Herbs For All

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Thursday, July 31, 2014

The Value of Herbs in a Localvore Lifestyle

In Barbara Kingsolver's book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life", she writes about her family's year-long effort to grow, purchase and eat only locally produced food. She started with the small resolve not to buy any more bananas. Now she and the coauthors of the book; family members, Steven L. Hopp, and her daughters Camille and Lily are passionate spokespeople and supporters of efforts to reign in the unjustifiable costs of food offerings in stores and schools. Though it was not a particular emphasis of her work, it occurred to me that growing and using more herbs would be a great compliment to this endeavor because it would not only add greater varieties of flavor but boost nutrition as well.
Regard herbs not as delicacies to use sparingly, but as high-value food that can be seasonings for meats, vegetables and baked goods. Herbs can also be used in infusions of hot water, honey and simple syrups.
My first suggestion is to greatly increase quantities of herbs you grow. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to do more work in the garden. For example, you can plant a few mint plants in full sun or partial shade and they will increase substantially in a year or two. Plant both peppermint and spearmint and enjoy the variety. My experience with the other mint varieties (such as chocolate mint) is they are great fresh but don't retain their delightful flavor once they’ve been dried.

Grow herbs that do well in your climate. By the time the cool weather of November arrives, you can have large canning jars full of an abundance of high-quality herbs ready to be used generously throughout the winter, like dill, savory, tarragon, parsley, sage, oregano, and thyme. Think of places to grow herbs that you may not have considered before: window boxes, pots, hanging baskets and even rooftops. You might consider a small greenhouse where you can store cold-sensitive or exotic herbs during winter.

Though it is easier to grow herbs that do well in our climate you could take your conservation efforts further. Try growing your own lemon, lime and bay trees and even ginger and lemongrass.
If you don’t grow your own, take advantage of the abundance of basil, parsley, garlic, etc. at farmers markets and stock up. Make and freeze your own pesto for later use. The quality is excellent!
Barbara Kingsolver made special note of the amount of labor necessary to harvest adequate quantities of produce to last the year. You will need some time to process your herbs. You will have to be available to harvest your herbs at their peak of flavor, which may be a different time for each one, but all you have to do with most of them is let them dry out of direct light, strip the leaves off their stems and store them in glass jars.

Roots like horseradish are usually unearthed in the fall. You can grind the root fresh with some vinegar and salt and store in the fridge for a while. Store extra roots whole in moist sand in a cool dark place.

Herbs like parsley, basil and chives can be frozen in convenient portions that you can add to soups, sauces and stews. (They don't look pretty, but they retain their flavor and nutrition.) I make lots of seasoning and tea blends with dried herbs that are ready to sprinkle or steep anytime.

You can extend the herb growing season in lots of ways. Plant the rosemary that is so hard to overwinter in the warmest place you can find, in good soil near a foundation or south wall of your home or other structure (some species overwinter better than others) or in a pot that you bring inside for the winter. Sage, thyme, lavender and salad burnet are evergreen and though their flavor is not at its best in the winter, you can still pluck leaves to use.
Let’s not stop at the herbs that have food value. Many medicinal herbs can be cultivated to ease health problems in the home which means fewer trips to the pharmacy and doctor.
CULINARY HERBS
Basil
Thyme
Mint
Tarragon
Bergamot
Chives
Caraway
Oregano
Thyme
Lovage
Sage
Rosemary
Cayenne
Dill
Fennel
Garlic
Shallots
Horseradish
Chamomile
Lemon Verbena
Salad Burnet
MEDICINAL HERBS
Echinacea
St. Johns Wort
Comfrey
Valerian
Lemon Balm
Calendula
Lavender
Catnip
Skullcap
Horehound
Pleurisy Root
Rue
Ginkgo Tree
Rose
Yarrow
Willow
Dandelion

Having dried herbs on hand will guarantee that the last potatoes, onions and hard-skinned squashes of February won't be bland and boring meals that you have to endure to prove the point that you refuse to purchase foods that cost more than you are willing to spend; environmentally, ethically, economically and politically. 

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Herbs, Drizzles, Spreads and Marinades ~ Make summer meals a delight with these fresh herbal recipes.


Now’s the time to take advantage of the abundance of fresh herbs in the garden. Make a salad sing with diced fistfuls of parsley, sorrel and chives added to a basic vinagrette. Add sage and basil blossoms, too, for a strong burst of their fresh, familiar flavor.




One important herb tip to remember is that the flavor we enjoy from our culinary herbs comes from their essential oils, so it is best to combine herbs with a bit of olive, canola, butter or other oil to bring out and enhance the natural flavor the herb releases. For example, fresh, chopped garlic added to a combination of butter and olive oil and slowly warmed on the stove will make a dipping sauce so divine that guests will close their eyes to savor its rich deliciousness. Other herbs don’t hold up so well to heat, so allowing them to infuse an oil while at room temperature or in the fridge will be the best method to capture their flavor.
Here are several herb recipes to spark your imagination and creativity.
DRIZZLES
Drizzles are wonderful on crusty breads, rice, pasta and orzo.
CHIVE FLOWER DRIZZLE
Pluck and separate the pretty, pink chive blossoms from about 5-6 flowering heads and mix with 1 T. finely chopped chervil and 2 T. parsley. Add 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil.
FRUIT DRIZZLE
Add 2 T. finely chopped, fresh lemon verbena to 1-2 T. grape seed oil. Drizzle over chopped fruit of your choice.
POTATO SALAD DRIZZLE
Rather than bottled mayo, try this dressing on potato salad. 
  • 3 T. each chopped fresh dill, chives and parsley
  • 1 T paprika
  • 3/4 cup canola or olive oil
  • 1 T. dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
MARINADES
Skip the artificially flavored, smoky brown syrup for this refreshing and unusual taste sensation. Marinate chicken, fish or pork for a couple of hours in this delicious blend of chopped, fresh herbs. Strong-flavored herbs hold up best during the grilling process.
HERB MARINADE
Coarsely chop 1-3 T. each:
  • sage
  • thyme
  • chives
  • oregano
  • mint
  • basil
  • garlic
    Add juice and zest of a lemon and 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive or canola oil.
SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARINADE 
  • 1 T. diced fresh ginger
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, diced
  • 2 T. mint, chopped fine
  • 3 T. Thai basil, chopped fine
  • Zest and juice of a lime
  • 6 oz. coconut milk
  • 2 T. peanut or sesame oil
    To grill, gently remove the meat from the marinade and place on the grill so that the herb bits and pieces stay attached. Strips and skewered meats lend themselves well to taking on lots of the herb flavors.
SPREADS 
Liven up that BLT, submarine or veggie sandwich with this herb spread:
Blend these fresh herbs in a small food processor: 
·    1 T. rosemary
·    2 T. lovage leaves (they taste strongly of celery)
·    1 shallot
·    Coarse pepper
·    Salt to taste

·    Add to 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.


This article first appeared in Catalyst Magazine

Thursday, July 17, 2014

EASING ANGER: Botanical approaches to managing stress, fear and anger.


The other day, an acquaintance shared this personal experience with me that I want to share here because I think many of us can relate to it. She said, “Last Saturday, as I shopped at one of the big box stores, I felt irritated by the crowd because it was hard to maneuver with my cart. Though I had shopped carefully, I was disappointed at the checkout when as usual my purchases totaled more than I had expected. Getting out of the parking lot was aggravating and on the way home, I found myself cranky and driving too aggressively. While unpacking my purchases at home, I turned on the TV but immediately turned it off as I felt my blood rising in frustration and anger at the day’s news. I am concerned that I am wound too tight. Do you have any herbs that can calm me down?”
I doubt my friend is alone in feeling a hair-trigger angst come over her all too often. Living life so tightly wound can definitely have adverse effects on your health and can also begin to erode your self confidence and self esteem because of the uncertainty you may develop as to what exactly is driving your behavior. Frankly, I think anger should be classified as a mental illness because of the amount of damage it causes. We would probably all aspire to having a more peaceful mind during these times of turmoil but here’s the thing, the distance between being overwhelmed by fear and anger to a peaceful state of mind is a journey many of us feel at a loss for how to begin much less accomplish. This is exactly where herbs can help!
Life is complicated and so is health. The good news is that, barring serious illness, herbs can be useful in addressing the seemingly unrelated aspect of this complex health picture. For example, if you experience great stress at work with a boss you find difficult, and you can’t sleep for worrying about the situation, you may start feeling run down for lack of good rest, and experience mood swings and then you might get a cold. In spite of your best efforts to train your thoughts on the bright side of things, your energy is still going into that worried state.
At this point, rather than ask for a prescription for a sleeping pill, it would be reasonable to consider a botanical approach. Some suggestions would be to start using American ginseng and Eleutherococcus (formerly known as Siberian ginseng) which are adaptogenic, meaning they assist your body in adapting to stress. It is not that they allow you to take on more stress, it is that they keep your body from overreacting to it. Therefore, you might find sleep coming more easily if you used ginseng regularly and you also might find you can entertain other thoughts and constructive activities beyond your worries. If anxiety or mental chatter is too much of a distraction, try kava kava which I maintain is still one of the best herbs for anxiety and safe to use if it is prepared properly and taken in proper dose. 
Another thing to consider is shifts in blood chemistry which can contribute to a sluggish or agitated state of mind. An example would be a hangover if you drink too much alcohol. The next day you have a headache and can be grouchy and ultrasensitive. If the day after Halloween, your kids go off to school and you get into their candy stash before you go to work, don’t be surprised if you feel run down and tired an hour later when the sugar high starts wearing off. Food allergies, even those mild ones that you suspect but are not quite sure of can have the same effect. Herbs like turmeric and oregon grape can help clear the system of toxic overload and even have a glucose balancing effect as with goat’s rue and cinnamon. When we are at risk of getting sick whether it is working in a day care center or being stressed, herbs like Echinacea and Astragalus are useful to support our innate immunity and keep our systems alert to try to ward off illness..
In order to combat nutrient depletion caused by stress, you could take a multivitamin and add nourishing herbs like oat straw that is good for the nervous system, nettle and dandelion leaf for minerals, cleavers and Mormon tea. All of these combined would make a nice tea and adding a little mint and chamomile would make the flavor even more pleasing. Getting the right nutrition may help you avoid cravings and who among us does not have our digestions affected when we are stressed? Whether it is overeating, not eating, sour stomach, constipation and/or diarrhea, herbs can calm or stimulate the digestive tract. A whole foods diet with lots of nourishing and detoxifying fruits and vegetables and the proper amount of protein each day to balance out blood sugar yoyos will go a long way to helping you feel balanced.
Fragrant, essential oils are a great ally in that they can distract us from or ease our mind and body through the very ancient and not well understood olfactory system. Consulting with a qualified aromatherapist would be helpful or just do a little reading on the subject and pick a few oils that resonate with you. Some suggestions are lavender, bergamot, rosemary, peppermint and the more expensive rose. The most important thing to know is that you must obtain unadulterated, pure essential oils to get the therapeutic effect. People always ask me how they can be sure, and I say that I think the stores that sell them should make proof available to the consumer in the form of a guarantee or a copy of a certified chemical analysis.
Can herbs help you maintain health and a more balanced life and outlook during these worrisome times? Yes, I believe herbs can be useful in helping you and your family feel better mentally and physically to maintain health and emotional stamina. Once you feel less susceptible to being blown off course by the influence of the media or the crush of an overcrowded store, you can think of other ways to support your own peace within which will emanate from you as a place of comfort to your grateful family and friends.  

Thursday, July 10, 2014

What Do Herbal Tonics, Arianna Huffington's and Sheryl Sandberg's New Books Have In Common?


Herbal tonics are the perfect complement to the message Arianna Huffington sends in her popular new book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-being, Wisdom, and Wonder.  
In it she describes her journey to the discovery that accumulation of power and money can no longer be the only definition of success, insisting that wellbeing, innate wisdom, wonder, and empathy are also essential to a healthy, creative, rewarding, and congruent life. Sandberg’s, Lean In, Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, invites women to pursue their career and personal goals with gusto and ambition, suggesting that women can overcome the tendency to shrink from opportunity when demands of home and child rearing give them pause about taking on promotions. Both authors encourage women to step into their careers with a greater sense of inclusion of all the aspects that make a person’s life whole because it is only by the inclusion of these human qualities that any of us can make the most of what we have and want to offer. 
These books herald what Huffington calls “the third women’s revolution”.
In Huffington’s commencement address to the 2013 class of Smith College she recounts her own experience of how stress overload and sleep deprivation caused her to faint, and she broke her cheek in the fall. She wisely understood that this was her wake up call to reassess how she was living and working. She realized too much stress and not enough sleep lead to burnout and that we look after our financial capital but not our human capital. She set out to rework the patterns of her life to include time to unplug from technology and even installed nap rooms at the Huffington Post so other reporters and editors could recharge themselves.

Herbal tonics align beautifully with these messages and are a great addition for anyone to consider who is trying to recalibrate their lives and careers in the ways these popular authors suggest. Tonics are a gentle, convenient and important addition to include in daily, health-promoting regimens. Why? Because they help us maintain the good health and energy that are essential to sustaining the balance that the authors remind us are essential to success.

How do tonics work? First of all, tonic herbs act gently and are safe to take long term to subtly heal, balance and restore body systems to optimum function. As an example, if you have been stressed out for a long period of time because of a trying family and/or employment matter, herbs like ginseng, Ashwaganda and Eleutherococcus can calm the nervous system and help quiet reactivity to all kinds of stress. We call these adaptogenic herbs because they help us adapt whether the source of stress is emotional or physical. Stress can deplete the body of vital nutrients, impair digestion, disrupt sleep and make one more susceptible to illness. When herbs are combined properly in a tonic formulation, its benefits can address all these concerns. Thrive Tonic is just such a formulation of 16 herbs that addresses all of the above simultaneously. The convenience of just one, sweet daily spoonful is the perfect complement for those trying to restore and maintain energy and vitality for better living.

My herb teacher, Michael Moore, once commented that, “Herbs help shift us in ways we cannot shift ourselves.” As we struggle to find healthy work/life balance, let the gentle benefits of herbs assist your efforts to shift to feel better and you will enjoy doing better. That will feel good.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Cinnamon's Dietary Benefits

THE BENEFITS OF ADDING CINNAMON TO YOUR FOOD
With RECIPE for Cinnamon Rib Rub just in time for grilling on the 4th of July.

Don’t wait for the holiday baking season to add cinnamon to your food. Add it to everything. Sprinkle on baked squash, add it to applesauce, honey, fruit compote, granola, grilling rubs, sauces, marinades and baked goods. Why is cinnamon so good for us?

Quoting from Mercola.com
“Cinnamon and cinnamon extracts have previously been shown to effectively lower blood sugar. As a matter of fact, cinnamon was found to increase glucose metabolism 20-fold, in one such study! “
Now you know I am not one to tell you that one herb is the magic answer to significant health concerns like diabetes, but if your glucose level is creeping up a little, it would be reasonable to include cinnamon in your daily diet. It is so easy to do.
I like to buy a big shaker of good quality cinnamon and keep it on the counter where I can see it to remind me to use it. I even sprinkle some in my afternoon black tea. It always tastes great and smells so good.
“Interestingly, cinnamon lowers your blood sugar by acting on several different levels. It slows the emptying of your stomach to reduce sharp rises in blood sugar following meals, and improves the effectiveness, or sensitivity of insulin. It also enhances your antioxidant defenses.” See entire article at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/08/21/top-ten-spices-that-defend-you-against-aging.aspx?np=true

Thrive Tonic contains cinnamon. Take your sweet, daily spoonful to enjoy the long-term health benefits and have fun discovering other delicious ways to add cinnamon to your diet.


CINNAMON RIB RUB with Optional Maple Syrup Glaze

1 T. Ground Cinnamon
1 T. Smoked Paprika
1 T. Ground Garlic
1 T. Coarse Ground Pepper
1 t. Ground Cumin
1 t. Ground Coriander
¼ cup brown sugar
3 lbs. pork baby back ribs
Optional: ¼ cup maple syrup
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix brown sugar and spices in a bowl. Rub mixture on both sides of ribs. Place ribs in a single layer in a foil lined roasting pan. Cover with foil.
2. Bake one hour or until the meat pulls easily away from the bones.
3. Optional: Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush ribs with maple syrup and grill 3-5 minutes on each side until brown.