Herbs make wonderful allies for cooking healthy food loaded with flavour and freshness! The small quantities of herbs often used to season food, however, do not contain enough vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to provide major health benefits. But they do help us limit the use of salt and fat and still prepare delicious dishes.

Fresh herbs, even for dessert
Did you know that you can give desserts new flavour with fresh herbs? Several tasty combinations of fresh herbs and fruit include strawberries and basil, apples and rosemary, and raspberries and mint.

A whole bouquet of fresh herbs 
Herbs have the most flavour and aroma when fresh. The good news is that all year long, you can find an ever-growing variety of fresh herbs in your supermarket produce department. Did you know that you can substitute fresh herbs for dried in recipes by tripling the quantity required?

Handle with care!
To keep herbs longer, wrap them in a damp paper towel and tuck them into a plastic bag. Store in the fridge. If you’ve only used part of a bunch, why not freeze the rest? Simply chop the fresh herbs before freezing them in ice cube trays, filled with water. You’ll have small portions of 15 to 30 mL (1 to 2 tablespoons) ready to use in future cooking!

New flavours worth discovering
There are dozens of varieties of herbs that can easily and quickly liven up a recipe. A sorrel sauce can transform a fish fillet, and a few lemon balm leaves can revive a simple green salad.

Savory. The peppery flavour and lingering aroma make savory a good replacement for salt. This herb marries well with lentils and white beans, cooked vegetables, grilled veal and pork, poultry, goat cheese and mashed potatoes. Recipe: Root Vegetable Galettes

Marjoram. This herb tastes similar to thyme, but is milder. Originally from the Mediterranean, it enhances countless Greek and Italian dishes, including tomato sauce. Recipe: Melon and Feta Greek Salad

Sorrel. The pleasantly acidic flavour suits fish, soups, eggs, poultry and white meat perfectly, as well as goat cheese. Ideal for enhancing a salad or a sandwich. Replace the basil by 60 mL (¼ cup) sorrel in the following recipe: Swiss Chard and Salmon Frittata.

Lemon balm. The very delicate lemony flavour is delightful with mild-flavoured dishes: fish, salads, eggs, white meat and poultry. Recipe: Honeyed Strawberries and Pistachios

Chervil. The light aniseed aroma is so fragile that this herb is best added to dishes after cooking, just before serving. Try it in salads, soups and sauces, or with poultry, fish and omelettes. Recipe: Honey and Citrus Glazed Salmon Salad

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