First Wild Herb Sighting of Spring!

After a long and cold winter it’s so nice to see plants starting to come up, now that it’s spring. I took notice of the first wild herbs of spring while on a walk through the Nature Preserve by my house.

Chives!

How could I miss their signature spiky green shoots bundled together and peeking through the soil? Or their delicate onion flavor that verified my suspicions?

What a nice surprise to find this plant already up and at ’em. The weather is still bordering on being winter where I live, so to see chives right now keeps me optimistic that warmer temperatures are right around the corner.

I love chives. I find I favor using chives instead of parsley as my main garnish. They have such a wonderful flavor that complements almost any savory dish.

A couple of my favorite dishes that I like to use chives with are are fettuccine Alfredo (with chives and diced tomatoes), and mashed potatoes (with chives and sour cream). The chives help balance out the fat of the cream and butter in each dish.

Chives are also delicious mixed straight into a tub sour cream. Sour cream and chives have a natural affinity for each other, so the flavor of the chives really comes out mixed into the sour cream. I use it to dollop on baked or roasted potatoes, or to dip french fries, potato chips, and veggies in. Mixing chives into cream cheese is another great way to enjoy them. Spread the chive cream cheese on bagels or make into a cheeseball. The possibilities are endless with this incredibly versatile herb.

As for medicinal uses for chives they are part of the allium family, so they have many of the same properties of onion and garlic. They just act in a slightly weaker way. Meaning they can help mildly with high blood pressure and the circulatory system in general. Chives are very rich in vitamins A and C, though, and have a lot of calcium and iron, so enjoy them in large quanities!

Don’t forget to add this fantastic herb to your shopping list! Or better yet, plant some in your yard or in a planter. Chives are a perennial and will come back every year.