To learn about the national child care funding in Canada, please click here.
Kids & Company Blog
Herb it up
Do you ever finish making dinner and feel like your food is lacking a little something? Whether comparing the taste of your food to a restaurant or the appearance to your favourite food magazine, there is often a simple solution…Herbs! Herbs are edible plants that can take your cooking to the next level with their fragrance and flavour! Not only are herbs an amazing garnish and flavour enhancer, they can also have great health benefits. Some of my favourite herbs to cook with are basil, cilantro and dill!

Herbs are a fantastic way to boost the flavour of your food with little to no calories! Many common ingredients we add to contribute to or enhance the taste of our foods such as salt and sugar can be very high in calories and have other detrimental health effects. However, herbs are the opposite with almost no calories, fat, sugar, or salt and lots of amazing health benefits! For example, compounds in basil have been found to prevent disease and protect the health of our eyes. Cilantro is another delicious herb that contains great antioxidants, fibre and essential vitamins such as vitamins A and K. Components in cilantro have been found to be great for detoxifying the body.

The wispy and fernlike leaves of the dill plant have a soft, sweet taste. It is also a good source of vitamin A. Dill was mentioned both in the Bible and in ancient Egyptian writings. It was popular in the ancient Greek and Roman cultures, where it was considered a sign of wealth and was revered for its many healing properties. Dill was used by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, in a recipe for cleaning the mouth. Ancient soldiers would apply burnt dill seeds to their wounds to accelerate the healing process. Though herbs are usually consumed in much smaller amounts than vegetables and fruit, their extremely high nutrient density can make their consumption just as beneficial!

Herbs can easily be included into meals whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks! This great food group is so versatile because it can be used as fresh or dried leaves and can either be cooked with food or left raw. Basil compliments strong acidic foods very well. This herb steps up any tomato sauce recipe and is great in sweet or savoury dishes. Cool down and refresh this summer with delicious strawberry basil lemonade!

Anyone who has tasted my cooking knows that I add cilantro to just about anything! Especially in the summer, cilantro freshens up some of my favourite salads, sauces and marinades. Dill leaves provide a tangy addition to pickles, salad dressings and fish dishes. My favourite use of this herb is to combine it with plain yogurt and chopped cucumber for a delicious cooling dip!
Fresh herbs should always be stored in the refrigerator either wrapped in a damp towel or with its stems placed in a container of water. Since it is very fragile, even if stored properly, the herbs will only keep fresh for a few days. But a great way to lock in the flavours of summer is to freeze the fresh herbs either whole or chopped, in airtight containers. My favourite way of storing herbs is to freeze them in ice cube trays covered with water or stock that can be added when preparing soups, stews or sauces.
Some of our favourite Kidco Kitchen recipes include delicious herbs! We use oregano in both our Turkey Bolognaise and Chicken Souvlaki which adds a deep, pungent flavour to these great dishes.

Many of our ethnic dishes include different herbs that introduce your little ones to a diverse pallet of flavours such as thyme in our featured Jolly Jerk Chicken. The Yummy Yogurt Dip is a Kidco Kitchen staple with dill as the shining star!
Try incorporating herbs into your favourite dishes to kick up the flavour and nutrition!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @kidcochildcare and on Instagram @cheflisaruscica!
Cheers,
Chef Lisa Ruscica
Chief Food Ambassador
Posted on: Wednesday August 9th, 2017
Posted by: Lisa Ruscica
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
Cochrane
Red Deer
Calgary
Calgary
Okotoks
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Sylvan Lake
Edmonton
Sherwood Park
Edmonton
Kamloops
Langley
Langley
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Richmond
Vancouver
Victoria
Victoria
Port Moody
Surrey
Surrey
Surrey
North Vancouver
Nanaimo
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Schaumburg
Chicago
Winnipeg
Abington
Canton
Quincy
West Quincy
Braintree
Braintree
Walpole
Walpole
Brighton
Brookline
Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain
Cambridge
Needham
Newton Highlands
Newton
Cambridge
Boston
St. Peters
Lake St. Louis
Troy
Bedford
Dartmouth
Halifax
Bedford
Hammonds Plains
Lower Sackville
Eastern Passage
Aurora
Burlington
Burlington
Etobicoke
Etobicoke
Hamilton
London
Milton
Mississauga
Niagara Falls
Oakville
Ottawa
Richmond Hill - Corporate office (No child care services)
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Waterloo
Kanata
Oakville
Oakville
Toronto
Whitby
Toronto
Mississauga
Ottawa
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Brampton
Stoney Creek
Toronto
Nepean
Burlington
Burlington
Oakville
Waterdown
Oakville
Pittston
Wilkes-Barre
Exeter
Old Forge
Wilkes-Barre
Dover
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Hummelstown
Palmyra
York
York
Abington
Aurora
Bedford (Dellridge Lane)
Larry Uteck (Southgate Dr)
Pine Village South End, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Braintree 1
Braintree 2
Brampton
Pine Village Brighton, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Brookline, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Burlington Children’s Centre
Burloak
Appleby
Beacon Hill
Bow Trail
Eau Claire
Livingston
Midlake
Millrise
Royal Oak
Smart Tech
Britannia Crossing
Marda Loop
Evanston
Beltline
Aviation Crossing
Gulf Canada Square
Pine Village Kendall Square, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Porter Square, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Canton
Jackson
Lincoln Park
Harrison
West Loop
South Loop
Fulton
Cochrane
Dartmouth
Dover
Eastern Passage
Ellerslie (103A St. SW)
Edmonton Ice District (104 Ave)
Baturyn
Diamond
Friendly Frog
Meadowlark Park
St. Charles
St. Dominic
Sunshine Factory
Tender Heart
Tamarack
Jagare Ridge
Horse Hill
Fraser
Islington
Etobicoke (Bloor & Islington)
ABC Kiddie Kampus Exeter, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Halifax
Hamilton
Hammonds Plains
Route 39
Schaffner
Swatara
Hummelstown
Pine Village JP Revere, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village JP South Street, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Kamloops
Eagleson (South Kanata)
Tyke Town Lake St. Louis, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Kids World
Langley (200th St.)
London Richmond
Sackville
Milton
Robert Speck Parkway
Mississauga Gateway Centre
Nanaimo
Pine Village Needham, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Ottawa Barrhaven
New Westminster
Pine Village West Newton, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Newton Highlands, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Niagara Queen
North Vancouver
North Van Esplanade
Oakville Ford
Oakville Cornwall
Oakville Dundas
Joshua Creek
Oakville West (3471 Wyecroft Rd)
Okotoks
ABC Kiddie Kampus Old Forge, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Ottawa Albert
Ottawa Westboro
Palmyra
ABC Kiddie Kampus Pittston, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Port Moody
Marina Bay
Red Deer
Richmond
Head Office
Schaumburg
Sherwood Park
St. Albert North
St. Albert Grandin
Tyke Town St. Peters, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Stoney Creek
Morgan Crossing
Surrey Professional Centre
King George
Sylvan Lake
Bloor Christie
Bloor (Bloor St. East)
Consumers
Finch
Front
Wellington
Scotia Plaza
Stock Yards
St. Andrew’s Church
Liberty Village
Rosedale
Queen West
Tyke Town Troy, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Vancouver West
Langford
Victoria
Sunshine South, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Sunshine Country Day, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Waterdown
Tech Town
West Quincy
Whitby
ABC Kiddie Kampus East Mountain, Part of the Kids & Company Family
ABC Kiddie Kampus King’s College, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Winnipeg
West York
Queen Street
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
Cochrane
Red Deer
Calgary
Calgary
Okotoks
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Calgary
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton
St. Albert
Edmonton
Edmonton
Sylvan Lake
Edmonton
Sherwood Park
Edmonton
Kamloops
Langley
Langley
New Westminster
North Vancouver
Richmond
Vancouver
Victoria
Victoria
Port Moody
Surrey
Surrey
Surrey
North Vancouver
Nanaimo
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Chicago
Schaumburg
Chicago
Winnipeg
Abington
Canton
Quincy
West Quincy
Braintree
Braintree
Walpole
Walpole
Brighton
Brookline
Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain
Cambridge
Needham
Newton Highlands
Newton
Cambridge
Boston
St. Peters
Lake St. Louis
Troy
Bedford
Dartmouth
Halifax
Bedford
Hammonds Plains
Lower Sackville
Eastern Passage
Aurora
Burlington
Burlington
Etobicoke
Etobicoke
Hamilton
London
Milton
Mississauga
Niagara Falls
Oakville
Ottawa
Richmond Hill - Corporate office (No child care services)
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Waterloo
Kanata
Oakville
Oakville
Toronto
Whitby
Toronto
Mississauga
Ottawa
Toronto
Toronto
Toronto
Brampton
Stoney Creek
Toronto
Nepean
Burlington
Burlington
Oakville
Waterdown
Oakville
Pittston
Wilkes-Barre
Exeter
Old Forge
Wilkes-Barre
Dover
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Hummelstown
Palmyra
York
York
Abington
Aurora
Bedford (Dellridge Lane)
Larry Uteck (Southgate Dr)
Pine Village South End, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Braintree 1
Braintree 2
Brampton
Pine Village Brighton, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Brookline, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Burlington Children’s Centre
Burloak
Appleby
Beacon Hill
Bow Trail
Eau Claire
Livingston
Midlake
Millrise
Royal Oak
Smart Tech
Britannia Crossing
Marda Loop
Evanston
Beltline
Aviation Crossing
Gulf Canada Square
Pine Village Kendall Square, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Porter Square, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Canton
Jackson
Lincoln Park
Harrison
West Loop
South Loop
Fulton
Cochrane
Dartmouth
Dover
Eastern Passage
Ellerslie (103A St. SW)
Edmonton Ice District (104 Ave)
Baturyn
Diamond
Friendly Frog
Meadowlark Park
St. Charles
St. Dominic
Sunshine Factory
Tender Heart
Tamarack
Jagare Ridge
Horse Hill
Fraser
Islington
Etobicoke (Bloor & Islington)
ABC Kiddie Kampus Exeter, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Halifax
Hamilton
Hammonds Plains
Route 39
Schaffner
Swatara
Hummelstown
Pine Village JP Revere, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village JP South Street, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Kamloops
Eagleson (South Kanata)
Tyke Town Lake St. Louis, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Kids World
Langley (200th St.)
London Richmond
Sackville
Milton
Robert Speck Parkway
Mississauga Gateway Centre
Nanaimo
Pine Village Needham, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Ottawa Barrhaven
New Westminster
Pine Village West Newton, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Pine Village Newton Highlands, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Niagara Queen
North Vancouver
North Van Esplanade
Oakville Ford
Oakville Cornwall
Oakville Dundas
Joshua Creek
Oakville West (3471 Wyecroft Rd)
Okotoks
ABC Kiddie Kampus Old Forge, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Ottawa Albert
Ottawa Westboro
Palmyra
ABC Kiddie Kampus Pittston, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Port Moody
Marina Bay
Red Deer
Richmond
Head Office
Schaumburg
Sherwood Park
St. Albert North
St. Albert Grandin
Tyke Town St. Peters, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Stoney Creek
Morgan Crossing
Surrey Professional Centre
King George
Sylvan Lake
Bloor Christie
Bloor (Bloor St. East)
Consumers
Finch
Front
Wellington
Scotia Plaza
Stock Yards
St. Andrew’s Church
Liberty Village
Rosedale
Queen West
Tyke Town Troy, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Vancouver West
Langford
Victoria
Sunshine South, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Sunshine Country Day, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Waterdown
Tech Town
West Quincy
Whitby
ABC Kiddie Kampus East Mountain, Part of the Kids & Company Family
ABC Kiddie Kampus King’s College, Part of the Kids & Company Family
Winnipeg
West York
Queen Street