Have you herb? In April of this year, herbs were included in the fruits and veggies cash value benefit of your WIC card! This was a very exciting addition to the WIC benefits, because of the endless nutritional value of these edible plants. If you aren’t used to using herbs in your kitchen and home, here are some ways to spice up your life:

1. Herbs are tiny, but mighty! When you use your favorite herbs to flavor your dishes, you can cut down the amount of butter, salt, and sugar added. While different herbs have different powers, in general they can be counted on to have antioxidants and vitamins to help boost your family’s nutrition. There are countless online resources that provide the best pairings for foods with herbs to bring out the most flavor in your dishes.
2. Eat with your eyes! Using herbs as garnishes for celebration foods and drinks is the simplest way to elevate your spread. They are a great addition to spice up your leftovers and herbs can add interest and flavor to water. Try combining herbs such as mint, rosemary, or basil with fruit to naturally flavor your water.
3. Try using fresh herbs from the grocery store to create new herb plants by propagating them. All you need to do is take the stem cuttings, place the cut end in water in a sunny window until roots form. Then you can transplant the new, rooted plant into a pot or garden. Watch our fun video of Zobey and Kate propagating herbs here: Grow your own herbs with Zobey
4. Go on an herb adventure with your child! Pick out a new recipe using fresh herbs and allow your child to help you prepare it. Try this fun and easy recipe for cauliflower pizza from our Let’s Cook Together Texas WIC recipe book and use fresh basil as one of your toppings! Watch this fun video of Christian and Zobey preparing cauliflower pizza with fresh basil! Cauliflower Pizza with Christian and Zobey

The Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray
2 cups cauliflower chopped (about ½ a large head)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup part skim mozzarella, grated and divided
½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup marinara sauce, store bought
Toppings of your choice (fresh basil, ham slices, pineapple, Canadian bacon, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450° F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Chop cauliflower into crumbs, remove core and throw away.
In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave cauliflower crumbs on high for 8 minutes; let cool.
Drain liquid from cauliflower crumbs and use paper towels to ring out.
In a bowl, mix the cauliflower crumbs, egg, ½ cup mozzarella, garlic powder and onion powder.
Shape the mixture into a 9-inch round on the baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven. Turn oven up to broil.
Spread marinara sauce on the crust. Top with remaining mozzarella and toppings of your choice.
Broil pizza until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Remove the oven and top with Parmesan cheese. Cut into 6 slices and serve.

With herbs, the possibilities are endless and their addition to your WIC benefits is a big dill! Have fun trying out a new recipe flavored with fresh herbs and propagating your favorite herbs by growing them in a sunny window. The best way for kids to become more positive, confident eaters and build healthy habits that last a lifetime is by watching their parents practice these habits first. Get creative and involve the entire family in the adventure! Check back soon for future blogs involving recipes with herbs and other WIC products!

For more fun recipes, education, and nutritional tips, please visit our WIC Greater Dallas YouTube channel or TexasWIC.org.