Using herbs to improve your health doesn’t have to be boring, it can be delicious and enjoyable. This can be as easy as sprinkling some cinnamon in your coffee or tea and adding it to oatmeal or applesauce. Do this to help ease a cold, break a fever or ease rheumatic complaints. Using cinnamon can help reduce added sugars in your diet and control blood sugar levels.
Here are some wonderful recipes to try and the reasons why these herbs are so beneficial to you. Herbs have never tasted so good!
Cinnamon-Sugar Roasted Chickpeas
Yield: serves 6
Bake: 10 minutes, then 15-20 minutes more
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
Directions
- Position rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat to 450°F.
- Blot chickpeas dry. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Mix sugar, cinnamon, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a medium bowl and toss with oil and the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Return to the baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until browned and crunchy 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- To make ahead store in an airtight container for up to a day.
This is a great snack to take to work and gives the kids a healthy snack. You have a crunchy sweet snack that tastes great!
Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
Yield: 5 servings
Cook Time: 15- 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups cauliflower florets (1 large head; about 2 pounds)
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Whisk oil, turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic in a large bowl.
- Add cauliflower and toss to coat.
- Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Roast, stirring once, until brown and tender, 15 to 25 minutes then drizzle lemon juice over the cauliflower.
The benefits of turmeric are easing inflammation, slowing cancer, improving joint health and treating depression.
Lemon Oregano Salmon Skewers
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 5-8 mins
Ingredients
Salmon skewers
- 1 lb skinless, boneless salmon fillets
- a few pinches salt & pepper
- lemon oregano marinade
- 4 lemons
- bamboo skewers for grilling
Marinade
- two large handfuls fresh oregano (should yield 3 tbsp worth)
- 3 lemons
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (2-3 garlic cloves)
Directions
- Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Soak bamboo skewers in a warm water bath until needed.
- Prepare the marinade.
- On large cutting board finely chop the oregano, then extract the juice + zest from the lemons.
- Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped oregano, extra virgin olive oil and garlic in a medium-sized mixing bowl, then whisk until well combined.
- Cut salmon fillets into cubes and lightly salt and pepper.
- Transfer salmon to marinade and stir until evenly coated, then allow fish to marinate for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the remaining 4 – 5 lemons.
- When ready, alternately thread the salmon and lemon slices on dual skewers.
- Using two skewers instead of one promotes even turning.
- Grill for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, turning once or twice as you do.
- Sprinkle with crushed pepper if desired, then immediately plate and serve.
The benefits of oregano are boosting heart health and fighting infections.
I just had to include a hearty dessert to go along with the meals!
Gingerbread Squares
Cook time: 25 minutes
Yield: serves 12
Ingredients
- 4 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup Teff flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup oatmeal stout beer
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger
- 1 large egg
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk together buttermilk, molasses, oil, beer, granulated sugar, ginger, and egg in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture, whisking just until blended.
- Pour batter into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 45 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle gingerbread with powdered sugar; cut into 12 squares.
Health benefits of ginger are soothing nausea, fight arthritis pain and lowers blood sugars.
We all cook with herbs but many people don’t consider the health benefits that herbs give us in our food. Now we can enjoy healthy foods that taste great and are health boosters too.
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