Oregano

Oregano

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Origin: Oregano is a culinary herb which comes from flowering plant. The plant grows in the Western and Southeastern Eurasia and Mediterranean regions.  It is closely related to the mint and marjoram families.

Interestingly, it made its way into U.S. households when the soldiers returning from WW II brought it back with them to use as a pizza herb. 

  

Recipes: Oregano is a well-known herb used in Italian cooking.

Oregano is also used in Mediterranean, Philippines, Greek, Turkish, Latin America, and Argentinian recipes.

It is an aromatic herb used to season meats, seafood, vegetables, salads and of course pizza. It can be added to just about anything to give it a nice warm and slightly bitter flavor.

Oregano chicken is a delicious baked chicken with the main ingredient being dried oregano.

One of my favorites in Italian cooking is pesto using some amazing fresh herbs.

1 cup fresh oregano, tightly packed, 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 cloves garlic, peeled, 1/2 cup raw almonds, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 cup olive oil, blend it all up and presto pesto!

Pesto is wonderful and easy to make especially when those herb gardens start to grow-over.
Pesto can be used on fish, bruschetta, pizza, chicken, pasta or anything your heart desires.

Cures: Oregano can be used in the form of an oil or a supplement and known for its health benefits.
In an article listed in Medical News Today, oregano oil has an antioxidant elements called phenol and thymol. Together these compounds are known to fight bacteria and fungal nail infections. It can also help heal wounds and relieve pain. A sniff of oregano can also ward off sinus infections, colds and even a headache. Oregano can help with respiratory tract disorders such as coughs, asthma, croup and bronchitis according to WebMD. 

If you’re feeling bloated, warm up a cup of oregano tea to help as a digestion aid or detox. It is also helpful with menstrual cramps and vaginal yeast infections.

Household Uses:
Oregano is known to keep insects away.

Beauty Regimen:
Wild oregano or oregano oil is known to help with acne and clear skin.
It is also applied to skin to help with athlete’s foot, rosacea, ringworm, spider bites and psoriasis.

Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano