Everyday Herbs, Spices, Fruits and Vegetables: Discover Natural Alternatives

By Carmen Martin

Everyday Herbs, Spices, Fruits and Vegetables offers you delicious recipes to try and key benefits of what each plant has to offer. As you continue through this journey, you will discover the great uses of fresh produce. Nature, as truly beautiful as she is, has some magnificent treasures to show you. Discover them now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Aug 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514498118

Carmen Martin

Carmen Martin has always had a passion for plants and herbs and, from this passion, has gone on to doing an advanced diploma of Western herbal medicine. She enjoys being a herbalist. This passion has driven her to write her very first book, Everyday Herbs, Spices, Fruits and Vegetables. It’s in this book that she wants people to know what nature has to offer and that something so incredibly delicious can be so beneficial for you. Born in Germany, back when it was still East and West, the author moved to Australia, where she has now been for over thirty years. Knowing and understanding herbalism and sharing this with everyone will be a joyous pleasure.

Book preview

Alfalfa

Medicago Sativa(Lucerne)

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Benefits:

Leaves act as a diuretic

Useful in treatment of kidney, bladder and prostate disorders

May help to reduce cholesterol

Contains folate, some fibre

Vitamin C and vitamin K

Found in all supermarkets and green grocers

Dangers: There are many hidden dangers, consult a health professional before consuming, especially the young, old, pregnant women and who have a compromised immune system.

Recipe: Alfalfa Sprout Dip

2 tbsp broth

1 cup sour cream

2 tbsp minced onion

½ cup chopped alfalfa sprouts

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined. This dip is served well with your favourite crackers or vegetable sticks.

Allspice

Pimenta Dioica / Jamaican Pepper or Pimento

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Benefits:

Anti-inflammatory

Carminative

Antifluctulent properties

Enriched with minerals

May increase motility of the gastrointestinal tract

Contains Eugenol, which has local anaesthetic and antiseptic properties

Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C

Found in all supermarkets and green grocers in the spice section

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Recipe: Allspice Icing

Submitter: v monte

100g softened cream cheese

1/3 cup softened butter

¾ tsp ground allspice

4 cups Icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbsp milk

In a bowl blend together cream cheese, butter and grounded allspice. Gradually start mixing in the icing sugar, vanilla essence and milk mix until the mixture is well combined and easily spreadable.

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/15886/allspice-icing.aspx

Almonds

Prunus Dulcis

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Benefits:

Lowers risk of heart attack

Helps lower bad cholesterol

Protects the artery wall from damage

Helps build strong bones and teeth

Provides healthy fats

Helps provide good brain function

Lowers the rise in blood sugar and insulin after eating

Nourishes the nervous system

Alkalizes the body

Rich source of oil

Also in the form of milk, syrup and flour

Found all year round in supermarkets and health food stores

Recipe: Chia pudding

8 tablespoons chia seeds

3 cups of Almond milk

Honey,agave or maple syrup to sweeten assorted fruit

flaked whole almonds to serve

Add chia seeds to a bowl and top up with almond milk. Leave to stand in the fridge for minimum of an hour or preferably overnight. Loosen chia seeds and serve into 4 dessert bowls, and add your favourite sweetener such as honey, agave, or ample syrup, and add your favourite fruits and flaked almonds.

Anise

Pimpinella anisum /Also known as Aniseed

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Benefits:

Antioxidant

Disease preventing

Health promoting properties

Excellent source of B-complex vitamins

Great source for minerals

Vitamin C and Vitamin A

Menstrual discomfort

Found in all supermarkets and green grocers in the spice section

aniseed%20biscuits.tif

Recipe: Aniseed Biscuits (Dairy free)

Submitter: Claudia_Meilinger

½ cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 cup plain flour

2 tsp aniseed powder

1 pinch bicarbonate of soda

Whisk sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Mix together flour, aniseed, and bicarb then gradually fold into the egg mixture. Grease a baking tray liberally, and drop heaped teaspoons onto it. Let them dry overnight, uncovered.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 min or until lightly golden. Let cool on tray for a few minutes before placing on wire rack to cool fully. Store in airtight container.

http://allrecipes.com.au/recipe/15597/aniseed-biscuits—dairy-free-.aspx

Apple Cider Vinegar

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Benefits:

Prevents flu and stomach illness

Dissolves kidney stones

Helps reduce / prevent acne

Regulates pH balance in the body

Helps relieve nausea

Helps relieve heartburn or chronic acid reflux

Helps relieve asthmatics

Helps relieve allergies

Helps relieve gout

Helps lower glucose levels in diabetics

Helps break down fat

Helps relieve migraines

Helps relieve sinus pressure and infection

Lowers blood pressure

Lowers cholesterol

Kills cancer cells or slows their growth

Reduces inflammation

Gets rid of build up on scalp

Gets rid of fingernail or toenail fungus

Dangers: Consult health professional before use

Found in supermarkets and health food stores

Recipe:

Help stop the itch from bites and stings

Combine together

¼ cup Apple cider vinegar

¾ cup water

Apply this to bites and stings when necessary

Apples

Malus Domestica

apple.tif

Benefits:

Contains flavonoids, which have been linked to reduce the risk of lung cancer

Reduces cardiovascular disease

Asthma

Benefits diabetics

Weight loss

There many types to choose from

Jonathan

Royal Gala

Golden Delicious

Red Delicious

Jonagold

Fuji

Braeburn

Cripps Pink (Pink Lady)

Granny Smith

Jazz

Cripps Red (Sundowner)

Eve

Found in supermarket and green grocers

Recipe: Apple Sauce

400g in season apples

2 tbsp water 1 tbsp sugar

1 strip of lemon rind

3 tsp butter

Firstly peel and core apples then slice apples thinly. Add apples to saucepan with lemon rind and sugar and simmer gently. Once the apples are tender puree in a blender or with a stick blender. Then add back to a saucepan with butter and reheat, serve with pork.

Apricots

Prunus Armeniaca

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Benefits:

Protect from cancer

Improves heart health

Prevents anaemia

Improves digestion (laxative)

Promotes eye health

Promotes skin health

Promotes weight loss

Natural sweetener

Improves bone health

Maintain electrolyte

Good source of fibre

Found fresh when in season usually spring / summer, in supermarkets and green grocers

Recipe: Apricot chicken

8 Chicken drumsticks

2 tbs Olive oil

1 large onion diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbs Morocan seasoning blend

405ml can apricot nectar

½ cup dried apricots

Add flour, slat and pepper to a bowl, add in the chicken drumsticks and toss until chicken is well coated.

Shallow fry the chicken in batches until golden brown. Place these on a separate dish. Once chicken is done, add onion and garlic to the same pan, simmer until onion is tender, then add the morocan seasoning and mix, then add the apricot nectar and bring this to the boil, once it starts to boil, reduce down to a simmer and then add the chicken, cover and allow to simmer for 20 mins. Take lid off and add the apricots and continue to simmer for anther 20 mins, or until the sauce has thickened. This can be served with your favourite side dish.

Artichoke

Cynara scolymus

Benefits:

Aids in indigestion

Helps to reduce high cholesterol

Protects liver and bile

Reduces sugar levels in the blood

Diuretic

Anticancer

Found in supermarkets and green grocers

Dangers: Seek professional advice for breast feeding mothers.

Recipe: Sauteed Baby Artichokes

1 kilo baby artichokes

Bowl with 3 cups of water and juice from 2 lemons or vinegar (3 tbsp)

1 extra cup of water

½ cup Olive oil

1 medium onion. Chopped

2 sprigs of spring onion, chopped including the green ends

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

1 pinch mixed herbs

½ tsp salt

Pinch pepper ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Grab yourself a large bowl, fill with icy cold water, add the fresh lemon juice. Rinse the artichokes before starting to stem them. Start peeling back and removing majority of the petals and cut about a 1 cm of the stem. Do this until the artichoke is approx about a 1/3 of the size and looks fresh green. Cut artichokes into halve then quarters, and place these into the icy cold bowl.

Prepare fry pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Drain the artichoke and add to the fry pan, add the extra cup of water and bring to the boil. Cover with lid and allow to simmer for up to 5 mins. Then drain. In the same fry pan, add a little more olive oil, add the artichokes again, onion, garlic and the mixed herbs. Fry off for approx 5 mins. Add the 1 tbsp of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and top with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

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Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis

asparagus.tif

Benefits:

Helps reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease

Promotes healthy hair and complexion

Increases energy

Contains folic acid

Lowers risk of depression

Maintains healthy heart

Improves bone health

Full of iron

Helps prevent constipation

Maintains healthy digestive system

Found in all supermarkets and green grocers (fresh), In also found in cans.

Recipe: Barbequed Asparagus with lemon, feta and mint

1 lemon

2 tbsp Olive oil

4 bunches of asparagus, trimmed

100g marinated feta

½ cup small mint leaves

¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted

Zest the lemon and place in a small bowl, juice the same lemon and place juice in a separate bowl,