Simple Kitchen Spices That Boost Immunity

Do you want to boost your immune system,  improve your defense against aging, and have a stronger defense against exposure to the harmful affects of environmental pollution, chemicals in foods, and stress?

Herbs like oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and mint can boost the health value of your meals with protective antioxidants ! ( I grow all of those herbs in little pots on my patio and use them in my cooking)

It is hard to believe, but according to extensive research done at the USDA's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, fresh oregano leads the herbs with 42 times the antioxidant activity of apples, 12 times the antioxidant activity of oranges, and  4 times the antioxidant activity of blueberries.

That means that one tablespoon of fresh oregano provides the same antioxidant activity as a small fresh apple. Adding fresh grown herbs to your salads, omelettes, soups, etc. can help boost your antioxidant activity and  immunity.

Why is antioxidant activity important to your good health?

Antioxidants fight free radicals! Fights aging

Exposure to stress, pollutants, smoke, chemicals, radiation, toxins, pesticides, allergies, etc. triggers the production of free radicals in our bodies, which damage the cells and tissues of our body. We become like a car that is rusting. The damage done to our bodies by free radicals contributes to almost all diseases including heart disease, arthritis, autoimmune disorders, cancer and even cataracts.

Antioxidants, which are plentiful in fruits,vegetables, nuts, seed, and spices, help protect us against the continuous damage done by free radicals ( Lester Packer- PH.D. Univ of California Research) . In the past thirty years there has been extensive research on the benefits of antioxidants. Even the researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture state,  "antioxidants could provide potential anti-cancer benefits when supplementing a balanced diet."

Since small amounts of herbs and spices provide high antioxidant protection, doesn't it make sense to make an effort to include more of them in your food ?

Fresh Oregano, rosemary, dill, thyme and mint are the strongest of the herbs in antioxidant value. And of course, the fresher the herb, the more potent the antioxidants.  Spices like turmeric, cumin, cilantro, and basil provide other important nutrients as well. And fruits and vegetables contain other vitamins and minerals in addition to antioxidants, so keep eating them ( organic and GMO free are the best)

Herbs are easy to grow on your windowsill, deck, or garden
This past spring, I planted fresh herbs in little pots and  grew them on my patio ledge all summer. Last year, my May 28 blog post had pictures of all my adorable herbs and some recipes using fresh herbs. Read my post How to Grow Herbs on Your Windowsill

It was my first time planting window herbs, and I chose a small pot each of oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, dill, cilantro, basil, and stevia. I had to ask friends to water while I was on vacation, but it in mid September  I was still enjoying the health giving benefits and great taste of my prolific fresh herbs.
The dill and cilantro gave up when the weather got really hot, but everything else was still  producing

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I snip herbs for salads,salad dressings, soups, roasted vegetables. I bought some ripe organic tomatoes from a local farm, and yesterday I made a huge bowl of tomato, red onion, and fresh basil salad with lemon and oil dressing and sprinkled with cumin.
I also use the fresh herbs in omelets, Caprese salad, etc.
In addition, I dried, crumbled, and stored some of the herbs for winter use.
I didn't use the stevia, but I will dry some to use in tea for the winter.

Fresh herbs are so easy to grow and are potent antioxidant providers. I encourage you to plant some this  spring.

Why are fresh herbs that you grow more nutritious than the ones you buy already cut in the supermarket?
The fresh herbs retain all the nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals right up until the minute you cut them. Store bought produce begins to lose some of its nutrient value after its is cut and sits.

Antioxidants: Most people don't realize that herbs have been used for thousands of years and add powerful antioxidants to all of your meals.

Oregano-: Add to pizza, Italian recipes, etc.

Rosemary: Rosemary roasted potatoes, meat dishes

Thyme: Add to recipes using cooked tomatoes, soups, 

Parsley:  Add fresh to salads,  potato salad, Soups, pasta salads,  

Cilantro:  Add to salads, tomato dishes, Mexican recipes, Middle Eastern recipes 

Basil : Good with tomatoes, eggplant, pepper, caprese salad,

shared on  Wildcrafting Wednesday 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor. The information in this blog is for educational purposes only.  Always check with your doctor before making any changes or adding any new foods, supplements, or herbs to your diet.

Vegetarian Chopped Liver

This recipe is made with vegetables but actually taste like chopped liver. It is vegan and gluten free.

Does anyone eat real chopped liver? The fat content is so high.
Although, one of my father's favorite summer meals was a heaping bowl of fresh  blueberries with a whole pint of real sour cream. If that was not enough, he would wash it down with a large glass of whole fat milk that had been left on our doorstep that morning by the milkman.

My father was tall, strong, healthy, and slim despite his daily indulgences in real sour cream, butter, whipped cream, whole milk. I grew up in the early 1950's and 60's. Time of the Beatles, Elvis, black and white TV, and real food. We ate liver- an organ food loaded with cholesterol, bad fat ,and probably full of toxins.

My father liked his liver chopped. To please him, my mother spent what seemed like hours making the recipe. First, she  attached the big grinder to the counter top and then cooked the liver and onions and  pushed the liver, onions, and spices through that huge grinder to make the prized chopped liver.  It was a laborious job, but thats what people did in those days.

Was the food healthy? Who  knows? My family thrived on it.. my grandmother lived to a healthy old age of 107..

As for me, I am a vegetarian and choose foods  that I feel are healthier options.

This is my recipe for Vegetarian Chopped Liver! It takes about 20 minutes to make.

I call it  walnut pate , vegan pate or vegan chopped liver whatever name seems to fit when I am serving it .It is a delicious recipe and almost tastes like the real thing. It is made with walnuts and a little olive oil, which are both  touted for being very healthy fats rich in Omega 3. The remainder of the recipe is vegetables, so enjoy as a spread or even as a 1st course appetizer with wedges of ripe jersey tomatoes and crisp cucumber slices.  It is fast and easy to make and everyone ( except chopped liver haters) loves it.. I make it for company all the time and there is never a drop left over. Try it you will like it..

Please leave comments. It is nice to know who is reading my blog and what you think of the recipes and shared information. If you have a variation of the recipe that you make, PLEASE share it in the comments following each blog.. Everyone will enjoy the variety of ideas and interaction.

Vegetarian and vegan chopped liver

Ingredients:
1 can of petite sweet peas, drained ( I think canned works best , but try fresh or frozen, but thaw well and drain)
1 cup of walnut halves or pieces
2 very large onions, slice in half moons
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Spray a dutch oven with olive oil spray and add 3 T olive oil. Very slowly and stir often,  saute onions slices until caramelized and reddish. Set aside

Directions
Use a food processor with the sharp blade  Add nuts and pulse until coarsely ground not smooth.
Then add peas and cooked onions. sea salt and pepper to taste
Pulse until mixture is smooth.
Its done!
Put into a small domed bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator
Turn out onto a flat serving plate and decorate with tomato wedges and cucumber slices on the side.
Enjoy with gluten free crackers, crudites, or gluten free bread.

Visual Step by Step

Assemble Ingredients and slice onions in half moons

Pulse nuts in food processor

Saute onions until caramelized

Process onions, walnuts, peas in processor until smooth and creamy

turn contents over and serve as a dome
Disclaimer: These are not gluten free rolls, I took this picture when serving company
Gluten free rolls are available at Trader Joe's

Again please leave comments in the comment section at the end of this blog. It is nice to know who is reading my blog and what you think of the recipes and shared information. If you have a variation of the recipe that you make, PLEASE share it in the comments following each blog.. Everyone will enjoy the variety of ideas and interaction.

Good Video that explains Gluten Intolerance

If you need to understand gluten intolerance better, this video explains gluten intolerance very well .
It's worth watching


People frequently ask me to explain what causes gluten intolerance. I came across this video and thought it explained the causes very well.
Disclaimer: I do not endorse, nor am I affiliated with this video. It is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. I

Gluten Video Dr Rodney Ford

Disclaimer: I an not endorsing or affiliated with this video. I found it interesting and am simply sharing for information purposes.