Paradise generously over every side of the roast.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the roast and sear for several minutes on each side until deeply browned. Don't rush this step—the browned exterior adds tremendous flavor to the finished gravy.
Remove the roast and set it aside.
Add the onions and cook for 3–4 minutes.
Add the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen all those flavorful browned bits.
Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
Return the roast to the Dutch oven.
Add the carrots, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves around the roast.
Cover the Dutch oven and place it in a 325°F oven.
Cook for approximately 3–3 ½ hours, or until the roast is fork-tender.
Remove the roast and vegetables from the Dutch oven.
Discard the rosemary stems, thyme stems, and bay leaves.
For a thicker gravy, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for about one minute. Slowly whisk in some of the hot cooking liquid from the roast until smooth.
Continue adding cooking liquid until you reach your preferred gravy consistency.
Slice or shred the roast and serve with the potatoes, carrots, onions, and plenty of gravy.
The Finished Dish
The beef becomes incredibly tender during the slow cooking process, while Lemon Pepper Paradise adds a subtle citrusy brightness and peppery bite.
The result is a pot roast that still feels like classic comfort food but has a fresher, more interesting flavor profile.
Serve it with warm crusty bread, buttered green beans, a simple side salad, or roasted Brussels sprouts.
My Takeaway on Treks & Bites
What I find most appealing about Treks & Bites is the versatility of the collection.
These aren't seasonings that have to sit in the cabinet waiting for one particular recipe. They are designed to encourage experimentation.
Want to make tacos? Reach for Taco Temptation.
Want something smoky with a little heat? Try Santa Maria Sizzle or Diavola.
Want ranch flavor without a heavy dressing? Ranch Revolution has you covered.
Cooking steak or potatoes? Peppercorn Perfection is an easy choice.
Making fish, chicken, vegetables, or even hummus? Lemon Pepper Paradise brings a bright citrusy finish.
The company's philosophy of making flavorful meals easier is especially appealing for busy families. Instead of pulling a dozen jars out of the spice cabinet, you can grab one carefully formulated blend and start cooking. Treks & Bites describes these blends as time-savers designed to turn everyday ingredients into extraordinary meals with just a few shakes.
And perhaps that's what I like most about the Treks & Bites concept: good food doesn't have to be complicated.
Sometimes all it takes is a great piece of meat, fresh vegetables, a little olive oil, and the right seasoning.
Treks & Bites brings the flavor.
You just have to decide where your next culinary adventure will take you!
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