1/2 kilogram boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/4 cups linguine pasta
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Place chicken in a crock pot. In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, tomato sauce, hot sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes and dissolved cornstarch. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours on high. When done, stir in pasta and heavy cream. Cook for 45 minutes more or until pasta is tender. Stir before serving.
Pasta is a favorite dish worldwide, so if you’re a cooking beginner, knowing how to cook pasta is a must. There are endless options when it comes to cooking pasta dishes. You can choose from a variety of noodles, sauces, meats, veggies and even herbs and spices to make your own. But if you’re just a beginner, you can try these crock pot pasta recipes to help you get started with your cooking journey – everyone will surely approve!
What you need:
4 cups beef broth
3 cups water
3 cups spaghetti sauce
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen meatballs
1 cup angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
Mix together beef broth, water, spaghetti sauce, frozen meatballs, parmesan cheese and basil in a slow cooker. Stir, cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low. When ready, stir in angel hair pasta and cook for 20 minutes on high.
Here are my top three herb garden plants. That is, if you’re primarily gardening for culinary herbs. With this list in hand on your first trip to the nursery, you’re bound to have success in finding what not only works in your yard but choices that will mesh well with your taste buds.
Basil is the best herb for pesto, hands down. Its leaves have a warm and spicy flavor. You need to only add a small amount of this delightful herb in such dishes as soups, salads and sauces. Basil is also particular suited, by the way, to season anything dish with tomato flavoring. Don’t hesitate to use basil to enhance the flavor of your meat, poultry or fish. You can even add it to your morning breakfast omelet.
You’ll want to start your basil plants early in the spring, preferably in a greenhouse or a sun-drenched windowsill. Early in the summer transplant this herb to your garden. Or, if you have the courage, sow basil seeds directly into her garden early in the spring. Or you may want to try your hand at both methods, just in case those seeds don’t catch.
Who doesn’t love some fresh chives on a hot, newly baked potato? If you’re as mad about this herb as me, then you’ve already noticed that chives have a mildly onion taste. This makes them an excellent addition to salads, any egg and cheese dish, cream cheese, sandwich spreads and sauces. And, oh, by the way, don’t restrict chives to just the baked potato. Taste how in adds a little zing to your mashed potatoes as well.
If you plan on growing chives from starter plants, then you’ll want to get these into your garden in the early spring. And you’ll want to give these plants plenty of room. My recommendation is to plant them a good 9 to 12 inches from each other.
If you plan to plant the chives seeds, then plant them in the fall or the spring, digging down a good half inch and setting the seeds in rows that are spaced about 12 inches apart.
3. Coriander
Now here’s a versatile herb. Its versatility is so great that different parts of this plant are known as different herbs. Grinding the dried seeds to use them in your meats, like veal, ham or pork? You’re using coriander. Using the leaves to add to some Indian or Asian dishes? You’re actually using cilantro.
And of course you can use the roots of coriander as well. If you can’t use them right away, don’t worry you can freeze these. They can be used to flavor soups. Or chop the roots and serve with avocados. You’ll find this deliciously delightful!
Even a novice herbalist should have no problem growing coriander from seeds (I know I did it my first time around and there was no novice who was more naive and at a loss than I!).
Sow these seeds in the early spring. Dig a hole about ¼ inch in depth. Plant them in rows that are just about a foot apart. Once the seedlings appear, you’ll want to thin them down some, making sure they’re at least 6 inches from the other.
Tiny as they are, herbs are enjoyable and easy to grow. Using them in your cooking allows you the possibility to change the flavors in your dishes in different ways. The freshest of them are great in soups, stews, vegetables, pasta, salads and breads.
Different kinds of herbs create different tastes in foods. If you are new to using herbs, work on them slowly, adding just a little at a time will help you adjust as you go along until you have it just right. As you get used to cooking with herbs, you will learn the best ones that can be associated with particular foods. Storing herbs is also not difficult. Even fresh ones will keep in the refrigerator for several days. But once herbs are frozen, remember that they would be best when only used in cooking and not as garnishes.
For instance, basil is paired with tomatoes, oregano with sauces, rosemary with roasts, and chives with butter or cream cheese. Although these herbs are not limited to these items, you will see them paired most often these ways. If you think oregano can be ideal for a particular food you have in mind, use your imagination and go for it. You never know your experiment will discover you a new-fangled recipe perfectly flavored with the herb.
You will also see that even the simplest meal may seem like a gourmet delight, no wonder why gourmets are masters in associating herbs with food. You can even make herb vinegar for your salad dressing and herb oils that you can use for recipes that call for oil. You can create your own robust-tasting marinades and herb-inspired spreads and rubs. You can make herb butter by mixing butter with minced fresh herb. You will find it fun using your own herb mixes every time you prepare a recipe that calls for vinegar, oil or butter. Really fun, isn’t it?
Imagine how fresh herbs can dress up any dish and make it spectacular-looking. Envision how you can lay individual sprigs of rosemary over your roasts, how you can garnish grilled fish with minced basil, and sprinkle chopped parsley over your potato salad. I like chopping a fresh herb and mix the green pieces in my pale salad dressing. The effect was awesome, and my salad entrée really turned out sparkling. With your own creativity, you can make endless combinations and delicious outcome.
In my little garden, I love growing basil, parsley, oregano, lemon balm, mint and a few others. Mint can over run your garden so growing them in individual cans to prevent the herb from “creeping” all through your garden is worthwhile. My wife makes an instant natural face mask using basil, lemon and avocados. She would pulverize a handful of basil by blending it on high, then throw in half of an avocado and a teaspoon of lemon juice. I tried the trick and there was nothing like an all-natural face mask fresh from my garden!
These are just a few ways you can use fresh herbs from your garden. There are still a lot of fun techniques of using herbs that you can learn for your own culinary style and recipes. But first, start planting your herbs.
Have you tried storing basil for the winter in a milk carton? This is just one of three good methods to store basil that are revealed below.
With the threat of frost, all garden basil must be harvested and then hopefully stored to be enjoyed during the cold months to come. Since basil has a high water content is cannot be dried like many other herbs as it will turn black and lose flavor. It will also turn black if chopped or bruised and exposed to air. Fortunately freezing basil works great.
Before describing the freezing methods, let’s digress briefly. If you are growing basil yourself, then hopefully you have been harvesting and pruning all season. Pruning makes the plants fuller and keeps them from going to seed which diminishes the leaf flavors. You can store basil keeping it fresh for up to two weeks by placing the branches in a vase and keeping them on the counter out of the sun.
So let’s get back to how to freeze basil. The first step for all three methods is to clean & dry the basil. First remove all leaves from the stems. If you are going to try out the second freezing method, then you will probably want to leave some of the buds intact. The stems should be discarded. Rinse the leaves thoroughly taking care not to bruise them. Finally you want to remove excess water from the leaves by using a salad spinner or laying them out on towels to dry.
The first and most common way to freeze basil is basically the start of a pesto sauce. You chop or puree the basil leaves with olive oil and a bit of salt in a food processor. Coating the basil pieces with oil protects them from air so they can maintain their color & flavor. Pour the puree into small air tight containers and add some extra olive oil on top. After defrosting the puree, re-process adding your favorite pesto ingredients.
The second method takes a little more time, but is still an easy way to freeze basil. This method keeps whole individual leaves or plant buds intact to use as garnish. Put prepared leaves & buds on trays in the freezer for about one to two hours. Once they are frozen, put them into air tight containers. Do not over crowd them; otherwise they will lose their shape. After defrosting for use, you can julienne the leaves or use them whole as garnish on pasta dishes or soups.
Now how about that milk carton? This third method is the easiest. Simply pack the leaves into a cleaned out milk carton with the top cut down. Seal the top closed. Use quart sized cartons & then put the sealed carton inside a Ziploc baggy to make it air tight. When you want to use the basil for cooking, cut off a slice of the carton & re-store the remainder as it was. The frozen leaves are great to use in sauces.
Hopefully you will try one (or all) of these easy ways to freeze basil. By taking time to store basil in the fall, you can enjoy the fresh basil flavors throughout the year. Happy cooking!
If you’re like most gardeners, you probably consider August to be the tail end of the growing season. The truth of the matter is that it’s a great time to start your fall garden.
A fall garden can produce excellent vegetables and extend your crops long after your spring planted garden is finished. The vegetables you harvest from the fall garden are often sweeter and milder than those grown over the summer.
What type of vegetable plants you plant in your fall garden will depend on the space you have, as well as the types of vegetables you like. Be sure that you plant vegetables with the shortest growing season, this will increase the chances they will be full grown and harvested before the hard frost sets in. Starting your seeds indoors the first week of July will also give you a good head start.
Most seed packages will be labeled “early season”, or you can find the seeds that are labeled with the fewest days to harvest. Since seeds are not usually kept in stock towards the end of summer, you will probably need to purchase seeds for your fall garden in the spring. You can also find them easily online.
Even vegetables that like the heat of summer, like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers, will produce nicely until harder frosts hit, which can be fairly late in the year in certain areas.
There are certain vegetable plants that normally stop producing towards the end of summer. These include snap-beans, summer squash, and cucumbers. Even these, if planted in the middle of summer, can produce nicely until the first frosts arrive. Many hardy vegetables will grow with temperatures as low as 20 degrees.
If you have root plants such as beets, carrots or radishes, that have the tops killed by a freeze, you can save them by applying a heavy layer of mulch.
For fall gardening you need to know approximately when the first hard frost normally hits your particular area. The Farmer’s Almanac is a great resource for this type of information. It will give you specific dates and is fairly accurate most of the time. You also need to know approximately how long your plants will take to mature. As I said, this is available by reading the individual seed packets.
To prepare the soil for your fall garden, the first thing you will need to do is clear out leftover summer crops and weeds. If you leave the leftover vines and plant debris from your summer crops, bacteria and diseases can develop from these leftover remnants. If your spring plants were not fertilized heavily, you may want to spread a few inches of compost over the garden next.
Once that is done you will need to till the soil and wet it down. Now simply wait 24 hours and your ready to plant.
All too often gardeners will shy away from planting a fall garden, to avoid dealing with frosts. I can tell you from experience that sturdy and healthy vegetables can stand up to a few frosty nights, while producing wonderfully tasting produce.
Fall gardening is not for everyone, but why not give it a try? It can provide you with the opportunity to enjoy garden fresh vegetables for a little while longer each year.
We all have a garden planter or two dotted around our gardens, perhaps filled with a specimen plant or a seasonal display. But there is a lot to be said for using containers as the design basis for creating a garden. Containers are probably one of the most versatile forms of gardening, allowing you not only to choose type of container but also the plant and its location. There are many advantages to container gardening. You can move your containers to different locations within your garden, thereby creating an instantly different effect. You can change planting displays as often as you like, perhaps making the most of the choice of different seasonal plants. You can also grow plants which like different soil types to your own by simply filling them with the right type of compost.
There are an ever increasing number of different types of container you can buy, with materials and designs to suit every climate and different tastes. Pots and tubs are probably the most popular type of planter available. They are for the most part versatile and easily moved to different positions in the garden. Pots and tubs come in an enormous variety of sizes and designs, both traditional and modern. Materials vary from moss covered terracotta and artificially aged stone planters, to reused car tires and fiber glass. There are no rules when it comes to choosing a type of container and there is no reason why you can’t combine traditional with modern. Just be aware that your designs and materials complement each other in some way.
Pots and tubs are equally as versatile when it comes to planting. You can grow almost anything you like in a container. Formally clipped box and other evergreens look stunning as focal points, as do specimen standard plants such as bay trees. Group a number of planters of different sizes together with a plant type such as herbs. A particularly stunning planter can be filled with seasonal annuals for an all year round display.
Window boxes are another great way to grow plants and enhance the appearance of your house and garden. Window boxes are particularly useful if you have a tiny garden or even if you have no garden at all! You can buy ready- made window boxes, have them made bespoke to your requirements or simply make your own. Window boxes don’t have to be made of wood. I have seen some beautifully aged metal ones as well as reconstituted stone ground-level boxes. Grow seasonal displays or plant up a box outside your kitchen window with herbs or easy to grow edibles like lettuce.
Hanging baskets are probably the most versatile of all containers. They can be hung on walls, fences and even in trees. Not only can your display be changed from season to season, but you can also grow edible plants such as tumbling tomatoes and strawberries and even a selection of herbs, hung near your kitchen door. Hanging baskets also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. More traditionally made from wicker, but I have seen some great modern alternatives made from brightly colored plastics.
Troughs and sinks can be used to create mini container gardens in one place. Although strictly speaking you can grow anything you like in a trough shaped planter, the lack of depth makes them more suited to growing alpines and herbs. Stone troughs probably look the best in any garden but why not also think about getting hold of an old Belfast sink which looks particularly effective when planted with herbs under a kitchen window.
Another type of container not readily thought about is the raised bed. Raised beds are a great way of growing both vegetables and garden plants. They are easy to maintain and therefore popular with gardeners with impaired mobility. They are also an easy way of adding structure to an otherwise flat garden space, lifting plants higher up and creating the illusion of different levels to a garden.
Some Container Planting Rules
If you are going to maintain a healthy container garden, there are a few rules you will need to follow whatever type of planter. Drainage is all important for container grown plants. Make sure your container has adequate drainage holes and always add some broken pot or crocks to the bottom of the planter to aid drainage. If your container is to be placed on a hard surface, sit it on some feet to raise it above ground level slightly. Use the right type of compost. Try not to overcrowd your container, most plants will need plenty of room to spread their roots and grow into healthy specimens. Conversely, don’t let your plants become pot-bound. Although there are a few plants which do well in these conditions, as a rule, either divide you plant or re-pot it into a larger container.
In extremely cold weather both your containers and their plants will need some protection. For those that are not frost hardy it is probably best to over winter them into a cold greenhouse. Others can be wrapped in straw or fleece to protect them from frost.
Perhaps the most important consideration of all for container grown plants is water. During dry weather in the summer months you will have to make sure your pots are well watered. Materials like terracotta dry out quickly as the clay absorbs water, so you will often find yourself having to water at least twice a day. Early morning and evening is best. During the winter water container plants sparingly. Waterlogged containers easily freeze killing the roots of the plants in them.
I am a firm believer that a garden reflects some of the personality of the gardener who tends it. Garden planters are a great way of putting your stamp on a garden, particularly if you are a little bit quirky! I have seen old wooden boats used as planters, odd worn out walking boots, pan tiles, antique wash tubs, old car tires and even a disused toilet!
Reusing Plastic Containers and Planters
Anyone who has a garden or ever got a potted plant has had to deal with those seemingly useless plastic pots. Most people throw them out. I save them until they crumble-re-using over and over again. They can be the “greenest” item in your garden that save you the most green.
I have a very small gardening space including containers but big or small practical ways maybe “green” now but will always make sense far after being GREEN loses fashion.
So what to do with all those unsightly plastic pots? Whether you have an established garden or just starting out; when you buy plants you will have to deal with re-using or disposing of them.
Plastic pots have an endless amount of uses in the garden. So before you just think re-cycle re-think they can save you money before tossing them out:
• Seeds eventually become seedlings needing a larger pot; having pots on hand is both convenient and cost-saving.
• Small pots make excellent large pot fillers. Place a small pot upside down in a larger one then fill with soil and plant. Container is lighter with less soil used.
• Instead of throwing out the cell flats, crumble up and use as a large container filler too. [Or wash and use as packing material.]
• Place invasive plants inside of the pot then plant in the ground for keeping them in-check.
• Have too many plants? Bought too many? Divide both annuals and perennials using pots to share plants. Don’t have to worry about loaning out your expensive ones.
• Don’t have drainage holes in that pretty container? Put plant in a plastic pot then place inside the prettier one. [Don’t forget to pour out any excess water.]
• Wish you could afford more expensive containers? Take plastic pots, spray paint assorted colors then add decorative ribbons, beads or sphagnum moss to make appealing.
• Don’t like to water? Plastic holds moisture longer so use instead of terra cotta [I still recommend terra cotta for herbs in almost all instances.] Works for indoor/outdoor plants.
• Just planted a new plant? Use plastic container as a cloche or shield to protect until established.
• Threat of frost? Use containers to cover tender plants. Use 2 pots together to block out holes and create a better insulator.
• Weeding. Keep containers around as receptacles when pulling them out.
• Use to make compost or save potting soil.
• Use small pots as scoops for mulch, fertilizer, etc.
• Use to prop up other containers to create different plant levels.
• Use to hold garden tools.
• Plant below ground level then put smaller pots filled with annuals for easy change-ups.
• Storing bulbs or use for overwintering plants.
As you can see the possibilities are endless. These are the pots that cost nothing but continue to save you money over and over again. $$$$$. How Green is that?
5 Gallon Buckets in the Garden
Continuing the discussion of how important the often underestimated 5 gallon buckets at home, we are now revealing how we can make the best use of these pails in the garden.
As pots
Although the appearance of the 5 gallon pails may not look as charming as the real gardening pots, they are highly functional and cheaper. Good quality 5 gallon buckets cost between $ 3 and $ 6; which is nothing compared to gardening pots’ price. With some little preparation, the pails can be turned into flower pots instantly.
All you have to do is to drill the bottom of the 5 gallon buckets with ½ or ¼-inch holes to allow water drainage. 10 to 15 holes are enough for 5 gallon pails. Next is to fill in the buckets with good quality potting soil and fertilizer. It is now ready to be planted.
If you care about upgrading the look of the modest 5 gallon pails, you may want to put more time before filling in with soil. Get some paint with the color you like, paint the pails, give some accents with different colors of paint, and dry it completely. Remember to paint only on the outer side for vegetables and herbs gardening. You don’t want the vegetables you grow to take the chemical substance of the paint since you will be eating them later.
Another advantage of having 5 gallon buckets garden is that it is extremely practical. You can move the pots wherever and whenever you want. If the growing season is over, you can pile them up and store the soil for the next gardening season, or you can just move them indoor if the plant thrives to survive there. The 5 gallon buckets also make it more difficult for animals like rabbits to destroy your plants.
Now you have not only a cheap way to grow your herbs and plants, but also creative and practical ways too.
As compost containers
Compost plays an important role in the life of a plant. Good homemade compost even plays more important role in the environment. Oddly enough, your plastic 5 gallon pails can help make this happen. As the container of compost making.
First of all, you should drill ¼-inch holes around the sides of the bucket. This will allow air circulation and water drainage. Line the bottom of the pail with dry leaves and soil. After that, dump your table scraps like vegetables, napkins, eggshells, coffee grounds or tea bags inside the bucket. Avoid milk and meaty stuff since this could attract vermin. Cover again with dry plant debris and soil. Do one dry layer after the wet one continuously and wait until the 5 gallon pail is filled up. Have a lid to close the pail and let the microorganisms work the compost. Check it out from time to time whether it is too dry or too wet. If it is too dry, add some water and move it to a shadier place. If it is too wet, place it under the sun to dry a little bit. This process takes from several weeks to months to complete.
The better pails to use for homemade composting are the ones in dark colors. Black will be the best. It will absorb more heat for the microorganisms to live under the shade.
If you use 5 gallon buckets in your garden for those purposes mentioned above, you will definitely promote an environment friendly gardening and at the same time save money for a better use at home.
First, what makes up brewed coffee, besides caffeine? Nutrition experts agree that coffee grounds contain magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and trace amounts of calcium. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the ingredients necessary for garden soil. They coincide with the figures you see on most garden fertilizer bags. So coffee does have what plants need to grow.
There seems to be some debate about whether or not coffee produces nitrogen. Most agree that coffee grounds contain 1.5 to 2.2% nitrogen. However, some feel that the nitrogen is not available to the soil or the plants until the grounds themselves begin to decompose.
Others say you must compost the coffee grounds with other plants to release the nitrogen in the decomposition process. They recommend adding nitrogen to the soil if using only the grounds. The rotting grounds attract nitrogen-consuming microbes, thus, the need to add nitrogen if using only coffee grounds as a fertilizer.
So to be on the safe side where fertilizing is concerned, you may be better off tossing your coffee grounds along with other compost into the garden in the fall and winter to allow them time to be of best use for spring planting.
When I emptied coffee grounds on top of the soil last fall and spring, I did not include it in a compost. I did use 8 to 10 cubic feet of a peat and compost mixture in the spring that I emptied all over my garden, which is 13 by 33 feet. I turned the soil about 6-8 inches deep before planting. I’ve never had tomatoes produce so much in my four years of gardening.
How does the acid in coffee affect things? The coffee you drink is acidic, but the grounds afterward are closer to neutral on the pH scale. Some argue that they retain their acid level until combined with compost and its microbes, which neutralize it. Either way acid is great if your soil is low in it (alkaline). In the West, where I live, soils are alkaline and getting closer to neutral or increasing the acid content is a good thing for my strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and radishes. Keep in mind that you have to use quite a bit of grounds to make any real difference in the pH scale.
Coffee grounds have other benefits aside from being a fertilizer. They boost the heat in soil better than most composting materials, including manure. These high temperatures kill seeds from weeds or vegetables that may have made their way into the compost pile. If you are thinking about raised beds, consider lining the bottom edges with coffee grounds to prevent weeds from sneaking in.
Other benefits to using coffee grounds in the garden include its ability to attract earthworms, thereby improving soil structure. It even keeps cats from pooping in your garden. (Our neighborhood stray poops along the outside of the garden instead!) If tomato blight is a concern, there are some who think the copper in coffee grounds keeps this at bay.
Coffee grounds are also good at keeping away pests for both inside plants and outside flowers, like hostas, roses, lilies, peonies or those grown from bulbs. The caffeine discourages slugs and snails. You can add about 2 cups of grounds to a 5 gallon jug of water and let it steep overnight. Use it to water plants and don’t be afraid to water the leaves, too.
So whether or not coffee grounds include enough nitrogen to be used as a fertilizer, its pest deterrent qualities and attraction to earthworms has more than sold me on its benefits. If you aren’t a coffee drinker, just ask your local coffee shop if you can have their leftover grounds. It not only helps them dispose of waste, but it also helps create a more abundant, inexpensive and organic garden.
Herb garden kit is perfect for amateurs and professional gardeners. It includes everything you need and it is very easy to use. There are lots of kit variations to choose from. Find one that would best fit your needs. It’s an easy way to start gardening whether it is indoor plants growing in pots or outdoors in the yard. Great thing about these indoor types herb is that they can be easily moved from places to places, especially outside for their need of sunshine and it is always within reach for their maintenance. They already have the utmost ideas of what to consider about. But what they really need is the easier way of gardening.
Some of the herbal garden kit versions have artificial light to keep the plant from growing even if it’s away from the windowsill. If you prefer the window herb garden kit which includes everything but the sunlight and water, you can go with that too. You can even choose a kit with plants that grows and submerge in water, this solution eliminates the possibility of dirt spilling and resulting to a messy home. Professional gardeners have already the knowledge about gardening.
It is a great idea to nurture herbs for whatever reason it is appealing to you and it is also fairly simple. People’s everyday routine is to rush from work to their job and vise versa. Do you have the time to keep your herbs happy and healthy? Any herb that you grow has to be tended to, from beginning to end including the harvesting part.
Determine what herbs you will need to grow. Will it be for flavor in cooking, for medicinal use or even herbal tea? How many times am I going to use it? Will it be for personal use or a source of income? For professional gardeners, getting the herb garden kit is a walk in the park. If they get too busy with other things and less time for gardening, they can just order the kit. Not only does it require a little of your time, but it can also take up a little space at home.
There is also a choice of a larger kit that could take up a 10 by 10 feet space and has different kinds of herbs to choose from. Some kits have field contraptions that are used to make sure that the growth of the herb plants under any weather conditions. A small kit is available if they just need easy access of their herb garden inside the house. If you chose culinary herb garden kit, you can put it near where you cook. If you chose beautification garden kit, you can put it outside to attract beautiful looking insects to your garden with the right mix of colors and fragrances. Or even a medicinal kit for therapeutic needs.
As long as you know the category of herbs that you are planning to grow and the usage it would be easier to determine the space and the kit that would be perfect for you.
It’s important to prioritize your health when you’re aiming to trim some pounds. That’s why it’s important to eat nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. It’s easy to get discouraged if you’re not enjoying your weight loss food, so variety is important.
Why not try these herbs and spices wrap recipes? You’ll surely love flavorful low-calorie snacks!
Tuscan-Style Herb Tuna Wraps
What you need:
2 whole grain tortillas
1/2 cup light tuna, drained
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup baby spinach
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, mix together tuna, tomatoes, spinach, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well-blended. Divide tuna mixture among the 2 tortillas fold over to make wraps. Top with fresh spinach. Serve immediately.
Turkey and Five-Spice Lettuce Wraps
What you need:
1/2 kg. lean ground turkey
2 heads lettuce, leaves separated
1 cup water chestnuts, chopped
1 carrot, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint and/or chives)
1/2 cup instant brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tbsps. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsps. sesame oil
1 tsp. five-spice powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add turkey and ginger then cook for 6-7 minutes until turkey is cooked through. Crumble turkey using a wooden spoon. Add cooked brown rice, water chestnuts, bell pepper, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and add spoonfuls of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves. Top with carrots and fresh herbs. Roll into wraps and secure with toothpick.
Spicy Guacamole and Bean Burrito
What you need:
2 6-inch whole grain tortillas
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
1/2 cup low-fat refried beans
1/4 cup salsa
3 tbsps. prepared guacamole
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
Combine beans, salsa and jalapeno pepper in a small bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Arrange romaine lettuce in each flour tortilla. Top with warm bean mixture and guacamole. Roll up to make wraps. Serve immediately.
Herb Hummus Vegetarian Wraps
What you need:
2 cups herbed hummus
4 large collard green leaves, steamed
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1/2 jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 ripe avocado, sliced
20 fresh basil leaves
1 stalk celery, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup toasted cashews, slightly crushed
1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Mix together cucumber, bell pepper, jicama, carrot and celery in a medium bowl until well-blended. Divide the mixture among 4 collard green leaves. Top with avocado slices, basil leaves, cashews and chives. Roll up to make wraps and secure with toothpick.
Enjoy snacking for weight loss with these fun and easy herbs and spices wrap recipes!
It may not be well known, but basil is part of the mint family, or family Lamiaceae. The most common type used in cooking is sweet basil, which has been used for thousand of years in Italian dishes. There is almost no limit to making great dishes using basil when there is 150 different varieties.
Here are some of the most popular and not so widely known types of basil that you can grow in your garden and add to any dish when cooking.
African blue is one of the most cold tolerant types of basil. It has a strong, aromatic scent of camphor. The leaves of a young African blue basil plant are purple and turn green as the plant matures.
Cinnamon basil, not surprisingly, has a strong scent of cinnamon, caused by a chemical called cinnamate, which gives cinnamon its flavor. The leaves of a mature plant are small to medium in size. Cinnamon basil is commonly used in hot drinks and added to fruits.
Genovese is one of the popular types of basil, and is often used to make pesto. In Italy, this type of basil is considered a sign of love. It is claimed that the best Genovese basil, used to make real pesto, is grown in Northern Italy near the city of Genoa.
Holy Basil, also known as tulsi, is commonly used in Thai cuisine and teas. It is native to the Old World Tropics, and often grows as a weed. Holy basil has been used for thousands of years to heal people and is even worshiped in parts of India.
Lemon basil is a hybrid of basil and African basil, and is typically grown in south Asia and north Africa. A typical lemon basil plant will grow to be 8 to 15 inches tall and have narrow leaves. Popular for its strong, lemon scent, lemon basil is most often used in dishes in Indonesia, Thailand, and Laos.
Originating in Italy, mammoth basil has leaves that resemble lettuce and have jagged edges. When mature, the plant will be about 14 to 18 inches tall. The large mammoth basil leaves are often used in pesto or used whole in salads.
Red Rubin basil is a unique, sweet type of basil that has dark purple leaves. Its flavor is sweet like sweet basil, and is used commonly in salads and as a garnish.
Thai basil, used commonly in Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, has a flavor of licorice and mint. It has small green leaves and purple stems. Thai basil goes great with seafood, chicken, pork, and in curry sauces.
Spicy globe basil is similar to the taste of sweet basil. The main difference with this type is that is grows small, dense, and compact, at most 10 inches tall. Spicy globe basil is perfect for pots and small gardens.
Sweet basil is one of the most common and important culinary herbs in the world and is considered the king of herbs. It has been used for thousands of years in Italian dishes. Sweet basil can be used in almost any dish including meat, pizza, pasta, salad, and in sauces.
