5 Essential Autumn Herbs for Cozy Cooking! – One Green Planet

The weather has finally cooled down and it’s no secret that autumn is finally upon us. While for some people the arrival of fall means only one thing — pumpkin spice season is here — there are many different cozy, comforting fall flavors to fall in love with during this magical season.

Autumn herbs are aromatic, fragrant, and have the ability to make your cooking sing — provided you know which herbs to use, and how to use them! From the woody aromas of rosemary and sage to the refreshing and crisp notes in mint, we’ve done some research on five of autumn’s favorite and most ubiquitous herbs, and then put together a list of ideas on how to use them.

Check out all of our recipe suggestions and tips from our Food Monster App below, and then let us know how you love to use different autumn herbs!

1. Basil

Source: Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm

Basil is a staple in many kitchens — it’s fragrant, and commonly heralded as the king of herbs for its ability to infuse itself harmoniously into a variety of different cuisines and dishes. There are many different varieties of basil, from sweet basil to Thai basil and more, and basil is in season from late summer to mid-autumn, so it’s best used fresh. Check out how to amp up your cooking with Thai basil.

Check out this recipe for Simple Basil Citrus Salad With Balsamic Jam Dressing to see how you can pair basil with delicious citrus flavors, or go the classic Italian route and enjoy this Caprese Salad With Hearts Of Palm.

You could also use basil to make some delicious pesto recipes, like in this Margherita Pizza With Fresh Basil Pesto and Mozzarella. Learn How to Make Pesto Without Cheese while you’re at it — it’s easy!

2. Mint

Source: No Bake Mint Cherry Tarts

Mint is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. Mint has fragrant, toothed leaves, as well as small purple, pink, and white flowers. It tastes fruity, fresh, and aromatic.

Not only does mint help in digestion but it helps treat inflammation and irritation in the stomach. Mint is also a natural stimulant and helps promote high brain function. This means if you’re feeling a little lethargic, or generally sluggish, you can incorporate mint (as an herb or as an essential oil) into your routine to help enliven yourself.

You can use mint to brighten up your different sauces, like in this recipe for Grilled Potatoes With Zucchini Mint Sauce. You can also use it to add more dynamism to heavy dishes, like in this Chickpea and Almond Meal Falafel With Mint recipe. Mint is also delicious in desserts — try these No Bake Mint Cherry Tarts for a sweet, refreshing treat.

3. Parsley

Source: Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts

Parsley is a flavorful green herb that helps promote cleansing and detoxification in the body. It contains high amounts of vitamin C and is also packed with protein — pretty cool! Parsley is also a great alkalizing food and a helpful herb to use to help detoxify the body from heavy metals. Additionally, it is easily digestible in comparison to other fiber-rich greens, such as kale.

You can start cooking with parsley by incorporating it into different purees and spreads to help neutralize its taste, like in this recipe for Butternut Squash Parsley Dip. Lemon also pairs well with parsley, so this recipe for Lemon-Butter Fettuccine with Parsley and Pine Nuts truly sings.

You can also use parsley to infuse flavor into doughy, more uniform items, like in this Parsley Sesame Pizza Dough Twists recipe.

4. Sage

Source: Sage Polenta and Wild Mushrooms

For centuries, sage has been cherished by many for both its culinary and medicinal uses — in fact, its botanical name is derived from the Latin word “salvere”, which means “to be saved.”

Sage is a perennial herb that has woody stems and blue and purple flowers. It has a warm but astringent flavor and is extremely aromatic.Among sage’s many benefits is its ability to help improve brain function, lower bodily inflammation, prevent chronic diseases, aid in proper digestion, increase the health and strength of bones, and even prevent the onset of diabetes.

A little sage goes a long way, and it mixes particularly well with different fats and oils and creamy dishes. Try out this recipe Pumpkin Sage Rigatoni With Shiitake Bacon to see how sage pairs with the rich pumpkin sauce, or for something fluffy and savory, give this Chickpea Frittata With Sage and Rosemary a go. Additionally, this buttery Sage Polenta and Wild Mushrooms dish is packed with umami flavor.

5. Rosemary

Source: Rosemary Skillet Rolls

Rosemary is a familiar and fragrant culinary herb that is often partnered with different starches, such as roasted potatoes and different kinds of bread (for more tips on how to pair herbs with food, check out this article). Rosemary is chock full of anti-oxidants and vitamins, and it contains natural compounds that are anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. It is also a notable source of minerals, such iron, potassium, manganese, copper, magnesium, and potassium.

For a classic pairing, make this recipe for Rosemary Oven Roasted Mushrooms and this one for Rosemary Skillet Rolls. Then move on to experiment with this recipe for Rosemary Garlic Spelt Agnolotti.

If you’re interested in how rosemary can work in a dessert dish, try out this Rosemary Scented Blackberry Lemon Bundt Cake, or these Rosemary Lemon Sandwich Cookies.

Make sure to also read up on how to stay balanced with these 10 warming fall spices, and then familiarize yourself with our Essential Guide to Herbs to learn more about how many different kinds of herbs exist out there! Dried Herbs or Fresh: What’s the Difference, Really? Find out, and then learn How to Store Your Herbs Properly.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and incorporating more plant-based foods into your diet is known to Support various health benefits, including reducing chronic inflammation, improving heart health, enhancing mental well-being, achieving fitness goals, meeting nutritional needs, managing allergies, and promoting gut health, among others. Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer,  prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend grabbing our favorite plant-based cookbooks and downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes, it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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