Healthy Herbal Treats
Herbs have a charm all of their own their smells, names, and flavours all remind us of the good old days. They are the source of our earliest medicines as well as being our earliest food enhances
In these days of synthetic additives more and more people are once again rediscovering the power of the herb
There are many books on how to cultivate, dry, and store herbs as well as books on what they look like I am not going to go into that here. What I am trying to do is to introduce you to some simple home made treats which you probably had as a child and forgot about or if you are to young to remember you may have heard your granny extol their virtues. Old or young I hope you enjoy your herbal experience. Go on and treat your self.
Angelica Mouth rinse
For best effect use twice daily, and after meals
Pour 2-½ cups (625ml) boiling water over 3 table spoons Angelica seeds. Leave to infuse until cold strain into screw top bottle. For extra strength try adding peppermint, or lemon verbena. A little orris root will scent the breath of violates
Barley Water
A cooling drink for fever
1 cup of pearl barley
2lt of water
Lemon juice
Simmer barley and water for 20min, strain and add lemon juice to taste
Or if preferred use blackcurrant or orange juice. Use pure juice rather than juice which has had added sugar
Caraway Comfits
Sweeten and freshen the breath also aids digestion
Make a paste of icing sugar with lemon juice. Dip caraway seeds into an egg white then roll them in the paste. Spread them on greaseproof paper. Leave in a cool place to harden
Digestive tonic
20 green cardamom seeds crushed
1-teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Zest of ½ lemon
Zest of ½ orange
5cm (2in) piece cinnamon
250ml (8foz) vodka or other spirit
Steep all in the alcohol for two weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain and rebottle
To use—take 1-2 teaspoons in a little water before meals or when needed to settle stomach
This keeps for over a year
Eyebright and Marigold Eyebath
15g dried eyebright
10g dried pot marigold
500ml / 18foz water
Put water and herbs into saucepan and simmer for 10min. Strain and allow to cool store in a sterilised bottle
To use pour a little into an eyebath and bath the eye. Sterilise glass and repeat with other eye. Helps in cases of Conjunctivitis
Fennel and lemon balm tea
10g dried fennel seed
15g dried lemon balm
3g cinnamon bark
500ml water
To calm the stomach from nervous stress
Put herbs into teapot add boiling water, and leave to infuse for 10min. Strain into covered jar store in a cool place. Take wineglass dose as required
Ginger
Ginger in all its forms is good for nausea but some people cannot take it unless disguised. Capsules are the easiest way of doing this
50g powdered ginger
Size 00 gelatin capsules
Put powdered ginger into saucer; pull one half of the capsule through ginger to fill seal with other half. Take two capsules every 3-4 hours while symptoms last
Horsetail infusion
To strengthen brittle finger nails
Pour 2 ½ cups of water over 6 tablespoons dried horsetail stems leave for 5-6 hours. Put on heat and bring to boil, simmer for 30 min remove from heat and let cool for another 30 min. Strain into air tight container i.e. screw topped bottle. Every other day soak nails in warm sunflower oil for 10-15 min, and then in a little horsetail infusion for 15min
Ideal Ginger beer
28g - 1oz chopped gingerroot or 1tablespoon ground ginger
450g - 1lb sugar
1 sliced lemon
14g - ½ oz fresh yeast
1 slice toast
4-½ lt. - 8pt boiling water
To stimulate digestion
Put ginger, lemon and sugar into adequate container pour water over stirring until sugar has melted. When liquid is tepid spread yeast onto toast and add. Leave for 12 hours in a warm place strain and bottle leave for one week
Juniper and raspberry ice
1 teaspoon juniper tincture
8 fluid oz 250ml raspberry puree
1 egg white
Ideal for cooling the body when hot and restless
Mix juniper and raspberry and place in freezer until partially frozen. Take out and mix into slush. Beat egg white until stiff then fold into juniper mixture put into 2-3 serving bowls. Then freeze for 1 ½ - 2 hours serve with a sprig of mint
Keel junket
Junket will separate if disturbed before serving. They are a traditional British food for convalescents
8 large crushed cardamom pods
16 fluid oz 475ml milk
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons essence of rennet
Cinnamon powder
Simmer the cardamoms in the milk over low heat for 6-7minutes. Strain into bowl, and stir in the honey. Allow too cool to blood heat then stir in the rennet. Leave in a warm place 10-12 hours until set. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.
Lovage foot bath
Soothing for tired feet
Put 20 fluid oz 595ml of boiling water over 2 tablespoons fresh lovage. Leave to infuse for 15 min. Strain into a footbath, and top up with water to the desired temperature. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt, and stir. Soak feet for 10-15min.
Marshmallow lotion
To moisturize and sooth. If kept in the fridge lotion will keep for 5 days
Put 3 tablespoons of dried marshmallow leaves or root into a bowl, pour over 8 fluid oz 240ml distilled water. Leave to infuse over night, Strain into a screw top jar. Apply a little lotion to skin after normal cleaning. By adding the lotion to plain cold cream will make a rich moisturizer
Nutmeg Wine tonic
1 bottle of wine of your choice
½ grated nutmeg
Sprig of fresh thyme
1 piece1 ½ cm ½ in. cinnamon stick
8 sultanas or large raisins
Drink a small glass of wine from bottle; add the herbs and re-cork. Leave for 2 weeks then strain and replace back into wine bottle, and label. Take ½ small wine glass when in need of a lift
Oat Tonic
This is a calming, strengthening tonic particularly for the young and old
12 fluid oz 350ml cold boiled water
3oz 84g flaked or rolled oats
½ teaspoon ginger
Juice ½ lemon
5ml 1 teaspoon honey
Pour the water over oats and leave over night. Strain through a cloth and wring out juice. Add the honey and lemon mix well and bottle. Will keep in the fridge for a week
Take 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day until finished
Peppermint facial
Use to cleanse the skin and reduce large pores
After washing face pour 2 lt. 70 fluid oz boiling water into bowl, add 2 tablespoons fresh peppermint, 2 tablespoons fresh sage, and a ½ teaspoon of basil. Cover head with large towel. Hold face 10in 30cm from water. Steam neck and face for 8-10 mi. then cover face with a washcloth that has been dipped in ice cold water. Pat dry with towel
Quiet Cough Syrup
Use for chesty cough, tightness and sore throat
14g - ½ oz dried thyme
7g – ¼ oz dried chamomile
7g – ¼ oz dried sage
2 teaspoons fennel seed
2 garlic cloves
15-20 cloves
1 teaspoon aniseed
Pinch of powdered ginger
850ml – 1 ½ pint water
450g 1lb honey
Put all the ingredients into pan except honey. Bring to the boil turn heat down, and cover simmering for 20 min. Let cool slightly then strain making sure you extract all the liquid. Discard the used herbs return liquid to heat gently simmer until liquid is reduced to 200ml 7fluid oz. Add the honey to the pan and simmer for a few minutes stirring all the time. Do not over cook or it will turn into toffee. Bottle keeps for months
Take 2-3 teaspoons 4-6 times a day = Children 1 teaspoon 3 –5 times daily
Rosemary or Chamomile hair rinse
Stimulates the scalp and helps hair growth
For dark hair—put 2 heaped tablespoons of fresh chopped rosemary and 1 tablespoon dried chamomile flowers into bowl add 2 heaped tablespoons of dried lime flowers and cover with 650ml 24 fluid oz boiling water. Leave until Luke warm strain and apply to freshly washed and rinsed hair
Soothing Salt Bath
112g- 4oz sea salt
1 tablespoon bicarbonate of Soda
1 teaspoon sweet almond oil
5 drops essential oil
Juice 1 lemon
To remove dead skin, clear pores, and tone blood circulation
Blend all ingredients together dissolve in the bath water. Soak for twenty minutes. Rub all over body then rinse off with fresh water
Tarragon vinegar
This makes wonderful vinaigrette
For every 350ml 12 fluid oz of white vinegar add 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves. Put into screw topped bottle and leave for 10 days in a warm place shake from time to time. Strain and return to bottle add a sprig of tarragon for decoration
Utopia syrup
This strengthens the brain and memory, helps blood pressure, keeps blood thin and aids the appetite, strengthens nerves, and circulation
56g 2oz rosemary
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon basil
2 tablespoons sage
4 teaspoons crushed fennel seed
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
20 cloves
6 cardamom pods
1.75lt 3 pints water
450g 1lb honey
Put all ingredients except honey into pan and reduce down to300ml ½ pint. Allow liquid to cool and strain. Discard used herbs. Put liquid back on to heat and add honey. Simmer on very low heat stirring all the time until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Let cool and bottle will keep for at least a year
Vinegar (balsamic)
This can be used either as a salad dressing or in cooking or as a tonic or even a hair rinse
Dilute 1-teaspoon vinegar in 240ml 8fluid-oz water for rinse
6 green cardamom pods
12 sultanas
12 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon sage
4 cloves of garlic
300ml ½ pint cider vinegar
Steep all the ingredients together in screw topped jar for 2 months. Strain and bottle
Woodruff punch
Put 6 tablespoons of fresh chopped woodruff and the grated peel of a lemon into a muslin bag. Place into punch bowl. Pour over 120ml – 4 fluid oz cognac and a half bottle of wine. Cover and leave over night. Remove the bag and add ice cubes add another 1 ½ bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne put in the juice of 1 lemon and a little sugar to taste serve
Xin Yi Hua tincture
Steeping the desired herb in a water /alcohol mixture makes tinctures. Vodka is an ideal home spirit, as it does not contain any additives. The tinctures should be individually made, and then prepared tinctures can then be combined when required. The liquid is usually 25% alcohol and 75% water
Put the herb into large jar and cover with the alcohol / water mixture. Seal jar and store in a cool place for 2 weeks shake occasionally. Put a muslin bag into a winepress pour in mixture. If winepress is unavailable then wring out by hand into bowl. Squeeze out through press into bowl. Pour the strained liquid into clean sterilized dark glass bottles label and seal
This is good for the sinuses
25ml Xin Yi Hua (magnolia flower) tincture
25ml elderflower tincture
15 ml ground ivy tincture
15 ml Echinacea tincture
10 ml bayberry tincture
5 ml ginger tincture
5 ml peppermint tincture
Combine all into a sterilized dark glass bottle and shake well. Take 5 ml in a half tumbler of warm water 3 times a day before meals while symptoms persist
Yarrow and celery tea
This is good for gout sufferers
50g dried celery seed
15g dried yarrow
15 g dried heather flowers
300 ml ½ pint water
Mix herbs and put into airtight container. When ready to use put 1 teaspoons into teapot add teacup-boiling water and let infuse for 10-min strain and drink. Take 2 fresh cups ever day
Zealous Syrup of figs
8 dried figs
224g / 8oz dark brown sugar
Juice ½ lemon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
240ml / 8 fluid oz water
Slice the figs thinly and simmer in water for 20 min. Strain keeping both liquid and figs. Set figs aside and make the liquid back up to 240 ml / 8 fluid oz with cold water. Add sugar and heat gently stirring all the time until sugar is melted. Put back in the figs and add lemon juice and ginger. Pour into blender or food processor and blend for a minute. Put into sterilized jar seal and label. It keeps very well
Dose for adult 3 – 4 desert spoons daily Children 1 – 2 desert spoons
Take Note!