Are you tired of eating oatmeal with cinnamon for breakfast or lemon chicken for dinner? If so, it's time to reinvent your meals by experimenting with different — even a little exotic — herbs and spices. Varying the flavors in your favorite foods helps keep your meals interesting, so it's a great strategy for fighting menu boredom while following the South Beach Diet lifestyle. Here are a few ways to breathe new life into your meals using herbs and spices:

Go Asian: Spices like coriander, cardamom, cumin, lemongrass, ginger, and red pepper will lend your foods a Far East flare. Some of them (like cardamom) can be quite pungent, so go easy at first. Several of these spices can be combined to make a delicious seasoning rub for fish and chicken. Cumin and red pepper, for example, make a yummy, spicy flavor duet for mild seafood, like scallops. (Try about 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and a pinch of red pepper flakes per 1/2 pound of scallops).

Go Italian: Herbs like parsley, basil, rosemary, and thyme are all key ingredients in Italian food, as are spices like garlic and allspice. They can be bought fresh or dried, in which case less is needed to add flavor to meals. Try these seasonings in soups, sauces, whole-wheat pizzas, and even tossed with salads.

Go Mexican: For a south-of-the-border flavor fiesta, make use of hot peppers, cilantro, and garlic. These seasonings will no doubt enliven lean meat and pork and lean skinless chicken, but they work equally well in soups and salads.