The Observer’s gardening correspondent James Wong has a great idea to keep your supermarket basil plant thrive.
As soon as you get it home, take the plant out of the container and divide the root ball into four. Cut away any weakling stems at soil level, leaving about 5 strong stems for each quarter plant. Plant each new clump in a good sized pot in John Innes number 2 compost or similar.
Water generously and place in a sunny sheltered spot on a windowsill or green house and let them grow.
Two of my favourite basil recipes are Caprese Salad, with mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and tomato and basil soup. Do you have any others you would like to contribute?
Diabetes Diet 
Interesting to read this, thank you.
I love Caprese Salad, and I recently discovered this recipe idea from Carolyn, Cheesy Sausage and Basil Stuffed Chicken Breasts
http://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/cheesy-sausage-and-basil-stuffed.html
It is so good when cooking to use fresh herbs and spices but it can be handy to have some dried ones available in the larder too, just in case !
All the best Jan
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Good tip as I find supermarket basil never lasts very long.
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