So far we have discussed 3 of the major food groups (macronutrients) in food: Water, Healthy Carbs (with the focus being on vegetables), and Protein. It would seem logical to continue with the fourth group which is protein. But before we do, I want to pause and encourage you to learn to cook with herbs. And as we will see in this article, vegetables and protein are two of the food groups which easily incorporate herbs
I have never had a problem with knowing how to use spices, but learning how to cook with herbs was probably one of the most difficult steps for me. My concerns were:
- What if I waste a lot of money buying herbs and don’t like the recipe?
- Since I rarely used them at the time, and had very few recipes which called for them, what do I do with the leftovers?
However, when I studied the health benefits of herbs, along with spices, I became convinced that it was worth the effort. Following are just of few of the benefits of both herbs and spices mentioned in my book, “Eating with Purpose,” along with ideas for how to use them
Cinnamon: calms the stomach, may act as an anti-tumor agent, antiseptic, anti-virus, and may prevent urinary tract infections. (Add cinnamon spice to any tea, cereal, or sprinkle on toast.)
Dill: may help fight cancer and estrogen deficiency, act as a digestive aid against gas, prevent growth of bad bacteria in the intestinal tract, relieve upper respiratory ailments, and act as a uterine relaxant. (Great in salad dressings.)
Garlic: helps detox the body, boosts immune function, lowers blood pressure, and regulates blood sugar. May help fight arthritis, asthma, cancer, colds, flu, heart disease , digestive disorders, insomnia, sinusitis, and yeast infection. (I add fresh chopped garlic to nearly every vegetable I cook and use it in many salad dressings.)
Parsley: may prevent multiplication of tumor cells, expel worms, relieve gas, aid digestion, freshen breath, help bladder, kidney, liver, thyroid, stomach problems, high blood pressure, and fight obesity. (Use in melted butter poured over boiled potatoes.)
Rosemary: may fight free radicals and bacteria, relax the stomach, act as a decongestant, aid in circulation to the brain, cleanse the liver, and help fight cancer. (Great on roasted vegetables!)
Sage: may aid the central nervous system, reduce sweating, limit hot flashes, help with estrogen deficiency, and tonsillitis. (Use as an herb in soups and sauces.)
These are all common herbs and spices that I already had available in my cabinet, but I had no idea they contained such amazing medicinal benefits! I thought cinnamon was just for great tasting cinnamon rolls! But learning this health information, convinced me to gather some recipes containing more herbs and spices. And I developed 2 techniques to help with one of my major concerns:
- If I was concerned that I may not like the taste of a particular herb (like on a mixture of vegetables), while I was cooking the vegetable I would put the herb on just a small section of what I was cooking and taste it. If I liked it, I put it on the remaining vegetables Nothing wasted! The next time you cook a mixture of zucchini, squash, onions, tomatoes, etc, try sprinkling on Italian Seasoning.
- When you make some eggs in the morning, top them off with some fresh basil. Eggs are inexpensive and you will have wasted very little money if you don’t like it.
Coming soon to my website will be a category for learning how to cook herbs, including recipes for cross reference. For now, check out my Greek Salad dressing with dill and cilantro.
Spiritual Application:
The Bible lists numerous plants and herbs which were used by the Israelites. In The Maker’s Diet, Jordan Rubin lists what he believes are the 21 top healing herbs. They include Aloe, Black Cumin, Black Mustard, Cinnamon, Coriander, Cumin, Dandelion, Dill, Henna, Fengreek, Frankincense, Garlic, Hyssop, Juniper, Milk Thistle, Mint, Myrrh, Nettle, Saffron, Spikenard, and Turmeric (2004. 179–186).
Resources:
Jordan Rubin NMD, Phd, CNC , Prescription for Herbal Healing, Phyllis A Balch,
Take me to Step Six: Consume Healthy Fats
Before you go, please leave a comment with any tips and tricks you have applied to cooking with herbs.
