Of the eight oils they tested, thyme and cinnamon essential oils were particularly potent.

Now, researchers at the Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands in Greece have found that plant oils are a powerful weapon against multi-drug-resistant staphylococcus aureas or MRSA, a bacterium that causes hospital-acquired infections and is dangerous because it frequently does not respond to a range of antibiotics.

Effemia Eriotou is a professor at the Institute in charge of the research project involving plant oils to treat multi-drug-resistant staphylococcus aureas. “We didn’t know that essential oils were going to have that a great anti-microbial activity. And it’s really amazing that they are killing all these bacteria and yeasts as well,” Eriotou said.

In laboratory experiments, the research group tested a variety of essential oils from eight plants, including thyme, basil, peppermint and cinnamon. Eriotou says they all had some anti-bacterial activity, but essential oil from thyme – a spice frequently used in Mediterranean cooking – killed almost all of the bacterium in a petri dish within an hour. Almost as effective was cinnamon oil.

Source: Moldova.org

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, or any other good quality wine or cider vinegar
1/4 cup pure Vermont maple syrup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to combine.

INGREDIENTS

-Vinaigrette dressing (something like a lemon-garlic would be great for this)
-9 cups day-old bread (French, etc.), torn into large pieces
-2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, large diced
-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
-2 medium cucumbers, halved lengthwise and large diced
-1 packed cup fresh basil leaves, torn into large pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine half the vinaigrette with the bread, tossing to coat well. Set it aside at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients along with the remaining vinaigrette and mix well. Add salt and fresh pepper, then let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to meld the flavors before serving.

1 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
2 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
2 cups shredded spinach leaves
1/2 cup finely sliced scallions
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Combine the rice, broth, and bay leaf in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 35 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Set aside. In another saucepan, stir the spinach over medium heat until it begins to wilt. Mix into the rice. Fold in the scallions, parsley, basil, tarragon, and nutmeg just until mixed.

4 medium beets
1 fennel bulb
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the beets well. Wrap them individually in foil and place them on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Cook for 45 to 90 minutes until done (a knife should easily pierce them). While they’re cooking, trim the fennel and chop it into 1/2- to 1-inch dice.

Remove the beets and plunge them into ice water to cool. Peel and cut them into pieces the same size as the fennel., then toss both with the remaining ingredients and serve immediately. If you plan to let the salad sit, hold out the lemon juice until the last minute (and don’t be surprised when the fennel turns red). Garnish with a bit of chopped fresh herb.