Must have herbs for container garden?

[urquie]

Not Liz but I grow lemon thyme every summer and I loooooove it. I use it anyplace is normally use rhyme but my faves are making a lemon vinaigrette with lemon thyme in it. I make a lot of quinoa salads in the summer and will toss fresh lemon thyme leaves in them. It’s lovely on grilled or roasted chicken. It’s just a brighter and more summery flavor than regular thyme. I almost never use the regular thyme anymore.

Op- my must have herbs are lemon thyme, regular thyme, parsley (I actually use it a ton and find it brightens up lots of dishes), several types of basil (always Thai and sweet), mint (usually chocolate mint), and rosemary. I love cilantro but it doesn’t grow well for me so I stopped planting it. I rarely used the oregano I planted in the past so I skip that now.

Thanks! Any chance you could share recipes or basic guidelines of your lemon vinaigrette and quinoa salads and chicken? My mouth is watering. ��

[Liziz]

How do you like to use your lemon thyme?

I love using it in marinades, usually for chicken or pork (I just throw mine together, rarely with a recipe -- some variation of olive oil, a vinegar or lemon juice, herbs, and salt and pepper). I also like using it in pasta dishes - again, tend to be things I just throw together -- pasta with a lemon butter or lemon olive oil sauce on them. This is my first year growing it and I've only had it for a few months so I'm sure I'm still discovering how to use it!

[calebsmama03]

Thanks! Any chance you could share recipes or basic guidelines of your lemon vinaigrette and quinoa salads and chicken? My mouth is watering. ��

I'm also more of a throw it together and see what works cook. Here are some basic recipes I have riffed off of though -

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/lifes...alad-dressing/
I usually also add honey to taste and then add in fresh herbs like my lemon thyme.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/cd...3e5369edbd.jpg
can sub lemon juice (or lime) for the OJ. ANd add herbs. I tend to use a stick blender when making dressings to help emulsify everything together. Using that with dijon the dressings stay emulsified really well.

For Quinoa salads in spring and summer I like to toss in things like dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots), chopped veggies like cucumber, zucchini, bell pepper, avocado, grape tomatoes, etc. Sometimes I do fresh greens like spinach or spring mix. I add chopped herbs like lemon thyme, parsley, basil, mint. Sometimes I'll add a little meat like chopped bacon or roasted chicken cubes but usually not. I don't have a recipe. I just use whatever I've got and top it off with some sort of vinaigrette dressing (lemon juice, sunflower oil, cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, S/P, herbs - if I want a creamy vinaigrette I add about 1/4 of a ripe avocado). You can also do a really delicious "BLT+A" quinoa salad with bacon, cherry tomato, avocado cubes, chopped romaine or baby greens, and a creamy lemon vinaigrette. That's a hit with my teen son, who balks at vegetarian meals.

My marinade recipe is essentially the same as Liziz. I also sometimes just roast or grill with just S/P and the toss the herbs on at the last minute of cooking.
Toss it on pasta with butter or EVOO and parmesan. Put it in regular green salads. Make a tomato cucumber salad with fresh herbs and white balsamic drizzle. So many options. Once you start playing with it in recipes you'll be cooking and think "Ooh! I should grab some lemon thyme for this!" lol If you're a lemon fan (and I am - it is my absolute fave flavor and scent) you will be amazed how many ways you think of to use it.

[Melaine]

I'm also more of a throw it together and see what works cook. Here are some basic recipes I have riffed off of though -

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/lifes...alad-dressing/
I usually also add honey to taste and then add in fresh herbs like my lemon thyme.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/cd...3e5369edbd.jpg
can sub lemon juice (or lime) for the OJ. ANd add herbs. I tend to use a stick blender when making dressings to help emulsify everything together. Using that with dijon the dressings stay emulsified really well.

For Quinoa salads in spring and summer I like to toss in things like dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots), chopped veggies like cucumber, zucchini, bell pepper, avocado, grape tomatoes, etc. Sometimes I do fresh greens like spinach or spring mix. I add chopped herbs like lemon thyme, parsley, basil, mint. Sometimes I'll add a little meat like chopped bacon or roasted chicken cubes but usually not. I don't have a recipe. I just use whatever I've got and top it off with some sort of vinaigrette dressing (lemon juice, sunflower oil, cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, S/P, herbs - if I want a creamy vinaigrette I add about 1/4 of a ripe avocado). You can also do a really delicious "BLT+A" quinoa salad with bacon, cherry tomato, avocado cubes, chopped romaine or baby greens, and a creamy lemon vinaigrette. That's a hit with my teen son, who balks at vegetarian meals.

My marinade recipe is essentially the same as Liziz. I also sometimes just roast or grill with just S/P and the toss the herbs on at the last minute of cooking.
Toss it on pasta with butter or EVOO and parmesan. Put it in regular green salads. Make a tomato cucumber salad with fresh herbs and white balsamic drizzle. So many options. Once you start playing with it in recipes you'll be cooking and think "Ooh! I should grab some lemon thyme for this!" lol If you're a lemon fan (and I am - it is my absolute fave flavor and scent) you will be amazed how many ways you think of to use it.

Oh my word, you have got me sold on it. Thank you, I am so not a intuitive cook like this.

[urquie]

Thank you so much, can’t wait to grow some lemon thyme and try out both of your delicious ideas! :-)

I love using it in marinades, usually for chicken or pork (I just throw mine together, rarely with a recipe -- some variation of olive oil, a vinegar or lemon juice, herbs, and salt and pepper). I also like using it in pasta dishes - again, tend to be things I just throw together -- pasta with a lemon butter or lemon olive oil sauce on them. This is my first year growing it and I've only had it for a few months so I'm sure I'm still discovering how to use it!

I'm also more of a throw it together and see what works cook. Here are some basic recipes I have riffed off of though -

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/lifes...alad-dressing/
I usually also add honey to taste and then add in fresh herbs like my lemon thyme.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/10/cd...3e5369edbd.jpg
can sub lemon juice (or lime) for the OJ. ANd add herbs. I tend to use a stick blender when making dressings to help emulsify everything together. Using that with dijon the dressings stay emulsified really well.

For Quinoa salads in spring and summer I like to toss in things like dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, chopped apricots), chopped veggies like cucumber, zucchini, bell pepper, avocado, grape tomatoes, etc. Sometimes I do fresh greens like spinach or spring mix. I add chopped herbs like lemon thyme, parsley, basil, mint. Sometimes I'll add a little meat like chopped bacon or roasted chicken cubes but usually not. I don't have a recipe. I just use whatever I've got and top it off with some sort of vinaigrette dressing (lemon juice, sunflower oil, cider vinegar, honey, Dijon, S/P, herbs - if I want a creamy vinaigrette I add about 1/4 of a ripe avocado). You can also do a really delicious "BLT+A" quinoa salad with bacon, cherry tomato, avocado cubes, chopped romaine or baby greens, and a creamy lemon vinaigrette. That's a hit with my teen son, who balks at vegetarian meals.

My marinade recipe is essentially the same as Liziz. I also sometimes just roast or grill with just S/P and the toss the herbs on at the last minute of cooking.
Toss it on pasta with butter or EVOO and parmesan. Put it in regular green salads. Make a tomato cucumber salad with fresh herbs and white balsamic drizzle. So many options. Once you start playing with it in recipes you'll be cooking and think "Ooh! I should grab some lemon thyme for this!" lol If you're a lemon fan (and I am - it is my absolute fave flavor and scent) you will be amazed how many ways you think of to use it.