The weather in Finland is quite a challenge when thinking of planting, especially when thinking of planting as a way of living. We planted ourselves to this challenge and now are growing here a variety of herbs and other basic vegetables. We don’t use chemicals, but try permaculture instead.
Now we have homemade “the way granny made it” spices, teas, spice infused oils and absolutely & completely NATURAL skin creams available! All herbs have been grown with love in our greenhouse without any chemicals.
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Our Spices and Herbs
We have sage, basil, thyme, dill, peppermint, cumin, coriander, oregano and yarrow. All spices come from our greenhouse and are grown with love, and completely without chemicals. See below chart for possible uses & benefits of each herb.
All herbs are sold dried in beautiful handmade packages (20g). We can send herbs by post. Please contact laura(a)villamanuela.fi if you want to place an order!
| Herb | Use / benefit |
| Sage | Sage can reduce the “fatty” taste of food, amplifying the original taste. Hence it is often used when cooking meat dishes – sauces, ribs, soups, with minced meat, pasta, risotto… Besides meat dishes sage goes well with cabbage, onion & bean dishes. |
| Basil | Basil is an herb in the mint family. It adds flavor to meals, and its nutrients may provide health benefits. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) plays a role in many Mediterranean, and particularly Italian, cuisines. It forms the basis of pesto and adds a distinctive flavor to salads, pasta, pizza, and other dishes. Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines also feature this herb. |
| Thyme | Thyme (fresh and dried) pairs well with meats of all kinds, chicken, stews, soups, eggs, pastas, vegetables and beans. Fresh thyme is nice with fish and seafood. Think of thyme when you are making lasagna, sautéing or roasting vegetables, roasting chicken, pork, lamb, or beef, and making any sort of potato dish. |
| Dill | As a garnish, dill is excellent on cold soups featuring beets, cucumbers, or yogurt, or on tzatziki, the traditional Greek cucumber yogurt salad. Dill weed pairs particularly well with all types of seafood. It is also good with spreads, sour cream, cream cheese, and lamb. |
| Peppermint | Use as a garnish for cool drinks and fruit desserts. Use dried peppermint leaves, added to boiling water to make a refreshing and digestive tea. Make a yoghurt dressing with chopped mint leaves, natural yoghurt, garlic and salt and pepper for salads especially cucumber salad. Add to cold soups or hot tomato soups. Peppermint goes well with meat, especially lamb. |
| Cumin | Cumin is an essential spice for Indian curries and chutneys. The spice also works well in a variety of rice dishes, stews, soups, breads, pickles, barbecue sauces, and chili con carne recipes. It is best to be conservative when cooking with cumin as its flavor can easily overtake a dish. |
| Coriander | Thai curries. The pungent roots of the coriander plant are used to add depth of flavor to Thai curry pastes and stir-fries. Mexican dips. The coriander leaves have a bright, citrus-like flavor, which makes them an idea finishing herb in Mexican salsas and guacamoles. |
| Oregano | Oregano can be used in more than just pizza and pasta sauce. The beautiful green herb adds a delicious, and perhaps unexpected, earthy flavor to several dishes including chicken, seafood, hamburgers, even beans. Also, try it in your next homemade pesto for a bit of a more robust topping for pasta or fish. |
| Yarrow | Its peppery foliage and bitter leaves and flowers bring an aromatic flavour to salads. The leaves can be used in almost any dish as a vegetable, added to soups and sauces, or simply boiled and simmered in butter as a side dish. |
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Our Herbal Teas
We dry our herbs to create herbal tea combinations. Teas are sold in beautiful handmade packages (20g). All herbs are grown in our greenhouses with tender loving care, and without using any chemicals. Thistle, nettle and dandelion are collected from wild plants within Villa Manuela. We can send our herbal teas by post. Please contact laura(a)villamanuela.fi if you want to place an order!
Available herbal tea combinations:
Lavender, (wild) nettle, (wild) thistle – Suggested possible uses/benefits: diuretic, laxative, indigestion, (reduce) swelling, blood pressure, cholesterol
Banana (organic), chamomile, lemon balm – Suggested possible uses/benefits: Stomach cramps, heartburn, flatulence, digestion, stress, anxiety, muscle relaxant, sleep
Peppermint, (wild) nettle, dill, (wild) dandelion – Suggested possible uses/benefits: diuretic, swelling, digestion, detox, heartburn, weight loss, stomach ache
Cinnamon basil, sage, dill – Suggested possible uses/benefits: digestion, stomach ache, stomach cramps, swelling, heartburn, diuretic, heartburn, stress, sleeplesness, weight loss
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Our Spice Infused Oils
Our Spice Infused Oils help you bring new ideas to your kitchen. The oils are bottled in beautiful containers (150 ml) making a great gift. Herbs/spices are from our greenhouses, except the organic pepper. They are grown completely without chemicals. Olive oils we use are carefully selected virgin olive oils. Please contact laura(a)villamanuela.fi if you want to place an order!
Our Spice Infused Oils:
| # | Herbs/Spices | Example uses |
| 1 | Sage, oregano, peppermint, pepper | Stews, fillings, marinades, with fish & pasta |
| 2 | Rosemary, thyme, oregano, peppermint, basil, pepper, olive oil | Italian dishes, pizza, grilled food, with fish or potato |
| 3 | Rosemary, garlic, curcuma, pepper, rape oil | Italian dishes, pizza, grilled food, with fish or potato |
| 4 | Coriander, thyme, garlic, pepper, sunflower oil | With meat or fish, fillings, salads, Mexican dishes |
| 5 | Rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper, sunflower oil | With meat, fish, potatoes or bbq, Italian dishes |
| 6 | Chili, garlic, ginger, pepper, olive oil | Salads, dressings, with fish, Indian and Asian dishes |
| 7 | Basil, garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, pepper, olive oil | Salads, Italian dishes, pizza |
| 8 | Lemon, dill, fenol, pepper, sunflower oil | With fish and shellfish or with white meat & rice, salads |
| 9 | Sage, nutmeg, dill, pepper, sunflower oil | Stews, fillings, marinades, with fish & pasta |
| 10 | Rosemary, thyme, olive oil | BBQ, with meat, stews |
| 11 | Anis, clove, cardamom, orange, sunflower oil | Baking, cookies, cakes & desserts |
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Our Natural Skin Creams
Have a look at the packaging next time you use skin cream, you’ll be surprised how many chemicals the creams contain. Our skin cream contains ingredients that can all be eaten (don’t eat the cream ;-). Again, we use herbs grown with tender loving care in our greenhouses, or wild foraged herbs. Our skin creams have been tested and assessed for product safety. Skin creams are packaged in 50 ml, the metal container is perfect for post! Please contact laura(a)villamanuela.fi if you want to place an order!
Marigold cream – Care for itchy and inflammated skin, use after sun, add elasticity & softness. Care exema & small wounds
Lavender cream is a lovely antiseptic cream. The calming & relaxing smell of lavender makes it a great cream for massage. Can be used for different skin conidtions, there have been good results in caring for psoriasis and exema.
Nettle cream protects the skin. Nettle has caring and protective properties, can be used for face and the whole body.
Yarrow cream is used for joint ache, hemorrhoids, varicose, bruises, rash, burns, sores, etc…
Chamomilla cream is good especially for dry and itchy skin, as well as for pimples and insect bites. Chamomilla cream is moisturising and healing.
Lemon basil cream is an excellent insect repellent. The antibacterial qualities can be used for acne and bites causing inflammation.
Rosemary cream can be used for revitalising tired skin and muscles, as well as for muscle and joint aches. Rosemary improves blood circulation in the treated area.
Peppermint cream has analgesic, cooling and antipruritic effect as it reduces the sensitivity of the receptors to various irritations (touch, pain, heat, itching). The cream warms the skin and stimulates blood circulation. It is effective in reducing swelling and relieving muscle pain.
