Homemade Herbals

Fall Herbal Immune Elixir

Elderberries, Elderflowers, Rosehips, Astragalus, Hawthorn,
Licorice, Schisandra, Red Roses

Raw Honey, Brandy

Mix herbs together and place in jar until it is half full.
Cover herbs with honey and stir with a stick or spoon to release air bubbles. Fill to the top with brandy. Shake it up. Macerate for 4-6 weeks, then strain the herbs and compost them. The resulting elixir can be used frequently by the dropperful at the first sign of colds/flu. Use every hour until the symptoms are gone. Add lots of extra sleep and hot teas or water for a faster healing!

Elderberries and Elderflowers - Elder berries and flowers have long been used to treat colds, fevers, flu and sinus congestion. The diaphoretic (sweat inducing, opening the skin) nature of the flowers has been employed to help bring down fevers from the inside out. The berries have been studied in standardized clinical trials that show their efficiacy in significantly reducing the effects of flu.
Elder has many other health benefits that are less well known, including remedying neuralgia and sciatica.

Rosehips - Excellent source of vitamin C. Useful for colds, flu, debility, exhaustion, constipation.

Hawthorn - Heart and circulatory tonic. Used for heart weakness, palpitations, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris.

Red Roses - Astringent, cooling, anti inflammatory, cardiac tonic, used for grief, which is associated with the lungs in traditional chinese medicine,, and, by association, the season of autumn rules the lungs.

Astragalus - Astragalus (huang qi) has been a foundational herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine for hundreds of years. It is included in formulas to support Wei Qi (Chi), or the conceptual “shield” which serves as a primary defense mechanism against pernicious threats to the system. It is sweet, and nourishing and often included in recipes for soups which are used for convalescence and general strengthening of the system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is said to tonify the “spleen” and hence is used for fatigue linked to decreased appetite. It is part of the Milk Vetch or Fabaceae family. It is traditionally used in its dried powdered form or as a strong decoction, made from boiling the dried root in water for an extended period.

Licorice - Specific for adrenal gland insufficiency, demulcent (soothing to mucous membranes), expectorant for coughs and respiratory congestion, anti inflammatory.

Schisandra - In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to increase the production of bodily fluids, and for inflammation, coughs, skin problems, and sleep problems. Recent uses in China include its use for immune system modulation and hepatic protection.

Electuary of Hyssop- For coughs, Catarrh, Shortness of Breath, Stomach Ache.

Boil 600ml (1 pint) of honey, skimming surface. Add two handfuls of Hyssop, well bruised and boil until the honey tastes of Hyssop.
Then Strain and Add;
10g (1/4 oz) crushed Licorice root
10g Aniseed
5g (1/8 oz) both Elecampane and Angelica
7 1/2 ml (1 1/2 tsp) pepper.

Boil for a short time and stir well. Remove from heat and stir until cooled. Strain and Bottle.

Dose: 1x 5ml (1 tsp) 3-4x Daily in warm water for 7-10 days.

Root Chakra - Fear ungrounded ness. Those who need to develop more self love and cannot at present appreciate their value. Compulsions, addictions.




COOKING WEEDS - Vivien Weise

This gem of a book gives some delicious recipes using local abundant ‘weeds’.. These are all vegetarian recipes, but can be adapted to whatever flavour diet you choose.

A few examples...

COMFREY HAMBURGERS

Serves 3 or 4 as a main course

6-8 thick square slices of wholemeal bread or pitta bread.
100g green spelt grains
1 large cup vegetable stock
4 handfuls of comfrey leaves (with flowers, if you like)
1 handful mugwort
4 tiny leaves ground ivy
1 onion
butter for frying
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 teaspoon oregano, dried,
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
1 teaspoon tomato puree
3 cloves garlic crushed,
1 egg
1 teaspoon French mustard
salt, pepper

For the bread... butter, mustard, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, slices of tomato and onion

Toast the bread. Cut into each slice from one side so that a pocket suitable for stuffing is created. This is easier with pitta bread.
Grind the green spelt coarsely and dry-fry it until it is a very pale brown. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Then turn down to a low heat and leave to simmer for 15 mins.
Put some of the Comfrey leaves aside and chop the others finely, as well as the Mugwort and the Ground Ivy.
Cut the onion into small cubes. Fry the Onion in butter, then add the chopped weeds and dried herbs. Stir in the tomato puree and add some water to avoid burning (be careful that you do not use too much water, otherwise the mixture cannot be shaped into burgers). Simmer for 10 minutes. Shortly before the weeds are done, add the crushed garlic.
Mix the weeds well with the green spelt and the egg. Taste and season with mustard, salt and pepper. Add some flour if there is too much fluid in the mixture. Form into round flat burgers and fry them in vegetable oil on both sides until they are golden brown.
Now take the Comfrey leaves put aside beforehand, and fry them separately, 2 for each burger. Put one on either side of each burger. Season the bread to taste, like a conventional hamburger, with butter, mustard, tomato ketchup, mayonnaise, etc.. and fill it with the burger and Comfrey leaves, adding tomato and onion slices if you like.

DAISY DANDELION SALAD

Serves 4 as a salad

4 handfuls daisies (leaves and flowers)
2 handfuls dandelion (leaves stalks flowers)
2 spring onions,
3 tablespoons lemon juice
nutmeg, salt, pepper
4-5 tablespoons sunflower oil
30g sunflower seeds

Wash the daisies and chop the washed dandelions finely.
Chop the onions very finely and stir them into the lemon juice. Season with nutmeg, pepper and salt. Finally, whisk the oil into the dressing.
Gently roast the sunflower seeds in a small amount of sunflower oil. Blend them into the salad just before serving.


YARROW POLENTA WITH ALMOND CRUST

Serves 4 as a main course

800ml vegetable stock
200g polenta
2 large onions
4 handfuls yarrow
2 cloves garlic
butter
pepper
nutmeg
200g flaked almonds
butter

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and add the polenta.
Let simmer on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring all the time.
Chop the onions and the yarrow finely and crush the garlic. Fry it all together in butter and season with pepper and nutmeg. Saute the almonds in some butter until golden, but take care not to burn them. Fill a greased ovenproof dish with alternate layers of polenta and vegetables. Sprinkle the almonds on top. Sprinkle with almonds on top. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees celsius (400F gas mark 6) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Dandelion Bread

Before making this recipe, you'll need to harvest a cup of dandelion petals. This shouldn't take more than 15 minutes with the right flowers and technique. Choose tall, robust dandelions that have been allowed to grow unmolested. Abandoned lots and field margins are good places to look. Generally the presence of dandelions indicates herbicides are not in use, but roadside specimens can contain the residue of other chemicals. Choose your spots wisely. You'll want to harvest in the morning, before the flowers have fully opened. Grasp the yellow part of the flower (the petals) and twist away from the green sepals and stem. Discard any greenery. I prefer the bread to the muffins.

2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dandelion petals
1/4 cup canola oil
4 tbsp honey
1 egg
scant 1 1/2 cups milk

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl, including petals, and mix. Make sure to separate clumps of petals. In separate bowl mix together milk, honey, oil, and beat in egg. Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir. Batter should be fairly wet and lumpy. Pour into buttered bread tin or muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees. A dozen muffins will take 20-25 minutes. Bread will take 25-30 or more minutes. At 25 minutes, check doneness of bread with a toothpick. If still too moist inside, lower oven temperature and continue to bake, checking every five minutes.


Lauren's Recipe's



MORROCAN FISH

2-3 cloves of garlic
2-3 potatoes
1 poblano pepper
Head of broccoli
4 ripe tomatoes
2 large bunches of coriander
lemon
1/2lb of tilapia or cod
ground coriander seed and cumin seed, turmeric and sumac spices.
salt and pepper

Use a big ceramic pot, that retains heat.
Peel garlic cloves and add to oil
Thinly slice potatoes and add to pot, covering with turmeric, cumin and coriander seed. Add a teaspoon or two of water and put the lid on and let the potatoes get soft.
On top of the softened potatoes, place the tilapia and add lemon juice and lightly season with sumac.
Add a layer of chopped coriander.
Add broccoli, and poblano peppers, and a layer of coriander.
Add quartered tomatoes.
Add another layer of coriander.
Make sure there is a small layer of water and simmer until veggies are soft and fish is cooked.
This tastes better the longer the flavors are left to stew, often best the next day.

Add hotter peppers to taste.


Gluten Free Granola

Gluten Free Oats
Ground Ginger
Ground Cardamon pods
Ground Cloves
Hazelnuts
Hemp Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Raisins
Rosemary
Coconut oil
Molasses
Maple syrup
Sea Salt

Mix ingredients together until well blended and place on a greased pan into a preheated oven on a low light, for twenty minutes or until browned.




Chicken or Beef Kebabs

Ground Organic Chicken or Ground Grass fed Beef
1 egg
Chopped Parsley, Coriander, Mint and Dill
Salt, Pepper,
Cumin and Coriander seed powder
Garlic chopped

Mix ingredients together and form into patties. Either grill on grill pan or sear in a frying pan for two minutes on each side and then transfer to oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes.


Tahini Oat Cookies

1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup GF oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon, cardamon, cloves

Mix ingredients together and shape into bite size cookies.
Place on greased baking tray and bake for ten minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
Cool and enjoy



Weed Soup is a blend of nutrient-dense edible wild plants that will nourish your body and leave you wanting seconds.
Ingredients
> 6 cups chopped combination of wild greens > (plantain, dandelion, lamb's quarters, nettles, mallow, miner's lettuce, chickweed > 4 litres of (organic) vegetable or chicken broth (add extra bouillon cubes for added flavour) > 4 onions finely chopped and sauteed >spices of your choosing, garlic, turmeric, cumin, pepper, etc
Add a handful of wild or grown herbs such as coriander, parsley, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme..
Instructions
Place broth in a large pot on the stove. Heat to just before the boiling point. Add in the sautéed onions, wild greens, and spices. If desired, add in more edible wild greens and onions to make it thicker. Let simmer 15 minutes then serve.

Wild Greens Pesto
Lately I've been rummaging around in our yard, on our lawn and finding handfuls of fresh herbs and weeds to make pesto with.
See what you can find in your garden and experiment, for me, it always comes out different..
Dandelion leaves, and sometimes flowers
Mint
Rosemary
Marjoram
Wild Onions
Thyme
Olive Oil, lemon juice and garlic, salt and pepper
Blend Ingredients and add nuts (almond, pine, pecan, hazel, etc)
Add extras as optional.. peppers for more spice, cheese (feta, goat or hard cheeses)
Delicious on just about anything, or by itself!

Wild Fermented Beverage made with all home grown or wild harvested herbs - add water and a peach or other fruit with natural yeast and leave to ferment for a few days. Delicious, refreshing and botanical
https://gathervictoria.com/2017/09/08/wild-soda-for-the-autumn-equinox/






Iron Tonic

1 part Dandelion Root

1 part Yellow Dock Root

2 parts Nettle leaf

1/2 part Angelica Root

Beetroot
Parsley
Molasses

Add all ingredients (except molasses) to saucepan and simmer for two hours, strain and add molasses at the end. You can add 20% total volume of brandy or vodka to keep longer. Bottle and refrigerate.

Dosage: 1 tsp 3x Daily.

© 2010 Homemade Herbals