I have a small herb garden and I absolutely love cooking with them, extensively using them for all sorts of purposes around the house. Two of the distinct herbs I love are oregano and marjoram and I’ve planted them side by side. Marjoram has grey-green leaves and a very distinct fragrance and it flourishes during cooler seasons. On the other hand, oregano acts more like a ground cover but thrives during summer with full sun. I love Oregano and Marjoram – How to use them and the health benefits I always love to talk about.
Oregano and Marjoram are very similar and can be confusing but amazingly these two aromatic herbs are very useful, especially in the kitchen. My favourite is to use both these herbs to make pesto. This pesto can be used as a dip or spread for sandwiches as well. It can be frozen and it’s really good to have in the freezer for a quick meal preparation.
Oregano is also rich in antioxidants, so I even use it for sore throats, coughs, colds and nausea, as oregano tea is super effective against these bothers. Boiled oregano with water also makes a wonderful hair tonic to eliminate dandruff and washing your face with it is effective as an acne cure.
Marjoram is a herb with a sweet, yet quite unusual aroma, used both fresh and dried in cooking. It has brilliant antiseptic qualities due to the thymol content. It’s used hugely in Mediterranean dishes and has influenced much of their food, especially with tomatoes and meats, and today, used to treat coughs, stomach aches, headaches, signs of the flu, as an antiseptic and even as a pain-reliever (analgesic).
How to make oregano tea
- Pour boiling water over 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano leaves or 2 teaspoons of dried oregano into a cup
- Let it seep for 5 minutes
- Strain and use it for the required purpose (e.g. sore throat, acne treatment)
Oregano Infused Olive Oil
Wash and dry fresh oregano completely – make sure it is dried very well. Using your palms to gently ‘bruise’ the oregano to make the leaves crushed in order to expose the oils. Then, put them in an organic olive oil bottle. Close the bottle tightly and leave it in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks for oil to slowly infuse over. Strain and re-bottle the oil once the flavour is infused well. (I normally use it as it is, without even straining it, as I use a lot of olive oil for my salads and cooking and don’t mind getting the oregano leaves in a bit of the salad as well as it’s great for our health as well!)
How to make oregano and marjoram pesto
- 1 cup fresh oregano
- ¼ cup of marjoram
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Place the walnuts in a blender and crush them finely. Then add all the ingredients and while running the blender slowly, add olive oil and blend until you get a smooth paste. Add salt and pepper for your liking. And… that’s it! You can keep the pesto for about 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container and also you can freeze them (I make a big batch and keep in the freezer as you can use it with pasta super fast!). Just combine cooked pasta with pesto and there you have your dinner ready in 10 minutes. You can add some pan-fried chicken along with the pasta.
Oregano can be used with sauces, pasta, tomato dishes, stews, pizzas, soups fish and also with egg dishes.
Note: Please consult a medical professional for the safe use medicinal use of these two herbs and do not use in excessive amounts, both internally and externally. Also, avoid if breastfeeding or pregnant.
Disclaimer: This website is written by a regular human. I am not a Health Professional. Please get professional medical advice for your specific health needs.