Vegetarian Recipe Cooking Articles >>Herb Facts
by Jeff Anderson
Herbs were recorded in use as early as 2500 B.C. Ancient clay tablets reveal that the Sumerians used Herbs. The ancient Assyrians knew about the virtues of 250 herbs. The ancient Egyptians also used herbs as early as 1600 B.C. The Herbs they used included elderberry, pomegranate bark, wild lettuce, wormwood, hemlock and other herbs for health. The Greeks of old used herbs such as mustard, cinnamon, gentian, rhubarb and many others. A pupil of Aristotle wrote ten books on the history of plans and herbs. Alexander the Great made a number of expeditions into Africa, Persia and India and brought back herbs in use in those countries.
A Roman Soldier and writer, Pliny, the Elders did extensive research on herbs and wrote 47 large volumes on natural history, containing information on about 1000 herb plants.
It is important to look at Herbs as being a type of medicine, and with all medicines the important part of the equation is not how great a medicine is. The important part is whether the medicine is right for the patient.
Early herb gardens were the major source for food seasoning. The need for homegrown herbs, however, declined with the advent of modern stores. Today, many gardeners are rediscovering the joy and pleasure of producing their own herbs.
Definition of Herb
From the botanical viewpoint, an herb is a seed plant that does not produce a woody stem like a tree. But an herb will live long enough to develop flowers and seeds.
Number of Herbs Available
A true herb connoisseur can select from a wide variety of common and not-so-common herbs. For example, the E & A Evetts Ashfields Herb Nursery of Shropshire, England, lists 57 herbs, 16 mints, 17 onion-type herbs, 20 sages, and 17 thymes in a recent catalog. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Handbook on Herbs lists 73 different types of herbs.
Some herbs fit into one or more classifications according to use -- culinary, aromatic, ornamental, and medicinal.
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About The Author
Jeff Anderson knows his herbs. He knows what to look for and what pitfalls to avoid. Let him guide you to finding out more about herbs. Contact him at Jeff@herb-lunch.com or visit the blog at his site www.herb-lunch.com
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Spinach Salad with Mango and Papaya
by Richard Massey
This is a great summer salad, leaving you refreshed even on the hottest days. For those who like to have a little protein with there salad, both grilled chicken or shrimp go well with this dish. Dont let the number of items scare you, this is a simple recipe and well worth the extra time. Great for the family or summer parties.
Spinach Salad
Makes 1 salad
4 oz. Spinach cleaned and stem removed
2 oz. Mango peeled, seeded and diced into Ύ pieces
2 oz. Papaya peeled, seeded and diced into Ύ pieces
2 oz. Mandarin oranges
½ oz. Red onion julienne
2 Tbsp. Slivered almonds toasted
2 oz. Lime vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 ea. Lime slices
Combine spinach red onion and lime vinaigrett 
Spinach Salad with Mango and Papaya
Recipe
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Classic Spinach Dip
by News Canada
1 pkg (300 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 can (10 oz/284 g) water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
1 pkg Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix or Knorr Leek Soup Mix
2 cups (500 mL) sour cream
1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise
1 round pumpernickel loaf
Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Combine all ingredients excluding bread in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours to blend flavours. Spoon mixture into hollowed pumpernickel round loaf. Reserve remaining bread and cut into squares for dipping. Can also be served with fresh vegetables.
Recipe alternative: Broccoli Cheddar Dip.
Substitute, 1 pkg (300 g) frozen chopped broccoli for spinach, omit water chestnuts and green onions and a Classic Spinach Dip
Recipe
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Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Salad
by News Canada
1 onion
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
6 green onions
12 asparagus
12 cherry tomatoes
6 tbsp Maille Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Maille A l'Ancienne (wholegrain) Mustard
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 cup goat cheese, cut into small pieces
Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Peel onion and cut into slices. Wash and cut other vegetables into slices or wedges. For marinade, whisk Maille Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, olive oil, Maille A l'Ancienne Mustard and oregano to blend; season with salt and pepper.
Put vegetables in large bowl and add marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes, mixing often. Start barbecue and roast vegetables to desired degree of doneness. Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Salad
Recipe
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