During the winter, it is harder to find good fresh herbs. Even with all the greenhouse sourcing, herbs don’t last long when cut. I remember when I was young, my grandfather built my grandmother a standing garden. This was kept in the livingroom in full sun and she kept all the winter plants there that she wanted to harvest through the winter.
Herbs have so many benefits. One of the best is that when used, you tend to reduce the amount of salt used for flavoring. We tend to eat WAY too much of the bad “white” salt. This only increases our probability of dehydration. Replacing table salt with real salt helps, but herbs are a wonderful way to help you manage your salt intake appropriately. These windowsill herbs – easy to grow inside or out, very fragrant, easy to harvest, easy to dry – should be standard in your daily cooking and menu planning.
Cilantro. Cilantro is now one of my most favorite herbs. For most you will either LOVE it or HATE it. When I first tasted it, I was one of those that HATED it. We were in Hawai’i, and I was being introduced to Vietnamese food (Yumm!!) and we ordered Cha Gio (tiny spring rolls) and received the full platter of herbs and vegetables. We also ordered Pho (soup), and this too came with lots of herbs and vegetables. I kept tasting this one STRONG flavor that I was unfamiliar with and started picking at the herbs until I found what it was that I kept tasting – Cilantro. Cilantro is found in lots of things – but it isn’t as strong as when it is fresh. Salsa, Mexican foods, Thai, Vietnamese, etc…. It is a very versatile herb and once your palate is used to its strong flavor, you too may learn to love it in many things. I season my quesadillas and salads with lots of cilantro. As a medicinal, it helps to remove heavy metals and toxins from the body. It is an anti-inflammatory antiseptic, and an antifungal. The oils in Cilantro are beneficial to our digestive tract, aids in normalizing hormone levels, balances sugar levels, among others. And did you know that coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant?
Recommended reading – Health Benefits: https://www.news-medical.net/health/The-Health-Benefits-of-Cilantro-(Coriander).aspx
Recommended reading – Growing: https://herbsathome.co/how-to-grow-cilantro-indoors/
Oregano. Most of us are familiar with Oregano – heavily used in cooking Italian food. Oregano has a wonderful aroma and can be grown indoors or out. There are many varieties, you may find more to your liking than others. Oregano is an antiviral, antibacterial, and antiparasitic. Like Cilantro, it is very high in antioxidants – strengthening the immune system. The oil in Oregano also helps to strengthen and increase flexibility of muscles and joints. Fresh Oregano, like most of your green leafy vegetables / herbs are high in vitamins and minerals. Aids in digestion, stimulates menstrual flow, relieves muscle spasms when given as an infusion, may slow aging, and reduces cancer risk. As an anti-almost everything, it is now used as an antibiotic for organic chicken farmers.
Recommended reading – Health Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-oregano-benefits
Recommended reading – Growing: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-grow-oregano-33683190
Basil. Did you know there are MANY different types of Basil? And all of them have a very different taste? Thai Basil – spicy / licorice, Sweet Basil – obviously sweet, Lemon Basil – lemony, etc…. Basil is another “windowsill” herb. Genovese basil is the most commonly used. Many people grow it in their kitchens as it is frequently used in many dishes and is easy to grow. Basil has powerful flavonoids to help protect cell structure and growth – meaning it is a natural cancer fighter. it is an anti-inflammatory and an antibacterial. It has been shown to fight ecoli and staph infections successfully. It also fights heart disease and helps to normalize cholesterol levels. Play around with the different types of Basil in your dishes for a variety of flavors.
Recommended reading – Health Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/basil
Recommended reading – Growing: https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/basil-indoors/8930.html
Thyme. Like basil, there are many different types of thyme that you can grow. Additionally, there is ground cover thyme and cooking thyme. Types of cooking thyme include French, lemon, oregano-scented, caraway, and common thyme. Thyme is used in a wide array of dishes commonly paired with sage and / or rosemary. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and antiseptic. It can be used to heal abrasions, cuts and bruises. Bring the leaves to boil and drink as a tea to aid in bronchial issues and sore throats. Thyme also is an immunity booster.
Recommended reading – Health Benefits: https://www.healthline.com/health/health-benefits-of-thyme
Recommended reading – Growing: https://mindseteco.co/how-to-grow-thyme-indoors/
Dill. While not quite a windowsill herb… it is very fragrant and easy to grow. Dill is another of my favorites… I regularly get a mix of herbs and leaf lettuces and mix for a salad rather than traditional head lettuce. The more you mix your colors and types, the better flavor and better nutrition you gain from your salads. Dill has been long known for its digestive calming. The flavonoids in Dill also are cancer fighters. Dill also aids in normalizing menses and fights insomnia. It is a relaxant, antispasmodic, and a diuretic. It is recommended that this go in a pot on the floor as dill can grow to be 2 – 3 feet tall.
Recommended reading – Health Benefits: https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/dill-leaves-astonishing-benefits-of-adding-this-nutritious-herb-to-your-diet
Recommended reading – Growing: https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-dill-home-gardens
This is just a short list.. the point I am trying to make is that your fresh herbs are very, very beneficial for your health and if you grow your own – fairly inexpensive. Keeping them in pots in your house will give your home a warm fragrant scent and will provide you with lasting health!
I’ll do a separate blog post on drying herbs.
Blessings – E