Herbs | Hip Moms Go Green

Cooking with Herbs for Health

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

We all use herbs in our cooking to enhance flavor, but did you know that herbs are a great source for antioxidants? Antioxidants have been shown protect against stroke, heart disease, and cancer. Many herbs also have antibacterial and antiviral effects which can help protect against contagious illnesses. Another benefit of adding herbs to your diet is that they can be used to cut your family’s sodium intake due to their strong flavors.

Here’s a short list of some of the super stars of the herb family that you should start adding to your family’s diet:

1. Topping the list of beneficial herbs is oregano, which has an antioxidant capacity up to 20 times that of any other herb and way higher than most fruits and vegetables. Incorporating one tablespoon a day into your diet can increase your intake of vitamins and antioxidants as well as fight E. coli and Salmonella. Add to pasta sauce, egg dishes, and soups. Our Greek Chicken recipe is loaded with oregano!
2. Dill: shockingly high in calcium! Add to your tuna salad, on salmon, in dip, in eggs.
3. Sage: has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits—one study also found that sage can improve memory. Add to poultry dishes, soups, and bean dishes.
4. Rosemary: stimulates immune system, may help people with asthma and/or arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Add to meats, poultry, potatoes, and soups.
5. Peppermint: anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant; aids in curing upset stomach due to its ability to relax smooth muscles. Add to cut watermelon for a refreshing salad, make tea (great for expecting hipmoms!)
6. Basil: contains flavanoids which have been shown to provide cancer protection and fight atherosclerosis and bacterial infections. Add fresh leaves to salads, pasta sauces, and egg dishes, pretty much anything with tomato, make Hipmoms’ pesto recipe (also has the superfood broccoli in it!).

This list is just a jumping off point for you and your family. Herbs are delicious and easy to grow in your kitchen window. (I keep a basil plant growing by the sink.) Just snip off some fresh leaves and toss them in your food. What could be easier than that? Experiment with flavors; just remember when using fresh herbs you’re going to have to use 2 to 3 times as much as if they’re dried since dried herbs are much more intense.

How to Start an Urban Herb Garden

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

Your Urban Herb Garden

A cityscape is a great backdrop for an urban herb garden. You don’t need a nearby country lane to reap the benefits of home grown organic herbs. Herbs are hearty and forgiving plants that will tolerate even poor soil and still produce a bumper crop of tasty leaves if you keep a few things in mind.

Purchase the Right Herbs

Make sure that you purchase herb plants that are certified organic. If you start from seed there are several companies that produce organic. Buying organic seed helps to support organic farms and ensures that there are no GMOs or chemicals added to the seeds.

Herbs Need Loose Soil

Although many herbs are famous for flourishing in nutrient poor soils, they almost all require good water drainage. Amendments that lighten the soil, like sand and peat, as well as some organic enrichment from organic potting mix or compost, will give herb seedlings a better start in life.

Most Herbs are Sun Worshippers

Herbs, like oregano, thyme, chives, and sage, need lots of light. If you have problems with shade from tall buildings, consider growing herbs indoors near a sunny window or using a hydroponic setup. Hydroponics, or soilless gardening, uses synthetic sunlight from special bulbs to furnish plants with adequate light, and the presence of instantly available nutrients in the water makes it possible to keep more plants in less space. An indoor hydroponic herb garden can be a tasty alternative in locations where no ground space is available or your garden can’t provide six hours of light daily.

Give Herbs Enough Water

Herbs, like mint, parsley, basil and dill need regular watering. If you can’t rely on nature to always do the honors, try using a drip irrigation system, or check out the feasibility of harvesting rainfall in a rain barrel. Some rain barrels have a bypass valve that will only start accumulating water after the first rains have washed the pollution out of the air.

Herbs smell great and have many uses, both in the kitchen and in your medicine cabinet. Once you have your own urban herb garden, you’ll be snipping chives for your potatoes and making pesto in no time.

Going Green with Hip Moms Go Green is fun and attainable. We're dedicated to empowering you to simultaneously effect a healthful difference in the lives of your children and planet. Whether you're looking for tips on how to make your existing home green, want to identify creative ways to share environmental and social responsibility with your little ones, or incorporate nutrient-dense foods into your family's diet in a delicious way, HipMomsGoGreen is your ultimate resource. We bring all of your favorite eco-topics and products to the table to make going green part of your everyday life.