The Health Benefits of Oregano - Is Oregano a Health Food?

So, you look forward to that oregano tang in your pizza sauce, and its little leaves make a nice addition to the herb patch. It gives an immediate kick to spaghetti, and it isn't a demanding resident in the garden, coming back year after year with just a little mulching and pruning. Is there more to oregano that might make it a super herb, the go-to herb for your health as well as your culinary

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Make Lavender Facial Scrub

Lavender facial scrub uses the antibacterial properties of lavender and the soothing qualities of almonds to exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin. It smells wonderful, and can be a great overall relaxing agent if you apply the scrub while you are still in the bath or shower. Consider it a small aromatherapy benefit to the process. If you have dry or sensitive skin, the almonds are particularly

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Make Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gayo is a refreshing summer salsa made from fresh ingredients. An uncooked chow-chow, pico de gayo is easy to make and is full of vitamins and minerals. Use it as a dip, condiment, or as an ingredient in more complex dishes like chimichangas, omelets, or rice dishes.What Types of Herbs are in Pico de GalloPico de Gallo uses some herb favorites like cumin, cinnamon, garlic, cilantro,

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Propagate Aloe Vera

I get lots of requests for information on propagating Aloe Vera, so here is my take on the subject.Watch For Aloe Vera Plant PupsAs a succulent, Aloe is easy to keep and grow. It requires well-drained, loose, sandy soil that is low in nutrients. It needs room, lots of it, because it's a fast grower during the summer months. From a central whorl, it sends up small shoots or "pups". Your plant has

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Dry Your Leftover Parsley

If you have leftover parsley every year from your holiday garnishes, try drying it. This is my chance to recommend that you buy a dehydrator if you don't already have one.Dehydrate Your LeftoversI have two, and use them throughout the year. They are inexpensive, safe, easy to use, and they can help you save money and eat healthier. If you like herbs, having one is a necessity.After a few hours

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All About the Hot in Hot Peppers

Easy to grow, dry, grill, and freeze, peppers are inspired food enhancers. They are aids to digestion, can have pain relieving properties, and . . .well, they're pretty, too. Become a pepper lover with this easy pepper primer.Spring is just around the corner, so check out the pepper page of your seed catalogs and have a fiesta.Peppers are Easy to GrowI've grown peppers in pots and in the ground

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Parsley of Old – My Old Anyway

Parsley was the first fresh herb I was familiar with as a child. It was present at almost every restaurant prepared meal, sitting on the plate next to a slice of lemon or carrot curl. My mother always urged me in a whisper after every meal to eat my parsley because it was nature’s breath freshener. The variety I was most familiar with was curly, but not quite as tightly curled as the parsley we

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Chives at your Fingertips

Chives are a personal favorite of mine. This herb was the first that Iregularly went out in the garden to snip in the evening when I was about to start cooking dinner. I keep a special pair of "herb" scissors in a kitchen drawer, together with a small wicker basket to help me harvest the night's herb choices. I have lots of snipping herbs now, parsley, oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, bay, and

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Lemon Balm The Scent That Says Fresh

Lemon balm is a perennial in the mint family. It has a light lemony fragrance that you will recognize from furniture polish and dishwashing liquid.Easy to Root and GrowIt does well in partial shade, preferring well-drained soil. Keep lemon balm moist. I prefer to keep mine near downspouts and around outdoor faucets. Lemon balm is easy to grow from stem cuttings that have been rooted water. It

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Sage is Good for More Than Stuffing

Sage is a natural source of estrogen and can be a big help in combating menopausal symptoms. I have suffered from night sweats for a while now, and have tried to avoid HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Sage is an easy way to add natural estrogen-like chemicals to your system and provide some relief. Even burning a sage aromatherapy candle can help.
If you suffer from night sweats, increasing

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Sweet Woodruff is a Delicate Addition to Your Garden

Sweet Woodruff is a beautiful little herb with delicate leaves that grow in tight whorls. It makes an attractive groundcover, and has the reputation of being invasive, but it's shallow rooted so easily kept in check. It grows best in shade, but will tolerate a sunny spot if kept moist. It makes a nice presentation under a larger shrub like a hydrangea. It’s also a natural for your azalea bed.

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Grow Aloe Vera and Have Its Healing Properties at Your Fingertips

I just brought my aloe vera plants indoors for the winter. I bring them in before the first frost and leave them in a westerly facing window until spring. I only water two to three times during winter, and put them back out again at the end of April. I've been doing this for about the last eight years.Uses for Aloe VeraSure, we all know about how great aloe vera is for healing and reducing the

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Get Natural Relief From a Cold or the Flu

‘Tis the season to sniff and cough, and when the inevitable cold or flu comes calling, you are going to be looking for fast relief. Before you run to the pharmacy, check your kitchen cupboard for useful and inexpensive remedies.DecongestantInhale the steam from a strong cup of camomile tea to open nasal passages, and add lemon to beverages to take advantage of its antibacterial properties.Fresh

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