We’ve probably all heard about the benefits of connecting with nature how it improves wellbeing. Interior designs nearly always include greenery, there’s even a trend called biophilic which uses plants to bring nature into our homes adding to the wellness of the home and the occupants.
Food for thought.
If you ever aspired to be self sufficient, love the thought of having plants in your home and fancy growing your own food, there’s no better way to start than growing herbs on your windowsill.
Simple staples for culinary use such as basil, oregano, marjoram, rocket, tarragon, dill and parsley, both curly and flat, are all super easy to grow and add greatly to meals and a few such as mint and thyme can even be added to drinks. The botanical addition of thyme, tarragon or basil to a gin and tonic peps up taste and presentation too!
Fresh Thinking
We love the thinking behind our new range of herb growing kits, made from recycled wine bottles. The kits have all you need to reliably grow your herbs on the window sill. They are grow without soil which is a process known as hydroponics – they are grown in recyclable organic matter. This contains all the nutrients the plants will need for up to 2 years. Simply add water and start growing your own.
The wine bottles are green, literally and figuratively. Glass is infinitely recyclable, you knew that right? But the colour is green which prevents an algae building up so your herbs stay fresh and healthy as opposed to a clear bottle which allows green build up, no-one wants there easy grow herbs to be hard work.
Cut and Crop
Once your delightful herb plants have grown, you can cut and eat! Magically, they re-grow giving you fresh new crops. Basil always tastes better fresh and the smell is a delight.
Vegan Friendly
Obviously, with a growing move to plant based foods, having enhancing herbs readily available can really spice up your mealtimes, what’s more everything in the kit is vegan friendly.
Sustainable Living
The entirety of the home grown herb kit is either recycled or sustainable, it ticks so many boxes for the conscious consumer and they make delightful gifts too. It’s a lovely thing being able to buy something that is good for you, good for the planet and a good interior design ta-boot.
Chin-chin and cheers
OK, back to the gin and tonic! Pour a small, responsible amount of gin into a glass, add ice and a slice of grapefruit. Top up with tonic and add a flourish by submerging a spring of thyme and enjoy.
Of course, non-alcoholic gins can be used and this makes a lovely change to soft drinks making a night off the booze feel like a special occasion.
Cheers for supporting sustainable supply and shopping conscientiously. We have selected these items to be useful, beautiful, and sustainable.
Let’s explore how you use your herbs in food.
Idea’s for low cost meals:
Freshly cut basil works in any Italian dish, pairing especially well with tomato. A simple tomato soup sprinkled with fresh basil is elevated for a lunchtime treat. For a hearty dish that’s ready in minutes, why not team your basil with a pasta dish. Pasta is a real crowd pleaser and is filling and cheap to buy so is a great mid week meal.
Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Mozeralla (serves 4)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or use a garlic press
- 20ml cooking oil of your choice
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 300g penne, fusilli or rigatoni pasta
- 1 x ball of mozerella (you can leave this out for a vegan treat, or choose a 50% reduced fat version to keep things healthy), diced
- Large handful of basil leaves
Method:
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and cook until soft, but not charred
- Add the tins of chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes
- Bring a large pan of slightly salted water to the boil.
- Add the pasta to the water and cook for 10-12 minutes or to your desired taste
- Drain well – an optional tip is to rinse the pasta with boiling water to remove any excess starch and prevent it from sticking together
- Add the pasta to the tomatoes and onions along with the diced mozeralla (if you are using), the basil leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir well to ensure all of the pasta is coated
- Dish the pasta into bowls and enjoy!
Curly parsley chopped adds well to soups and stews, hearty warming scotch broth. It’s a mild taste, so is a great herb to introduce to those who may initially be suspicious!
It’s ideal used as a garnish, adding a fresh and attractive aesthetic to any dish. Simply chop and sprinkle! Looking for a quick and easy salad with a difference? Why not try Tabbouleh? A middle eastern salad with grains is healthy, quick to prepare and delicious, on it’s own or as an accompaniment. It’s also great to keep in the fridge for snacks, or taking to work for lunch.
Tabbouleh (serves 4-8)
- 2 large bunches of curly parsley, remove the bulk of the stems and chop
- 100g extra fine bulgar wheat
- 4 large tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 cucumber, finely sliced
- 12-15 fresh mint leaves, stems removed and finely chopped
- Lime or lemon juice, around 3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Method:
- Rinse the bulgar wheat in a seive, then soak it in water for around 7 minutes then drain
- Place all of the herbs and vegetables in a large dish, add the drained bulgar wheat and mix thoroughly
- Add the lemon and lime juice and the olive oil and mix again
You’re ready to go! You can serve as it is, or make little boats out of romaine lettuce leaves or pitta breads.
Adding just one ingredient to your cupboard staples really helps to liven up your recipe repertoire, getting fresh new tastes to the table. Why not get a few to expand your horizons even further?
At The Lighting Company we are always looking for ways to broaden our knowledge and product offerings to be more sustainable and eco-friendlier.
We don’t just want to be a business that just operates sustainably we also want to spread that message and encourage our customers to adapt a better way of living. Along with our new lighting ranges by Good&JoJo and Romi we have also introduced Hydro Herb. A Sustainable grow your own kit made from recycled wine bottles that are designed to see shoots starting to grow within a couple of weeks.
All parts of the kits are either recyclable or entirely biodegradable so when your herbs have finished their useful life you can do your bit and lessen the impact on the planet.