Fennelicious

Let’s talk about fennel. Fennel has a long history of use as a traditional medicine and food throughout Europe and China. Fennel is high in fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, manganese, folate, and molybdenum, with seeds that are rich in magnesium. Fennel is beneficial for immune support, colic, colon health, and is a “premier carminative”. (New word for me, too. It means it reduces gas and the carmps that go along with it.)

As far as consumption of fennel, there are many ways to use this plant in cooking. Fennel may be sliced and used in salads, sandwiches, or sauteed with onions as a side dish. The seeds may used in bread or to season other dishes. In addition to the tomato-fennel soup featured in our first link, there are many other interesting recipes floating around the blogosphere, including romaine and fennel salad, roasted mahi mahi with fennel, olives, and oranges, and finally, roasted arctic char and fennel.

While deciding on one recipe, feel free to chew on some fennel, that way you’ll have fresh breath when you discuss which meal to prepare with your significant other. But beware if considering growing your own, fennel is considered an invasive species in the United States and Australia.