Ki’s Trio of Herbal Goodness | Find out What they are!

Parsley (the flat leaf variety), mint, and cilantro are our favourite herbs to combine over here at Ki’s Kitchen. When these herbal flavours get together, some sort of beautiful magic happens. For today’s blog, we are going to share some of the health benefits of these three herbs, and also some of our favourite ways to add them to dishes.

First up…why the Herbal Goodness?

Parsley, mint, and cilantro are all packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals that help cleanse and detoxify our bodies (especially of heavy metals), while also working to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and support liver function. ‘Herbal magic‘

Specifically, PARSLEY contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as the minerals iron and folate. Parsley helps to cleanse the liver, maintain bone health, and, help with blood clotting. It is also high in flavonoids, which are known to reduce the risk of several types of cancer. Interestingly, parsley is also used as a treatment for both body odour and for bad breath (it clearly has some antimicrobial properties).

MINT, on the other hand, helps to treat irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal issues, and also aids in the relief of respiratory problems, sinus infections, and throat inflammation. Mint is very high in vitamin A.

And, now, for CILANTRO… (also known as coriander). It is loaded with iron and fiber and helps detoxify the body, particularly the liver. It works to lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and contains antimicrobial properties that help fight off bacteria from potentially contaminated food.

In addition to providing such a long list of health benefits, this trio also packs a powerful punch of flavour to our food.

 Healthy chefs and nutritional practitioners the world over, love that fresh herbs instantly add complex and interesting flavours to dishes, without having to resort to more typical flavour boosters such as sodium, sugar, or animal fats.

At Ki’s Kitchen, we love to combine these three herbs in many different dishes. Not only do these herbs have a natural chemistry with one another, they complement each other from a nutritional standpoint as well.

 Here are some of our favourite ways to cook with parsley, mint, and cilantro:

1) Add to a smoothie – celery, mango, and a wedge of granny smith apple also pair nicely with this herb trio.

2) Use to infuse water. Mint, in particular, is so delightfully refreshing when added to water, along with some crushed berries, or some freshly squeezed lime juice.

3) Make a chimichurri sauce – (similar in texture and consistency to a pesto) and is delicious spooned over roasted vegetables.

4) Enjoy a delicious and fragrant chutney – (typically served with Indian dishes as a way to cool and cleanse the palette).

5) Use a combination of these herbs to make various dressings for salads. Lemon juice pairs wonderfully with all three for an acidic note.

6) Add to a quinoa salad for a healthy and delicious variation of tabbouleh.

In fact, we love this tabbouleh salad so much we are going to share it with you here:

• 1 cup cilantro – coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp. mint – finely chopped
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley – coarsely chopped
• 2 limes – juiced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• ¼ red onion – finely diced

Directions:

Cook quinoa in 2 c of water for 15 min. or until tender. Don’t overcook or it will turn mushy. Let cool. Chop herbs and onion and combine with quinoa. Add the lime juice, olive oil, and salt. Serve immediately, or chill before serving.

According to Ayurveda, this salad (because of its particular ingredients) has the ability to:

• refresh the mind and lift any “fogginess,” and can break up mucus in the lungs and sinuses (mint)
• calm an allergic reaction to springtime pollen, cool the liver, and drain excess fluid via the urinary tract (cilantro)
• have a laxative effect and cleanse the liver (raw onions)
• satisfy protein cravings (quinoa)

Note: if you are sensitive to raw onion, simply cook until translucent before adding to the salad, or, omit altogether.

If you are new to Ki’s Kitchen, or new to the principles of Ayurveda, we welcome you. Our belief is that food is our first, and most important, medicine. All diseases begin in the digestive tract, and if we eat according to our individual body type, and strive to correct any imbalances as we go, we can nourish and heal our bodies at the same time. Following an Ayurvedic lifestyle means that we eat less in terms of quantity, but we feel more satisfied and comfortable, because what we are eating is easily digested and properly absorbed.

If you have questions for us, or would like to discuss how Ki’s Kitchen can help you heal an imbalance, make some changes to your diet, or, offer delicious and nourishing meals for your family, please reach out to us. We would love to help.

Lastly, thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have found some valuable information, if so, I’d love to hear about it!

Please feel free to share this post with anyone who might benefit, and comments are always welcome!

I look forward to connecting with you next time!

And be sure to check out why you should order your family’s next meal courtesy of Ki’s Kitchen  

From our kitchen to yours,

Love + Peace

Kiran