A flavourful tomato and chicken stew made with a variety of fragrant herbs.

Kasuta

• Coriander

  Coriander

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  Coriander or cilantro is widely used in Arab cuisine. Fresh chopped coriander leaves can be added to soups, sauces, poultry or lamb dishes, and, of course, fresh salads. Fresh coriander is used similarly to parsley, but take care not to use too much, as coriander has a significantly stronger flavour.

  Storage tips

  Potted coriander lasts longest when kept between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep on the kitchen table or a window sill if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool.

• Thyme

  Thyme

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  Thyme is an extremely fragrant plant rich in essential oils. It is mainly added to foods in dried form, but can also be used fresh. Suitable for use in all kinds of soups, pastas, stews, and sauces, as well as vegetable and egg dishes. Excellent for adding flavour to meat marinades and fish. Thyme also has a number of medicinal uses It alleviates headaches, loosens phlegm, and cleans the intestines. Suitable for making tea and infusions.

  Storage tips

  Thyme is best stored between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep on the kitchen table if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool.

A refreshing green summer smoothie.

Kasuta

• Basil

  Basil

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  Basil is best used for making pesto sauce. It goes perfectly with cheese, tomatoes, and garlic, for example in wonderfully delicious tomato and basil bruschetta. Basil is a versatile herb that can be used both fresh and dried in meat, fish, cheese or pastas. It is equally great in oven-baked dishes, pasta sauces, and a variety of salads. Also used for making flavoured oils. Note! When making hot meals, add fresh basil at the end, after cooking or boiling.

  Thanks to its valuable medicinal properties, Basil has long been regarded as a sacred plant in Asia and has also been used in temples in Europe. It contains a potent antiseptic essential oil that alleviates muscle cramps, supports heart function, and helps treat digestive disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease. Basil also relieves anxiety, insomnia, migraines, and chronic rhinitis! According to folk wisdom, basil even reduces discomfort caused by malignant tumours. In the Middle Ages, the sacred plant was widely known as a remedy against scorpion stings and the bites of venomous insects.

  Storage tips

  Basil should be stored in a relatively warm place. Ideal temperature is around 14 °C. For a longer shelf life, remember to water the plant. Avoid keeping basil in the refrigerator: temperatures below 10 °C will damage the leaves and cause them to turn black relatively quickly. You should also avoid crushing or squeezing the plant, e.g., when packed between other items in a shopping bag. This will cause the leaves to go brown and any snapped edges to quickly turn black. In the winter, place your store-bought basil plant in a separate bag or wrap it in paper to prevent cold damage during transport. And remember to take it out of the car once you get home, as sub-zero degrees will cause the plant to die. The most convenient way to store basil is to place it on the kitchen table in a decorative pot. This way, it is lovely to look at and will freshen the air with its wonderful aroma. Provided the plant is kept sufficiently moist, it will keep this way for a relatively long time.

• Peppermint

  Peppermint

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  The peppermint plant is commonly used for making aromatic peppermint tea. Fresh peppermint leaves are also used for flavouring and garnishing a range of desserts. Can be used equally well for seasoning meat dishes. Peppermint tincture has pain-relieving properties, reduces nausea and intestinal gas. Peppermint tincture can easily be prepared at home: just gather some peppermint flowers and leaves and soak them in vodka.

  Storage tips

  Peppermint is slightly easier to preserve than most other herbs, as long as you protect it from the cold and water it well. While not as delicate as basil, peppermint leaves will turn dark in cool conditions. To keep it fresh longer, ensure an even temperature: temperature fluctuations reduce the shelf life of the plant. The most convenient way to store peppermint is to place it on the kitchen table in a decorative pot. This way, it is lovely to look at and will freshen the air with its wonderful aroma. Provided the plant is kept sufficiently moist, it will keep this way for a relatively long time.

A quick and healthy snack for a busy day.

Kasuta

• Oak leaf lettuce

  Oak leaf lettuce

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  This lettuce has a dark red shade and oak leaf-shaped leaves, which make it highly decorative and great for adding a touch of colour to salads. Can also be used for garnishing sandwiches. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, and has a strong and slightly bitter taste. The leaves are tastiest when used young.

  Storage tips

  Oak leaf lettuce is best stored in a regular refrigerator, as its ideal storage temperature is between +4 and +8 °C. For longer storage, keep the plant moist.

• Cut frillice

  Cut frillice

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  Frillice is a variety of iceberg lettuce with thicker and more closely packed leaves and broader stems than regular leaf lettuce. Its colour is a deeper shade of green and it is also a fair bit crunchier. Thanks to its stronger leaves, frillice stays fluffier in mixed salads and is not as quick to collapse. It is also great for making hot sandwiches. Highly decorative when used for garnishing snack platters or as the base layer of a snack tray.

  Storage tips

  Cut frillice is best stored between +4 and +8 °C. Keep in the refrigerator. Cut frillice is best used immediately, as even when kept in the refrigerator, it will wilt within a few days.

• Cucumber

  Cucumber

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  Cucumbers are low in calories and offer many health benefits, making them great for daily consumption. To ensure maximum freshness and nutritional benefits, you should always choose locally produced cucumbers.

  Provides a quick boost of energy. Cucumbers are rich in vitamin B, which helps nourish the brain and improve your mood. If you need a quick pick-me-up, grab a fresh cucumber.

  Hydrates the body, helps you lose weight and promotes healthy digestion. Cucumbers are low in calories and have a 95% water content. This helps hydrate your body, manage you weight, flush out toxins, and promotes healthy digestion. Avoid peeling your cucumbers, as cucumber peel is a good source of vitamin C.

  Helps care for your skin and hair. Cucumber peel can be used instead of aloe for alleviating skin irritation or sunburn. If your eyes are puffy in the morning, placing a slice of cucumber or cucumber peel on your eyelids will help reduce the swelling. Fresh cucumber juice is great for rinsing your hair after washing. It makes your hair stronger and reduces the risk of hair loss.

  Helps keep blood pressure under control and reduces cholesterol levels.  It has been scientifically proven that compounds known as sterols contained in cucumber help lower cholesterol. Fibre, potassium, and magnesium help keep your blood pressure stable.

  Fortifies joints and reduces arthritis pain. Cucumbers are an excellent source of silicon dioxide, which helps alleviate joint problems by strengthening connective tissues. Cucumber juice mixed with carrot juice relieves gout and arthritis pain by helping lower uric acid levels in the body.

  Freshen your breath. Hold a slice of cucumber against the roof of your mouth for 30 seconds – the compounds contained in the cucumber kill the odour-producing bacteria in your mouth.

  Helps prevent headaches and hangovers. Eating a bit of fresh cucumber after a night of partying provides your body with the sugar, vitamin B and liquids necessary for reducing the risk of developing a headache the morning after.

  To relieve heartburn, eat a couple of slices of cucumber with every meal.

  Before showering, rub the surface of your bathroom mirror with a slice of cucumber to prevent the mirror from misting up.

  Storage tips

  Plastic-wrapped Grüne Fee cucumbers are best stored between +12 and +14 °C. Due to the high water content of cucumbers, keeping them in a warm location will slowly cause the water to evaporate and the cucumbers to become shrivelled. While cucumbers are sensitive to cold, it is still better to keep them in the refrigerator than in a warm location.

  Note! Avoid storing cucumbers next to bananas or citrus fruits: this will trigger chemical reactions that can cause cucumbers to yellow and spoil rapidly. Sour varieties of apples and tomatoes can also have the same effect. Therefore, you should keep cucumbers separately from these fruits for a significantly longer shelf life.

• Leaf lettuce

  Leaf lettuce

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  Mild, juicy, and soft to the bite. Best used as the main ingredient in a fresh salad. Flavour with various dressings, e.g. balsamic vinegar. Top tip: adding a dash of oil helps the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins found in the lettuce. Leaf lettuce is perfect on top of a sandwich, in a smoothie, or for garnishing a range of dishes. Leaf lettuce, similarly to cucumber, is rich in water, with a solid content of only 5–7%, which is distributed more or less equally between carbohydrates, proteins, fibre, and minerals. The low calorie content makes leaf lettuce ideal for anyone looking for a healthy meal that helps you maintain a desirable weight: leafy greens are very filling and great for staving off hunger without piling on the pounds. But the list of benefits does not end there. Leaf lettuce is rich in minerals, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and even iron. It also offers an abundance of group B vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, and carotenoids, which the body converts into vitamin A.

  Storage tips

  Potted leaf lettuce lasts longest when kept between +4 and +8 °C. This means storage is easiest in a cool place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Will also keep well on the kitchen table or a window sill if watered properly, though not quite as long as when kept cool.

• Garden rocket

  Garden rocket

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  The slightly bitter and mustard-like flavour of this leafy herb makes it perfect for use in fresh salads, e.g. when combined with mild-flavoured leaf lettuce and feta or mozzarella. Excellent addition to pizzas, omelettes or steaks, as well as for making pesto. Young leaves have a flavour reminiscent of garden cress, mustard, and nuts. Also used medicinally as a source of vitamin C and promoter of healthy digestion.

  Storage tips

  It is best stored between +4 and +8 °C. This means rocket is easiest to store in a cool temperature-controlled space, such as a pantry or a refrigerator. For longer storage, you should also lightly water the plant once a day. You can keep the pot in a glass of water, but cool conditions are still recommended. Warmth leads to faster decay.