Kids & Company Blog

Hearty Herbs!

 The Kidco Kitchen uses fresh herbs in almost all of our entrees and dips, besides adding delicious flavour to our dishes, many of these herbs also pack a nutritional punch!  Fresh herbs can be found year round in the supermarket and are also easy houseplants. Growing your own herbs is a great way to introduce kids to the joy of growing your own food! The key to using herbs is ensuring that they are fresh.  Fresh herbs will have a sweet smell and their leaves should be a vigorous green colour on a springy stem. Try to buy them in bunches rather than plastic “clam packs”, if you are buying them in packs make sure the ones hiding on the bottom are fresh. Fresh herbs should be treated like flowers, by storing them in a glass with water they will stay fresh for days!

Some of the fresh herbs included in our dishes are: basil, cilantro, dill, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and more! Here are some great tips on some of our favourite herbs.  Basil can be used raw or cooked and can be used whenever you need an aromatic boost or punch of colour. Basil contains exceptionally high levels of beta-carotene, vitamin A and polyphenolic flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants. Dill is the perfect herb if you are looking to give a dish a Northern European vibe, it goes great with eggs, potatoes, dips and fish! Dill is actually a very good source of calcium and can help prevent bone loss.

The most popular of the herbs (and my personal favourite) is of course garlic! To peel a garlic clove, pull it out of the bulb, place it on a cutting board and cut off the root end. Lay a large chef’s knife flat on the clove and press the knife hard to crush the clove, then just pull off the peel! Garlic is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. The bulbs are one of the richest sources of potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and selenium!

Kidco Kitchen recommends trying out yummy Savoury Sole Fillet at home! The children all love this dish!!!!

 

Kidco Kitchen Savory Sole Fillet

*Makes 6 portions

What you need:

-       6 Pieces Sole 4oz. Fillets

-       2 tsp. Lemon Juice

-       1 tsp. fresh chopped Basil

-       1 tsp. fresh chopped Parsley

-       1 tsp. fresh chopped Thyme

 

What to do:

1. Be sure to wash your hands before you begin.
2. Place fish fillets on a greased baking sheet/pan or parchment paper. Season with herbs and lemon juice. Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 350F. Turn fillets and bake for an additional 9-10 minutes until done.
3. Serve 1 piece of fish per person.

 

Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica

Chief Food Ambassador

Posted on: Wednesday September 17th, 2014

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica