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angel food cake recipe from scratch gluten and dairy free

Angel Food cake with Calendula (gluten-dairy-FREE) from scratch (Pumpkin version)

Angel Food cake with Calendula (gluten-dairy-FREE) from scratch (Pumpkin version)

What can be better than herbs baked in a dessert!? A dessert that is actually not bad for you, even if you have health issues!

This is a basic recipe that is easily modified into any flavor! I’ve tried it with cacao powder, freeze-dried raspberries, strawberries and blueberries (see the links below), rosehips, cordyceps, ashwagandha, rosemary, lavender, bee and pine pollen and turmeric. Next herb to try – hibiscus! 

Always use Herbs in your
Cooking and Baking!

Here is calendula pulsed with granulated cane sugar: I took 1/2 cup of dried calendula petals, once they are ground they compress to about a tablespoon or two of ground calendula petals. You will want to add less for rosemary and lavender because both are very potent and would overpower the cake’s flavor. 

Angel Food cake with Calendula (gluten-dairy-FREE) from scratch (Pumpkin version)

scroll down to see the tools and products I used in this recipe. For more clean products see My PANTRY.

Angel Food cake (gluten-dairy-FREE) from scratch (with Pumpkin version) with Calendula
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Resting time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 55 mins
 

Fluffy and delicious, REID safe, GFCF Angel Food cake for any occasion!

Course: Dessert
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups egg whites from about 11 large eggs
  • 1 cup cassava flour
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar (I grind it in my blender to make powdered sugar out of regular, cane, maple or coconut sugar)
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated cane or maple sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup dried calendula petals (about a Tbsp when ground)
for Pumpkin Angel Food cake version
  • 1 Tbsp cassava flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 3/4 cap canned pumpkin or cooked pumpkin puree
Instructions
  1. Separate the egg whites and let them sit at room temperature for about half an hour.

  2. Preheat the oven to 350. In a bowl sift and combine the flour, vanilla (if using dry, ground kind) and powdered sugar together. Set aside.

  3. Grind the granulated sugar and calendula petals slightly, about 5-7 pulses. No need to turn it into powdered sugar, just a little finer than it is normally. Set aside.

  4. Beat the egg whites on high until starting to foam then add the salt and the vanilla (if using liquid vanilla) and continue whipping at high speed.

  5. Add the granulated sugar slowly, about 1 Tbsp at a time to the egg whites while they are whipping. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form.

  6. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients 1/3 at a time with a spatula. (fold in the extra ingredients for Pumpkin version in this step). Do this carefully and slowly, for you don't want to deflate the egg whites. (very important!)

  7. Pour the batter into an ungreased* 10-inch round pan.

  8. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes until lightly golden. Take it out of the oven and IMMEDIATELY invert pan onto a cooling rack or a jar, so it will cool upside down(very important step, otherwise it will deflate)

  9. Cool completely for 3 hours, then run a knife along the edges of the pan and carefully plate the cake. Enjoy!

angel food cake recipe from scratch gluten and dairy free

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel

very powerful and very quiet! I was surprised how quiet it is after using a Black & Decker one, which was so loud! 

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer 5-Quart

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

I process the sugar with calendula in it, few seconds and it’s ready. Easy to store in spare extra cups with lids that come with it. 

Sea Salt French Celtic

Freeze Dry Raspberry

you can use any of this kind of dried fruit and berries to add extra flavor to your cake. It grounds in a very fine powder in my Nutribullet and easily mixed in with the dry ingredients. 

Organic Cassava Flour, 2 Lbs

Coombs Family Farms Organic Pure Maple Sugar

Organic Ground Vanilla Madagascar Bourbon

Simply Organic Pumpkin spice

Always try to avoid “POWDERED” herbs and spices. Look for “GROUND” and always Organic! this one doesn’t say if its ground or powdered, but it looks ground, so i chose it, but you can always mix your own!

yours truly, Milla Ezman

Angel Food cake with Calendula (gluten-dairy-FREE) from scratch (Pumpkin version) Read More »

butternut squash risotto with astragalus and saffron

Butternut squash risotto with astragalus and saffron.

butternut squash risotto with astragalus and saffron

Butternut squash risotto with astragalus and saffron.

My Mom used to make this for breakfast in the fall when our pumpkins where ready to harvest. I tweaked it just a little to make it healthier, gluten and dairy-free. 

As you may know, I use herbs everywhere, so for this one I chose ground astragalus and saffron. Can I just say “YAM!”

about Saffron

First cultivated in the Mediterranean region, saffron is, by weight, the most expensive spice in the world, with 1 pound (450 grams) costing between 500 and 5,000 U.S. dollars

It originated in Greece, where it was revered for its medicinal properties. People would eat saffron to enhance libido, boost mood, and improve memory

It comes from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. Considering the price of this spice, you might be surprised to discover how easy it is to grow.
Once planted, you won’t see anything sprout from the bulbs until late fall.
When the flower comes into bloom in the autumn, the elongated, orangish-red stigmas are plucked from the flower. The flowers are small, and the stigmas are like little orange threads, making harvesting large quantities of this spice quite time-consuming (hence, its hefty price).
Spread the harvested stigmas on a cookie sheet to dry in a warm room until they easily crumble.
Each bulb produces one flower and each flower produces three stigmas.

As a dietary supplement, people can safely take up to 1.5 grams of saffron per day. However, only 30 mg of saffron per day have been shown to be enough to reap its health benefits.

On the other hand, high doses of 5 grams or more can have toxic effects. Pregnant women should avoid high dose.

Butternut squash rice with astragalus and saffron

Healthy, comforting, easy and fast breakfast made with healthy butternut squash, basmati rice, and herbs (astragalus and saffron) your family will love!

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 2 large Organic Butternut squashes or 3 small ones.
  • 2 cups Basmati rice rinsed. You can use brown rice too.
  • 1/4 cup Maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp Astragalus root ground
  • 2 tsp Celtic sea salt
  • a nice pinch of Saffron
  • 4 cups Water
Instructions
  1. peel the butternut squash and cut it into cubes. Lay on the bottom of the Pressure cooker. Or you can roast the squash with the skin on in the oven first, precook the rice, then mix it all together if it's easier.

  2. Rinse the rice and pour over the squash. add the rest of the ingredients.

  3. set your InstaPot for pressure cooking on low for 8 minutes if using wite Basmati rice and 22 minutes if Brown.

  4. Vent when done. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

This recipe is very versatile! you can use any sweet pumpkin or squash in it (except summer squash maybe). You can substitute the rice for quinoa or millet. I haven't tried it with buckwheat, but I don't see why not!

You can substitute astragalus or add to it, herbs like ashwagandha, nettle root, and medicinal mushrooms.

You can substitute your sweetener or omit it. You can serve it hot or cold and top it with anything you like - fresh or dried fruit and berries, nuts and seeds, granola, coconut shavings, and herbs.

It also freezes very well, so it can be a time saver.

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
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Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1

Organic Saffron threads

yours truly, Milla Ezman

Butternut squash risotto with astragalus and saffron. Read More »

Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe

Rosehips & Elderberry Applesauce recipe

Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe

Rosehips & Elderberry applesauce recipe

How can I make a healthy, no sugar added applesauce recipe even better? By adding Herbs & Spices to it!

Always use Herbs in your Cooking and Baking!

I do not peel the apples! Peeling the apples is time consuming and strips your applesauce of valuable fiber, pectin, minerals and vitamins! Don’t worry, it will still be as smooth as silk, you just need to blend it. 

I planted an orchard when we moved to this house, where we plan to spend the rest of our lives. If you have any space to plant a tree on your yard, you should do it! Nothing is better than your own fruits from your own trees!

 

Why organic store bought apples are not good enough?

When an apple is ripened on the tree, it develops the correct chemistry balance of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, micronutrients and microorganisms to be digested properly, as intended by design. 
Commercial produce companies picking when they’re underripe to minimize damage during shipping, then gassing them with ethylene to help them ripen as they’re brought to market (organic fruit gets gassed too). They don’t exactly know how ethylene works in the nature in ripening process. One thing they do know is that once ethylene reaches a certain concentration in a fruit, the cells switch from expelling oxygen (a byproduct of photosynthesis) to expelling carbon dioxide. This switch in “breathing” means that a fruit is quickly approaching peak ripeness.
This is why your home grown, bruised, infested with worms apples are way better for our health than any organic imported ones. 

Rosehips (Rosa spp.) – Rose Hips are the dried fruit of roses that contain very high levels of bioavailable vitamin C, and are full of properties that help to support healthy circulation and a strong immune system. 

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) Famous immune system stimulator, which for people with overactive immune system can be quite dangerous. For this reason we have not been using it much. I dried some elderberry flowers this spring and Infused honey with it, as the blooms are not as powerful but yet are very very beneficial.
As we are improving our immune system’s health each year, we are no longer in danger of it causing us problems, only the benefits.

I also strongly believe that elderberry should be consumed in small doses (like in the Rosehip & Elderberry applesauce recipe) as a preventative measure, before you get sick, not during, when your immune system is activated by a virus or a bacterial infection. 

 

Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe
Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe
Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe
Rosehips and Elderberry applesauce recipe
Overnight Oats with home made maple syrup, pumpkin seeds and the Rosehips & Elderberry applesauce for breakfast.
Rosehips & Elderberry applesauce

Applesauce with herbs and spices gives more health benefits to the all-loved healthy dessert!

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 6 lbs Organic ripe apples, skin on, cored and quartered
  • 3 cups of Water
  • 1 cup Organic dried Rosehips seedless
  • 1/2 cup Organic Elderberries fresh or dried
  • 1 tsp Organic Ground Cloves
  • 1 tsp Organic Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Celtic Sea salt
Instructions
  1. Wash, core and slice apples into chunks, making sure to cut out any bad spots.  You can use an apple wedger.



  2. Put the slices or quartered apples into a large stainless still stockpot. Add half of the water, put the lid on and cook the apples on medium heat until they are soft, about 30-40 minutes.

    for Instapot: Close lid on pressure cooker and seal vent knob. Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Once cook time has elapsed, do a quick release of pressure.

  3. while the apples are cooking, put the rest of the water into a small saucepot, add rosehips, elderberries, clove, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer it for 30-40 min.

  4. Once the apples are soft, blend them in a high speed blender with the rosehips-elderberries mixture in batches. return to the stockpot.

  5. At this point, you can adjust the taste while simmering on low for a few minutes to incorporate the flavors and then can it. For canning, follow any regular canning applesauce recipe online. It's pretty simple.

    If you're not a canner, store some in your fridge and freeze the rest.

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

Instant Pot DUO Plus 8 Qt 9-in-1

Blendtec Classic 575 Blender

Apple Corer Slicer+Orange peeler

Simply Organic Turmeric Root Ground Certified Organic

Always try to avoid “POWDERED” herbs and spices. Look for “GROUND” and always Organic!

McCormick Gourmet Organic Ground Cloves

Celtic Sea Salt Fine Ground

yours truly, Milla Ezman

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »

See my most used tools and gadgets:

if you liked it, please share, comment & sign up for more:

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Rosehips & Elderberry Applesauce recipe Read More »

Cucumber with Herbs hummus recipe

Cucumber & Herbs Hummus recipe

Cucumber & Herbs Hummus recipe

A chickpea or garbanzo bean both refer to a plant in the legume category with the scientific name Cicer arietinum.
Because chickpeas have been eaten in the Middle East for almost 10,000 years, they’ve shared different names across many cultures. Garbanzo happens to be the Spanish term while chickpea is the common English term.

Smooth or Gritty?

The secret to really smooth hummus is to peel off the skin of the garbanzo beans. But I always used my nutribullet to make it and the hummus can be as smooth as you want it to be using it. 

Cucumber with Herbs hummus recipe

Cucumber & Herbs HUMMUS Recipe:

Cucumber and Herbs HUMMUS

Fresh, nutritious and delicious dip for your veggies!

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked Chickpeas
  • 1/2 large English Cucumber
  • 1/2 Avocado
  • 1/4 cup fresh Chives chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh Dill Weed chopped
  • 1/4 peeled Lemon (seeds removed)
  • 1 slice of Lemon with the peel on
  • 1 Tbsp dried Nettle leaf
  • 1-3 cloves of Garlic
  • 1 tsp Herbal Gomasio (optional)
  • 1/2-1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  • 2-3 strings of fresh Thyme (optional)
  • fresh Rosemary to taste (optional)
Instructions
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender and process until smooth. Add more lime juice and salt, if desired. May make ahead and refrigerate overnight before serving.

  2. Enjoy with veggies!

Recipe Notes

Herbal Gomasio is optional, so if you don't have it, you can add any other herbs and spices to your taste.

Glyphosate in Organic Chickpea

There has been questions about chickpea, if it’s possible to get clean ones if one buys organic.

There are opinions, speculations and observations from a handful of samples that were tested by CFIA to allow a partial glimpse on the topic.

The test results are not very promising for North American residents. They tested organic and conventional chickpeas from US and Europe. Apparently the conventional chickpeas from Europe contains 10 times less glyphosate than the organically grown from the US! 

So if you live in the states and are lucky to buy chickpeas from Europe, whether they are organic or not, they’ll be clean, But if you purchasing organically grown in USA, there is always a chance you will be exposed to glyphosate.

For that reason and because our diet is generally very low on legumes I do not make this Cucumber and Herbs Hummus often.

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

not sure what I would do without this blender! bought this 4 years ago and its been used at least once a day, but most days multiple times. It’s SO easy to clean and use! If it breaks, I will buy another just like this one! Hope they won’t discontinue! 

yours truly, Milla Ezman

See my most used tools and gadgets:

what's in
My PANTRY

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Cucumber & Herbs Hummus recipe Read More »

Herbal BREAD recipe GFCFSF

Herbal BREAD recipe. Paleo GFCFSF

Herbal BREAD recipe GFCFSF

Herbal BREAD recipe GFCFSF

Always use Herbs in your Cooking and Baking!

I use herbs everywhere, it has become a habit. I add many different ones that fall under nourishing and tonifying category, straight to our foods.
Nourishing plants always build health. Their effects are slower, weaker, but by definition, they can’t kill nor harm. Nourishing herbs are powerhouses of protein, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals that counter diseases, support vitality and prolong life.
When you add herbs into your blender for smoothies or while making pancake batter, it’s fine to add them in their dried whole form. But when you add herbs to soups, salads, stir fry, casseroles, omelets, apple sauce, stews, etc, it’s much more palatable to grind them first. So, to save time, I grind and mix herbs into blends and store them in glass containers. 

The red mix on the picture below contains: rosehips, cedar berries (Juniperus monosperma), nettle, hawthorn and milk thistle.
The green mix: alfalfa, nettle, horsetail, narrow leaf plantain.

This is just what I have at the moment, but please, feel free to experiment!

Bread toppings ideas:

  • seeds – pumpkin, hemp, sesame, black seeds, poppy seeds, amaranth, yellow dock, chia etc.
  • herbal blends: Herbal GomasioHerbal Za’atar, Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, etc.
  • crashed nuts
  • dried fruit, berries

In this recipe, you can use any gluten-free flour or their combination. I’ve tried it with millet, cassava, oat, buckwheat, quinoa, tiger nut, amaranth, and no matter what proportions of each I used, it always comes out great!

Herbal BREAD recipe. Paleo, GFCFSF

In this recipe, you can use any gluten-free flour or their combination. I've tried it with millet, cassava, oat, buckwheat, quinoa, tiger nut, amaranth, and no matter what proportions of each I used, it always comes out great! 

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 2 cups almond flour (or any other gluten-free flour or their combination)
  • 1+1/4 cups of flaxseed meal
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon juice or ACV
  • 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
  • 5 farm fresh eggs
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp ground herbs
  • 1 Tbsp caraway seeds grind 3/4-th of them
Instructions
  1. preheat oven to 350.
  2. add all the ingredients in large stainless steel bowl and mix.
  3. pour the mixture into a lined with parchment paper bread pan and bake for 40 min. Turn off the oven and let cool for 1-2 hours before removing from the oven.
Recipe Notes

to make 2 regular size loaves, double the recipe.
tip: To make the bread airier - separate egg whites, mix all the rest of the ingredients and set the mixture aside. Beat the egg whites till soft peaks are formed and then fold it gently into your mixture.
herbal options: any culinary herbs, rosehips, cedar berries (juniperus monosperma), nettle, hawthorn, milk thistle, alfalfa, nettle, horsetail, narrow or /and broadleaf plantain, dandelion (all parts), ginkgo, linden, chickweed, oat straw, chamomile, calendula, licorice, raspberry leaf, wild violets...
topping ideas: seeds(pumpkin, sesame, caraway, black seeds, hemp, poppy), herbal Gomasio, Herbal Za'atar, Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, etc.

I linked products we use most in
My Pantry:

My Pantry Siberian Cedar Land

other suggestions and benefits of few herbs I use in a similar basis:

Rosehips (Rosa spp.)- Rose Hips are the dried fruit of roses that contain very high levels of bioavailable vitamin C, and are full of properties that help to support healthy circulation and a strong immune system. It is most beneficial and pleasant when taken in tea form.

Alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa) – “Father of All Herbs” it’s called and rightfully so! The Alfalfa plant raises minerals deep in the earth that aren’t accessible for most other plants since it sends its roots 20-30 ft down! Alfalfa is extraordinarily rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that play big roles in the health, development, and strength of our bones. Alfalfa contains digestive enzymes and eight essential amino acids of protein and high chlorophyll content. Extremely rich source of Beta-Carotene, Minerals, Trace elements, and Vitamins A, B-1, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, K, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, and Pantothenic Acid. Minerals are Calcium, copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
Main benefits: Cleansing the blood. Alkalies the body and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Helps remove heavy metals out of the body, helping alleviate allergies, aids in blood clotting and promotes healthy digestion. Can ease morning sickness, stimulate a healthy appetite. Is helpful in reversing tooth decay and remineralizing teeth, a great source of Vitamin K so it helps improve Baby’s Vitamin K levels at birth if mom drinks during pregnancy. Helps lower blood cholesterol (by impeding intestinal absorption) without affecting heart-healthy HDL cholesterol. Supports the pituitary gland, Supportive during nursing. contains an antifungal agent. Anti-inflammatory.

Stinging Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – an herb with an extraordinary amount of benefits! It is a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, beta-carotene, along with vitamins A, C, D, and B complex, all in a form that is easy for the body to use. Stinging nettle contains natural antihistamines and anti-inflammatories Its medicinal uses are: allergies, Asthma, Bedwetting/incontinence, Female Hormones, Fibromyalgia, Kidney, Libido, Nutrition.

Stinging Nettle Root (Urtica dioica) nettle root is used to treat a range of conditions but is most commonly associated with relieving the symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland. Nettle root is sometimes used to treat urinary tract infections and also to treat pain in the muscles and joints. Nettle root is very rich on vitamins and minerals and as the leaf contains antihistamine.

Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus) “It is in great repute as a tonic, pectoral, and diuretic medicine, the disease for which it is prescribed, therefore, are almost numberless.” – G. A. Stuart, Chinese Materia Medica, 1911. Herbal Actions: Adaptogen, antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic, immunomodulating, antioxidant, a vasodilator. Constituents: Saponins, polysaccharides, triterpenoids, isoflavones, glycosides. Taste: Sweet, warm, woody.
Medicinal Use: Tonifying and stimulating, astragalus is often affectionately called the “young person’s ginseng.” In his book Healing Lyme, S.Buhner makes the powerful suggestion of using astragalus regularly to prevent Lyme disease. But he warns against use by anyone suffering from late-stage Lyme disease, as it could provoke an autoimmune response to an undesirable level. Astragalus can be beneficial to us in regulating the metabolism of dietary sugars, and thus can be helpful to those with diabetes. Recent Chinese studies have shown that astragalus may also benefit cholesterol levels, improve cardiovascular function, and lessen symptoms of severe heart disease.

Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) contains a huge array of beneficial nutrients. It offers beta-carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. They have more potassium than bananas, more vitamin A than carrots. A rich source of antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, liver, kidneys and digestive health.

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) Dandelion root contains bitter principles that have a tonic effect on the liver and digestive system. It is a gentle laxative and a natural diuretic that is rich in natural potassium and many other vitamins and minerals. Properties: Bitter, Cholagogue, Depurative, Diuretic, Stomachic, Tonic. Medicinal Uses: Acne, Alcoholism, Bladder Infection (UTI), Bronchitis, Bruises/sprains, Cholesterol, Colds, Culinary/Kitchen, Detoxification, Diabetes, Digestion, Hypertension, Liver, Longevity, Osteoporosis, Pregnancy/Childbirth, Spring Tonics.

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Hawthorn is an indisputable cardioprotective. The particular combination of flavonoids in Hawthorn seems to be especially protective of the heart. And what’s good for the heart – is good for the brain! Herbal Actions: Cardiotonic, cardioprotective, antioxidant, collagen stabilizing, mildly astringent, hypotensive, antiarrhythmic, diuretic, hypotensive, anti-ischemic, positively-inotropic, antioxidant.

According to the edited Modern Herbal, by Maude Grieve, it was used as an astringent for sore throats, and the diuretic quality was employed in kidney disease. The diuretic quality also helps reduce blood pressure, and additionally, kidney and heart health is very connected via the control of fluid and electrolytes.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) – The primary use of the horsetail is as a diuretic. Gently stimulating increased urinary flow, horsetail helps “flush” infectious bacteria out of the bladder without altering the body’s balance of electrolytes. Horsetail contains high amounts of silica and is one of the highest plant sources known for this bone-strengthening mineral.

Yellow Dock (Rumex Crispus). This plant’s root is what is mainly used for its gastrointestinal benefits as well as the young leaves are edible, delicious and packed with nutrients! Among its nutritional components, John Kallas explains, “Curly dock leaves are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and zinc” and the seeds are “rich in calcium and fiber while low in protein and fat.” Back in the days, people used to forage and make flour out of the seeds, and it’s not that weird, because Yellow Dock is a distant relative to Buckwheat. Think about it as wild buckwheat. Seeds are very rich on Iron, magnesium, calcium.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Protects the liver from incoming toxins through its remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has a particular affinity for the liver and is therefore used in most detoxification programs. Like milk thistle, it may soften stools. Turmeric has been shown to increase the production of bile by over 100 percent, making it a powerful aid to toxin excretion.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) was found extremely effective for many pancreatic disorders – it supports all glandular functions and is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to research, licorice is “fortified with anti-inflammatory compounds that work to reduce the pain and swelling associated with pancreatic conditions like pancreatitis.”

This herb was used from before the time of Hippocrates, prescribed by early physicians in cases of dropsy and diabetes, to prevent thirst. This herb is another glandular food and cleanser, being an emollient, demulcent, pectoral and laxative. Licorice root has 6-8 percent glycyrrhizin; a sweet white crystalline powder, consisting of the calcium and potassium salts of glycyrrhizic acid, sugar, starch, gum, protein, fat, resin, asparagine, etc. All of the glands can be cleansed and nourished with this herb. Do not use for more than 7-10 days in a row or use in very low doses.

Lemongrass (Cymopogon citratus) Lemongrass is a well known medicinal herb in the East, as well as being widely used in Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Caribbean cooking. In Ayurvedic medicine, a preparation of Lemongrass with pepper has been used for relief of menstrual troubles and nausea. Lemongrass is a mild diuretic and a digestive stimulant that promotes digestion of fats. Properties: Analgesic, Antibacterial, Aromatic, Astringent, Balance, Calm, Depurative, Digestive, Insect repellents, Mood, Nervine.

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

not sure what I would do without this blender! bought this 4 years ago and its been used at least once a day, but most days multiple times. It’s SO easy to clean and use! If it breaks, I will buy another just like this one! Hope they won’t discontinue! 

yours truly, Milla Ezman

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »

See my most used tools and gadgets:

if you liked it, please share, comment & sign up for more:

Herbal BREAD recipe. Paleo GFCFSF Read More »

Magnesium Chocolate chip cookies with baked in herbs

Magnesium Chocolate Chip Cookies

Magnesium Chocolate chip cookies with baked in herbs

Magnesium Chocolate Chip Cookies with baked in Herbs

What can be better than Herbs baked in a Dessert!? A dessert that is actually not bad for you, even if you have health issues! 

I use herbs everywhere, it has become almost a habit. Especially with something that can be potentially harmful, like the sugars in the form of Maple Syrup in a combination of fats. These cookies turned out Amazing! I doubled the recipe so we had extra to give – to leave for Santa with my Homemade EggNog this Christmas! 

Always use Herbs in your Cooking and Baking!

PASCHA Organic Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (link where to buy is below the recipe) may not be an Herb, but it is a very clean product in my opinion, plus they are not sweetened so the bitterness aids in promoting your digestions, and Cacao has a long list of benefits for your brain and body! 

Magnesium Chocolate Chip Cookies with baked in Herbs

Magnesium Chocolate Chip Cookies with baked in Herbs Recipe:

Magnesium Chocolate Chip Cookies with baked in Herbs

Made with pumpkin seeds and herbs. Gluten-Dairy-Corn-Soy-Free. 

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cup Organic Ground Pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup Organic Ground Watermelon seeds
  • 2 Tbsp Organic Coconut flour
  • 2 Tbsp Organic Ground Turmeric
  • 3 Tbsp Ground Herbs see recipe notes below
  • ½ cup Organic GF Old Fashioned Oats optional, in case the dough is too runny.
  • ½ tsp Celtic sea salt
  • ¼ to ½ tsp Organic Ground cayenne pepper or as much as you can handle!
  • cup Organic Maple or Cane sugar (or your sweetener of choice)
  • 1/3 cup Organic Coconut oil or Grass Fed Ghee cold or room temperature
  • 1 tsp Organic Ground vanilla or safe vanilla essence
  • 1 Farm fresh egg
  • 1 ½ tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Organic Lemon Juice
  • ½ cup PASCHA Organic Dark Chocolate Baking Chips
  • ¼ cup Chopped Organic Pecans Or Wild Black Walnuts optional, but great for texture!
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In a large mixing bowl mix all the ingredients except the last four until well combined. Make sure the consistency of your dough is right, not too runny or thick, adjust with more dry or wet ingredients.

  3. In a large spoon mix the lemon juice with baking soda to make the reaction and quickly add to the mix until incorporated.

  4. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.

  5. Place tbsp size spoonfuls across cookie sheet 1 ½ inch apart.
  6. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are browned on the bottoms.
  7. Remove and cool for at least 25 minutes or longer, or until cookies firm up and set.
Recipe Notes
  1. In a high-speed blender grind watermelon seeds (if using) first. Then add pumpkin seeds and grind into fine mill but stop before it starts turning into butter. Best to freeze them before grinding, that helps the oils in the nuts not to run.
  2. If not using watermelon seeds, make it 1¼ cup of pumpkin seeds.
  3. For "Ground Herbs" Use any combination of Rosehips, Alfalfa, Nettle, Dandelion, Cedar berries (Juniper Monosperma), Hawthorn Berries, Milk Thistle, Ginkgo, Lemongrass, Linden, Horsetail and other herbs that don't taste too strong.
  4. You can make it egg free, by simply opting it out. 
  5. If you are using honey or maple syrup, you will need to compinsate for the extra liquid and add a bit of extra flour. 

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

not sure what I would do without this blender! bought this 4 years ago and its been used at least once a day, but most days multiple times. It’s SO easy to clean and use! If it breaks, I will buy another just like this one! Hope they won’t discontinue! 

It is a very clean product IMO. I like that they have no additives and are bitter. The bits of bitterness promotes healthy digestion. 

I buy them a bit cheaper in my local Health Foods discount store, but that is the one we usually get. 

Always try to avoid “POWDERED” herbs and spices. Look for “GROUND” and always Organic!

yours truly, Milla Ezman

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »

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Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix

How to make an Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix & why you shouldn’t take Synthetic Supplements.

Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix

Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix Recipe

Real, whole foods are more bioavailable than any lab-created supplements, which the body has a hard time metabolizing. So if you wanna get the most out of your efforts herbs are a better way to go. Because they are recognized by the body as whole foods and are more likely to be absorbed and utilized  than a synthetic or partial substance would be.

When you think about the most basic way we sustain ourselves, what comes to mind? Right! Through nourishing foods… whole foods. Those foods include all the things God gave us to eat, fruit, veggies, seeds, nuts etc. and that also includes herbs. Herbs are plants, and all plants have vitamins and minerals. They’re meant to be consumed as food, not only for their medicinal properties. Herbs are extraordinary, Intelligent and versatile, they working with the body’s own healing systems restoring, repairing, rejuvenating and keeping it in a good condition.

Why I think, you should NOT
take synthetic Supplements:

Here’s the difference between natural and synthetic nutrients:

Natural nutrients: Obtained from whole foods in the diet.
Synthetic nutrients: Artificially manufactured isolated nutrients.

Most of the supplements available on the market today are made artificially and come in a pill, capsule, tablet, powder or liquid form. They are made to mimic the way natural nutrients act in our bodies. 
However, the production process of synthetic nutrients is completely different from the way plants create them. 

When you eat real Whole food, you’re not just consuming single nutrients, but  a whole range of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients, antioxidants, cofactors, fibers and enzymes that work in synergy for optimal absorption by the body.

Without these additional compounds, synthetic nutrients are unlikely to be metabolized in the same way as their natural counterparts.

Improper absorption of synthetic vs natural, whole foods nutrients is just one problem. One of many that you must think about especially if you considering using supplements for your kids. Harmful additives, undisclosed ingredients, fraud, you name it.
Serious Dangers of Synthetic & Unnatural Vitamins” by Dr. Philip Maffetone.

You can follow this recipe or you can mix and match your own.
If you don’t have all the herbs from the list, no worries, just use those that you have or substitute with any other ones you like. Choose the herbs that don’t need rotation or specific dosing.

Other herbs to consider adding: Plantain, Chickweed, Kale, Grape Leaves, Pumpkin seeds, Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley, Cat’s Claw, Burdock, Lavender, Marshmallow, Slippery Elm, Fennel, Dill, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Savory, Clove, Basil, Spruce Tips, Tarragon…

You can also make specific blends using only herbs that are beneficial for indigestion, constipation, insomnia, hypertension, anxiety, liver mix, etc.

I made this blend for my kids so that I have a quick and easy remedy that can support balance and health of the brain, the liver, the heart, kidneys, digestion and the immune system in one shot!

You can use in many ways. Mix it in water or juice, add it to smoothies or hide in applesauce. Naturally, it does alter the flavor of whatever you add it too so if you really don’t care for the flavor, you could always lower the dose until you get used to the taste or add tiny amounts to few different things. For example, I would add a little bit in the smoothie, then dust some on a salad, soup, stew. Add it into your baking (bread, pancakes…) So, throughout the day it adds up to the correct dose and your body constantly receiving trace amounts of it.

Another idea if you have to convince your kids to eat it is to make an Herbal Candy (for my recipe click HERE).

I recommend taking 1-3 teaspoons of the Herbal Multivitamin Ground Blend in 8 oz of water or other beverages daily. Use with caution during pregnancy or nursing.

Recommended dose:
kids 2-6yo – 0.5 to 1 tsp a day;
kids 6-12yo – 1.5 tsp a day;
adult dose – 2-3 tsp a day.

Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix Recipe:

5 from 1 vote
organic herbal multivitamin drink mix
Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix

This Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix Recipe a is a nutritional blend of many traditional beneficial herbs. Properly grown organic herbs are a great source of bioavailable, whole-food vitamins, minerals, enzymes and micronutrients that are easily recognized and metabolized by the body. Use it to replenish nutrient deficiencies, remineralize teeth, support the immune system and internal organs as a daily drink for the Macrobiotic diet.

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 5 oz Rosehips
  • 3 oz Alfalfa
  • 3 oz Hawthorn Berries
  • 3 oz Dandelion Leaf
  • 3 oz Dandelion Root
  • 3 oz Nettle Leaf
  • 2 oz Bancha Leaf Tea
  • 2 oz Astragalus Root
  • 2 oz Lemongrass
  • 2 oz Horsetail
  • 1 oz Milk Thistle Seeds
  • 1 oz Ground Turmeric
  • 1/2 oz  Yellow Dock Seeds
  • 1/2 oz Nettle seeds
  • 1/2 oz Nettle root
Instructions
  1. First, you need to measure out all the ingredients and then put them through a grinder in small batches. I use my Nutribullet grinder attachment to grind dry herbs, including hard roots, barks, and seeds.

  2. Sift it through a stainless steel strainer. The large particles that didn't go through the mesh strainer should be ground again until all the herbs are ground and sifted. 

  3. Whisk it all together until well mixed and store in a glass airtight container in your cupboard. 
  4. Refrigeration isn't necessary, it will keep if stored in dark, cool oxygen-free space up to a year.

Recipe Notes

I recommend taking 1-2 teaspoons of the Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix in 8 oz of water or other beverages daily.

Or you can add to your smoothie, sprinkle it on salads and other dishes as a spice, make an Herbal Candy (for my recipe click HERE). Use with caution during pregnancy or nursing.

Recommended dose:
kids 2-6yo – 0.5 to 1 tsp a day;
kids 6-12yo – 1.5 tsp a day;
adult dose – 2-3 tsp a day.

5 from 1 vote
toxin free diet
Milla’s Morning Smoothie
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 2 bananas
  • 1 small carrot
  • 1/2 of a small cucumber
  • 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit and berries any combination of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, seaberries, currants, etc.
  • 1 cup of leafy greens spinach, kale, arugula, lettuce, sprouts, microgreens, bok choy, collard greens, etc.
  • 1/2 cup of cauliflower broccoli and/or cabbage (optional)
  • 1/4 of a lemon with peel
  • 1-2 Tablespoons of the Organic Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger
  • a pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1 quart of water add more or less water for desired consistency
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve fresh or fill up popsicle molds and pop them into the freezer to have a “smoothie pop” later.

  2. If there is any smoothie left in the blender I pour the leftovers in an ice-cube tray and then “re-use” it in the next smoothie.  

How to make an Herbal Candy

Are you looking for extra nutrients to add to your diet but can’t find a multivitamin without harmful additives, that would also be affordable and taste good? Have you thought about making an Herbal candy as a way to bring in more whole food nutrition to your diet?

Read more »

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

not sure what I would do without this blender! bought this 4 years ago and its been used at least once a day, but most days multiple times. It’s SO easy to clean and use! If it breaks, I will buy another just like this one! Hope they won’t discontinue! 

About the ingredients:

Rosehips (Rosa spp.)- Rose Hips are the dried fruit of roses that contain very high levels of bioavailable vitamin C, and are full of properties that help to support healthy circulation and a strong immune system. It is most beneficial and pleasant when taken in tea form.

Alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa) – “Father of All Herbs” its called and rightfully so! The Alfalfa plant raises minerals deep in the earth that aren’t accessible for most other plants since it sends its roots 20-30 ft down! Alfalfa is extraordinarily rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that play big roles in the health, development, and strength of our bones. Alfalfa contains digestive enzymes and eight essential amino acids of the protein and a high chlorophyll content. Extremely rich source of Beta-Carotene, Minerals, Trace elements, and Vitamins A, B-1, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, K, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, and Pantothenic Acid. Minerals are Calcium, copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.
Main benefits: Cleansing the blood. Alkalies the body and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Helps remove heavy metals out of the body, helping alleviate allergies, aids in blood clotting and promotes healthy digestion. Can ease morning sickness, stimulate a healthy appetite. Is helpful in reversing tooth decay and remineralizing teeth, a great source of Vitamin K so it helps improve Baby’s Vitamin K levels at birth if mom drinks during pregnancy. Help lower blood cholesterol (by impeding intestinal absorption) without affecting heart-healthy HDL cholesterol. Supports the pituitary gland, Supportive during nursing. contains an antifungal agent. Anti-inflammatory.

Stinging Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – an herb with an extraordinary amount of benefits! It is a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, beta-carotene, along with vitamins A, C, D, and B complex, all in a form that is easy for the body to use. Stinging nettle contains natural antihistamines and anti-inflammatories Its medicinal uses are: allergies, Asthma, Bedwetting/incontinence, Female Hormones, Fibromyalgia, Kidney, Libido, Nutrition.

Stinging Nettle Root (Urtica dioica) Stimulates bile production. Canadian researchers discovered that dandelion root extract can induce apoptosis and autophagy to combat cancer cells without any significant effect on noncancerous cells. Teas made from dandelion have also been known to flush out the intestines and aid the recovery and healing of damaged pancreatic tissues. Root is an alternative or blood purifier and a mild diuretic. It contains inulin, which feeds friendly gut flora.

Astragalus root (Astragalus membranaceus) “It is in great repute as a tonic, pectoral, and diuretic medicine, the disease for which it is prescribed, therefore, are almost numberless.” – G. A. Stuart, Chinese Materia Medica, 1911. Herbal Actions: Adaptogen, antibacterial, antiviral, diuretic, immunomodulating, antioxidant, a vasodilator. Constituents: Saponins, polysaccharides, triterpenoids, isoflavones, glycosides. Taste: Sweet, warm, woody.
Medicinal Use: Tonifying and stimulating, astragalus is often affectionately called the “young person’s ginseng.” In his book Healing Lyme, S.Buhner makes the powerful suggestion of using astragalus regularly to prevent Lyme disease. But he warns against use by anyone suffering from late-stage Lyme disease, as it could provoke an autoimmune response to an undesirable level. Astragalus can be beneficial to us in regulating the metabolism of dietary sugars, and thus can be helpful to those with diabetes. Recent Chinese studies have shown that astragalus may also benefit cholesterol levels, improve cardiovascular function, and lessen symptoms of severe heart disease.

Dandelion leaf (Taraxacum officinale) contains a huge array of beneficial nutrients. It offers beta-carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. They have more potassium than bananas, more vitamin A than carrots. A rich source of antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, liver, kidneys and digestive health.

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) Dandelion root contains bitter principles that have a tonic effect on the liver and digestive system. It is gentle laxative and a natural diuretic that is rich in natural potassium and many other vitamins and minerals. Properties: Bitter, Cholagogue, Depurative, Diuretic, Stomachic, Tonic. Medicinal Uses: Acne, Alcoholism, Bladder Infection (UTI), Bronchitis, Bruises/sprains, Cholesterol, Colds, Culinary/Kitchen, Detoxification, Diabetes, Digestion, Hypertension, Liver, Longevity, Osteoporosis, Pregnancy/Childbirth, Spring Tonics.

Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) Hawthorn is an indisputable cardioprotective. The particular combination of flavonoids in Hawthorn seems to be especially protective of the heart. And what’s good for the heart – is good for the brain! Herbal Actions: Cardiotonic, cardioprotective, antioxidant, collagen stabilizing, mildly astringent, hypotensive, antiarrhythmic, diuretic, hypotensive, anti-ischemic, positively-inotropic, antioxidant.

According to the edited Modern Herbal, by Maude Grieve, it was used as an astringent for sore throats, and the diuretic quality was employed in kidney disease. The diuretic quality also helps reduce blood pressure, and additionally, kidney and heart health is very connected via the control of fluid and electrolytes.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) – The primary use of the horsetail is as a diuretic. Gently stimulating increased urinary flow, horsetail helps “flush” infectious bacteria out of the bladder without altering the body’s balance of electrolytes. Horsetail contains high amounts of silica and is one of the highest plant sources known for this bone-strengthening mineral.

Yellow Dock (Rumex Crispus) – Buy it HERE.  This plant’s root is what mainly used for its gastrointestinal benefits as well as the young leaves are edible, delicious and packed with nutrients! Among its nutritional components, John Kallas explains, “Curly dock leaves are high in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and zinc” and the seeds are “rich in calcium and fiber while low in protein and fat.” Back in the days, people used to forage and make flour out of the seeds, and it’s not that weird, because Yellow Dock is a distant relative to Buckwheat. Think about it as a wild buckwheat. Seeds are very rich on Iron, magnesium, calcium.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Protects the liver from incoming toxins through its remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has a particular affinity for the liver and is therefore used in most detoxification programs. Like milk thistle, it may soften stools. Turmeric has been shown to increase the production of bile by over 100 percent, making it a powerful aid to toxin excretion.

Bancha Leaf Tea is Japan’s second most common Green Tea and is characterized by a high content of minerals and trace elements (especially iron). Bancha tea is green tea, but it is plucked later than Sencha, normally around the fall. The leaves of Bancha tea are coarser and larger and include small twigs. It is often served after a meal and before bedtime as it contains a very low level of caffeine. It is also recommended as a daily drink for the Macrobiotic diet.
Bancha Leaf Tea is very high on antioxidants which help to reduce cell damage caused by free radicals. Bancha tea has properties that may help control common oral infections, including periodontal disease and cavities. The compounds called polyphenolic catechins, particularly the one called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) appears to be responsible for this antimicrobial action as well as the anti-tumor. Bancha tea is rich in minerals, such as Vitamins A, B complex and C, selenium, copper, calcium, zinc etc. Main properties: Prevents Cancer, Lower blood sugar, Lower blood pressure, Lower cholesterol, Antioxidants, Helps fights bacterial infections, Prevent tooth decay, Detoxify kidneys and liver.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – buy it HERE.  Yarrow is one of the very best herbs to have on hand to treat winter colds and flu. A hot cup of yarrow tea makes you sweat and helps the body expel toxins while reducing fever, it supports liver and lungs. The chemical makeup of yarrow is complex, and it contains many active medicinal compounds which are anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, astringent, bitter, digestive, hypotensive, nervine…

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) – buy it HERE. The goldenrod possesses diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and astringent properties and is considered to be the most effective herbal treatment for urinary tract disorders of all kinds including kidney and bladder stones. Also for congestion, colds, and flu, sore throat, diarrhea, arthritis, tuberculosis, diabetes, eczema…

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) was found extremely effective for many pancreatic disorders – it supports all glandular functions and is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According to research, licorice is “fortified with anti-inflammatory compounds that work to reduce the pain and swelling associated with pancreatic conditions like pancreatitis.”

This herb was used from before the time of Hippocrates, prescribed by early physicians in cases of dropsy and diabetes, to prevent thirst. This herb is another glandular food and cleanser, being an emollient, demulcent, pectoral and laxative. Licorice root has 6-8 percent glycyrrhizin; a sweet white crystalline powder, consisting of the calcium and potassium salts of glycyrrhizic acid, sugar, starch, gum, protein, fat, resin, asparagine, and etc. All of the glands can be cleansed and nourished with this herb. Do not use for more than 7-10 days in a row or use in very low doses.

Lemongrass (Cymopogon citratus) Lemongrass is a well known medicinal herb in the East, as well as being widely used in Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Caribbean cooking. In Ayurvedic medicine, a preparation of Lemongrass with pepper has been used for relief of menstrual troubles and nausea. Lemongrass is a mild diuretic and a digestive stimulant that promotes digestion of fats. Properties: Analgesic, Antibacterial, Aromatic, Astringent, Balance, Calm, Depurative, Digestive, Insect repellents, Mood, Nervine.

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 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/synthetic-vs-natural-nutrients#section2

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Korean Carrot Salad

Korean carrot salad is more Russian than Korean, was invented by Korean Immigrants in Eastern Russia when they couldn’t find the Napa cabbage for their Kim-chi, so they substitute for carrots. The salad was sold by the immigrants on farmers markets and became loved and famous!

Read more »
how to make an herbal multivitamin drink mix

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** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs that are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **

How to make an Herbal Multivitamin Drink Mix & why you shouldn’t take Synthetic Supplements. Read More »

how to make an herbal candy

How to make an Herbal Candy

how to make an herbal candy

Edited by Jisselle Regis

How to make an Herbal Candy

 

Are you looking for extra nutrients to add to your diet but can’t find a multivitamin without harmful additives, that would also be affordable and taste good? Have you thought about making an Herbal candy, as a way to bring in more whole food nutrition to your diet? 

Real, whole foods are more bioavailable than any lab-created supplements, which the body has a hard time recognizing and metabolizing. So, if you wanna get the most out of your efforts, herbs are a better way to go. In my opinion. They are recognized by the body as whole foods and are more likely to be absorbed and utilized by the body than a synthetic or partial substance would be.

When you think about the most basic way we sustain ourselves, what comes to mind? Right! Through nourishing foods… whole foods. Those foods include all the things God gave us to eat, fruit, veggies, seeds, nuts etc. and that includes herbs. Herbs are plants, and all plants have vitamins and minerals. They’re meant to be consumed as food, not only for their medicinal properties. There are many ways you can use herbs for nourishment such as drinking them in teas, adding them to your meals as spices, incorporating into your baking and adding them to smoothies or other sweet treats.

Here is how to make an herbal candy as one of many ways to use herbs as foods, vitamins, and medicine:

how to make an herbal candy
how to make an herbal candy
how to make an herbal candy

How to make an Herbal Candy:

Herbal Candy
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
INGRÉDIENTS (ground and sifted herbs measured by weight):
  • 1 part Alfalfa leaf
  • 1 part Dandelion root
  • 1 part Rosehips
  • 1 part Nettle leaf
  • 1/2 part Bergamot (Bee Balm) optional
  • 2 parts Raw Organic Honey
Equal parts of Ground Cinnamon and Cacao powder - to roll balls in.
Instructions
  1. Slightly warm up the honey so it'll become liquid. Mix all your ingredients together in a bowl except the cinnamon and cacao powder. Mix thoroughly. Add more honey if the mixture is too dry. 

  2. Take 1/2 to 1 tsp. of your mix, roll it into a ball, then roll it in some cinnamon powder to keep it from sticking to the other balls. 

  3. Keep a separate ball with a bit of water in it while you forming the balls. It is easier to do with wet fingers.

  4. Once all of your balls are made, put them in a container and store them in the refrigerator. 
  5. They should keep up to 6 months in the fridge. Kids can eat 1-2 balls per day while adults eat 3-4. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

You can substitute the herbs you don't have for ones you do have. Or add more herbs to this recipe. I made the balls with my Organic Herbal Multivitamin ground mix. 

Can't really go wrong with herbs! 🙂

About the ingredients:

Alfalfa leaf (Medicago sativa) – “Father of All Herbs” its called and rightfully so! The Alfalfa plant raises minerals deep in the earth that aren’t accessible for most other plants since it sends its roots 20-30 ft down! Alfalfa is extraordinarily rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that play big roles in the health, development, and strength of our bones. Alfalfa contains digestive enzymes and eight essential amino acids of the protein and a high chlorophyll content. Extremely rich source of Beta-Carotene, Minerals, Trace elements, and Vitamins A, B-1, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, K, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, and Pantothenic Acid. Minerals are Calcium, copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. Main benefits: Cleansing the blood. Alkalies the body and detoxifies the body, especially the liver. Helps remove heavy metals out of the body, helping alleviate allergies, aids in blood clotting and promotes healthy digestion. Can ease morning sickness, stimulate a healthy appetite. Is helpful in reversing tooth decay and remineralizing teeth, a great source of Vitamin K so it helps improve Baby’s Vitamin K levels at birth if mom drinks during pregnancy. Help lower blood cholesterol (by impeding intestinal absorption) without affecting heart-healthy HDL cholesterol. Supports the pituitary gland, Supportive during nursing. contains an antifungal agent. Anti-inflammatory.

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale) Dandelion root contains bitter principles that have a tonic effect on the liver and digestive system. It is a gentle laxative and a natural diuretic that is rich in natural potassium and many other vitamins and minerals. Properties: Bitter, Cholagogue, Depurative, Diuretic, Stomachic, Tonic. Medicinal Uses: Acne, Alcoholism, Bladder Infection (UTI), Bronchitis, Bruises/sprains, Cholesterol, Colds, Culinary/Kitchen, Detoxification, Diabetes, Digestion, Hypertension, Liver, Longevity, Osteoporosis, Pregnancy/Childbirth, Spring Tonics.

Rosehips (Rosa spp.)- Rose Hips are the dried fruit of roses that contain very high levels of bioavailable vitamin C, and are full of properties that help to support healthy circulation and a strong immune system. It is most beneficial and pleasant when taken in tea form.

Stinging Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica) – an herb with an extraordinary amount of benefits! It is a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, beta-carotene, along with vitamins A,C, D, and B complex, all in a form that is easy for the body to use. Stinging nettle contains natural antihistamines and anti-inflammatories. Its medicinal uses are: allergies, Asthma, Bedwetting/incontinence, Female Hormones, Fibromyalgia, Kidney, Libido, Nutrition.
Crimson  Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) – Colonists brewed a black tea from it and called it Oswego. They used it to relieve colics(digestive aid), fevers, and colds(upper respiratory infections). This Beebalm has excellent antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-anxiety qualities! Wonderful uplifting aroma of this herb will make a great addition to any herbal tea blend!

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender with miller attachment to grind herbs, even roots!

not sure what I would do without this blender! bought this 4 years ago and its been used at least once a day, but most days multiple times. It’s SO easy to clean and use! If it breaks, I will buy another just like this one! Hope they won’t discontinue! 

Simply Organic Ground Ceylon Cinnamon

Certified Organic Cacao Powder 1 LB Bag

Jars for fermenting veggies. this kind I prefer because the jars are clear and the airlock option. These jars didn’t come with weights, so I used river rocks that my kids found in our creek, scrabbed them and left under the sun for few days to “sterilize”. 

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Pancreas healing Herbs for better digestion

Pancreas healing herbs will increase its ability to function properly so that the nutrients from food that you eat will be fully digested and will become available to you. Although Tiny and generally unnoticed, your pancreas plays one of the most important roles in the digestive and endocrine process.

Read more »

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Herbal Multi-Vitamin
Ingredients:

1 part Milla’s Multi-Green mix
2 c. raw honey

Equal parts of Ground Cinnamon and Cacao powder  – to roll balls in.

Directions: Mix all your ingredients together in a bowl except the cinnamon powder. Mix thoroughly. Take 1 tsp. of your mix, roll it into a ball, then roll it in some cinnamon powder to keep it from sticking to the other balls. Once all of your balls are made, put them in a container and place them in the refrigerator. They should keep up to 6 months in the fridge. Kids can eat 1-2 balls per day while adults eat 3-4. Enjoy!

Children’s Digestive Pastilles
Ingredients:
1/8 Cup powdered fennel
1/8 Cup powdered peppermint
1/8 powdered marshmallow root
1/4 Cup powdered slippery elm bark
1-2 T honey
2-4 T pure vegetable glycerin
This recipe can be adjusted as needed for your liking. Some may like softer pastilles, others firmer. Your location, weather, and humidity can affect the amount of liquid needed. It is important to make sure that you buy powdered herbs of marshmallow, slippery elm, and possibly fennel as they can be difficult to powder at home. Peppermint leaf can be powdered at home in an herb grinder. Make sure that all herbs are powdered fine so that you get a nice smooth consistency in your finished pastille. I like to measure out each of my herbs separately then mix them together in case I make a mistake. After you measure your herbs mix all of them together with a fork. Slowly add one T of honey and stir, then 1-2 T of glycerin and stir. Continue doing this until you have a soft dough but not crumbly. When you have a nice consistency roll into balls using approximately 1/2 tsp each. If you get your dough too thin, add a bit more slippery elm bark. If they are sticky you can add a bit of coconut oil to your hands for easier rolling. Note – I like to save half of my slippery elm bark until I have mixed some of the liquid in just to be safe.
There are several ways to firm up your pastilles:
Allow these to sit out overnight.
Place in freezer several hours or overnight.
Use your dehydrator or a convection oven set at 100-110 degrees for 1-2 hours. (this will create a firmer, less gummy pastille better for travel)
Store in a sealed container in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Dosing and Other Considerations
It is normal to suck on or chew one pastille as needed for a digestive upset. Older children and adults can use two if one does not relieve their symptoms. These taste yummy and so it is important to keep in mind that while these are generally safe herbs slippery elm and marshmallow do have laxative properties so it is important to keep these out of reach of children. Many experts feel that honey should not be used in children under 1 year old.

 

Milla’s Multi-Green Mix

3 parts of Rosehips

3 parts Alfalfa

3 parts Raspberry Leaf

3 parts Nettle

2 parts Dandelion Leaf

2 parts Hawthorn Berries

2 parts Horsetail

1 part Yellow Dock Seeds

1 part Milk Thistle Seeds

1 part Black Seeds

1 part Dandelion Root

1 part Turmeric Root

1 part Green Tea

1/2 a part of Cedar Berries

1/2 a part Nettle seeds

1/2 a part Nettle root

 

https://www.bulkherbstore.com/blog/diy-childrens-herbal-digestive-pastilles/
https://www.bulkherbstore.com/blog/nutrient-boost-balls/

How to make an Herbal Candy Read More »

wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health

Full Guide to Wild Fermented Sauerkraut for Gut Health

wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health

Full Guide to Wild Fermented Sauerkraut for Gut Health

Wild Fermented Sauerkraut for gut health is the best food you can make or buy to maintain or rebalance your intestinal microbiome.
Like all the other fermenting “experts” out there, I am not a scientist. My knowledge comes from my extensive research and my personal experience starting from a very early age helping my Mom during this fascinating process! We only did it once every year because fresh cabbage was only available back then, where I grew up, once a year – when it ripened in our garden! But we always fermented a very large amount. Large enough to last us till the next year’s harvest.

Wild fermentation occurs when microbes naturally found on foods or in the air are used to initiate the fermentation process. Wild or Lacto-Fermentation essentially is a spontaneous fermentation! The term “lacto” refers to lactobacillus, a strain of bacteria common on the skin of most produce, especially those that grow close to the ground.
If left out in the air, the cabbage would simply mold as the bacteria feeds on the sugars. The anaerobic (an absence of free oxygen) environment paired with salt results in the bacteria converting sugars to lactic acid which then acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. The action of the bacteria makes the minerals in cultured foods more readily available to the body. The bacteria also produce vitamins and enzymes that are beneficial for digestion. This turns in the sour tasting fermented cabbage that we call sauerkraut.

Back to Eden gardening
wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health

AIR or No AIR?

Aerobically (with oxygen) the yeasts in your ferment can oxidize and turn to vinegar (acetic acid), which is not what you want. You want it to be sour, but we can achieve the tang without vinegar. The candida-preventing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has the ability to shift from fermentative to oxidative depending on the level of oxygen available. So it’s best to keep the oxygen out as much as possible, and this friendly yeast can help your guts heal.

Oxygen is the enemy when it comes to ferments. So, an anaerobic (oxygen-less) environment is what we going to create.

Here is the biggest mistake you can make — not leaving the ferment on the counter longer than 4 days before transferring to cold storage. 

Refrigeration slows down food spoilage, yes, but in the case of fermenting, you are also slowing down the bacterial action. The LABs (lactic-acid producing bacteria) do not like cold, and they can’t reproduce in it. 

If you want maximum probiotics in your sauerkraut, you will need to let your ferments go through all bacteria stages of fermentation. This is particularly important if you are trying to heal your gut.

Here is how the fermentation process works:

wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health

3 phases of Wild Fermentation:

Phase 1: Day 1-3 bad bacteria die off. Bacteria, both good and bad, live on the exterior skins and leaves of vegetables. The good bacteria (Klebsiella and Enterobacter) thrive in the salt-water brine and will begin to grow while saltiness of the brine kills off the present bad bacteria.

Phase 2: Day 3-7 starts as the acid levels become too high for many bacteria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and other Leuconostoc spp., which are the happiest at a temperature of 65 – 72 degrees take charge of the batch. These good bacteria thrive in the oxygen-free salt-water brine and they grow and abounds during this phase. Gases escape through bubbles to the surface, so the environment soon becomes entirely oxygen-free, a requirement for any successful ferment batch.

Phase 3: Day 7-10 you’ll notice the bubbles inside the jar disappear. The conditions inside are acidic enough for Lactobacillus like L. brevis and L. plantarum to multiply, while the other bacteria drops out. The active fermentation is completed – the lactic acid reaches a high enough concentration inside the jar to preserve the vegetables, but t sauerkraut isn’t ready to eat yet, it is not yet reached its best flavor. It will need a month or so inside your fridge before the Lactobacillus causing it to become fully fragrant and sour-sweet like traditional sauerkraut.

BTW Klebsiella is one of the bacterial sp. that produces Vitamin B12 in your gut where it actually can be absorbed! 

A 2010 paper from Korea showed that Korean centenarians (people who live to be 100 years old) that ate very little animal products had normal vitamin B12 levels. Given that the subjects ate fermented foods at almost every meal, much of which is homemade kimchi that, according to the researchers, is fermented for at least 10 months.

Prepare your INGRÉDIENTS:

CABBAGE is an exceptionally healthy food, rich on Vitamin K, C, A, B6, Folate, Manganese, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, and riboflavin. In addition, cabbage is high in fiber and contains powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols and sulfur compounds. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage contain many different antioxidants that have been known to reduce chronic inflammation.

CARROTS – Most of the benefits of carrots can be attributed to their beta-carotene and fiber content. Carrots are also a good source of antioxidants, potassium, vitamin K, sodium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamin C, niacin and vitamin B6. Other nutrients include vitamin A, E, folate, zinc, and iron. Prevent Cancer, Regulate Blood Cholesterol, Improve Oral and Eye Health, Boost Immunity, Powerful Digestion Aid.

BEET root is a rich source of folate and manganese and also contains thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, choline, betaine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and selenium.
Because of its high fiber content, beetroot helps to prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.
Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in beetroot that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. Choline also helps to maintain the structure of cellular membranes, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, assists in the absorption of fat and reduces chronic inflammation.
Lastly, beets are just so darn beautiful, like nature’s jewels, by adding them to your sauerkraut while the flavor remains surprisingly similar to cabbage-only sauerkraut, the color is so vibrant, you will never want to make it without!

SALT:
Sea Salts which is derived from seawater. When looking for an unrefined sea salt look for specks of color: gray, black, pink… These colors indicate that the minerals have not been removed from the salt. Some natural salts are moist because they have not been fully dried or further refined after being extracted from the sea water. Celtic sea salt is my favorite for fermenting veggies.
Himalayan salt also works well for fermentation.

WATER:
Use best water source that is available to you – spring artesian, rural area well water, distilled water or filtered. You only need water if you use the store bought cabbage. If it’s fresh harvested it will have enough juice in it to avoid adding extra water.

wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health
wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health
wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health

Gather your EQUIPMENT:

Basics:
Knife, Shredder, Mandoline, cutting board, stainless steel/glass pots, airlock lids…
Humans have been utilizing fermentation to preserve foods since the Neolithic Era, you don’t need a fancy equipment to achieve a healthy, probiotic-filled sauerkraut. There are many inexpensive set-ups that you can use (check out links below the recipe).

General rule is for every 2 lbs. of cabbage mixture sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of salt.

Wild Fermented Sauerkraut Recipe

Wild Fermented Sauerkraut
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 3 lbs cabbage
  • 2 lbs carrots
  • 1 lbs beets
  • 3 tbsp Celtic Sea salt
  • 1/2 cup water or as much as needed to cover the mixture (optional)
Instructions
  1. Wash all containers and tools really well in hot soapy water, rinse with hot water, and allow to air dry. No need to sterilize them.

  2. Clean the cabbage in cold water, remove the core, slice very thin using either a mandolin, a knife, or use a food processor.

  3. Add shredded carrots and beets if using. Beets and carrots are optional, you can use cabbage only. On every 2 pounds of shredded veggie mix add 1 Tablespoon of Celtic sea salt.

  4. Mix well with clean hands, really massage the salt in until the cabbage reliases juice.

  5. Pack the mixture into your fermenting jar, not too tight, leaving 2-3 inches of headspace. Cover the top of the mixture with large cabbage leaves. Make sure all of this is covered with the brine juice that the veggies released. If it isn't - add just enough water to cover.  Lay the weight on top of the leaves and put on your airlock lid.

    Note: carefully read the instructions for your chosen airlocks. 

    note: when you pack your mixture, do not pack it up to the top, leave a couple of inches of space, because as it will start to ferment and produce gas, it will be pushed up.

Fermentation:
  1. Day 1 to 7:

    The fermentation process should be done at room temps between 65F - 72F, away from sunlight.  Any lower and the fermentation slows down, stops altogether, or never start. Any higher and the fermentation speeds up, not giving enough time to develop the sour or tangy flavor common to lacto-fermented foods.

  2. Inspect the mixture once a day to make sure that the liquid in the jars is at the correct level. If the brine reaches the top, you can open the lid and push down the weight gently to release the gas. Add another weight if necessary, clean the lid and the airlock and tighten it back on.

    ***a few red flags: browned cabbage, yeasty odor, slime, mold. 

  3. Day 8 to ... (I stop mine on day 10 but you can keep it to continue to ferment up to day 28)

    The mixture should have developed the sour flavor that we love in a sauerkraut. You may begin tasting your sauerkraut, (opening the jar and exposing it to air will not spoil it at that point). Continue the fermentation until you reach the level of sourness you prefer. 

  4. Transfer the mixture into clean glass storage containers, lightly pressing it down as you pack it right up to the top, leaving as little space between the mixture and the lid as possible.

  5. Store in the fridge for up to 12 months.

Recipe Notes

*** If your cabbages are tiny, you can slice the cores in as well, because they will not be very fibrous, in fact, they would be quite yummy!

*** Mold is unacceptable in your ferment!  Mold can make you sick, very sick. Some people show symptoms right away; others end up with mold sensitivities or other gut issues. Once you get to the point when you see mold with your eyes, it’s already too late to fix it, so don't try to save it by scraping it off. Discard. 

wild fermented sauerkraut for gut health
Ready to go in our spare fridge

This post may contain affiliate links from which I may earn a commission at
No extra cost to you.

BLACK+DECKER 8-Cup Food Processor

as well, not in love with it, but it is doing an amazing job! Very loud machine! Last fall I had to process a wagon of cabbage to freeze it and make sauerkraut! It didn’t choke, got it done. and is cheap!

German Style Fermentation Harvest Pot with Stone Weight, 5-Liter

5 Liter fermentation pot with water channel or gutter Oxygen and mold free environment for natural lactic acid fermentation.
Lead and cadmium free ceramic and comes with stone weights.

Fermenting jars

Jars for fermenting veggies. this kind I prefer because the jars are clear and the airlock option. These jars didn’t come with weights, so I used river rocks that my kids found in our creek, scrabbed them and left under the sun for few days to “sterilize”. 

Fermentation wide mouth Lid Kit

WOODEN GRATER FOR KOREAN CARROT Russian Ukrainian

This grater cant be substitute with anything else in order to make that carrot salad taste exactly how you want it! 

Cut Resistant Gloves

a MUST HAVE! Saves me lot of pain!

Mandoline Slicer

Veggie chips making useful tool! very useful!

OXO Good Grips Box Grater

for small shredding jobs, like making fast soups of shred a carrot into a salad. No mess. very important! Who likes the cleaning, right?

Professional Electric Knife Sharpener

Everyone says you have to have a good and expensive set on knifes! I totally disagree! you have to have a good knife sharpener! I have a very old and cheap set of knifes that I keep in a great shape with this sharpener!

Titan Peeler & Slicer

I have this peeler for over 9 years now, and I will never need another one! Its the best!

Mountain Woods Cutting Board with Juice Groove

love this cutting boards! beautiful and green.

Celtic Sea Salt Makai Pure Gourmet Sea Salt, 8 Ounce

See my most used tools and gadgets:

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Pancreas healing Herbs for better digestion

Pancreas healing herbs will increase its ability to function properly so that the nutrients from food that you eat will be fully digested and will become available to you. Although Tiny and generally unnoticed, your pancreas plays one of the most important roles in the digestive and endocrine process.

Read more »

Full Guide to Wild Fermented Sauerkraut for Gut Health Read More »

herbal sunscreen

Herbal Sunscreen recipe. Non-Toxic, Water & Sweat resistant, Healing & Moisturizing.

herbal sunscreen

Herbal Sunscreen recipe

Non-Toxic, Water resistant, Healing.

Printable SunScreen Labels

We need regular sun exposure (without sunscreen) for our skin to produce vitamin D naturally. The way our bodies make vitamin D is to convert sunshine into chemicals through which Vitamin D becomes a hormone within the body, a secosteroid hormone. It helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet and impacts not only our skeletal structure, but also our blood pressure, immunity, behavior, brain function and ability to protect ourselves from various diseases.

Some of the Vitamin D deficiency symptoms are cancer, autoimmune diseases, depression, insomnia, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, autism… 

In my family we only use the sunscreen if we are going to be exposed to the sun longer than it takes for our skin to go red or burn and this time varies from person to person.

For us – being under the sun without clothing for over 5-6 hours straight and/or between 11 am and 2 pm, when the sun is at its pick,  that’s when we most likely to get the sunburn.

We recently went on a short vacation to a Delaware Beach, so for that trip I came up with this recipe to protect us from all the spectrum of the Uncomfortable that comes with a sunburn!

We were on the beach for over 6 hours every day without using much shade and none of us got burnt! Well, scratch that! I got burnt because I didn’t think my rear needed protection, so I just rubbed some on my shoulders and the back and thought I’ll be OK. But even so, I used the sunscreen afterwards and it took some of the Uncomfortable away, and for the first time my skin didn’t peeled off! 

The five of us have different type of skin: my Hubby is dark but burns easily, I am light but not easily burnt; my oldest son Chris, he is as light as I am, but burns easy and fast. My middle son Daniel is the most pale of the bunch but not easily burn, and my youngest daughter Melania has very dark skin (probably took after my pure Gypsy Grandfather), she tans fast and was never even close to a sunburn, I only applied the sunscreen on her on the 3rd day of our vacation, just in case. 

My boys and the Husband got the sunscreen applied only twice per day (around 10 am and 1pm), because it end up to be pretty water resistant and even after 2-3 hours in the water was not washed away. The smell was very pleasant too.

Greasy? – Yes, it is, but so it should be to keep you from burning and cutting your vacation fun short.

For all of us, including my 6.3 feet tall with broad shoulders Husband we used less than 2 oz of the Herbal Sunscreen. I will keep the leftovers it in my fridge for when we need it next, probably next summer, as its shelflife  is 1-2 years. 

The recipe will yield 9 oz.  

herbal sunscreen

While we all know sunscreen’s main job is to protect us, what some of us don’t know is that the most of conventional sunscreens out there are doing just the opposite. In fact, many conventional sunscreens contain ingredients harmful to the environment and human health.

Read about conventional sunscreen toxicity in this article: “The Trouble With Ingredients in Sunscreens”
In the other hand many articles on the internet say that homemade sunscreens are useless and downright harmful and that a person should never consider making their own because it is difficult to verify the SPF, making the chance of burning higher.

It is true that homemade sunscreens don’t have the lab testing that conventional ones do, but even with lab testing, conventional brands get away with putting endocrine disruptors and coral killing compounds in our sunscreens. So what good are the lab testing for?

Synthetic fragrance or “perfume” is another health-harming ingredient that is used in conventional sunscreens. Read how really toxic the chemical fragrances are HERE.

Not just a few but all of them toxins cause central nervous system damage. 

Is anyone still thinks it’s ok to put on our kid’s skin when we all know that some of it will be absorbed into the bloodstream within approximately 28 seconds?

Especially when you can simply make your own that not only protects your skin very well but has amazing skin moisturizing, nourishing and healing properties? Yes, please!

herbal sunscreen
applied around 10 am
herbal sunscreen
this picture is taken after 2 hours in the ocean

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No extra cost to you.

What is SPF?

SPF means Sun Protection Factor and it is a relative measure of how long a sunscreen will protect you from UV B rays. What does an SPF rating on a sunscreen mean? Take for example you take 10 minutes to get sunburn when you’re not wearing any sunscreen or any form of sun protection on your body. So an SPF 30 will give you 30 times that amount of sun protection, which means it’ll take 300 minutes before you start to burn.

What ingredients did I use in this Herbal Sunscreen recipe & why?

Organic, high-quality Avocado Oil (SPF 15). Is a highly therapeutic oil rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 Pantothenic acid, D, E, proteins, and lecithin. A very good, penetrating nutrient for dry skin. Packed with healing and regenerating qualities for your skin. High in sterolins, which are known to help reduce age spots and help heal scar tissue and sun damage.

Comfrey flowering stalks which contain allantoin. Allantoin has long been used for its healing, soothing, and anti-irritating properties. Allantoin is a nucleotide that naturally occurs in the body and absorbs the spectrum of UV radiation which damages the cell’s fragile DNA. Allantoin helps to heal wounds and skin irritations and stimulates the growth of healthy tissue. Some clinical studies confirm that allantoin enhances skin repair. Allantoin can be found in anti-acne products, sun care products, clarifying lotions, toothpaste, mouthwash, and other oral hygiene products as well as in shampoos, lipsticks, and other cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, because of its ability to help heal minor wounds and promote healthy skin.
The only thing is that the type of allantoin is added to commercial products is isolated from cow urine! Eew!  Allantoin is a product of the oxidation of uric acid. It is also a product of purine metabolism in most mammals except for higher apes, and it is present in their urine. In humans, uric acid is excreted instead of allantoin.

Plantain leaves. St.John’s Wort. 
Unrefined Raw Organic Shea Butter (6-10 SPF) – is derived from the vegetable fat of the Karite Tree that is indigenous to Africa. Raw, unrefined Shea butter contains vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and E, as well as essential fatty acids. It has been used for centuries for its moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties will soothe, hydrate and balance your skin adding a  breathable, water-resistant film and is the leading natural product for moisturizing, rebuilding and rejuvenating collagen production.
Organic Coconut Oil (8 SPF) moisturizing, anti-bacterial.
Beeswax from my own Buckfast Honey Bees, all organic of course(!) is antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It seals in moisture while not clogging pores provides a layer of sun protection and locks the oils in creating a waterproof barrier on your skin.
Pumpkin seed oil (Cucurbita pepo) deserves greater recognition. With a lipid profile containing high levels of linoleic acid (43 – 53%), it contains two classes of antioxidant compounds: Tocopherols and phenolics, which account for 59% of the antioxidant effects.
Sesame oil resists 30% of UV rays
Vitamin E Oil protects cell membranes from light-induced damage. Topical application of these antioxidants to the skin has been shown to reduce acute and chronic photodamage. It is also acts as a preservative, greatly extenting the shelf life.
Red Raspberry Oil is a proven anti-aging and antioxidant powerhouse builds a natural filter to broad-spectrum UVA & UVB rays. It contains 45-50 SPF on its own, and also have clinically significant anti-inflammatory properties and proves to be a fantastic sunscreen.
Carrot Seed Oil (40 SPF) has significant antioxidant, antiseptic and fragrant properties with high levels of vitamin A. According to a study published in “Pharmacognosy Magazine” in 2009, products containing carrot seed oil have a natural SPF of 38 and 40.
Zinc Oxide (non-nano) – Zinc Oxide is a naturally occurring mineral that blocks UV rays (SPF 2-20)
Myrrh Essential Oil contains an SPF 20 and provides an extra dose of protection and wonderful scent..
Lavender essential oil – SPF 6

Tea tree essential oil – SPF 2 (Melaleuca alternifolia) is an ancient aboriginal remedy. It is an effective antiseptic, fungicide, and germicide. It is a popular component of many sunscreen formulations that relieve sunburn by increasing blood flow in capillaries, bringing nutrients to damaging skin.

If you don't want to mess with making it, you can buy the one I made:

Herbal Sunscreen recipe

Herbal Sunscreen recipe. Non-Toxic, Water resistant, Healing
This Herbal SunScreen Recipe is made with Naturally high SPF, high-quality, expensive oils that are infused with healing medicinal plants to help to filter rather than block the Sun rays because we need the Vitamin D it provides. The sunscreen filters UV rays so that it does not damage your skin and it doesn't prevent melanin production, so you can still get the beautiful summer tan. 

This will be roughly 35-45 SPF, please note that it is not laboratory tested and that I make no warranties or guarantees regarding its exact SPF rating. 

We've tested it on our vacation when we spent 3 full days on the beach and none of us got burnt.

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 100 g Avocado Oil infused with Herbs
  • 60 g Coconut Oil
  • 40 g Shea butter
  • 40 g Beeswax
  • 30 g Sesame Oil
  • 15 g Pumpkin Seed Oil
  • 5 g Red Raspberry Oil
  • 5 g Carrot Seed Oil
  • 5 g Vitamin E Oil
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Non-Nano Zinc Oxide
Essential Oils
  • 5 drops Tea Tree EO
  • 5 drops Myrrh EO
  • 5 drops Lavender EO
Herbs:
  • 1 oz. Plantain Leaf fresh or dry
  • 1 oz. Comfrey Flowering stalks fresh
  • 1 oz. St. John's Wort flowers and buds fresh or dry
Instructions
  1. First, you want to infuse the avocado oil with the herbs. There are two easy methods to choose from:
  2. 1.) Combine the oil and the herbs, blend in a high-speed blender for a few seconds, transfer into a mason jar, set it in a slow cooker, pour warm water enough for it to rich the shoulder of the jar and set on medium. Let it infuse for 48 hours. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
  3. 2.) Combine the oil and the herbs, blend in a high-speed blender for a few seconds, transfer into a mason jar and set out on a sunny spot for 6 weeks. Shake the jar every day. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
  4. Mesure out first 6 ingredients and add them in a stainless steel bowl (I used my KitchenAid mixing bowl) and set it on top of a small saucepan with boiling water in it (or if you have a double boiler - use that). Make sure the mixer bowl bottom doesn't touch the hot water.
  5. Once all the oils and beeswax are melted, set it aside and mix in the Red Raspberry oil, Carrot Seed oil, Vitamin E oil and the Essential Oils.
  6. Carefully measure out the Non-nano zinc oxide (wear a mask so that you do not breath in any of it!!!) Slowly add in your zinc oxide powder. Do not breathe the powder in. Make sure you use non-nano zinc oxide powder, as this will not absorb into the skin.
  7. Transfer the bowl in your fridge until it hardens. This will take about 30-40 min.
  8. Put the mixing bowl in the mixer with whisk attachment and beat it on high, scraping the sides from time to time until it's nice and fluffy and has that whipped creme texture.
  9. Use some upcycled glass jars to store it in!
Recipe Notes

Gently apply to your skin & go have some fun in the sun!

*Use clean glass upcycled jars to store at room temperature or in your fridge between uses.

**It will store for at least 2 years because the Vitamin E oil acts as a preservative.

Other herbs and EO that can be used: Rosehips, Turmeric, Chickweed, Celandine, Calendula, Chamomile, Lavender, Borage (Borago officinalis), Green Tea(Camellia sinensis), Arnica (Arnica montana), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea), Eyebright (Euphrasia Officinalis), Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) EO.

***Directions for use: Apply on the main sun-exposed areas of the body. Rub in well and reapply as needed. Discontinue use if irritation develops. Apply liberally and evenly. Reapply: - After 80 minutes of swimming or sweating - Immediately after towel drying - At least every 2 hours Use safe sun protection measures including - Limit time in the sun, especially from 11am - 2pm - Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants and hats.

Foods and Herbs for natural skin protection and health:

Foods that are rich in Vitamin D are:

Fish (wild caught),

Eggs (pasture raised, organic),

Maitake and Portobello Mushrooms (exposed to UV light).

Vitamin C rich foods is the body’s most important “intracellular and extracellular aqueous-phase antioxidant. Vitamin C provides many benefits to the skin—most significantly, increased synthesis of collagen and photoprotection. Photoprotection is enhanced by the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin C. Photoprotection over many months allows the skin to correct previous photodamage, the synthesis of collagen and inhibition of MMP-1 was proven to decrease wrinkles, and the inhibition of tyrosinase and anti-inflammatory activity result in depigmenting solar lentigines.[75]

Vitamin C is found in active form and substantial quantities in Rosehip seed oil.”

 

Printable labels for Avery 2″ (in.) Print-to-the-Edge Round Labels 22807

Or you can print them on a regular paper, cut out and glue onto your jars. Or decoupage them on to make them more durable.

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Ingredients I used for this recipe:

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herbal sunscreen

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Herbal Sunscreen recipe. Non-Toxic, Water & Sweat resistant, Healing & Moisturizing. Read More »

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

Cold Summer Soup from Russia. Dairy free recipe.

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

Cold Summer Soup from Russia. Dairy free.

Okroshka.

Grain free, Dairy free, Soy/Corn free, Refined sugar free, MSG free, Low fat... No Nasties!

Okroshka is a cold, light and refreshing soup that is very popular in Russia. This nourishing and filling is perfect for the hot summer weather. 

Some call it “The Most Bizarre Russian Soup”!  🙂

Maybe because it was originally made with Kvas and a salad!  Some say that kvas is similar to coca cola, but I think those two are nothing alike! Kvas is made with fermented rye bread, and technically is very beneficial if made with the proper ingredients. Having said that, I am from the Eastern Parts of Russia, and my family never made it with kvas, always with sour cream and/or milk whey.

With our new healthy Whole Foods Diet lifestyle, I had to substitute some of the ingredients. I think I’ve done a great job on preserving the original taste that I am used to and missed. I now use homemade mayo or homemade young coconut meat milk for a fat free version). Better with mayo in my opinion. 

I make a huge 12 Quart Pot Stockpot and it lasts us a week of not cooking! You can eat it any time of the day, put it in a thermos and take it to go. 

My kids absolutely love it and my Daughter even asked it to be one of the dishes for her Birthday! 

Here they are eating it for her Birthday Branch:

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

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My family’s recipe just as any other calls for meat, more specifically – bologna, but I didn’t find that omitting it the taste, and I’d rather not have any meat in it. Although I have made it with cooked and cubed cold beef and chicken and it was very good. 

Of course, it is best to use only 100% organic ingredients!
Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

Okroshka. Cold Summer Soup from Russia. Dairy free.

Okroshka. Cold Summer Soup from Russia. Dairy free.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Okroshka is a cold, light and refreshing soup that is very popular in Russia. The nourishing and filling, it is perfect for the hot summer weather. Make once - eat all week! The Recipe is for a big 12 Qrt stockpot

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 6 lbs potatoes
  • 10 hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 medium cucumbers
  • 2 bunches red radishes
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 bunch of dill
  • 2 Tbsp ground dry Nettle leaf
  • 1 Tbsp Ground Milk Thistle
  • 2 Tbsp Herbal Gomassio (optional)
  • 1/2 cup of chives
  • 2 Tbsp of fresh chopped thyme
  • 2 cups (optional) cooked and cubed beef, chicken, pork.
  • 1 Tbsp of freshly grated Ginger
  • 1 Tbsp sea salt
for the liquid: Version #1:
  • 1-2 cups homemade mayo
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
Low Fat Version #2
  • 1-2 young coconuts
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Cook the eggs and potatoes. Cool, peel, then slice and dice into small cubes or chunks (whatever you prefer) put in the large stockpot (12 qt is ideal)

  2. Cut radish, cucumber, parsley, onion, and dill and add to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except for salt. All of this should fill the pot up to more than a half. 

For the Base. Version #1:
  1. In a 2 qt size measuring cup (or any large bowl will do) mix 2 cups of homemade mayo with water and salt. whisk to dissolve and pour into the stockpot with other ingredients. Add water up to 2 inches from the top or less (if you prefer it to be thicker)

  2. Taste. Adjust the salt and the acid. It should be on the sour side.

For the Base. Version #2:
  1. Open, clean and cut the young coconut meat into chunks. Place in your blender with lemon juice, salt and a cup of water. Just enough to get it going. blend till very smooth.

  2. Pour the mixture into your stockpot. Add more water to fill it up 2 inches from the top or less to your liking of the soup's thickness. Taste and Adjust the salt and acid. 

And that's it! no more cooking for a whole week!
  1. Put the pot in your fridge to cool down and Enjoy your summer! 

    Blessings!

Recipe Notes
  • store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze the extra.
  • If your radishes came with the tops, add them to the soup as well, just chop them tiny.
  • if 3 gallons of soup is too much you can divide the recipe ingredients to make half of it or make it and freeze for later. 

This is how I make mayo. Since the video was made I no longer add honey in.

Tips I found useful to make the Okroshka:

I usually cook the eggs and potatoes the night before. You can cook it skin on and then peel or peel and then cut. 

If your radishes have tops – use them in the soup too! It will be the complete Whole Food as radish tops are amazingly nutritious!

 

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe
Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

Eggs cooked the best in an egg cooker. Cool them in ice water and to peel – crack the shell all over the egg, peel the tip and stick it under the cold running water. 

My eggs are fresh from the chickens and sometimes it’s impossible to peel them, but this method works like a charm!

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe
Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

I grind Milk Thistle seeds in my Nutribullet and keep it stored in my fridge in a glass container. 

I keep whole Ginger rhizomes in my freezer (prewashed) and grate as needed with the skin. 

Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe
Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

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Cold Summer Soup from Russia Dairy free recipe

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Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips (GFCFSF)

Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

Raspberry and Lemon flavor

Grain free, Dairy free, Soy/Corn free, Refined sugar free, MSG free, Low fat... No Nasties!

A Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips? 

Well, when I say that I add herbs everywhere, I’m not exaggerating. 

Ever since we started the diet, I was terrified of baking, and it took me 3 years to finally come up with a recipe that turns out great every time! 

I bake cakes only for birthdays, that’s why it took so long! At first my cakes were truly awful! But because we limited all baking to a minimum while we were healing, my kids didn’t mind and still loved them! This also lowered their and everyone else’s expectations towards my desserts!  (No kidding here!) 

This Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips is not dense, not too sweet, Has a great lemon/raspberry flavor combination and it is really not hard to make!

Not only can you make it ahead of time, it even tastes 10 times better the next day! Just bake it, set aside, do other Birthday party crazy necessities and decorate with fruit at the last minute! 

I used a healthy, dairy-free version of Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting for this cake, but if you want it fat free, use a maple glaze as I did last year. It’ll be all covered in fruit anyway.

Of course it is best to use only organic ingredients!
Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

For my son’s Birthday back in March he asked for a chocolate cake. I used the same recipe and just added cocoa powder into the frosting. 

Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

this was my Daughter’s Chocolate Birthday Cake last year(2017), where I used coconut glaze instead of frosting

Healthy Birthday Cake recipe with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips
Healthy Birthday Cake with Milk Thistle & Rose Hips

Grain free, Dairy free, Soy/Corn free, Refined sugar-free, MSG free, Low fat... No Nasties!

Can be adjusted to egg-free by substituting with a flax egg or aquafaba.

Not only can you make it ahead of time, it even tastes 10 times better the next day! Just bake it, set aside and do other Birthday party crazy necessities and decorate with fruit the last minute!

Course: Dessert
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cups cassava flour
  • 1.5 cups almond flour or meal
  • 1 cup arrowroot flour
  • 2 T poppy seeds (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Rose Hips
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Milk Thistle
  • 1/2 t salt
  • juice and zest from 2 lemons & 1 orange (medium)
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 cup coconut or olive oil (optional)
  • 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups frozen raspberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add honey or maple syrup, oil(if using) and water. Grate the zest from 2 organic lemons and 1 orange, squeeze out the juice and add it to the wet mix. 

  3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together. 
  4. Quickly mix in 2 cups of frozen raspberries (I used a hand mixer). 

  5. Line the bottom of two 8-inch spring cake pans with parchment paper and divide the batter evenly. 

  6. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 

    This recipe is for a two-layer cake.

  7. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely. Frost and decorate!

    Happy Birthday!

Recipe Notes

✿Other frozen berries can be used - red raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants) but I think the wild raspberries were great here.

✿Poppy seeds are optional, but they go well with the lemony taste. 

✿Coconut oil is optional. Last time I didn't use any and it came out great (see the pictures). With coconut oil, it's just a bit less dry.

✿ Arrowroot flour can be substituted with sprouted brown rice flour. 

✿Two tips that I know of for gluten-free baking to make it airier:

  1. mix the lemon juice and baking soda in a spoon right at the end of any recipe to make the fuzzy reaction, and mix in while still foaming.
  2. Separate the eggs and whisk them until soft picks, then fold in the batter. Makes all the difference!!

 

 

Dairy free Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with Palm Shortening

When I found this frosting idea, I experimented with the ingredient ratios to obtain  not too sweet taste so as not to overpower the cake itself. Then I stopped looking for other recipes, because this is perfectly perfect, except for the palm shortening of course, but after all this is a birthday cake and some cheatings are allowed, right? 

I didn’t add any flavors or colors to it this time, it blended very well with the fresh berry and lemon flavors.

Dairy free Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with Palm Shortening

This frosting is very stable, great for piping designs and can easily be made ahead of time and even frozen. Just double the batch and freeze the extra so you don't have to make it again next birthday! 

Course: Dessert
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 4 Large farm fresh egg whites room temperature
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup, honey or maple sugar
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 cup palm shortening
Instructions
  1. add egg whites, maple syrup and lemon juice in your stainless-steel mixer bowl and set it on top of a small saucepan with boiling water in it. Make sure the bottom of the mixer bowl doesn't touch the hot water. Start whisking continuously until its about 160 degrees (because depending on the source of your eggs, you don't want to end up consuming raw eggs). Also, ensure it is not too hot to the touch. If you are using sugar it should be completely dissolved. It will take about 5 min.

  2. Remove from the heat and transfer the bowl onto the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium for 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until glossy peaks are formed and meringue is cooled to about 90 degrees.

  3. Reduce to medium speed and begin to add softened room temperature palm shortening. Spoon by spoon at a time and beat well after each edition. 

  4. It will take a while and your mixture will go through some different textures, it may look like it all separated, but just keep on mixing and it will come together. 

Recipe Notes

✿ you can make a chocolate frosting by adding 4-6 tsp of raw cacao powder.

✿ you can add 1-2 tsp homemade vanilla extract

✿ for natural colors:

  • maroon to pink - add dried and powder beet or powdered freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries.
  • purple - add blackberries, dragon fruit, blueberries (powdered freeze-dried blueberries)
  • green - add nettles, spinach, or dried and powdered kale
  • yellow - add ground turmeric, powdered freeze-dried mango, pineapple, carrot.
  • blue - add red cabbage (see my recipe for natural food colorings below)

Homemade All Natural Food Coloring recipe

I personally don’t see the need to make the coloring, my kid’s are no longer expecting over the top decorated cakes 🙂 I’ve added this recipe just for you!

Homemade All-Natural Food Coloring recipe

These are fairly easy to make and can be frozen for later use. Just make a double batch and freeze in ice cubes for easier thawing and measuring. 

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
Pink food coloring
  • 3 cups fresh beets
  • 1/2 cup water
Yellow food coloring
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tbsp dry ground turmeric
Purple food coloring
  • 1 cup blueberries, blackberries or dragon fruit fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • 1 cup water
Green food coloring
  • 1 cup Nettle, dry, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) can sub with spinach
  • ½ cup water
Blue Food coloring
  • 1/2 head red cabbage
  • 1-2 cups water
  • 1/3 tsp baking soda
Instructions
Pink /Maroon - Beet
  1. For the liquid version: In a blender or food processor, blend the beets and water together until smooth. Strain the beets - the juice is your food coloring. 

    For the dry version: shred or process your beets in a food processor, spread it in a dehydrator, dry to a crisp on the low setting, grind into powder, pass through a stainless-steel strainer to remove larger specs. Store in an airtight container for up to a year.

Yellow - Turmeric
  1. For the liquid version: In a small saucepan, simmer the water and turmeric for 2 to 3 minutes. Allow to fully cool. Play with the concentration of the liquid by increasing or decreasing the amount of turmeric added to the water.

    dry: Or use plain ground turmeric to add to your foods, to turn them yellow.

Blue - Red cabagge
  1. For the liquid version: Cut half of a red cabbage into fairly small chunks, add water (as little as possible), to cover it in your pot. Simmer for 10-15 min on medium with the lid off, occasionally mixing, strain the liquid out and cool - it'll be purple. But when you add the baking soda, it will turn bright blue!

Purple - Dragon fruit, Blueberries or Blackberries.
  1. for a liquid version: In a blender or food processor, blend the blueberries (dragon fruit or blackberries) and water together until smooth. I like to use frozen berries because they have a better color after thawed. Strain, to remove the skins and pulp from the mix so that you have the purple liquid to color your foods.

    For a dry (powdered) version: use organic freeze-dried or dry the blueberries, blackberries or dragon fruit in a dehydrator, then grind into a powder.

Green - Nettle, Spinach
  1. For a liquid food coloring - use fresh or frozen(thawed/drained) spinach or nettle simply juice it or blend and use it as green food coloring. 

    For dry food coloring - use dry spinach or nettle - grind it into a fine powder in a blender or a spice grinder, pass through a stainless-steel strainer to remove larger specs. 

Recipe Notes

***Store your liquid food colorings in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze in ice cube trays and thaw before use.

*** Store your dry food colorings in an airtight container for up to a year. 

Add your Homemade All-Natural Food Coloring to icings, frostings or batter. Play with ratios, and always start adding low, and if it's not enough - then add more. 

Cabbage juice is a PH indicator, it will react to solutions of different PH, hence the color change to blue after adding the baking soda. Like magic!

Just for the fun of it - These are the cakes I used to make before switching to this diet - pretty horrifying, right? (click to enlarge)

Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberries

These are great for coloring and flavoring! 

For more from products that I use go to

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List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION

A Complete Guide to making an Herbal COLD INFUSION (FREE printable)

List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods

A Complete Guide to making an Herbal COLD INFUSION and

List of Herbs that are BEST prepared 

with COLD INFUSION

4 ways to make it and 2 of them are magical! 

Out of all the methods to extract herbs, water-based preparations are the simplest and safest (see the fact-sheet on the bottom of this post), because you only need simple tools that most kitchens already have and water. So, if you are a beginner – this is a good starting point for you. 

Making a cup of tea by dropping an herbal tea bag into a cap of hot water is fine, but not ideal, especially for some herbs that should be prepared as a cold infusion. 

“This is usually due to the presence of mucilage or bitter principles that are denatured, to a certain extent, by boiling water” (Richo Cech, 2000). 

Tools you'll need:

One or Two quart size jars with matching lids (wide mouth jars like THIS are easier to wash)

A finely meshed stainless steel strainer large enough to catch a cup or so of herbal material
A cheese cloth or muslin 
A label. 

Herbs and Cold water.

Ratio:

a standard ratio is 1:32

1(by weight):32(by volume) 

1 ounce of herb and 32 ounces of water.

which is about same as 1 cup of loosely packed crashed herbs to 4 cups (1 quart) of water. 

other sources suggest different ratios:

  • 1 part herb (in grams) in 20 parts cool water (in millilitres) per Todd Caldecott.
  • and In Ayurveda a cold infusion is called hima, prepared by allowing 1 part (by weight) of the coarsely ground herb to infuse in eight parts (by volume) of water overnight. Hima is dosed at 100 mL, 2- 3 times daily.

Dosage:

4 cups (1 quart) a day of a nourishing infusion is the standard dose for an adult. But this is a therapeutic dosage for when you are sick. On a normal any given day when you are just trying to support yourself with extra nutrients half of it is fine. 

 

Infants & Children Dosage:

  • 6-12 months old – 1/10th of an adult dose
  • 1-6 years old – 1/3 adult dose
  • 7-12 years old – 1/2 adult dose.

As an example, I made that sun infusion with 2 cups of fresh and dry herbs using 2 quarts (8 cups) of water, and we finished it in 2 days. See the pictures below – this time I doubled the recipe. We treated it as a lemonade! 

Nourishing Herbs like these are very hard to overdose on. The worst that can happen is that you will not see any results. If you see worsening of symptoms after starting on herbs with this dosing, do not discontinue, just lower for a few days, because chances are your body is detoxing. 

 

4 ways to make an Herbal COLD INFUSION

1. the simplest way:

therefore, my preferred one! 
I usually do this before I go to bed…

– I take 1 oz (about a cup) of my chosen herbs, crush them and put in one of the clean glass jars.

– fill the jar up with cold water.

– attach the lid firmly. 

– shake the jar well.

– label it and leave it on my countertop overnight.

when I wake up in the morning, I shake it and taste. Sometimes it needs more time, so if you feel like this is the case – put it in your fridge till the next morning. 

Or if it’s ready you can filter your herbs through the strainer directly into the second jar, squeeze all the tea out the best you can.

Some suggest to add water to the tea to bring the liquid content back to 32 ounces. Others like it stronger, but you choose what you like best. .

Then store for up to 3 days in fridge or freeze for later.

Straining is optional,  you can leave the herbs in and strain as needed right into your cup.   The longer the herbs are sitting in, the stronger the infusion will be. You can even freeze it without filtering and strain after thawing when ready to drink it.

Strained herbs should be thanked and composted 🙂

2. The most common (traditional) way

is to place the herbs (1 oz by weight) in a cheesecloth or muslin and sink it in cold water (32 fl.oz) then let it sit overnight. In the morning you would squeeze the herbs out through the cheesecloth it’s in.

Here you can also add water to the tea to bring the liquid content back to 32 ounces or leave it as is.

Richo Cech says this method is necessary to allow clear water to flow through the tea bag, while the infused water with herbs is circulating down. This “circulatory displacement” will  force the clear water back to the top of the jar where the herbs are floating.

 

3. Magic Sun Herbal tea. Refreshing summer cold infusion.

List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
Fresh raspberry leaves, fresh Ground ivy. Dry herbs: Hibiscus, Red Clover, Calendula, Marshmallow, Bergamot.

Cold infusion powered by a direct sunlight could be made with fresh or dried herbs, flowers; fresh or frozen fruits, berries and veggies.

The water slightly heats up with the Sun’s rays and its powerful energy. The herbs let out its medicinal and healing benefits into the water. Sun tea is especially helpful for those people who tend to be fatigued, cold and depressed. 

Solar herbs often have a warming, drying and energizing effects, moving your energy and helping with blockages.

The herbs that are especially good for making a Sun tea have red or yellow colored flowers, are in a sunflower shape, often grow in sunny places and have a good strong aroma and taste. The classic sunny herbs are Calendula, Angelica and St. John’s wort, but many other fresh herbs, berries and flowers will make an awesome cap of sun tea!

Our favorite way to make a fresh plant sun tea is to walk around the garden and pick a few leaves and flowers here and there – clover blossoms, raspberry leaf and flowers, wild violets (flowers and leaves), rosemary, dill, parsley, hibiscus, Ground Ivy, Bergamot (bee balm),  spring Nettle, lemon balm, nasturtium flowers…or any combination from the List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods will make great Sun Tea. 
Once you know the steps to making the tea with cold infusion methods, the flavor is all up to you and the possibilities are endless!

How to make it:

Add 1 cup of fresh and dry herbs into a 1-quart glass jar, fill it up with cold water, stir mixture with a spoon to help release the flavorful oils in the herbs.   Then just let the sun do its magic… steeping the tea all day. Strain out herbs after the sun goes down or stick it in the fridge and strain the next morning to enjoy the cold summer refreshment throughout your day. 

Add a handful of fresh or frozen berries, some sliced cucumber and a lemon wedge or orange slices, and sweeten tea if desired. Serve over ice or as is. Will keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.  

Fresh or frozen pineapple and thyme is also our favorite flavor.

6 hours later...

List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
the next morning, strain and add cucumbers and lemon slices. No sweetener needed.
List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
Isn't it magical? yes it is!

4. Magic Moon Tea. Lunar Tea.

 

This is so far my favorite way of making tea is with the magical power of the Moon. I like to use a wide crystal bowl instead of a jar, a flat glass lid and place the bowl in the middle of my garden. Since you can only have a few full moons over the summer I like a real life witch doing this! In a good, magical way! 

On the night of the Full Moon, follow the same directions as for the Sun tea, except place the crystal bowl outside in the open and let it steep in the moonlight for an entire night, and then drink it in the morning. This is especially helpful for people who run too hot and tend to be anxious and “wired”. Moon tea helps you to become… happier, in a way.

 

Long ago, people noticed a link between the ups and downs of their mental state and the moon, therefore the word lunatic was derived. Probably this has a lot to do with internal parasites mating around full moon.

In Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbs for the Home Medicine Chest, she says that we are children of the sky and that working with the light of the stars and the moon brings in a special touch to the teas, and that lunar tea is  magical and the fairies love it!  An excellent remedy for when you are feeling too serious or stressed out, because it brings a bit of that “lunacy” with it 😉

Did you know that Moon in Latin and Russian is “Luna”? That why its called Lunar Tea.

 

Classic Herbs of the moon are succulent and juicy in nature. Also they are cooling, moistening, and nourishing, helping to regulate fluid and hormones and can often be helpful before and during menstruation. 

Lemon balm, willow, nasturtium, Aloe, cleavers, marshmallow are some of the best to make a Lunar tea with.

Save the date to make your next Magic Moon Tea in 2018:

June 28,  July 27,  August 26, September 24…

for farther dates refer HERE.

 

List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
Wild Violets Lunar Cold Infusion.
List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
this was the actual color! My kids said it looks like a potion!
List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
my fridge... 🙂 tea, tea, tea and ferments! 🙂

Useful tip:

once you strain the herbs out, before you compost them, wait, because there is much goodness still there and you can make a cup of tea for yourself, as I do all the time. Just pour boiling water over the strained herbs, cover and let sit for few hours or overnight. After that compost them knowing that nothing is wasted. Or if you have chickens, toss it to them, they will pick at what they like and compost the rest. 

Summary: 

There isn’t much difference between the 4 ways of making the Cold Infusion at all. You can either mix the loose herbs with the water and filter them later or place the herbs in a cloth and not worry about a strainer as they are wrapped in the muslin already.

Also you can either leave your jar to infuse on the countertop, fridge, under the Moon or the Sun. Ether way you will get a very nice cup of tea!

5 from 1 vote
List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods
Herbal Sun Tea
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup dry Hibiscus calyx
  • 2 Tbsp Marshmallow root
  • 2 Tbsp Dried Bergamot blossoms & leaves
  • 2 Tbsp Dry Red Clover blossoms
  • 2 Tbsp Dry Calendula petals
  • couple of fresh Raspberry leafs
  • Couple of fresh stalks of Ground Ivy
  • 4 cups Cold Water
Instructions
  1. Place all the herbs (it should be about a cup in volume) in a clean glass jar, add the water, put the lid on, give it a shake and place on a sunny spot for the entire day.

  2. after the sun goes down, move your jar in your fridge.

  3. In the morning, strain the herbs out, thank them for coming and compost them.

  4. Add lemon, orange, ginger or cucumber slices and honey and drink your tea through the day! 

  5. Blessings!

Recipe Notes

Any mint family herbs are great for this method: lemon balm, peppermint, ground ivy, catnip, lavender, hyssop, lemon thyme, bee balm(bergamot)...

Other combinations: 

  1. Hibiscus, Chamomile, Marshmallow, lemon, and honey.
  2. Calendula, chamomile, cucumber, blessed thistle, lemon balm, and honey.
  3. Hibiscus and Marshmallow, with frozen blueberries and fresh celery stick.
  4. Marshmallow, licorice, and calendula with cucumber and honey
  5. Lavender, rose petals and mugwort with added cucumber and lemon.
  6. Hibiscus, orange slices, red clover and burdock root...

...the possibilities of the combinations are truly endless! You can make a different tea each time you make it for the rest of your life, never repeating! 

REFERENCES:

Making Plant Medicine, by Cech, Richo

Moore, Michael “Cold Infusion” list of herbs. Retrieved July 2014 from http://www.swsbm.com/ManualsMM/CldInfus.txt

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Helpful optional tools

these jars are the ones I use to make a small batch of cold infusion. 

this looks like it would be perfect to make a larger batch of cold infusion, if you want to freeze some for later. 

I had this set for years, and the sizes are perfect to strain anything. 

I just got this set recently, after been using a small plastic funnel. these are on a larger side, which will be very very handy! and they just look so sturdy! Very well made. 

this muslin is great to strain the tiniest specs of your tea as well as making seed and nut milks.  My kids don’t like when herbs floating on top, and it mast be organic, because cotton crops are sprayed with glyphosate the heaviest. 

Or just use an old dinner napkin that had been washed a hundred times 🙂 I’ve done it. Worked great too!

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List of Herbs that are BEST prepared with COLD INFUSION methods

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** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs that are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **

A Complete Guide to making an Herbal COLD INFUSION (FREE printable) Read More »

Herbal za'atar recipe

Herbal Za’atar (recipe). An amazing Spice blend from Mediterranean region!

Herbal Za'atar recipe.

An amazing Spice mix from Mediterranean region!

The combination of nutritive & detoxifying herbs in this Herbal Za’atar recipe provides a base for their ability to improve the immune system, skin health, stabilize bones, increase circulation, aid memory, clear your respiratory system, calm the inflammation, energize, improve mood, and prevent chronic diseases.

This is my version of Herbal Za’atar recipe which is a combination of sesame seeds, ground sumac, thyme, salt and other herbs and spices.
Za’atar is a spice blend from the Middle East, where it is used as ordinarily as ketchup. Just like the curry blends in India and the 
Gomasio in Japan, za’atar recipes are many and diverse, and we probably will never know the very Original recipe, so…

While many spices are delicious and beneficial for your health, their power can be maximized if you combine them and add medicinal and nutritive Herbs.

The rich base of roasted sesame seeds and sumac flavor provides a perfect canvas for blending other delicious and medicinal herbs and seeds that easily cross over into the “food as medicine ” realm.

Actually Za’atar (zaah-tahr) word has two meanings:

It’s a Middle Eastern herb and a spice blend.

1)The herb za’atar (Origanum syriacum) is a very popular herb that can be traced back to the Bible. It is so treasured for its great flavor that blends hints of Oregano, Thyme and Marjoram, that it’s called the “king of herbs.”

The za’atar plant is a protected species in Israel and at certain times of the year is not allowed to be harvested, fearing it will become extinct. In the Bible this plant is call eizov (often translated as hyssop, though biblical hyssop was something different from the plant that today we call hyssop) It has great flavor that blends hints of Oregano, Thyme and Marjoram. If you are interested growing this wonderful herb you can purchase seeds that are imported from Israel, here in Fedco Seeds shop or Here in Strictly Medicinal Seeds.

2). Za’atar, the spice blend,  that vary in ingredients from region to region, but, generally, the flavor is herbal and nutty.

The za’atar herb itself is rarely exported, so it’s safe to assume that recipes calling for za’atar refer to the spice blend.  

Two main Ingredients in my version of

Herbal Za'atar recipe are:

Common  thyme (garden thyme – Thymus vulgaris) is a commonly used domestic remedy, has antiseptic properties and its beneficial effect on the respiratory & digestive systems. The whole plant is anthelmintic, deodorant, strongly antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, disinfectant, expectorant, sedative and tonic. It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis and other respiratory issues, indigestion, painful menstruation, colic and hangover.  Thyme can be used fresh at any time of the year, or it can be harvested as it start blooming, dried for later use and/or frozen as I do. 

Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) contains all the medicinal properties of the garden thyme, but in a lesser degree and less aromatic, this is why we’ll be using regular organic thyme in this Herbal zaatar recipe.

Sumac also spelled sumach, is any one of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae.

Original Herbal Za’atar recipe would use the Rhus coriaria L. (commonly called Sicilian sumac, tanner’s sumac, or elm-leaved sumac) that is a shrub or a small tree in the Anacardiaceae or Cashew family, native to southern Europe. Or the Skunkbush Sumac (Rhus trilobata)

But we will use the Native to N.America and Canada  Rhus typhina – the Staghorn sumac or Velvet sumac. It actually does feel like velvet!

Indians made a lemonade-like drink from the crushed fruit and valued it especially for its astringent qualities. They used bark, roots, fruits and even the sap for variety of conditions!  In modern Herbalism it isn’t used much, maybe because the roots and bark can be toxic in large doses.

Sumac fruit though can offer some very amazing properties:
It used as a tonic to improve the appetite and as a treatment for diarrhea. Astringent and blood purifier. A remedy for bed-wetting. A  sore throats and stomach pains treatment. Antiseptic, Emetic, Tonic, Diuretic, Stomachic.

Contains:  very high Vitamin C content, Tannins and Malic acid (Stimulated Metabolism and  increases production of energy in the body. Good for brain, muscles, skin, gums, physical exhaustion…).

Also the Indians used it to make ink by boiling  the leaves and fruits, and the dried leaves were an ingredient in smoking mixtures.

Herbal za'atar recipe

Herbal Za'atar recipe.

Herbal Za'atar recipe
Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Za’atar has some truly impressive health benefits, including its ability to improve the immune system, boost skin health, build strong bones, increase circulation, clear out the respiratory tracts, soothe inflammation, boost energy, improve mood, aid memory, and treat chronic diseases.

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried organic Thyme
  • 1 cup wild ground Sumac
  • 1 cup Sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup dry spring Nettle leaf
  • 1/4 cup dry Holy Basil
  • 1 Tbsp Ground Milk Thistle Seeds
  • 1 Tbsp Celtic salt
  • 1/2 Tbsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tbsp ground Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. First, you need to roast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until they turn light brown, all while stirring. 
  2. Combine the rest of the ingredients and half of the sesame seeds together and grind em in a blender or a food processor,  until desired texture.

  3. Add the rest of the sesame seeds and using a whisk, mix all together. and that's it!

  4. Once you’ve prepared your Herbal Zaatar spice blend, you can store it in an air-tight container and it can last you 1-2 years if you keep it in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

Use: sprinkle on salads, soups, flat GF bread, rice cakes, omelet...actually anywhere you would normally use salt and paper!

share:

Herbal za'atar recipe

shop:

My invisible notes: 

http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/r/rhus-typhina=stag’s-horn-sumach.php

http://www.healthmagazine.ae/featured/health-benefits-of-zaatar/

 

 

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** Information on the traditional uses and properties of herbs that are provided on this site is for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Many traditional uses and properties of herbs have not been validated by the FDA. If you have any serious health concerns, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs. **

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Herbal Za’atar (recipe). An amazing Spice blend from Mediterranean region! Read More »

homemade cough syrup

Homemade Cough Syrup

Homemade cough syrup

Our first go to cough remedy and also great to give as a preventative in the winter months!

The formulation of this Homemade Cough Syrup is not to stimulate the immune system, but rather support it with Vitamin C rich  & Nutrient-dense Organic Ingredients.

homemade cough syrup

5 from 1 vote
homemade cough syrup
Homemade Cough/Vitamin C boosting Syrup
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

The formulation of this Cough Syrup is not to stimulate the immune system, but rather support it with Vitamin C & Nutrient rich Organic Ingredients

Author: Milla Ezman
Ingredients
Part 1 - Hot infusion
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 Tbsp Coltsfoot
  • 1/2 cup Hibiscus
  • 4 Tbsp Goldenrod
  • 1 Tbsp Licorice root ground
Part 2 - Blender
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp thyme fresh
  • 2 Tbsp rosemary fresh
  • 1 tsp Barberry fruit fresh or dried
  • 1/3 cup Rosehips seedless, dried
  • 1 cup black currants frozen
  • 1/4 cup black currants dried
  • 2/3 cup sea buckthorn berries frozen
+
  • 1 cup Honey Raw, Organic & local.
Instructions
Part 1 - Hot Infusion
  1. In a pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add coltsfoot, hibiscus, goldenseal, and ground licorice. cover. set aside and let cool down slowly. You can actually make it ahead of time and let it steep for 3-6 hours so that the infusion is more potent. 

  2. While that is brewing, start on the part 2. 

Part 2 - Blender
  1. I add 1 c of water in my Nutribullet and added the rest of the Part 2 ingredients. Blend until very smooth, but don't overheat. 

  2. If it is too thick, use the last cup of water to rinse the blender and get every last bit of it out.

    You should have 4 cups total for the whole recipe.  but use just enough to make it a syrup consistency and  not too thin. 

  3. when the tea is ready and cooled - strain it, mix in the honey and the blended ingredients. Mix well. 

  4. I stored some in the fridge, the rest in the freezer. 

    This batch lasted us for two winter months. 

Recipe Notes

How To Use:

  • 1 Tbsp - twice a day while sick.
  • as preventative 1 T every 1-3 days.

 

If you don't have some of the ingredients I used - it's OK. Just choose other available to you from the list of Vitamin C rich foods below: 

  • blueberries
  • cranberries
  • strawberries
  • lemon & orange juice(you can use the juice instead of water in Part 2)
  • Ginger
  • Turmeric
  • Guavas
  • Kiwi
  • parsley
  • saffron
  • chervil
  • Acerola (Malpighia glabra)
  • Amla (Phyllanthus emblica)

Herbs that are good for a cough: 

Chickweed, Ground Ivy, lungwort, marshmallow, mullein, slippery elm.

My invisible notes: 

http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/r/rhus-typhina=stag’s-horn-sumach.php

http://www.healthmagazine.ae/featured/health-benefits-of-zaatar/

 

 

Homemade Cough Syrup Read More »