An Herbal Diary

Herbal tinctures are welcome and sustainable additions to your kitchen medicine cabinet - whether homemade or purchased. And they are so easy to prepare. Join me to delve into the basics of  herbal extractions. Herbal Tincture Weight to Volume Ratios Fresh Herbs 1:2 (1 part herb to 2 parts menstruum) Dried Herbs 1:4 or 1:5 (1 part herb to 4 or 5 parts menstruum) Supplies: Organic High Proof Neutra...

Astragalus is one of the premier immune system nourishing and strengthening herbal medicines.  The best way to use an immune system tonifying herb like astragalus is to begin taking it when you are not sick, beginning about six weeks prior to the height of cold and flu season. It's ideal for incorporating into cooking on a daily basis. In this episode, I share a recipe for creamy chocolate nut tru...

Lovely red clover may be a weedy and grow wild, but it is not to be overlooked as a medicinal herb. This full monograph delves into all of its nuances from garden friend to delicious tea to profound remedy.  Mentions: Mypronouns.org Strictly Medicinal Seeds David Winston's Alterative Formula from Herbalist & Alchemist  Celebrated Herbalists: David Winston Michael Moore David Hoffmann Matthew Wood...

We are forever learning the role of plant compounds in our bodies, especially those with complexity like isoflavones and phytoestrogens. Red clover and traditional whole soy foods are sources of these phytochemicals. In this episode, my goal is to reframe some of the controversies.  Sources for Red Clover Dried or Tincture: Avena Botanicals Mountain Rose Herbs Herbalist & Alchemist Mentions: Aviva...

I can not yet serve you a latte through your podcast app even though I wish that I could. Maybe someday that will happen. For now, here is a pop-up recipe offering, to make dandelion root vanilla latte homemade. I hope you enjoy! Dandelion Root Latte with Vanilla Syrup 8 ounces roasted dandelion root tea 2 teaspoons vanilla syrup ¼ cup milk (whole, any nut milk, coconut or organic unsweetened soy)...

An installment in my continued commitment to not waste the abundant and aggressive nettle crop I have growing in my yard. These green sauces are an embrace of life for me,  a pathway to the things that I love: recipe collecting, discovery of brilliant herbal use and reason to shop for interesting ingredients, green or otherwise. Please come along and sauce with me. To Blanch Nettle/Remove the Stin...

Materia medica tells a plant's story. Please join me to explore and appreciate one of the herbalism sweethearts, a far cry from bothersome weed. I hope by the end you will love dandelion and never want to spray it with chemicals again. Taraxacum officinale = Dandelion: leaf, root, flower, stem Photos of Tarasque in Tarascon, France Sources for Dandelion: Black Locust Gardens - fresh Oshala Farm -...

Can we refashion the reputation of weeds? With many negative connotations surrounding weeds it's hard to switch their image to foods and herbal medicines to love. We may call them edible weeds or wild foods, but I would love to change the name. I'm working on my own relationship with weeds by getting to know lamb's quarters. Mentions: Edible Weeds Online Foraging Course from the Chestnut School of...

Popping up here to offer you tea, through recipes instead of actually serving it. I promise for the time it takes to wait in line or sit in the drive thru, you can make your own chai, tweak it to how you like it and best of all experience some good medicine. Recipe for Masala Chai 4 whole cloves 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, that I've cut into thin slices 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon g...

Coughs can be so uncomfortable. Coughs can linger after the cold has long gone. Herbal cough syrups hold possibility to soothe and quiet a cough or support expectoration. Today's kitchen medicine has three steps and uses three herbs combined to make a cough syrup that keeps in the refrigerator for when you need it. Ingredients for Wild Cherry Cough Syrup: Dried Mullein Leaf,  Dried Wild Cherry Bar...

Sometimes prayers are not answered. A dedication to my mom... Mentions: Herbalist & Alchemist Compound Formula: David Winston's Grief Relief No Fear, No Death by Thich Nhat Hanh Inward by Yung Pueblo   Herbs for next episode's Cough syrup: Angelica Root Wild Cherry Bark Mullein Leaf   Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast boss.  Find her at thecreativeimposter.com. Original music by Dyla...

Adding herbs to a cold and flu season supply kit is easy and valuable peace of mind. Clear a space in your kitchen apothecary for dried herb blends for tea and steam inhalations, tinctures for prevention and symptoms as well as a few homemade syrups. Please listen in as I share my favorites. Cold and Flu Kitchen Apothecary Survival Kit Foods for medicine Honey, garlic, onion, ginger, dried sage &...

There's no time like the present moment to stock up on kitchen medicine cabinet remedies that nourish the immune system, both for prevention and treating symptoms. This apple cider vinegar and honey combination is more like cooking than medicine making. If you're cooking along while you listen, you will need the following: ½ cup grated fresh horseradish root, approximately 6-8 inch piece ½ cup cho...

Deep roots symbolize durability, resiliency and unfaltering character, they are grounded and strong. For plants, roots are a matter of life or death. Cut off a plant's roots then replant it, the plant won't survive. Autumn is the time for roots in the kitchen and in herbalism. Burdock Root and Carrot Nut Torte : get the recipe here Burdock Tea Decoction : Combine 1 tablespoon burdock root, fresh o...

Autumn and roots go hand and hand. I'm outside foraging through my weedy disarrayed backward to find treasure in the form of horseradish root. Join me for a successful harvest. Gardening podcasts: Plantrama Living Homegrown Mentions: Plants: horseradish , pokeweed , nettle, burdock, motherwort Plant Healer Magazine Chestnut School Of Herbal Medicine Deepest gratitude to Andrea Klunder, my podcast...

Do you have a top ten herb list? Is yarrow on your list? Some herbs have such a broad compass that they border on constructing a complete kitchen medicine cabinet. Yarrow is one of these herbs. We talk all about it in this materia medica monograph. Herbrally - herbal monographs, podcast and much more Latin Name: Achillea millefollium Henriette's Herbal: Photos of Yarrow Sources for Yarrow: Mountai...

Mishaps don't give warnings. Topical herbal remedies, those we use externally on skin, deserve star status for first aid. Options for topical herbal first aid remedies include compresses, poultices, ointments, oils, salves, soaks and washes. Yarrow, a premier first aid herb that can stop bleeding, cleanse wounds and take away symptoms of inflammation, is our focus for today. Henriette's Herbal: Ph...

Reluctant to ignore summer fruit in their abundant peak, I am infusing my favorite, cherries, to make a cordial. If you are preserving your favorite fruit by making jams, pickles or drying consider this as an alternative option. Cherry Cordial Recipe 2 quart or 1 half gallon size jars   2 1/2 pounds of cherries, stems removed, washed 2 1/2 cups sugar 1½ vanilla bean ⅛ cup cardamom pods 2  cups bou...

Grateful to have a large bunch of fresh sage! I'm infusing some into butter to make cookies then turning the rest into a tincture. This is my first recording while baking - please let me know if you like it and want to hear more baking episodes! Sage Infused Brown Butter 2 sticks unsalted butter, sliced into chunks 4-5 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, torn into small pieces Heat butter in small sauc...

Beyond culinary herbs, fresh medicinal herbs can be difficult to find. Why bother with fresh herbs? We can feel the vitality of plants through the energetic qualities of fresh herbs. There are many herb farms working extremely hard to supply high quality fresh and dried herbs and it is so good to support them. Mentions: American Botanical Council (ABC) American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) Universit...

Bright orange calendula flowers resemble rays of sunshine. As a warming, soothing herbal remedy calendula supports skin health, wound healing and so much more. Sources for Calendula( Calendula officinalis) : Fresh Calendula: Local Grower Resource from Mountain Rose Herbs Dried Calendula and Topical Calendula Oil & Salve: Mountain Rose Herbs Frontier Co-op Strictly Medicinal Herbs Herbalist & Alche...

When we add our individual thoughts and love to the medicine we make the result is powerful. Regardless of level of herbal experience, you are the ultimate medicine maker for those you love. Mentions: Sam Coffman Rosemary Gladstar: Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide Juliet Blankespoor and the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine Daniel Boorstin Deepest gratitude to...

Exploring herbal tea blends - delicious, healing, versatile in the kitchen Refreshing Herbal Tea Blend HIbiscus ( HIbiscus sabdariffa) - 1½ part Lemongrass ( Cymbopobon citratus) - 1 part Violet leaf ( Viola sororia) - 1 part Ginger ( Zingiber officinalis) - ¼ part To Brew: Combine 2 teaspoons dried herbs with 12 ounces hot water, steep 25 minutes. Herbal Tea Smoothie 10 ounces brewed herbal tea 1...

Excess heat, whether from summer or internal energetic influences, can be completely uncomfortable and create tension and pain. In this episode, I talk about the natural element of fire and how cooling herbs can be a rescue when it is out of balance in our lives. Herb Sources Zack Woods Farm Companion Plants Many apologies for the sound quality of this episode! I had some inside challenges and at...

Flowers have the ability to deepen our personal experience with herbalism. Flower essences extract energetic elements of a plant and gently nudge our spiritual growth. Join me in my garden to prepare a flower essence with yarrow blossoms. Flower essence extract preparation Steps: Infuse flower blooms in spring water in sunlight or moonlight Strain flower essence water and dilute 50/50 with alcohol...