Using fresh herbs in your meals daily is a natural and easy way to nourish your body and add tremendous flavor to your meals. Over time making herbs a part of you daily life in addition to fruits and vegetables can protect your immune system in many ways, improve your energy levels and mood, and add tremendous flavor to your meals. Every little bit of fresh (ideally chemical free) herbs and vegetables contribute to overall improved health and vitality. Herbs can be used in many ways to enhance your meals. You can use them fresh, dried, infuse them into oils or even freeze them.
Freeze Fresh Herbs
Cooking with fresh herbs can take a meal to new heights. However, for those of us who live in temperate climates it is harder to find fresh herbs for several months out of the year. We grow fresh herbs on our mini family farm and in order to make the most use of what we grow and to have fresh herbs to cook with all winter I like to freeze our herbs. To do this you’ll need a vacuum sealer which is fairly easy to use and is great for many different types of foods.
- Harvest the herbs.
- Wash the leaves so that all dirt and soil is removed.
- Pat the leaves dry.
- Remove the leaves from the stem. For herbs with smaller leaves like rosemary or thyme, can hold the branch upside down, hold the stem with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. Slide these fingers up the stem going against the direction that the leaves are growing. The leaves will slide right off the stem. This makes harvesting leaves many times easier than trying to pick each leaf one at a time
- Add the herbs to a vacuum bag and vacuum seal. Depending on the type of herb it can last several months in the freezer.
Note: this article is intended to inspire the use of fresh herbs in home cooking. This article is not intended as medical advice. It is important to consult with your physician prior to making changes in your diet or if you have concerns about using a new ingredient.