At some point or another, we all have been too ambitious with our herb gardens. If your herbs are on their way to becoming a small jungle, fear not! Herbs are some of the more versatile members of the leafy plant family, and that’s why we love them. There are endless recipes, DIY beauty products, and, of course, delicious cocktails that you can infuse with your home-grown garden herbs.
If you’re fresh out of ideas, but not out of herbs, here are a few recipes to get you started:
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Garden-Fresh Face Mask
Who doesn’t love putting on a face mask and binge watching Netflix in bed? Use your pesky leftover herbs to soothe and revitalize your skin with this DIY Rosemary Face Mask.
Make a DIY Sugar Scrub
Your herb garden can also make its way into your self-care routine. Combine sugar with a carrier oil and fresh or dried herbs for an easy homemade body scrub.
Try lavender + sugar, rosemary + lemon or mint + coconut oil for a refreshing twist. Try our Sass-approved Lavender Sugar Scrub! Just remember: If you’re using a homemade scrub, patch-test it first and avoid applying it to irritated or broken skin.
Seasonal Recipes
Looking for something to add pizazz to your dinner, or a new dish to bring to that next cookout? Be sure to try out some awesome recipes, including a quick-and-easy salad, the classic pesto sauce, or even herb fritters! If you’re a particular lover of breakfast foods, this garlic and herb cream cheese log should do the trick.
Infuse Your Water
Give your water a garden-fresh upgrade by adding herbs to a pitcher of cold water. Mint, basil, rosemary and thyme all work beautifully.
Try cucumber + mint, strawberry + basil or lemon + rosemary for a refreshing drink that feels a little more exciting than your standard glass of H₂O.
Cocktails
If, by this point, you still have extra herbs or an undying love for them, try your hand at fixing a honeydew-basil spritzer or whip up a batch of cucumber basil mojitos for your next virtual get-together. Show off your mixology skills with a delicious and refreshing herb garden cocktail!
Create an Herb-Infused Oil
Give your favorite dishes an extra hit of flavor with homemade herb-infused oil. Use fresh herbs to add flavor to dressings, marinades or roasted vegetables.
For food safety, be careful with homemade oils containing fresh garlic or herbs: they can support the growth of C. botulinum if stored improperly. For longer storage, use commercially prepared infused oils or follow tested food-safety guidance rather than keeping homemade fresh-herb oils at room temperature.
Storage Tips
Don’t let your summer herb garden be a source of stress in your life! Somehow, if there are still plenty of leftover herbs after these cocktails, recipes, and face masks, it might be helpful to learn the art of storing herbs.
When Life Gives You Herbs…
Make something delicious!
Whether your garden is overflowing with basil, you have more mint than you can possibly use or your rosemary bush has officially taken over the neighborhood, there’s no reason to let those fresh herbs go to waste. Cook with them, sip them, save them or turn them into a little self-care. Your garden may be out of control, but at least now you have a plan.
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