• Posts Tagged ‘Herbs’

    Milk Thistle & Sesame Gomasio Furikake

    by  • January 11, 2012 • Health, Herbs, Recipes • 0 Comments

    Gomasio FurikakeGomasio is a condiment comprised of toasted sesame seeds and salt. Furikake means “to sprinkle” in Japanese and refers to condiments like gomasio, usually including seaweeds. Here, we’ve got variation on a classic theme. After a suggestion by Michael Tierra, I added some secret herbal liver-boosting magic: milk thistle seeds.

    Milk thistle is well-known as a wonder herb for all ailments of the liver. It is safe for general use as a basic liver tonic, though it is specifically indicated in cases of hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis and liver congestion. It helps regenerate the liver and even reduces fat deposits on the organ. If you do anything that may be considered taxing to the liver–live in a polluted environment, eat processed, fried or fatty foods, drink alcohol, etc–then milk thistle is a good, safe herb to know.

    On top of that, milk thistle grows practically everywhere. If you are a die-hard, you could probably don some heavy-duty gloves and go harvest some for yourself. Me? Nettle is one thing (read about my nettle noodles here), but milk thistle? Ouch.

    This version of Furikake is an enjoyable way to boost liver function. My Ayurveda teacher, Dharmanidhi, used to say, “Your liver is you.” Which is funny, come to think of it, because my TCM teacher used to say, “Your spine is you.” I can see both perspectives and when I can connect to reverence for my liver and spine, it is easy to eat fresh and homecooked and then treat myself to the delicious but difficult discipline of a good yoga session or workout.

    Do something nice for your liver on a daily basis. The liver likes bitter. Drop bitter watercress into your soup. Hide a pinch of turmeric in your meal or chai. Simply eat yummy bitter greens regularly. But, I like to make this Gomasio Furikake recipe because it is always around to liven up a less-than inspiring meal while reminding me to think about the wellbeing of my largest internal organ.

    This liver-supporting version of Furikake has as many uses as you have imagination for it: a topping for rice, baked on fish with a layer or miso paste, or popcorn.

    My favorite: top a batch of homemade fresh french fries. How’s that for taking care of the liver? Ha!

    —

    Milk Thistle & Sesame Gomasio Furikake

    .5 oz wild nori (or seaweed of your choice)
    1 1/2 cup sesame seeds
    1/4 cup milk thistle seeds
    1/4 cup salt

    Preheat the oven to 300 and arrange nori flat on a cookie sheet. Cook until it looks toasty, about 10-15 minutes or when it looks done to you. Pulse in a spice grinder.

    While nori cooks, dry-roast sesame seeds in a skillet over medium-high heat, turning frequently. They are ready when they are fragrant and slightly darkened. Allow to cool.

    Pulse milk thistle seeds in grinder until very small. The outer portion of the seed is rather course must be broken down. The medicinal component of the herb is not usable by the body unless is is ground well, otherwise the body sees it as just roughage.

    Combine toasted, ground seaweed, toasted sesame and ground milk thistle with salt in a medium bowl. Take care when filling spice jars that the salt is heaviest ingredient and tends to fall to the bottom while seaweed rises to the top.

    Store in jars with tight-fitting lids and consume within a month or two for best results. Unless you are putting a shaker on the table that will be eaten quickly, store in a cool, dark place as all seeds and oils tend to become rancid in extended storage.

    Chai Tea with Tonic Chinese Herbs

    by  • December 6, 2011 • Ayurveda, Chinese Herbs, Health, Herbs • 2 Comments

    Chai TeaIn traditional herbalism, we take our cues from nature. We consciously choose activity, food, drink, exercise, sleep patterns and even the company we keep with the intention of syncing up our individual rhythms with the larger cycles. This moves us toward greater health and harmony and as such, we feel ourselves as part of a larger whole.

    In the winter season, the cold outside and the shorter duration of sunlight prompt us to bundle up, to stay in, to cozy up by the fire, to do less, to rest more. But, how often do we override our desire to shift our behavior? It’s easy to be tempted to fuel ourselves with caffeine, overcome the urge to rest and push ourselves to accomplish just a little bit more. I’ve caught myself looking at the clock to determine my bedtime rather than sensing within.  It takes an added level of awareness to observe how obtuse it really is to have all these electronic lights and gadgets glowing at us with ancient sunlight mined from the earth and piped in through electric currents.

    Harvest is over. Those plants that will thrive again next Spring have all withdrawn their energy from the branches and directed it back down to the roots. We would be wise to do the same.

    Stop. Rest. Don’t overdo. Reflect.

    Astragalus CodonopsisI made a nice tonic chai tea using Chinese herbs and warm, wintery spices that can be enjoyed plain or with milk. On a naughtier day, I might add some black tea, but it tastes just lovely without.

    Astragalus, or Huang Qi, has a sweet, almost licorice flavor. Studies indicate that it may stimulates the immune system and help the body withstand stress and extreme temperatures. Codonopsis root, of Dang Shen, is a sweet tonic herb which boosts the lung and spleen systems in TCM. It’s considered by some to be like a cheaper, less potent ginseng, with a shorter duration of effects. Cinnamon brings warmth and nourishment and even antidepressant qualities to the heart while aiding digestion. Cardamom is a delicious herb with the special quality of helping humans digest cow’s milk.

    Winter Tonic Chai

    small handful astragalus
    2-3 codonopsis root
    1/2 stick of cinnamon
    4-5 cardamom pods
    1-2 quarter-size slices of ginger
    a few peppercorns
    pinch turmeric
    water
    milk
    sweetener, optional

    Rinse astragalus and codonopsis and soak in cool water for a few minutes and rinse then again (this helps remove pesticides or preservatives in case your herbs are coming from Chinatown and may not be organic). Make an herbal decoction of these herbs by simmer them plus cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and peppercorns in water in a small uncovered saucepan for 30 minutes or until it reduces by about half (longer to get more effect). Add about half the quantity of milk back to the infusion with a pinch of turmeric and bring up to heat. Strain and serve. Sweeten, if desired. Serves 4.

    p.s. Jaggery is my favorite natural sweetener because it has lots of minerals which lend it a nutty, rich flavor, almost salty. Palm sugar or honey also work nicely.

    p.p.s. Use common sense with these herbs. Ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and turmeric are common kitchen herbs that are effective and safe for daily use. Use caution with tonic herbs such as codonopsis and astragalus. Most people should be fine with them on a regular basis. However, if you are on immunosuppressant drugs or already fighting a cold or flu, these herbs may not be appropriate. Ask your doctor.

    Workshop: Healing with Bone Broth and Jook

    by  • November 26, 2011 • Ayurveda, Events, Health, Herbs • 0 Comments

    bone broth

    From the Traditional Cooking 101 series…

    Description: Good broth is more than just simmering bones and some veggie scraps. Participants will learn cooking principles to reap maximum nutrients. Recipes will be given; variations and herbal add-ins will be discussed. Following the presentation, we will share a meal.

    Why broth? Nutritive bone stock is the foundation of low-budget, health-conscious meals and complex, gourmet cuisine alike. We will discuss the difference between throwing some bones and veg in a pot with some water and creating a truly healthful cooking base or sipping side. In particular, we will discuss how to draw the nutritive gelatin, collagen, calcium, magnesium, potassium and minerals out of the bones effectively and create a refined, delicious final product.

    Why jook? Jook (or rice porridge, or congee) is an easy and adaptable recipe that can be eaten anytime. This Chinese breakfast staple can be adapted endlessly. The addition of herbs can make jook a medicinal meal. Made with or without homemade broth, savory or sweet, jook is a delicious way to boost the health.

    Demonstration:

    How to Make Broth: Kombu/Bone Broth

    How to Make Jook: Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs

    Menu:

    Chestnut & Apricot Kernel Soup with Lotus and Cress

    Seasoned Mushrooms and Greens over Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs

    Fee: $30

    Date: Sunday, December 4th, 11am-1:30pm

    Location: Berkeley, CA

    Space is limited. Please pre-register. Call 415.938.7421 to register or click below to pay and register online.

    Sinus Relief

    by  • October 5, 2011 • Ayurveda, Health, Herbs, Recipes • 0 Comments

    Here is an effective homemade herbal formulation to help rid the sinuses of gunky, stuck, infected congestion using herbs many people have present in the household already:

    a few leaves of fresh basil, torn into smaller pieces
    2-3 whole cloves
    a pinch of dry ginger

    Place these in a mortar and pestle and work it until you have something like a paste. First, the leaves will just bruise and you’ll wonder if it will come together at all. Then, they will start to come apart a bit and combine with the other herbs.

    You may need to add a few drops of water. Drops, people. If you add too much liquid, it won’t stick to your face at all. In fact, no matter how diligently you work the herbs, it will be a pretty rough poultice anyway. Don’t worry, it still works.

    Apply the compound directly to the skin over the offending sinuses, using the most usable pieces. Watch out! It can be a bit hot, especially for those with sensitive skin. When you feel some sting on your skin, it is best to remove it to prevent irritation. It doesn’t take long for the medicine of these plants to penetrate!

    Bonus: it smells great. Who knows? After a brief treatment, you might be able to smell again, too!

    Good luck with those late winter/early spring colds!

    Handcut Nettle Noodles

    by  • September 5, 2011 • Gardening, Herbs, Parenting, Recipes, Wildcrafting • 4 Comments

    Ordinarily, I have a therapeutic, lofty or otherwise brainy reason for a food choice. This time, however, I just wanted some carby goodness.

    Blah blah blah about how stinging nettles are a mineral-rich herbal delight growing freely as a weed which cure a myriad of complaints. Yeah, its diuretic, astringent and a blood building hormone balancer. Just check Wikipedia. Whatever.

    Honestly, this time I was just thinking about how good stinging nettles would be cooked with garlic and onions and rolled into handcut noodles, then slathered in the precious sour cream I knew we had in the cabin and sprinkled with the Three Stone walnuts which had been originally ferreted away as an emergency snack for the kid.

    Everyone else seemed to have their own response to the concept.

    This is Dad: “You’re eating WHAT?! Doesn’t that stuff sting? Honestly, Sri. There are grocery stores.”

    Dad, its like sauteed spinach, only way tastier. Dad, it is my husband’s favorite pizza topper. Dad, I read that this lady suggests topping it with eggs and I can’t even deal with how good that sounds. This is a veggie-that’s-an-herb-that’s-a-veggie; its ridic, Dad.

    This is Lil’ Huck: “Let’s go sting ourselves AGAIN!”

    Yes, of course I egged my kid on until he would touch the stinging hairs on the undersides of the leaves. I urged him to do it until he overcame his fear. Then, we quickly chewed up plantain leaves and spat the hasty poultice onto our sores. The pain subsided. Magic which involves parentally-condoned spitting? Win and win.

    Have you tried this before? Are you too chicken? Or, maybe you don’t have nettles around? Sure you do. I’ve personally seen it on three continents and I wasn’t even trying. Look by the creekside or in the forest. Failing those places, check the web. Once some lady on craigstlist.com offering her roadside nettle bounty for free to whomever had gloves and a free Saturday to collect it.

    Here’s how you do it. The recipe is easy and forgiving. I’ve provided an easy sauce using what I had in the cabin. Its not gourmet or anything, but it was yummy and no one would know better. That said, don’t feel compelled to make a trip to the store to make this cheater cream sauce. Butter and salt and maybe some sauteed garlic and you’re done, if you want.

    Rachel from Clean’s Beet Ravioli Recipe provided the template for the dough. I took it from there, improvising with what I had.

    Harvesting and Cooking Stinging Nettles

    Look near rivers and creeks, roadsides and forests. Use only the freshest, brighter green tips, the top cluster of leaves or so. Below that can be fibrous. (Wear gloves or cover hands with a dish towel. Sometimes I just let myself get stung. It isn’t all that bad. In fact, the presence of formic acid can be medicinal for arthritic conditions.)

    Rinse in cool water. Steam-stirfry with a clove of smashed garlic in a tiny bit of water (no oil) over medium heat, covered. It will cook down like spinach. Discard garlic or reserve for sauce and chop nettle finely.

    (P.S. Optionally, stop here. This alone makes a delicious side dish.)

    Stinging Nettle Pasta

    Combine 1 cup of chopped cooked nettles, drained, with 2 eggs.

    Mix 2 1/2 C flour with 1 tsp salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add nettle mixture. Stir and knead (adding extra flour as needed) until well combined and no longer sticky. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for 1/2 hour.

    Roll out and cut into desired shape. Sprinkle well with flour if you don’t intend to use it right away.

    Cook until tender in boiling water. Drain, reserving some liquid for the sauce.

    Easy Sauce:
    Saute diced onion in a nonstick frying pan. Add minced garlic reserved from cooking the nettle. Add cooked pasta and stir in approximately 1 cup sour cream. Thin the sauce as desired with starchy pasta water. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve immediately.

     

    Smells like the Village

    by  • July 21, 2011 • Ayurveda, Health, Herbs • 2 Comments

    My husband said, “It smells like the village up in here!”

    I take that as a compliment. He’s talking about the herbs hanging in bundles over the doors.

    My husband is a paradox. He grew up on the edge of Siberia in a giant city. A giant city? Here I thought the edge of Siberia was the edge of nowhere: no cities. That means he’s Russian, except he’s not. Another paradox. His mom is ethnically Tatar. So, when he says our home smells like the village, he’s referring to the tiny, remote Tatar village called Moiseevka where his grandparents grew up.

    At the village, his grandparents used everything. They still do, though they’ve moved to the city now. Utilitarianism is no doubt an American virtue as well. I’ve just never seen it on this scale.

    Check out what I mean. Say you are out at the dasha (that’s the garden house with no plumbing where they live in the summer to grow all the veggies they will need for the year) and you need a sharper knife. Why not sharpen a butter knife? It’s what we have.

    Or this: Babushka regularly makes 3-4 weeks worth of noodles for her famous brothy soups using just *one* egg and a bit of flour. She works it into a dough and rolls out in two batches, paper thin. She cuts them into noodles and lays them out on a big bed to dry out then packs them in jars for dry storage. One egg and a bit of flour. Completely covering a bed. That’s impressive.

    Over here in California, the garden is overflowing. I’m trying to take a cue from Babushka and Dedushka by capturing the bounty and drying our herbs.

    We’ve got Yarrow and Calendula up to dry right now. We did Melissa and Marjoram and Mint last week. Some of them I lay out on a chicken wire frame hubs made, pick them over and let them dry in the shade. Others, I just bundling with string and hang it up over the door on a re-purposed wire hanger.

    Later, that yarrow will make a lovely analgesic and digestive tea. That calendula will make a nice anti-inflammatory gargle or tea or even a skin-soothing bath. Or, maybe I’ll tincture them. Or maybe I’ll use both of them together to make an anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory wound-healing salve.

    The possibilities are endless. We don’t even have to talk about the economy. (We hear enough about that already.) It just feels good to fully utilize the yield from the garden, to receive the gifts of the earth.

    Rose Honey

    by  • July 19, 2011 • Health, Herbs, Recipes • 1 Comment

    Just raw, local honey and sweet-smelling, pesticide-free rose petals. There’s not much to say in this post, other than the obvious: yum.

    Heirloom pink roses. Fragrant and lovely. They are taking over the hedge.

    Oh, the hedge.

    The old lady who used to live here might shudder to see the way I’ve “unboxed” her boxwood. I’ve let the bush become, well, bushy.

    One day, I’ll take it all out and plant something fabulous, something more “me,” which in the realm of gardening means something wild, but showy and definitely useful or at least meaningful, if not edible or having medicinal properties outright, then certainly poetic. Like the Birch out front bringing a little bit of Bjork to the neighborhood.

    I’m not talking about the pop musician.

    Until then, I’m enjoying a slow, quiet takeover. It’s the covert operation of a lovely little heirloom rose, dainty thorns at the ready.

    Yin power. In this case, a triumph of the delicate. Uncontrolled pastel frill. Sweet, cooling, pitta-reducing, and pink. Girl stuff. Girl stuff that even guys will enjoy on a crispy hunk of buttered toast or stirred into hot tea.

    That Iron Supplement

    by  • December 19, 2010 • Health, Herbs, Perinatal • 0 Comments

    I don’t usually act like a commercial like this. I’m not making any money on this, I swear. But, people–especially pregnant and lactating women–ask me about iron supplementation all the time. Since I set up this website as a resource, I’m just going to put this out there.

    I’m not an expert about supplementation, but I’d like to share about a product I think is pretty awesome. It is an iron supplement by Standard Process and it is called Ferrofood. It’s made with…wait for it…beef liver.

    Yes.

    Ok, so really, if you ever read my blog ever ever ever, you will not be surprised that I’m excited about meat products, bovine liver notwithstanding. It also contains bovine bone and some other exciting animal products that might seem sorta freaky at first, but really are not. Really. Well, at least I’d eat it, whatever that’s worth. Yes, I’ve read Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan’s books and I’m up on the horrors of the animal foods industry. But, I found out about this product from this guy who is a homeopath who is pretty educated about supplementation and knows a lot about the company. The ingredient list can be viewed in full detail on Standard Process’s website: http://www.standardprocess.com/display/StandardProcessCatalog.spi?ID=74. Anyway, all that lovely bone and liver makes this product super duper absorbable and I feel great when I use it at those times I am tending toward iron deficiency.

    If the mere mention of beef freaks you out, then there are other options. I know of a few on the market that are nice and made with whole foods and won’t cause nausea. The usual recommendation that most people get in whole foody, natural medicine circles as far as I know is Floradix, a non-constipating, vegetarian, liquid supplement. I used it. I liked it. It is a good product. BUT, it is a pretty pricey item. $35 for 17 oz? Yikes. And, it stains people’s teeth. I’m sure if you brush immediately after using it, that side effect could be offset. Still, I’ve heard that complaint more than once and experienced it myself. So, if you are vegetarian, this is a great product.

    Workshop: Traditional Cooking 101

    by  • November 13, 2009 • Ayurveda, Events • 2 Comments

    Traditional Cooking 101: Bone Broth and Jook

    brothNutritive bone broth is the foundation of cooking. It is the basis for simple, low-budget, health-conscious meals and complex, gourmet cuisine alike. In this workshop, we will discuss the benefits of bone broth and its uses.

    Jook, or rice porridge, is an easy and adaptable recipe that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The addition of herbs can make jook a medicinal meal. Made with or without homemade broth, jook is a delicious way to boost the health.

    Participants will learn simple principles to ensure that the maximum nutrients are reaped from ingredients. Recipes will be given; variations and herbal additions will be discussed.

    Lesson:
    Why broth? Why jook? A brief lecture will give a basic description of the place of broths and jooks in traditional healing. The discussion will include information about ingredients and their properties.

    Demonstration:
    How to Make Broth: Kombu/Bone Broth
    How to Make Jook: Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs

    Menu:
    Seasoned Autumn Mushrooms and Greens
    served over Nutritive Jook with Chinese Herbs
    with a side of Chestnut & Apricot Kernel Soup with Lotus and Cress

    Cost: $25.00 (plus splitting the cost for ingredients which are minimal for this kind of menu)

    Location: Napa, CA
    Date: Monday, November 16th
    Time: 6:30pm-8:30pm

    This class is offered in association with Blossom Chiropractic Studio. Space is limited. Reserve your space by using the contact page.

    Cooling Tea

    by  • September 2, 2009 • Ayurveda, Recipes • 1 Comment

    tea 1The “last dog days of summer” have their own steamy, sultry character. With the high temperatures we had over the weekend, it is hard to believe that fall is already knocking at the door.

    Though the Qi Node has already switched over to fall energy, the hot weather just won’t quit. This means we need to continue to protect ourselves from the heat, but without getting our vata upset with a strong cold input.

    Here is a simple tea we like to drink in the warm months to help cool and relax the Liver, harmonize digestion and decrease stress. It is great for students and workaholics or those who have a tendency to over-focus and may experience headaches, eye strain, tension or pain. It is especially helpful for insomnia and anxiety.

    The herbs in this tea are sweet to neutral, safe and nourishing to Liver, Spleen and Heart. (Stomach and Lung, too, but I digress). My kid even likes it. He begs to eat the red dates right out of the jar. Truly, the sheer beauty of the ingredients as you watch them swirl and brew in the water will soothe your pitta before you even bring it to your lips!

    tea2Stay Cool Tea

    Chrysanthemum Flowers (Ju Hua), a big handful
    Longan Fruit (Long Yan Rou), a small handful
    Red Dates (Da Zao), a small handful
    Lycium Berries (Gou Qi Zi), a heaping spoonful
    Fennel Seed, a spoonful

    Soak or at least rinse herbs in fresh water. Longan, Red Dates and Lycium can be soaked for 4 hours or overnight. If organic, the flowers and fennel seeds do not need to be soaked. If not organic, at least soak the chrysanthemum for 10 minutes in fresh, cool water.

    Place herbs in a large jar or other vessel. Pour hot water over them and allow to steep. Drink warm, even on a hot day.

    Ingredients can be easily procured from your local Chinese herbalist’s shop or Asian food store. Use organic or responsibly grown sources when possible.