...For Cooking
Herbs...
...for Cooking, Flavored Vinegars, Oils and Butter, Salt-Free
Blends, Sweetness Enhancers, and Edible Flowers.
Also, do you take an Herbal Bath the 'correct' way? Other Uses of Herbs...Herbal Baths and Bath Oils and information on the correct way for a Herbal Bath to prevent getting the opposite of desired results..
...For Cooking
What Herbs go best with...
While most herbs go with most foods, there are some more outstanding than others. Below is a list of some of the most common foods and the herbs that go best with them. Herbs can be minced by hand or in a food processor and frozen in ice cubes trays. When cubes are frozen, transfer to plastic bags and use as needed. Herb pastes can be made while still in the food processor, just as mincing begins and processor still running, add oil, a little bit at a time, until the mixture has formed a paste. Freeze as above.
Flavored Vinegars
Herb-flavored vinegars add aroma, as well as taste, to foods. Choose from white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar to rice vinegar. Heat the vinegar but don't boil it. Pour into a glass jar of fresh herb sprigs or leaves. Use about three 2-in sprigs for each cup of vinegar. Garlic, shallots or chilies can be used, too, by adding one for each cup of vinegar. Let vinegar cool, then cover, and store in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Use the vinegar in salad dressings or marinades and to deglaze pans. Below are combinations for Flavored Vinegars.
Flavored Oils
Flavored oils are great for dieters as less oil can be used because the oil is flavored. In making salad dressing, use half the oil. Gently heat olive, peanut or other vegetable oil until it's warm and fragrant, about three to five minutes. Pour the oil into a glass jar that has fresh herb sprigs, herb leaves, garlic or chilies. Use about three 2 inch sprigs, one clove of garlic or one chili for each cup of oil. Let the oil cool, cover, and store in a cool, dark place for about six months. Use the oil to saute and in marinades and salad dressings. Below are combinations for Flavored Oils.
Flavored Butters
Herbed butters are also great for dieters since less can be used because they add more flavor. They jazz up the breakfast table or an appetizer tray with wonderful colors and tastes. They can be served in tiny ramekins (crocks), shaped in butter molds or cut with butter curler. Combine about 1 tablespoon of minced fresh herbs with 1/2 cup softened sweet butter. Wrap mixture in plastic and store in the refrigerator for about one month or in the freezer for about three months. Use the butter on warm biscuits or toast, steamed vegetables, poached chicken or fish. Use to saute. Below are combinations for Herb Butters.
Breakfast Butters
Savory Butters
Salt-Free Blends
There are four basic tastes that are perceived as sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Without salt, taste becomes bland. Higher flavor levels can be achieved without salt. By raising flavor levels of sweet, sour and bitter, fantastic blooms of flavor can be created that will stimulate the taste buds. Here are some salt-free flavor combinations for marinades, sauces, and for sprinkling. Below are lists of Salt-Free Blends.
For Beef
For Poultry
For Fish
For Green Vegetables
For Yellow and Orange Vegetables
For Cheese and Eggs
For Beans, Rice, and Other Grains
Sweetness Enhancers
Many herbs and spices sweeten the foods around them without adding calories. Use them alone--a pinch of cinnamon to sweeten tomato sauce--or in combination with traditional sweeteners--cardamom adds extra sweetness to cakes and cookies, for example. Experiment with these natural sweeteners:
Edible Flowers
Many flowers can add color and an outdoorsy, perfume-like flavor to your cooking. They are frequently used as floating garnishes for beverages and soups and to add color to trays and individual plates. But their flair reaches far beyond that. Edible flowers can be minced and added to cheese spreads, herb butters, or to pancake, crepe, or waffle batter. Use them whole in salads, stuffed, or fried in a light cornmeal or flour batter. The key word here is edible, which means nontoxic. Below is a list of beautiful and edible flowers.
Herbs...Other Uses
Herbal Baths
Choose from many herbs to create a bath that will either refresh, soothe, heal, beautify or simply smell good. Experiment for your own personal bath formulas. Wrap dried herbs in some cheesecloth and hang the bundle from the spout while running the water. When tub is filled, let the bundle steep for a while before removing it--squeeze all the moisture from it to capture everything you can from the herbs--climb in and relax. Or try a large round or oval tea infuser that has a chain that can be hung beneath the tap. Use about 1/2 cup of herbs. To soften the water and the skin, add some oatmeal to the herbs. Another way for preparing for an herbal bath is to make a strong infusion from the herbs, then adding it to the water. Pour boiling water over 1/2 cup of dried herbs; let the mixture steep for 10 to 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and add it to the bath. Still another way is prepare a decoction by adding herbs to cold water, then bringing the mixture to a boil. A decoction is invariably stronger than an infusion, even though the two may be prepared with equal proportions of herb material to water. To get the most benefit from your bath, pay close attention to the temperature of the water. Warm baths relax muscles, while cool baths stimulate the body. Most researchers agree that a water temperature equivalent to your internal body temperature (96º to 98º) is ideal for a relaxing bath. Higher temperatures are likely to make you feel very sleepy. A water temperature around 92º is still relaxing but also refreshes the body. If you need some pep and zip, try something in the range of 70º to 85º. Water temperatures of 104º and above dehydrate the body, dry the skin, and can be exhausting. A bath too hot can raise the blood pressure or if pregnant, don't let the water get too hot.
Herbs for Stimulating Bath
Herbs for Soothing Bath
Herbs for Tonic Bath
Herbs for Fragrant Bath
Herbs for Footbaths
Herbs for Aching Muscles and Joints
Herbs for Antiseptic Bath
Herbs for Astringent Bath
Bath Oils
To moisturize and scent the skin, add oils to the bath. They are easy to make at home. Simply combine three parts of a vegetable or nut oil to one part of herbal oil, or mix vegetable and nut oils and add the herbal oil. Almond and avocado oils are often recommended. Herbal oils can be brought commercially. Collect several vials of herb oil; when it comes time to prepare you bath, you can choose according to your mood. Most oils do not mix with water; instead, they lie on the surface. When you step out of the bath, they coat your skin. If you want one that disperses, replace the vegetable or nut oils with castor oil. You can also add aromatic oils directly to the water if you are simply interested in the fragrance. Start with a few drops at a time---pure plant oils are powerful.
When to add the oil: Bath oils should be added after soaking in the water for 10 minutes. This allows your skin to absorb moisture before the oil coats it. Oil acts as a barrier and just as it can trap moisture in your skin, it can prevent water from penetrating it. To benefit most from the moisturizing effects of the bath, first wash your body to remove any dirt and oils that may have accumulated. A cup of salt added to the water is said to draw water up from the lower layers of the skin to the drier surface. Then after soaking for about 10 minutes, add a bath oil. Don't spend more than 20 minutes in the bath altogether, or the process will be reversed, and the bath will dry your skin.