The ‘forgotten herbs’: really worth a try!

You must have noticed when visiting our web shop: at Own Greens we have a wide range of plant cups and plant pads with which you can grow different types of vegetables and herbs. In addition to the well-known varieties such as basil, lettuce, and mint, we also sell plant cups with which you can grow lesser-known varieties such as licorice plant, Thai basil, and sage. We can imagine that with all those options you can no longer see the forest for the trees or decide to safely choose the varieties you already know. However, our lesser-known varieties are definitely worth a try, so we’ve put together some tips on how to use them in this blog.

Sage

Sage probably doesn’t immediately cross you mind when you think about growing fresh herbs. But this herb is a true super herb, especially because of its medicinal properties. Did you know that the name sage is derived from the Latin word “salvia” which means “wise, healthy, saved”? Sage has an antiseptic effect and can be used for inflammation of the mucous membranes. Tea with sage works great against a sore throat! If you also have fresh ginger at home, you can certainly make a delicious tea: put some slices of fresh ginger and a sprig of fresh sage in a cup, pour boiling water over it and let it steep for a few minutes. If you like a strong, spicy tea, you can just leave the ginger and sage in your cup while you drink. If you like a lighter tea, you can remove them before drinking. The finishing touch for this tea is a dash of honey: this makes the tea taste a bit sweeter and has an extra soothing effect on a sore throat.

Licorice plant

Licorice plant: chances are you had never heard of it and the name has made you curious. is this the plant that licorice is made of?  But no, contrary to what the name suggests, the licorice plant is not used for making licorice! But the plant does smell like licorice and it has an aniseed flavour. The sweet flavour makes the licorice plant very suitable for use in a fresh salad.  The purple flowers are also edible, so you can perfectly use them as a colourful garnish on that salad! The licorice plant is suitable for making tea: it not only has a delicious, anise-like taste, but also has a cleansing effect.

Thai basil

Huh? Thai basil? Yes! In addition to the well-known ‘regular’ basil, we also sell plant cups to grow your own Thai basil. Although the plant looks very similar to the regular basil, you will immediately notice from the flavour that it really is a different species.  Thai basil has an anise-like taste, in which you can sometimes even recognize a hint of mint. So even if you don’t like the taste of ‘regular’ basil, Thai basil may be suitable for you! Thai basil is very suitable for use in Asian dishes, for example as a garnish on a traditional Tom kha kai soup. You can even use Thai basil in sweet desserts like homemade ice cream or a fruit salad.