Good morning. If you head over to our recipes on cookwell.com, you’ll notice the site got a bit of a facelift. We cleaned up the interface to make our ad-free recipes even easier to use, and added a few extra tools for app members. More info below!
INGREDIENT DEEP DIVE 🍳
Fresh herbs
Whether it’s parsley, cilantro, basil, dill, mint, or chives, fresh herbs can be used raw or even lightly cooked to add freshness, aroma, and contrast that dried herbs simply can’t replicate.
We’ve covered this before, but restaurants use way more herbs than you think, and is part of why the food just tastes better (along with fat, salt, and acid, of course).
What’s their flavor properties?
Aroma: Fragrant, vibrant, expressive
Sight: Green color brings visual intrigue to a dish, even a tiny garnish signals freshness or care
Human: Can transport a dish to a certain cuisine or occasion
Why should you buy some?
Keeping even one bunch of fresh herbs around levels up everyday cooking immediately. Eggs, beans, rice, roasted vegetables, soups: everything gets better with a hit of herbs.
Chop them fine and mix them in, or leave them rough and scatter over the top. You don’t need to be precious with them, and use more than you think.
Many stems are usable (parsley, cilantro, dill), extras or trim can be used for stocks. You can also cook herbs into an aromatic base (just like onions or garlic). They’ll infuse into the oil and add a different character than when used fresh.
And, they’re inexpensive, so it’s easy to grab one bunch for the week on your grocery run.
Storage tip: Treat soft herbs like flowers (trim stems, water in a jar, loose bag over the top). Wrap hardy herbs in a paper towel in the fridge. A little care buys you an extra week of usage.
What can you make with them?
Chimichurri, salsa verde, or green sauces of any kind
Herb vinaigrettes or blended into dressings and yogurt sauces
Chopped and frozen in oil or butter, or stems frozen for stock bags
Fresh herbs are one of the cheapest ways to cook like a professional. Just keep a bunch around and start garnishing or tossing them into everything you make, just like most restaurant do when finishing a dish or garnishing food at the pass.
APP UPDATE ✅
Cook Well is now available on the web
The Cook Well app is now available in your browser.
All the same great recipes are still free on our website. And by popular demand, app members can now access grocery lists, meal planning tools, cooking logs, and more from their computer.
Plan your week or make a grocery list in your browser, and it’ll be waiting for you on your phone. Everything stays in sync.
Just here for the recipes? Keep enjoying them as always, and we’ll keep linking to them. Want a little more help putting them to use? Consider an app membership to unlock these extra tools.
READER Q&A 🧠
What makes Greek yogurt different?
The cultured dairy section can overwhelming at the grocery store. For a versatile item, look for plain Greek yogurt.
Question: “How is Greek yogurt different than regular yogurt?” - Wendy W.
Answer: The main difference is straining. Compared to standard yogurt, Greek yogurt is strained to remove more whey (the liquid), which makes it:
Thicker and creamier
Higher in protein (often ~15–20g per cup vs. ~8–10g in regular yogurt)
Lower in sugar (lactose), which often makes Greek yogurt lower in calories too
Slightly more tangy, since the lactic acid is more concentrated
Even nonfat Greek yogurt stays thick because the straining, not the fat, gives it body. By comparison, regular yogurt isn’t strained as much, so it’s thinner, milder, and a bit sweeter.
Our preference? We like shopping for Greek yogurt because it can be used in cooking (quick replacement for sour cream, buttermilk, or other cultured dairy in sauces/batters), but also sweetened or customized for a high protein breakfast bowl.
Pro-move: Tired of your Greek yogurt separating? Never dump out the liquid, just stir it back in to retain creaminess, or prevent it from splitting in the first place by keeping it level.
WINNING READER SUBMISSION 🏆
Homemade pho
This week’s dinner winner is Jason B, with an impressive homemade pho. Looks great, and way to use all those fresh herbs!
Btw, we just added a home friendly pho framework to the website, which you can find here.
Reply with your best home-cooked food photos for a chance to win & be featured!
EXTRA HELPINGS 🍽️
In a minute or less: Broccoli pasta
What we’re watching: Ice cream cake
No phone required: All Cook Well features now available online!
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