Category: Herb

These herbs are common in kitchens and gardens everywhere. They can also be made into tea with various health benefits. All herbs require no other ingredients than water.

Fennel

Most people have fennel in their herb drawer. It's very common in Mediterranean cuisine, and has also been used a natural remedy for a multitude of problems, from digestion to eyesight. Fennel tea is sold in many health food stores, but it can made quite simply at home. It needs to steep for more than five minutes, so it is best to use an infuser, but one can also make a tea bag using a coffee filter and a piece of string to tie the top. The color of the fennel tea should be a light green-yellow.

Rosemary

Rosemary is another very common herb, and also great for circulation. Tea is one of the best ways to ingest a larger amount of it. Since rosemary branches are larger, they can be easily taken out after steeping without straining. It can often taste slightly bitter and have a pine flavor. There have been many reports of improved memory function from drinking this tea.

Mint

Mint is a common herb to grow and …

If you are growing herbs this year like I am, you'll quickly discover that herbs have a wide range of growing needs. Herbs, such as oregano and thyme, can handle hot, dry temperatures while broad leaf herbs such as basil need better soil conditions and partial shade. Different growing conditions is why I have two herb beds in my yard this year; one for heat loving herbs and one for partial shade loving herbs such as these.

Italian Parsley 
This flat leafed Italian parsley is one of my favorites since it's packed full of nutrition (Iron, Vitamins A, C, and K) and has a rich, deep flavor that holds up better in cooking than the curled varieties. While Italian parsley is both heat tolerant and handles mild frost just fine, I've discovered that it's happiest in beds that have filtered afternoon shade. The foliage of Italian parsley is also quite attractive and is a nice way to make a ho-hum flower bed look a little more interesting.

Basil 
Basil is another family favorite which is why I always plant a large assortment of basil plants each year. We use it in pesto, as a substitute for lettuce in …

What makes an herb organic?
An herb is organic if it was grown without the use of chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides. Organic herbs are better for the environment and more affordable for a consumer to grow in his or her own garden, usually using compost fertilizer and a technique called companion gardening instead of buying chemicals and products at the store.?

How are organic herbs grown?
Organic herbs are usually grown in gardens that utilize a practice called “companion gardening.” Basically, this is growing plants together that get along. The Native Americans practiced this, planting corn, squash, and beans together. The beans would provide nitrogen for the other plants, the corn stalks would provide something for the beans to climb, and the squash would cover the ground, sealing in moisture. Another example is growing garlic and roses together because the garlic wards off aphids, which eat the roses. Using companion gardening can greatly eliminate the need for pesticides because it uses natural elements to ward off pests. Compost fertilizer is also often used when growing organic herbs. This eliminates the need for store bought or chemical fertilizers, and creates a place to recycle yard waste and food scraps.?…

Do you love making homemade tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes, but don't always have fresh tomatoes to make your homemade tomato sauce with? Well now you can with the "Aero Garden." It is a great indoor garden kit that helps your grow fresh tomatoes all the time so you can have all the fresh tomatoes you want anytime of the year to make that homemade tomato sauce.

The Aero Garden comes with fresh herbal seeds to plant in your Aero Garden so you can grow parsley, basil, mint, tomatoes, peppers, and anything else you might want to grow to have fresh to eat. The way the Aero Garden Pro 100 works is by using UV light and a system called, "Adaptive Growth," which is used to help provide nutrients to your seeds and plants so they grow fully and beautifully without a problem. However, the UV light bulbs only last six months and do need to be replace frequently so your garden can get just the right amount of light for your veggies and herbs to grow properly. If you want to learn how to plant your seeds or grow your herbs and veggies in the Aero Garden you will …

How would your pesto taste without basil? or a salsa without coriander?

It’s hard to pinpoint whether herbs were first used medically or to flavor and preserve food. An herb is the friend of physicians and the praise of cooks, so it’s safe to say the two uses have a co-existed from the beginning. The best part is they are packed with flavour, so it’s far better than swallowing a bitter pill. A word of warning: these aren’t instant cures and are more a way to maintain good health. Here’s how you can include them in your everyday diet.

BASIL: Keep stress, diabetes, respiratory problems at bay with few basil leaves stirred into a tomato sauce, to be tossed with spaghetti or spread on pizza crust.

BAY LEAVES: Beat migraines, high blood sugar levels with bay leaves simmered in a light soup stock with garlic, carrot, onion and peppercorns.

CORIANDER: Control acne and diabetes with few sprigs of coriander in a fresh tomato and onion salsa. Best used when uncooked.

CURRY LEAVES: Tempered curry leaves and mustard seeds in tangy glass of buttermilk will minimize the symptoms of food poisoning.

LEMON GRASS: A hot brew of tea, water, lemon …