Fresh Herbs: Summer’s Gift

There’s nothing like the taste of fresh basil in a summer tomato salad. The light taste of licorice, fresh taste of minty pepper, and the bright sweetness so unique to this herb. It is a taste to remember. As we celebrate summer solstice this week, let’s talk summer flavor too.

Fresh herbs can not only be found in the grocery aisle, but they are also easy to grow at home. Herbs can flourish in a container on your windowsill and in a backyard garden. Today, let’s discover recipes that incorporate fresh summer herbs and also learn how to grow them.

Here’s a list of common herbs, how to grow them, and recipes to incorporate them:

Basil

Basil needs lots of water and sunlight. It grows well in warmer temperatures, and flourishes when pruned. Check out how to do it here.

Enjoy basil in a summer bruschetta. And, ribbons of basil work well atop flatbread, eggplant parmesan, and whole grain pasta. Mix basil with quinoa, raisins, dried apricots, and almond slivers for a yummy salad.

Cilantro

Both the seeds and the leaves of the cilantro plant are edible and amazing. Learn how to grow it here. Cilantro is delicious in many dishes—from guacamole to ceviche.

Chives

Chives need full sunlight, and flourish in rich, well-drained soil. With a mild garlic and onion taste, this herb can be incorporated perfectly into many dishes. Chives work well in veggie dip, sprinkled atop an omelet, or with salmon.

Rosemary

Rosemary does well in sandy soil with a lot of sunlight. When my spouse and I travelled to the Dalmatian Coast, we saw wild rosemary growing everywhere—this Mediterranean climate was sunny, warm, and pretty dry. Anyway, rosemary can be incorporated into savory dishes like Lemon Rosemary Chicken salad, or in sweeter dishes like this one.

Do you grow and eat fresh herbs? Let us know by commenting below!

© 2017 Caitlin W Howe, LLC
Manners matter here! Not sure whether your comment is irrelevant, impolite, or disrespectful? Read my commenting rules Commenting Rules

The postings on this site are my own (unless otherwise stated) and don't necessarily represent any other organization's positions, strategies or opinions. Thanks!