5 Great Herbs to Try

There are so many wonderful herbs that are readily available and packed full of health benefits, choosing just 10 is quite difficult.

1. Fennel Seed

Fennel bulbs are delightfully tasty and should absolutely have a place in your kitchen repertoire, but today I want to focus on fennel seeds. Like many culinary herbs, fennel seeds are little gifts from God that are very underutilized. These seeds contain many natural digestive aids and nutrients and are ideal for those with a cold sluggish digestive system.

One of fennel seeds’ best-known abilities is to quickly and gently relieve gas and bloating, especially in colicky children. In addition to relieving gas, the seeds also have antispasmodic and relaxing effects that help to ease the symptoms of IBS, including diarrhea and constipation. Fennel seeds aid in digestion by stimulating the liver and increasing the quality of bile, which aids in the digestion of fats. Many common highly processed foods can cause gut inflammation which can lead to leaky gut syndrome, lucky for us, fennel seeds reduce that inflammation and support a healthy gut microbiome. Combining fennel seeds with carraway seeds can add extra gut health benefits.

Similarly, fennel seeds have a positive effect on the respiratory system. The seeds have been used to ease hacking spasmodic coughs such as whooping cough and bronchitis as they help to thin and expel mucus, as well as reducing inflammation and bronchial spams. Fennel seed teas are a good option for supporting respiratory health.

Additionally, further research shows that fennel seeds may have liver protective benefits, may help support healthy blood sugar levels and may prevent organ damage from diabetes. Fennel seeds also have a mild diuretic effect, which is helpful to reduce edema. I realize that I was not poetic and flowery in my writing about fennel seeds, but they are so simply wonderful, that there is no need to say anything additional.

Don’t forget to drink your fennel seed tea.

Gripe Water

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds, freshly crushed

• 2 tsp chamomile or catnip (use a premade teabag if you prefer)

• 1 cup water

Basically, gripe water is medicinal tea. Pour boiling water over herbs, cover and allow to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain. If possible, store in a dropper bottle for ease of dosing. Keep it in the refrigerator. Make a fresh batch daily, as needed. Gripe water has been given to colicky little ones since its invention in 1851. One dosing recommendation* suggests 1-5 drops as needed for infants 0-6 months, 10-15 drops as needed for infants 6-12 months, 1-2 tsp as needed for 1-6 years, 1 Tbsp for those over 6 years old (including adults). *The Backyard Herbal Apothecary Effective Medicinal Remedies Using Commonly Found Herbs & Plants by Devon Young

Fennel Seed Infused Honey

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw local honey

• 2 Tbsp fresh ground fennel seeds

• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper

• ½ tsp powdered ginger

• ½ tsp powdered clove

Add the honey to a sterilized jar, put into a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler) and heat over low heat until honey is a little runny. Stir in the powdered herbs until well mixed. Remove from double boiler and let cool. Set in a dark spot and allow to infuse for two weeks.

Fennel Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• ¾ cup cornmeal

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 Tbsp lime zest

• 2 Tbsp room temp butter

• ¼ cup applesauce

• ½ molasses

• ¼ cup chopped nuts or seeds of choice (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F. Grind oats and fennel seeds into a flour. Mix the cornmeal, baking soda and salt to the flour you just ground. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer cream the butter, then add the applesauce, lime zest and molasses, mix well. Continue mixing while adding the flour mixture slowly. Incorporate the nuts or seeds if using. Scoop Tbsp cookie dough balls onto greased cookie sheet, if you would like crispy cookies then flatten each before baking. Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.

Fennel Tea

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp fennel seeds

• 1-2 tsp additional dried herbs such as lemon balm, mint, ginger, chamomile

• Honey to taste

• Slice of orange or lemon

Steep the fennel seeds and optional additional herbs in 1.5 - 2 cups of freshly boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Add honey to taste and slice of citrus and enjoy.

Candied Fennel Seeds

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp fennel seeds

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ sugar

Heat water over medium heat, stir in sugar, continue stirring until syrup is formed. Reduce heat and stir in fennel seeds, continue stirring until mix crystalizes. Remove from heat and continue stirring until dry. Cool. Eat these after rich meals as a treat and to aid in digestion. Alternatively, you can eat 1 tsp of plain dried fennel seeds before meals to reduce appetite and improve digestion.

Spiced Salt Mix

Ingredients

• 1 tsp dried garlic flakes

• 1 tsp fresh ground peppercorns

• 2 tsp fennel seeds

• ½ tsp coriander seeds

• 1 tsp dried grated orange peel

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 2 Tbsp Himalayan salt

Mix it all together and use it creatively. Try this mix on fish, pork chops, chicken, eggplant, steak or even on your morning eggs.

2. Celery Seed

Celery seed is the seed of the celery plant and is native to the Mediterranean region. It is often overlooked, despite this, it has a broad range of benefits. Celery seed has been used to help with colic, digestive complaints, inflammation, irritability, nervous issues, gout and skin issues. Along with supporting health digestion, celery seed may also help support weight loss, improve quality of sleep and help calm the nerves.

Celery seed has a unique pungent bitter tang that pairs well with fennel seed to be used in a variety of dishes, such as potato dishes, eggs, vegetable pickling, stews, fish, homemade bread, meat rubs, salad dressing. You can grind the seeds, and dried powdered celery plant if you wish, and mix them with salt to make a celery salt to be used in place of table salt. As you can see, celery salt has been neglected for no good reason.

Honey Meat Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw, unfiltered honey

• 1 Tbsp coriander

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp parsley

• 1 tsp fennel seed

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1/2 tsp celery seed

Powder all of the herbs. Put about 1/2 cup of the honey into a jar with a lid, add the powdered herbs, stir, add the remaining honey and stir again. Make sure that the powder is well incorporated into the honey. Let this blend sit and infuse for about two weeks. If you need the glaze now, you can use a double boiler to gently heat the honey over low heat. You want to use as little heat as you can. When the honey is warmed, add the powdered herbs and stir well. Remove the honey jar from the heat and allow it to cool.

Salad Dressing Ingredients

• 2/3 cup raw, unfiltered honey

• 1 Tbsp dried onion flakes

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp celery seed

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients into a jar and mix well, until creamy looking. For full flavor, allow it to sit overnight in the refrigerator, but can be used immediately. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Coleslaw (without mayonnaise)

Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage

• 1 large carrot

• 1 small, sweet onion

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp raw honey or unprocessed sugar (such as sucanat)

• 1 tsp ground sea salt

• 1 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Shred the cabbage and carrot, and finely chop the onion, mix together in a large bowl and set side. Combine the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the sauce blend over the cabbage mix and serve.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cucumbers

• 1 tsp ground sea salt

• 1/4 cup raw, unprocessed sugar (such as sucanat)

• 2 Tbsp water

• 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 cup chopped onion

Peel cucumbers and slice thinly, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. After 30 minutes, press cucumbers to remove excess water, mix everything together and chill for 1 hour before serving.

3. Parsley

Parsley is way more than just a garnish on the side of the plate, so go ahead, pick it up and find out how it can freshen your breath and aid your digestion. When eaten in food quantities, parsley can be a good source of minerals and nutrients, such as iron, vitamins A, C and K. Salads and sauces are an easy way to get a larger amount of parsley into your diet. You can use fresh or dried parsley, both have benefits.

Parsley can be used as a diuretic, but if you are looking for this medicinal benefit, be aware that the roots brewed as a strong tea will offer more diuretic effects than the leafy greens. This herb is a good choice if you have a history of UTIs, kidney stones or edema. As mentioned above, parsley helps aid digestion. If you frequently have gas, bloating, indigestion or constipation, you may want to consider eating a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley before dinner. Fennel and or caraway seeds are a good option after dinner if you forgot to eat your parsley.

As mentioned, parsley is a good source of vitamin K, but if you are on a blood thinner such as Coumadin (warfarin), you may want to talk with your doctor first before increasing your parsley intake. If you are able to increase your vitamin K intake, that is great because studies have shown that it can decrease coronary artery calcification, as well as the other nutrients being associated with decreased risk of heart attacks, stroke, heart disease, decrease blood pressure and as previously alluded to it can decrease risk of clotting.

Parsley pesto

Ingredients

• 1 cup shelled walnuts or pine nuts

• 2 cups chopped parsley, about 1 bunch

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• 1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a blender, combine herbs, nuts, cheese and half of the oil and blend for 30 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides. Add the remaining olive oil and any other ingredients you may have not yet put in and blend for about a minute. Serve with pasta or cheese & crackers or on a salad.

Parsley roasted root vegetables

Ingredients

• 1½ Tbsp olive oil

• 3 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 3 turnips, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 3 parsnips, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 3 yams or sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Toss carrots, turnips, parsnips and yams/sweet potatoes with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Arrange veggies in a single layer on a sheet tray and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are fork tender.

Meanwhile, add parsley, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper to a mixing bowl. When root vegetables are finished roasting, add to the mixing bowl, toss and serve.

4. Black pepper

In spice trade history, black pepper was black gold, and was used as currency to pay taxes and dowries. The spice market predicts that black pepper will make up two-fifths of the total spice trade market by 2025. Let’s be honest, black pepper is the most prominent forgotten herb; it is found everywhere but is commonly under-utilized. You can find black pepper about anywhere you go, but how often do you give it a second thought? Most likely the reason that you have not given it a second thought is that you, like almost all of us, have really only experienced black pepper as the pre-ground tabletop spice that has been sitting in the shaker since it was last filled in 1970 something. Black pepper loses its aromatic benefits shortly after it is ground, so if you are using the old pre-ground pepper, you are literally missing out.

If you have ever wondered about the different peppercorn options, here’s a fun fact, they all come from the same plant. Black peppercorns are picked unripe, boiled then dried; green peppercorns are picked unripe, then pickled or freeze dried; red peppercorns are picked ripe and dried; white peppercorns are picked ripe, soaked in water, then dried.

The easiest change that you can make to help promote better health is to switch to using a pepper grinder and freshly grind your pepper as you need it. Leave the grinder where it is easily accessible so that it can be used while cooking and add a nice little spicy finishing touch to your meal.

This cute little unassuming spice packs quite the punch. It stimulates gastric juices to aid in digestion, which is very needed in our overly rich western diets. If you have ever eaten a bit much and then sat there feeling like you were struggling to digest a boulder that might be a gassy volcano, then black pepper might be a good friend to you. The warmth of black pepper spices up your digestion, warms up the engine if you will, and keeps it running until the job is done. It also helps boost absorption of nutrients and facilitates their dispersal through the body. You have probably heard that turmeric is a good anti-inflammatory herb, and you may have even heard someone that it is best to have it with black pepper, that is because black pepper can increase the absorption of the turmeric as much as 2000%. There have also been studies to suggest the absorption and distribution of berberine, beta-carotene, co-Q10, pyridoxine and selenium. Black pepper may also increase the absorption of some medications, but at common food doses it does not seem to be a concern.

In addition to the digestive benefits, black pepper is a circulatory stimulant. It can help move the blood all around the body which can help warm up cold fingers and toes. The combination of being a circulatory stimulant and having anti-inflammatory properties leads black pepper to be useful in reducing pains associated with arthritis and sore and injured muscles.

Large doses, especially on a relatively empty stomach can cause nausea and stomach upset, but when added to your foods in small amounts, ¼-½ tsp to each meal is a great way to get the benefits. Evidence shows there is potential for effecting thyroid hormone levels when a tincture form of black pepper is used, but this has not been shown to happen in culinary amounts in food and teas.

If you or a loved one is suffering from sinus congestion, cough and overall sluggishness, you may want to try black pepper ghee (½ tsp of freshly ground pepper per 1 tsp of ghee) or black pepper infused honey (mix ¾ tsp freshly ground pepper, ½ tsp powdered ginger, 2 tsp dried thyme and 2 tsp dried sage infused in 1/2 cup local raw honey).

Black Pepper Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh basil leaves or mix of basil and other fresh greens of your choice

• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts

• 3-5 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup freshly grated black pepper Romano

• Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a blender, combine herbs, nuts, cheese and half of the oil and blend for 30 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides. Add the remaining olive oil and any other ingredients you may have not yet put in and blend for about a minute. Serve with pasta or cheese & crackers or on a salad.

Cracked Black Pepper Hummus

Ingredients

• 32 oz garbanzo beans, drained

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ⅛ cup lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced

• 1½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano

In the bowl combine the garbanzo beans, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and garlic. Mash with a potato masher until the ingredients start to blend, then using a mixer (or blender), turn the speed to medium, and blend to smooth consistency. Season with black pepper and other spices. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

Spicy Chai Tea

Ingredients

• ¼ cup cardamom powder

• ¼ cup cinnamon powder, freshly ground if possible

• 4 Tbsp black peppercorns, freshly ground

• 2 Tbsp fennel seeds, freshly ground

• 2 Tbsp ginger powder

• 1 Tbsp ground nutmeg

• 1 Tbsp ground clove

Blend and store in airtight container. Use about 1 Tbsp of mix per cup of hot water, add cream for a smooth experience.

Pepper and Spice Butter Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups of flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup softened unsalted butter

• 1 egg or ¼ cup applesauce

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp ground ginger (or candied ginger)

• ½ tsp ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350F Mix all ingredients together well using a mixer

Roll into 1/2-inch size balls-you will need three large ungreased cookie sheets, 16 balls per sheet and flatten the cookie balls

Bake for 8-11 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges

5. Sage

I recently read somewhere that where sage grows, the man rules, and where rosemary grows, the woman rules. I find that quite the intriguing statement as I have a rosemary dominant garden but have found myself planting more sage where I can. Makes one really go, “hmmmm...” Sage is a most fabulous herb, as all herbs are truly most fabulous, don’t you think? Sage has a delicious smell, and is fun to touch, but it has so much more to offer us beyond the surface level. Sage is a digestive and respiratory rockstar, an herb garden is incomplete without sage.

When you consume sage, it stimulates digestive secretions while also toning the digestive tissues, which basically means that it helps your digestive system work more effectively. Sage is most frequently paired with fatty meats as it’s woodsy flavor compliments meats but also it aids in the digestion of the fats, double win. One way that sage is able to aid in digestion is by stimulating increased release of bile. Quick review of our friend bile: it helps to break down fats so that they can be absorbed, helps absorb fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and helps to remove metabolic waste and toxins. Speaking very simply, the more bile that is secreted the more you can lower your total cholesterol...are you noticing a trend that herbs are great for our over health? Somewhere along the way, we as a society got off track with our understanding of what a healthy diet is. You are probably used to the idea of avoiding salts and fats as a way to stay healthy, but guess what, that is not exactly correct. Fats don’t make you fat and salts are not your biggest enemy. The most important thing you can keep in mind when thinking about a healthy diet is to try to eat a variety of wholesome foods – fruits, vegetables, grains and local meats that are unprocessed or minimally processed with a wonderful assortment of herbs, and you add the salt, spices and oils as needed.

In addition to being a great digestive friend, sage is a respiratory friend too. Sage has aromatic compounds that loosen phlegm, have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, can soothe a sore throat and calm a wet cough. The best options to consider for the respiratory benefits are tea and herbal steam, I will share the recipes below.

But wait, there’s more! Sage is an excellent option for improving cognition. Sage can improve the nervous system, improves circulation, decreases stagnation which all adds up to sage being a memory booster. Sage has also been shown to help with hot flashes related to menopause, can stimulate hair growth, helps control blood sugars, helps you relax through releasing anxiety and stress, beneficial for good oral health, and when used topically can improve your complexion. Today’s gold star goes to sage!

Sage Breath Tea

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried sage (Salvia off.)

• ¾ cup dried wood betony (Stachys off.)

• 1 tablespoon of linden (Tilia sp.)

In a clean mason jar, add all of your herbs together, put the lid on securely, and shake to your hearts content. When you need a pick-me-up, brew a pot of water, and add the just boiled water to about 1 Tbsp of your tea mix. Allow to steep for 10-15 minutes, strain and enjoy. Feel free to add lemon or honey as you please. If you have some sage in your spice rack, and do not feel like buying the additional herbs, feel free to make a tea with just sage, or get creative and add some other herbs that you have on hand, like rosemary, lavender, white pine needles, thyme, goldenrod, blackberry leaves or cardamon. Making tea should be just as enjoyable as the drinking of it.

Sage Herbal Steam

Ingredients

• Boiling water

• Handful of sage

• handful of thyme (optional)

If you or your loved one is having a cruddy respiratory time, or potentially has an eye infection or are just looking for a fun facial, look no further than an easy steam. Boil a pot of water, and when it reaches a boil, pull the pot off the heat and move it to place where you can comfortably sit down. Bring a towel, so that you can make a tent over the pot. Throw a handful of sage and thyme into the pot of hot water and put your head into the towel tent at a comfortable distance. Breathe in the steam (from a comfortable distance) for about ten minutes. Keep a box of tissues nearby as your nose may get leaky. If your nose doesn’t leak into the pot, when your steam is done, you also have a freshly brewed pot of tea that you can now enjoy.

Bitter Liver Tonic

Ingredients

• Pint mason jar with lid

• ½ cup (roughly) of citrus peel (without pith), cut into small pieces

• 2 Tbsp dandelion leaves

• 1 Tbsp sage

• ½ tsp lavender

• 8 cardamom pods

• 4 cloves

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 Tbsp of honey or molasses

• 1.5 - 2 cups of Vodka or Rum or Brandy

Place all of your ingredients except the honey or molasses into the mason jar and put the lid on securely. Shake at least once a day to be sure that the alcohol can touch your ingredients as much as possible to extract as much goodness as possible. Let this infuse for 2-3 weeks. Filter out the solids and set them aside in a saucepan along with about 1 cup of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, let cool and strain again. Add the tea that you just made to the bitters along with the sweetener. Stir/shake well. Feel free to put the finished bitters into amber dropper bottles.

Sage Gargle

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp dried sage leaves

• 1-2 tsp dried thyme

• ½ cup boiling water

• 1-2 Tbsp salt of your choice

• 2 tsp ginger powder

• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder

• ½ cup raw apple cider vinegar

Pour the boiling water over the sage and thyme, cover and let steep for 30-45 minutes. Strain out the herbs, add salt, ginger, cayenne and apple cider vinegar while the tea is still warm. Stir to dissolve the powders. Gargle a teaspoon every 30-60 minutes as needed, avoid swallowing as you most likely won’t enjoy the flavor.

Sage Pesto

Ingredients

• ½ cup of fresh sage leaves

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves

• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 1 cup of olive oil

• ½ cup of walnuts (or your nut or seed of choice)

• ¼ cup of your favorite hard cheese (like black pepper Romano cheese)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the herbs, garlic and oil in the blender and blend until creamy. Add the walnuts, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until blended to your taste.

Sage Meat Rub

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp dried ground sage

• 1 Tbsp dried ground thyme

• 1 Tbsp paprika

• ½ Tbsp of sea salt

• 1 tsp dried ground garlic

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp dried ground rosemary

• ½ tsp cayenne powder

Mix everything together well and store in a spice jar. This rub can be applied ahead of time or just before grilling. You may want to coat the food with oil first so that the rub adheres well. This rub is ideal for pork and chicken, but feel free to experiment on what you use it for and play around with the ingredients to find the right combination for you.

There are so many wonderful culinary herbs that have such great health benefits - get in the kitchen and start experimenting!