Cold weather means heavy stews, and hot soups.  Use bay, parsley, and tyme to help give your dish a more rounded taste.  Healing uses for bay are:  helps settle stomachs, and stimulates appetite.  Can be used externally to relieve muscle aches and pains.  Healing uses for parsley are: relieves bad breath, aids in digestion and relieves intestinal gas.  Healing uses for tyme are;  soothes digestion, has expectorant (mucus-loosening) properties useful for coughs, bronchitis and emphysema.  You can use these herbs to make your stews and soups taste good, while getting the benefit of their healing properties.  The Herb Lady