Herbal Recipes

Hello everyone, as promised here is our new page. All the recipes on this page are taken from a great book; Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. It is a great book & has so much more then just the recipes that we will be posting, so be sure to check it out. We will be posting a new recipe here everyday so be sure to check back.

If you are interested in Old Fashion Medical Remedies by sure to check out our sister site Celestial Powers. Or if you would like to know more about Herbs please check out our great new partner Healing Magic.

7-Herb Long-Life Soup

Extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, sliced or chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 quart water
8 large shiitake mushrooms (fresh or dried), chopped
4 ounces fresh burdock root (or 2 ounces dried), thinly sliced
4 ounces fresh dandelion root (or 2 ounces dried), thinly sliced
2 ounces lycium berries
1 ounce astragalus, thinly sliced
1 ounce fo-ti (ho shou wu), cut & sifted
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root
1 ounce ginseng root (any variety)
Miso paste of choice

1. In a large pot, heat just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions & garlic & saute unitl tender & golden.

2. Add the water & bring to a boil.

3. Add mushrooms & herbs, turn down the heat, and simmer over low heat for several hours.

4. When roots are tender, turn off the heat & strain out the herbs, (I often leave the herbs in, especially if most of them are fresh.) Add miso paste to taste. Do not boil the miso, as it destorys its valuable enzymes. Add other seasonings & chopped vegetables as desired.

Seaweed Salad
Note: It is sometimes challenging for people to learn to cook with seaweed. This following recipe is an interesting combination of flavors * creates a marvelous dish. Any variety of seaweed can be used; some are hiziki (sometimes spelled hijike) or arame. These are both delicious, mild-flavored seaweeds. Wash the seaweed throughly & chop it into bite-sized pieces. If you are using dried seaweed, you will need to reconstitute it by soaking it in cold water for approximately 1/2 hour.

Olive or sesame oil
2 onions, chopped
1 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup water
1 cup seaweed (more or less, to taste)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup tamari (soy sauce)
1/4 cup honey
2 or 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Cayenne

1. In a saucepan, heat just enough olive or sesame oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onions & sauté until they are a golden brown. Add the garlic & ginger. Cook a few minutes longer. Add the carrots & water. Cover the pan & let steam over very low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.

2. Drain the seaweed, add it to the pan, and cook a few minutes longer. Add the rice & stir well.

3. In a separate saucepan, warm together the tamari, honey, sesame oil & cayenne to taste. Adjust the flavors & pour over the rice-and-seaweed mixture. It will taste sweet, hot, & spicy. This dish is traditionally served cold, but it is delicious hot as well.

Fire Cider Zest
A warming, energizing, concoction, Fire Cider Zest is designed to light your fires. It can be added to salad dressings, used to flavor steamed veggies, & sprinkled on steamed grains.

1/2 cup chopped ginseng root, fresh or dried
1/4 cup freshly grated ginger root
1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish
1/8 cup chopped garlic
Cayenne to taste
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey

1. Place herbs in a glass jar. Pour in enough vinegar to cover the herbs by an inch or two, then seal tightly. Let sit for 4 weeks

2. Strain the herbs from the vinegar. Sweeten with honey to taste.

High-Calcium Tea

1 part horsetail (shave grass)
1 part nettle
1 pats oats & oatstraw

1. Combine the herbs. Prepare as an infusion, by boiling 1 quart of water per ounce of herb (or 1 cup of water to 1 tablespoon of herb).

2. Pour water over the herbs(s) and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes. The proportion of water to herb & the required time to infuse varies greatly, depending on the herb.

3. Start out with the above proportions & then experiment. The more herb you use the longer you let it steep, the stronger the brew. let your taste buds & your senses guide you.

4. Drink 3-4 cups daily.

Baby Oil
This is an excellent all-purpose oil & is wonderful to rub on your baby after baths. It also makes a great massage oil for babies.

1 ounce chamomile
1/2 ounce comfrey leaf
1/2 ounce roses
1 pint apricot or almond oil

1. Mix herbs & oil & let sit in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for 2 weeks in a warm, sunny spot.

2. For stronger oil, pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler. Slowly warm it over very low heat for 1 hour. Strain & bottle. You may lightly scent it with a few drops of pure essential oil, such as lavender, rose, or chamomile. Use at room temperature.

Ginseng Tonic Tea
1 large, well aged ginseng root
Water

1. Place the root in the cooker & cover with water. Tie the cooker shut, then place it in another pan filled with water. Cook over low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

2. Strain, and drink all of the resulting liquid. It is very potent, to say the least.

Valerian Tea Blend
A hearty, relaxing tea, great for soothing the Nervous System. Valerian Tea Blend is one of the better-tasting valerian formulas.

1/2 part licorice root
2 parts lemon balm
1 part valerian root

1. Place the licorice root in a small saucepan & cover with cold water. Heat slowly & simmer for 15 minutes or longer if desired. The longer you simmer it the stronger the tea will be.

2. Turn off the heat & add the lemon balm & valerian root.

3. Infuse for 45 minutes.

4. Strain & drink as much & as often as needed.

Sleep Pillow
Sleep or dream pillows, as they’re called, have been used for hundreds of years to aid in inducing deep, restful sleep. In this recipe the lavender oil enhances the herbs’  relaxing effect & adds a lovely scent, For vivid dreams, add 1 part of mugwort to the blend. (Makes a great gift.)

1 part dried chamomile
1 part dried hops
1 part lavender
1 part dried roses
1 or 2 drops lavender essential oil

Mix the herbs. Stuff a small pillow or pouch with the herb mixture. Sleep with it tucked into your pillowcase.

 

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