The Herbal Kitchen: Bring Lasting Health to You and Your Family with 50 Easy-To-Find Common Herbs and Over 250 Recipes
"Kami McBride provides everything you need to amaze your friends and family with a seasonal bounty of delicious herbal drinks, smoothies, cordials, pestos and more." -- Rosalee de la Forêt, author of Alchemy of Herbs
Herbs are a gift from nature. They not only help to create aromatic and delicious food, they also support overall health and wellness on a daily basis. Using dried and fresh herbs in your cooking boosts your intake of vitamins and minerals, improves digestion, strengthens immunity, and increases energy. Using plants as medicine is an ancient and powerful tradition that connects you to the earth, helps treat common ailments, promote restful sleep, relaxation, and more.
The Herbal Kitchen will help you recognize the extraordinary pharmacy that probably already exists in your own kitchen. With 50 easy-to-find herbs and spices, information and tips for preparing, storing, and using them, and over 250 simple, flavorful recipes, it will empower you to care for your health.
Whether you are already familiar with herbs or are just starting out on the herbal path, Kami McBride offers recipes for everyone. Mix up refreshing drinks, infuse oil, vinegar and honey, learn how to make tinctures and cordials, salts, sprinkles, and more.
From the Publisher
Peppermint-Lavender Lemonade
Everyone loves it, and it costs a fraction of what it would cost to supply
the masses with sodas or packaged drinks.
2 cups (500 ml) lavender and peppermint tea ½ cup (125 ml) fresh lemon juice ½ cup (185 ml) honey Peppermint sprigs for garnish Lemon slices for garnish
Berry-Mint Fizz
1 cup (250 ml) peppermint tea 3 tablespoons (70 ml) herbal honey 1 cup (125 g) frozen berries 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice 1 pinch of stevia powder Handful of fresh peppermint 1 cup (250 ml) carbonated water (optional)Add tea and honey to blender and blend until mixed. Add the berries, lime juice, stevia powder, and peppermint and blend until evenly mixed. Stir in carbonated water, if using, just before serving.
Healing Herbs and Spices
Gardening tips: Allspice grows in tropical climates and is widely cultivated in Jamaica.
Properties: anesthetic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, antiviral
Uses: It is time to expand the horizons of allspice use beyond the ingredient lists for pumpkin pie and mulled cider. Found in almost every cupboard, this warming and pungent spice is a vitamin supplement and medicine chest packed into a small berry. Allspice is high in vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, and manganese. Allspice fights off colds and flu, calms menstrual cramps, settles upset stomachs, and enhances the delivery of nutrients in the body.
Gardening tips: Astragalus requires well-drained, sandy soil and lots of sun. It is a hardy plant that withstands frost and can survive with little water.
Properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral
Uses: Astragalus has a very pleasant taste that blends well into soups and grain dishes. Astragalus root that can be purchased in the store is precut into long, thin wedges that look like tongue depressors. Just throw two or three of these flattened sticks into any soup that you make. Add them at the beginning of the soup preparation and leave the sticks in the pot until the soup is finished.
Gardening tips: The more you pick calendula flowers, the more they grow. Calendula will grow in full sun but also does well with some shade. It survives with little watering.
Properties: anti-inflammatory, antiviral, bitter tonic, demulcent, emollient
Uses: Sprinkle the fresh flowers onto just about anything you eat, such as salads, sandwiches, and tacos. Add dried calendula flowers to soup and broths. Drink the golden petals in tea, include them in your cordials, and add them to smoothies. The beautiful sunshine-colored petals of the calendula flower are a first-rate skin healer.
Sample Recipes
Publisher : Red Wheel; Second Edition, updated edition (April 1, 2019)
Language : English
Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1573247456
ISBN-13 : 978-1573247450
Item Weight : 0.035 ounces
Dimensions : 7.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
Price: $23.30
(as of Mar 04, 2025 04:48:37 UTC – Details)
“Kami McBride provides everything you need to amaze your friends and family with a seasonal bounty of delicious herbal drinks, smoothies, cordials, pestos and more.” — Rosalee de la Forêt, author of Alchemy of Herbs
Herbs are a gift from nature. They not only help to create aromatic and delicious food, they also support overall health and wellness on a daily basis. Using dried and fresh herbs in your cooking boosts your intake of vitamins and minerals, improves digestion, strengthens immunity, and increases energy. Using plants as medicine is an ancient and powerful tradition that connects you to the earth, helps treat common ailments, promote restful sleep, relaxation, and more.
The Herbal Kitchen will help you recognize the extraordinary pharmacy that probably already exists in your own kitchen. With 50 easy-to-find herbs and spices, information and tips for preparing, storing, and using them, and over 250 simple, flavorful recipes, it will empower you to care for your health.
Whether you are already familiar with herbs or are just starting out on the herbal path, Kami McBride offers recipes for everyone. Mix up refreshing drinks, infuse oil, vinegar and honey, learn how to make tinctures and cordials, salts, sprinkles, and more.
From the Publisher
Peppermint-Lavender Lemonade
Everyone loves it, and it costs a fraction of what it would cost to supply
the masses with sodas or packaged drinks.
2 cups (500 ml) lavender and peppermint tea
½ cup (125 ml) fresh lemon juice
½ cup (185 ml) honey
Peppermint sprigs for garnish
Lemon slices for garnish
Berry-Mint Fizz
1 cup (250 ml) peppermint tea
3 tablespoons (70 ml) herbal honey
1 cup (125 g) frozen berries
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice
1 pinch of stevia powder
Handful of fresh peppermint
1 cup (250 ml) carbonated water (optional)
Add tea and honey to blender and blend until mixed. Add the berries, lime juice, stevia powder, and peppermint and blend until evenly mixed. Stir in carbonated water, if using, just before serving.
Healing Herbs and Spices
Allspice
Gardening tips: Allspice grows in tropical climates and is widely cultivated in Jamaica.
Properties: anesthetic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antispasmodic, antiviral
Uses: It is time to expand the horizons of allspice use beyond the ingredient lists for pumpkin pie and mulled cider. Found in almost every cupboard, this warming and pungent spice is a vitamin supplement and medicine chest packed into a small berry. Allspice is high in vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, and manganese. Allspice fights off colds and flu, calms menstrual cramps, settles upset stomachs, and enhances the delivery of nutrients in the body.
Astragalus
Gardening tips: Astragalus requires well-drained, sandy soil and lots of sun. It is a hardy plant that withstands frost and can survive with little water.
Properties: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral
Uses: Astragalus has a very pleasant taste that blends well into soups and grain dishes. Astragalus root that can be purchased in the store is precut into long, thin wedges that look like tongue depressors. Just throw two or three of these flattened sticks into any soup that you make. Add them at the beginning of the soup preparation and leave the sticks in the pot until the soup is finished.
Calendula
Gardening tips: The more you pick calendula flowers, the more they grow. Calendula will grow in full sun but also does well with some shade. It survives with little watering.
Properties: anti-inflammatory, antiviral, bitter tonic, demulcent, emollient
Uses: Sprinkle the fresh flowers onto just about anything you eat, such as salads, sandwiches, and tacos. Add dried calendula flowers to soup and broths. Drink the golden petals in tea, include them in your cordials, and add them to smoothies. The beautiful sunshine-colored petals of the calendula flower are a first-rate skin healer.
Sample Recipes
Invigorating Bath Pg. 281
8 quarts (8 L) water
½ cup (24 g) fresh peppermint leaves or ½ cup (48 g) dried peppermint leaves
½ cup (36 g) fresh calendula or ½ cup (8 g) dried calendula
½ cup (24 g) fresh rosemary or ½ cup (26 g) dried rosemary
¼ cup (48 g) fresh juniper berries or ¼ cup (20 g) dried juniper berries
Oregano Pesto Pg. 233
¾ cup (180 ml) olive oil
1 cup (30 g) arugula/rocket
1 cup (30 g) mixed/salad greens
½ cup (48 g) fresh oregano
½ cup (78 g) diced cucumber
½ cup (84 g) cashews
1 avocado, 3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari
¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt
¼ teaspoon powdered black pepper
Chai Honey Pg. 162
2 cups (740 ml) honey
3 tablespoons (21 g) powdered cinnamon
2 tablespoons (12 g) powdered coriander
1½ teaspoons (3 g) powdered clove
1½ teaspoons (3 g) powdered cardamom
1 teaspoon (2 g) powdered ginger
1 teaspoon (2 g) powdered black pepper
Breakfast Sprinkle Pg. 242
.3 tablespoons (21 g) powdered cinnamon
1 tablespoon (2 g) powdered allspice
½ teaspoon (1 g) powdered clove
Publisher : Red Wheel; Second Edition, updated edition (April 1, 2019)
Language : English
Paperback : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 1573247456
ISBN-13 : 978-1573247450
Item Weight : 0.035 ounces
Dimensions : 7.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book useful and well-researched. They appreciate the practical advice for incorporating herbs into everyday life. The recipes are tasty and easy to follow. The book is simple to understand and apply in everyday life. It inspires creativity and new ideas.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
