Contributed by Jennifer Peachey

Back in November, I started my first indoor herb garden. I bought the special light, some pots, soil and seeds. With very little effort I grew a lovely little herb garden in my kitchen. So what are herbs and why would I bother growing them?

A herb is any plant valued for its medical, culinary or aromatic properties. As I chop my fresh chives onto my soup, I enjoy the lovely presentation. They also liven up the taste of any bland recipe. The use of plants for healing goes back to prehistoric times. Herbal remedies are very powerful and make up three quarters of all medicines used in the world today. Even many prescription drugs are derived from plants or manufactured imitations. Aspirin, for example, is a chemical imitation of Salicin, an acid from the bark of the white willow tree.

My less exotic kitchen herbs also have healing properties. Basil, for instance, helps fight migraines, digestive problems and insomnia. It also stimulates the immune system to make more antibodies. Parsley is a diuretic and appetite stimulant. It also freshens breath, especially helpful after eating wonderfully fragrant garlic. Other healing herbs, which I did not grow, but are readily available, are ginger and cilantro. Ginger is a cleanser, good for coughs and colds. (See "Mock Ginger Ale" recipe in Beverages and Miscellaneous). Cilantro is an antifungal and antibacterial herb. It aids in allergies and decongesting the liver.

Although I prefer to use fresh herbs, they have less concentrated flavour than dried. One teaspoon of dried herbs, or 1/5 teaspoon of ground herbs is equal to one tablespoon of fresh herbs. Fresh herbs should generally be added to a recipe at the end of cooking. Heat releases the oils from the herbs and results in taste and aroma fading quickly. Less fragile herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaf are, however, ideal for simmered recipes.

Whether you enjoy herbs for their taste, healing powers, or pleasing greenery, they can be a welcome addition to any kitchen!

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