Humans have been cooking with herb for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Herbs are plants which are commonly found growing in the wild and are easy to grow. They often have pleasant aromas, thus to add them to domestic life and into food was only the natural thing to do for man in the times of ancient civilizations.
Have you ever tried to recreate a restaurant meal at home? Most people have attempted to do so at some point in their lives and have been disappointed with the results. What is that special ingredient or trick that we can't quite seem to master the way culinary chefs can? The secret is often the fact that they use fresh, good quality herbs. An herb is a simple plant which is not rare to find, but in small doses makes a simple meal taste rich and complex. Cooking with herbs is simple, healthy, and delicious.
Recipe
Baked Chicken with Basil
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup low-fat yogurt
- ¼ cup freshly chopped basil
- 1 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Spread out the chicken breasts in a baking dish after spraying with Pam. Mix yogurt, basil, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl and then evenly spread over the chicken breasts.
Then mix together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese before sprinkling over the chicken. You can either pop this directly into the oven or let marinate for a few hours in the fridge, over even overnight.
Leave the dish to bake in the oven at 375 degrees oven for approximately half an hour or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
Origin
Humans have been cooking with herbs for the most part of civilization. Records dating back to the Ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Babylonians, Chinese, and Indians state that herbs have been used since their time for various purposes. Not only have herbs been around for a long time, but they've held importance in various fields- historic events, superstitions, home remedies, preservation of meat, and as air purifiers.
When the first settlers arrived in America, they found new herbs which the Native Americans told them the uses for. They were told to abstain from the poisonous plants and which ones were good to eat. The settlers took these herbs back to Europe, where they began to be used as well.
The American pioneers would share these newfound herbs and seeds with each other and grow them in and around their homes. They would hang them up to dry in various corners of the house so cooking with herbs would be convenient; they'd just have to pluck a few stems when needed.
Benefits
Different herbs have different natural constituents which are beneficial to the body by bringing out chemical reactions, aiding in digestion, or aiding in a specific function. Not only does adding a small amount of these natural plants make home cooking taste much better, cooking with herbs is an easy and small step to take to bring about a natural boost in one's health.
Garlic
When cooking with herbs, don't forget garlic! Garlic is an herb used as a natural supplement for heart patients or people with high blood pressure because a small daily dose has been known to decrease arterial fat deposits by half. It also prevents blood clots from forming and causing embolisms. Aside from the health benefit, garlic makes simple food taste so much better. Think: garlic bread, pasta, pizza, and Italian or French food in general all famously make use of garlic.
Basil
Fresh basil leaves help ease stress on the digestive system whether sprinkled into food or used to make tea. Cooking with herbs doesn't always have to involve meat or cheese. Herb soups are also a great way to infuse herbs into your diet. Basil helps to clear the throat and lungs. It has also been said to be good for the nervous system by calming the senses and increasing memory.
Parsley
Parsley acts as a mild diuretic and also helps lower mild cases of hypertension. Parsley can be added into soups, stews, and meats. When cooking with herbs, people mostly prefer using parsley in their meals.
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