I tend to use the same herbs and spices over and over in my cooking. And I'm also looking for ways to cook in a more healthy manner. So I wanted to get a book that would help me learn more about herbs and spices, their health benefits and how to use them to improve my cooking.

I bought Healing Herbs & Spices and got so much more than I bargained for. This is a great book! For every herb or spice the author gives you the history, where it's grown, the parts of the plant that you use, other names for the herb or spice, health benefits, how it's used in cooking and then some great recipes! The health benefits are really interesting.

Cinnamon is good for arthritis, celery seed is good for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, fenugreek can help women deal with menopause and can increase male potency. Fenugreek can also help Type II diabetics lower their blood sugar. Did you know onions are an herb? I certainly didn't. I thought it was a regular veggie.

Recipes are listed for each herb and spice. The benefit is that if you find a herb or spice that you like or want to try, the recipes are right there for you. Vanilla Bean cookies, Roasted Garlic Soup, Basil Chicken. Cinnamon Maple Squash, Pizzelle Cookies (which I haven't had since I was little), Sour Cream and Chive Garlic Mashed Potatoes are just a few of the recipes I plan to try.

Finally Lee Anne Dobbins sounds like she has a passion for gardening and cooking. She writes in a very conversational manner which I like. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone interested in the health benefits of herbs & spices and how to best cook with the herbs and spices you like.